SHE’S THE BOSS
Checknet’s Jessica Devenish throws her hat(s) in the ring

Don’t call Jessica Devenish “the boss.” She doesn’t like it. (With the exception of this article title, of course.) But really, the CEO of Checknet, a collections agency in Provo, is big on team — small on titles. Perhaps it’s because she has so many of them.

Devenish is a wife, mom, CEO, sister, daughter, cowgirl, friend, chauffeur, mentor, hunter, networker and motivator. Truly, she changes hats with the best of them. It’s a wonder she never has hat hair.

Devenish’s frizz-free success has undoubtedly come from good old-fashioned hard work. As a teenager, working her way up in the family business, she chose determination over coattails. As a leader, she motivates rather than dictates. And as a working mom, she’s realistic to challenges but optimistic to potential.

“You just keep working hard, learning from both your triumphs and mistakes,” she says. “And then you do better the next day.”

Devenish sat down with Utah Valley BusinessQ to share the ins and outs, highs and lows of being a woman in the workplace. Find out how she once used giggling as a decoy and why she and the zoo have a love-hate relationship.

Briana Stewart, Utah Valley BusinessQ: Have you always wanted to work?
Jessica Devenish: I started working for my dad when I was 15. And once I started working, I never wanted to stop. My senior year of high school I went to school in the morning and then to work in the afternoon. I was hooked.

Q: What did you love about it?
Devenish: I had great clients I loved to talk to, I was making great money, and I was good at it. It all felt really natural. I actually signed Novell when I was 18. They didn’t know how old I was.

Q: How’d you manage that?
Devenish: I never really said my age. They’d ask how old I was, and I’d just give a little giggle and say, “I’m young. You don’t want to know.” (laughs)

Q: Giggling — the great distraction. But really, that shows quite the determination for someone so young.
Devenish: Well, I’m a methodical person by nature. I know what I want and I go after it. I knew how old I wanted to be when I got married — 21. I knew I wanted to have my first child at 25, and I knew I wanted to be done having kids at 30. And I did just that.

Q: What’s it like being the boss?
Devenish: I laugh when you call me the boss. My employees know I don’t like it. I absolutely want things the way I want them, but I want to be a team player while doing it. In fact, our IT guys name all of the computers in the office, and they named mine “Boss Lady.” (smiles) It’s changed now.

Q: Surely there’s at least one perk to being the boss.
Devenish: The thing I like most is my kids’ perception of it. They say that when they grow up, they want to be the boss — just like mom.

Q: Before you became the boss, you were the boss’ daughter. What was that like?
Devenish: There is absolutely a judgment or perception there, so I learned how to work harder. My dad was hard on me, and so were all of my managers. But I was always No. 1 on the sales contests because it made me say, “I can do this on my own — not because I’m the boss’ daughter. I’m equal to you. I’m just as capable as you are. So watch out because here I am.”

Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
Devenish: You should ask my managers that question. I’m curious. I feel like I’m a great motivator. I get that from my dad. I’m always looking for the positive, and anyone who knows me knows I love motivational quotes.

Q: I see them around your office.
Devenish: People spend so much time at work, and it’s my job to make them energized to be here. We’ve done our best to create a positive, family-like environment. Just look at my office — I’ve got pictures everywhere, a comfy chair for people to sit in. It looks like my house, except here I don’t have any deer hanging on the walls.

Q: So that culture of family has been key.
Devenish: Absolutely. It’s all about culture. And, you know, it’s about recognition, too. We make a point to continually praise our employees. Although I’ve learned you don’t praise expected behavior; you praise exceptional behavior. There’s a big difference.

Q: How do you think being a woman has affected your career?
Devenish: Good question. I suppose I don’t ever really think about it. I don’t see it as a man’s world or a woman’s world. The only time I do notice it is when I sit on various advisory boards. For some reason, I end up being the one taking notes and doing the scheduling.

Q: Because you’re the woman?
Devenish: Because I’m the woman. On the one hand, it’s a compliment because they’re looking to me to keep us on track. But on the other hand, I don’t even take notes at my own company! (laughs)

Q: Gotta love irony.
Devenish: Other than that, though, I don’t really see a big difference. Maybe I’m naive to think it doesn’t matter and that talented people are just talented.

Q: What have been the benefits of being a woman in business?
Devenish: There’s a connection between women in the workplace. For example, I did a presentation in Colorado yesterday to a group of a few men and one woman. And there was a point where this woman and I made a connection — all the men faded away and we were able to just talk. Now, that’s not to say you can’t have those connections with your male colleagues, but it comes so naturally to women.

Q: What are some misconceptions of women in the workplace?
Devenish: Probably that we’re a minority. I never think of a business as woman-owned or man-owned. There is a little bit of a “you go girl” feeling when you find out a business is owned by a woman — a rah-rah attitude. But I really feel like women-owned businesses aren’t nearly as rare as they used to be.

Q: Do you think women are harder on other women at work?
Devenish: I’m actually probably harder on my man. (Devenish’s management team is made up of one man, seven women.) I know he’s not going to cry and that sincerely, deep down, he won’t take it personally. For women, there’s that emotional piece in us — it’s just how we’re built. Not all women take things personally, but we certainly have a mechanism that makes us more sensitive. In many cases, reprimanding a man is easier than reprimanding a woman.

Q: Nearly every businesswoman I talk to — who is also a mom — mentions guilt. Is that true with you?
Devenish: Oh, guilt. I hate that word. But it’s absolutely true. School field trip days are the worst. The zoo and guilt go hand-in-hand for me. Obviously, I set my own schedule and can make plans to go, but there are always times when something comes up and you can’t make it. It’s heart-wrenching.

Q: I can imagine.
Devenish: So now I don’t tell my kids when I’m planning to come. That way they’re pleasantly surprised when mom shows up. But believe me. I learned the hard way.

Q: Where do you think the guilt comes from?
Devenish: Maybe part of it’s that my mom didn’t work. She was home. We’re really close, and you want to be just as close with your own kids. And then you have those worry days where you know you work too much.

Q: So what’s your solution? How do you wage the guilt wars?
Devenish: I’m very conscious of my situation and I’m always looking to see how my kids are being affected by my work. They’re my barometer on how I’m doing. I don’t ever want my kids to feel like they come second. The minute I tell them, “Just hold on a minute, I need to take care of this,” I’ve lost them. They don’t hear a word. I’m like the Charlie Brown teacher.

Q: What about the issue of balance — another hot topic for working women.
Devenish: You know, I just don’t think a true balance is possible. It’s what we strive and hope for every day. But some days, no matter what choices I make, I’m going to let someone down — my husband, my kids, my team. Some days, someone is not going to get my 100 percent.

Q: Is that hard to reconcile?
Devenish: It is. And I think about it every day of my life. But you know what, I’ve gotten better at it over the years. The first eight years I didn’t take a vacation. I didn’t take more than four days off when I had my babies. I was insane.

Q: What changed?
Devenish: In February of 2006, my husband and I took the kids to Disneyland for a whole week. It was exhilarating. It was good for the team to know they could handle things, and it was good for me to know I could leave and everything would be OK. It wasn’t an arrogance thing — I’ve always had unconditional faith and trust in my team. But, and many entrepreneurs will understand this, Jessica and Checknet were not two entities. I became the company.

Q: That has to get overwhelming.
Devenish: Without a doubt. But ever since that vacation, ever since I started to make time for myself, I’ve been Jessica again. When it comes down to it, true balance comes from happiness at home. Family first — then everything else falls into place. These are secrets learned from many mistakes along the way.

Q: What is your “you” time like?
Devenish: I’m big into meditation. That’s my saving grace for when things get muddy. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing — I could even be in the middle of a chaotic situation — I turn off and meditate.

Q: What about boundaries? Are there any rules you set to help separate your roles?
Devenish: I try hard not to work nights or weekends. But technology, as fabulous as it is, can take over your life. I’m a phone junkie, an e-mail junkie — it’s my umbilical cord. So there are certainly times where I have to consciously decide to put it in the other room and not check it. It’s hard to shut it down, though. Definitely a learned habit.

Q: Do you have advice for other women in business?
Devenish: Be realistic. That perfect balance is a mythical dream in the sky. Don’t set yourself up for unrealistic expectations — you can’t always be “perfect.” My dad and I always say the phrase, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” And when we’re in the trenches of work, frustrated and just not functioning, we have to remind ourselves of that. It’s our knock upside the head.

Q: What motivates you?
Devenish: Being a great leader. I want to be that person my team looks to for direction and advice. I want them to feel like they can rely on me.

Q: Who’s your mentor?
Devenish: My dad in business, my mom in life. I always say if my kids adore me half as much as I do my parents, I’m fulfilled.

Q: What do you admire most about your mom?
Devenish: She’s always been so open and is an amazing listener. I can talk to her about anything.

Q: What do you want your kids to most admire about you?
Devenish: My kids always say, “You have so many friends, you know so many people.” I like that they recognize that. I always make my girls meet someone new at school every week. Most importantly, though, I want them to like themselves better when they are with me.

Q: Do you have any business philosophies?
Devenish: I could quote my Dad all day long on this question. He always taught me to never burn bridges, because you never know when you’ll need to cross them again. That lesson has stuck with me. And, really, it’s all about how you treat people. Treat them the way you want to be treated — that’s how I was raised.

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