C-Suite Moms: Marie Quintana of ‘Last Flight From Havana’ On How To Successfully Juggle Motherhood and Work

An Interview With Vanessa Morcom

Always pick up the call when your children call, even if you are in a meeting try to pick up and excuse yourself from the meeting. It could be just to tell your child you will call them back but you don’t know if it is an emergency.

Take family vacations where it is not optional — make it mandatory to go. Treasure these moments, they fly by so quickly.

In today’s fast-paced business world, women in executive roles face the unique challenge of balancing high-powered careers with the demands of motherhood. Despite progress in workplace equality, female executives often carry a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities. How do these successful women manage both spheres of their lives so effectively? In this interview series, we would like to explore this intricate balance and we are talking to women executives from various industries who are also mothers, to share their insights and strategies for successfully juggling their professional and personal lives. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Marie Quintana.

Marie Quintana, author of Last Flight From Havana, is a distinguished business leader with a 30-year career in corporate America, holding key positions at companies like Tenet Healthcare, PepsiCo, Perot Systems, and IBM. She’s recognized as one of the Top 50 Hispanic Women in Business by Hispanic Business Magazine, and Top 5 Latina Executives by Latina Style Magazine.

Committed to fostering future women leaders, Marie co-founded the PepsiCo Women of Color Alliance and served on the founding board of the Network of Executive Women. Find her at www.mariequintana.com.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us the “backstory” behind what brought you to this point in your career?

I have had 30+ year career working as an executive in Fortune 50 and Fortune 500 companies. I currently run a consultancy advising companies, speak at corporations and organizations, and recently release a book, Last Flight From Havana: A Memoir of Cuba, Faith, and Family.

I was born in Cuba and came to the United States as a young child. I was the oldest in my family and felt a strong sense of responsibility to care for my parents, given we were “outsiders.” This was a big job! I learned English quickly so I could interpret the new world we lived in. I grew up in a small Cajun town in Louisiana and eventually moved to New Orleans. I went on to college and studied to be a psychologist and graduated with a master’s in social work. I worked in a mental health clinic for about a year, then got married and moved to Texas. It was in Texas that I changed careers. I was hired by IBM to work as a systems engineer on the Frito-Lay account, a role that was very difficult for me to learn. This is where I learned the importance of hard work and taking risks. I learned you can do anything if you put your mind to it and commit to learning new skills. I’ve done this over and over again in my life.

Can you share with us how many children you have?

This is a difficult question to answer for those of us who have gone through the unspeakable pain of losing a child. It took me years to answer this question; I feel at peace that I can say I have 3 children — 2 adults and one in heaven.

Where were you in your career when your child was born/became part of your family?

I was just starting my career as a systems engineer working for IBM on the Frito-Lay account.

Did you always want to be a mother? Can you explain?

Yes, I grew up in a very loving family and always wanted to have a family. Being a mother was an ultimate gift for me.

Did motherhood happen when you thought it would or did it take longer? If it took longer, what advice would you have for another woman in your shoes?

I welcomed my first child in my late twenties, and the journey to expand our family took a challenging turn when complications arose with my second pregnancy. Eventually, after five years, I was blessed with twins, adding even more joy and excitement to our lives. My advice to another woman is that if you want to be a mother you should prioritize that even if you must take a step back from your career. It is easier to catch up to your career, but not always easy to catch up to becoming a mother.

Can you tell us a bit about what your day-to-day schedule looks like?

My kids are now grown and do not live at home. When I was in the prime of my career with 3 children, I traveled quite a bit from Dallas to New York on a weekly basis for meetings at our headquarters. This required a lot of organization and planning. My husband helped and so did other parents. Especially given my children played sports year-round, I relied on other parents to take them to the sports events.

Has being a parent changed your career path? Can you explain?

No, being a parent has not changed my career path. I think you can have the career you want, just the timing might be different.

Has being a mother made you better at your job? How so?

Being a mother has made me a better leader. I am more patient and a better listener. I have also learned much wisdom from my children.

What are the biggest challenges you face being a working mom?

My biggest challenge was when my son was diagnosed with special needs. As all parents would I worried about what school to send him to, his medication, doctor appts, special tutoring. It all took time away from work and was quite stressful until we were able to settle into a “new normal” routine.

Are there any stories you remember from the early days of parenthood that you want to share?

I started my career in the 80’s in a male dominated field. There were not many females and those that were working were not pregnant. I did not want anyone to know I was pregnant. I was in my 6th month of pregnancy wearing clothes to hide my belly when one of customers asked me if I was gaining weight. At this point I announced that I was pregnant.

Are there any meaningful activities or traditions you’ve made up or implemented that have enhanced your time with your family? Can you share a story or example?

Yes, we started Sunday night dinners where we share dinner nights with a friend who has children a similar age. Everyone shows up and talks about their week, shares stories and finds ways to help one another. We have been doing this for 20 years.

We all live in a world with many deadlines and incessant demands for our time and attention. That inevitably makes us feel rushed and we may feel that we can’t spare the time to be “fully present” with our children. Can you share with our readers 5 strategies about how we can create more space in our lives in order to give our children more quality attention?

1 . Always pick up the call when your children call, even if you are in a meeting try to pick up and excuse yourself from the meeting. It could be just to tell your child you will call them back but you don’t know if it is an emergency.

2 . Try to be the driver to events, to/from soccer, or sports events. As they grow older offering to be their “uber driver” as long as it is not late at night. I pick up and drop off from the airport. Car time is precious, uninterrupted and you have their full attention and they have yours.

3 . Take long walks with your children, uninterrupted times.

4 . Take family vacations where it is not optional — make it mandatory to go. Treasure these moments, they fly by so quickly.

5 . Watch a movie together.

How do you inspire your child to “dream big”? Can you give an example or story?

My kids have watched me be the breadwinner of the family. I talk about values my parents taught m such as hard work. We are immigrants and life is not easy. You can be whatever you want to be. My older son had difficultly finishing college but he worked hard and finally earned his degree after 11 years of being interrupted with hospitalizations, his motto was to “dream big.”

How do you define success in both your career and your family life, and how has this definition evolved over time?

My definition of success has evolved. I now have more time to be more purposeful with my conversations with my kids. I have been through a divorce and have re-married. We are both committed to sharing quality time with our kids. Our careers are important but it is more important that our kids are in a good place in their lives.

What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a better parent? Can you explain why you like them?

I turn to God in prayer for my children. My girlfriends and I started a Bible Study 20 years ago when my oldest son first became sick. We still meet every Monday night, and we pray for our children. The books I like are The Power of the Praying Parent and The Power of Praying for your Adult Children, both books are by Stormie Omartian.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote” that you share or plan to share with your kids?

Maya Angelou “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

If you could sit down with every new parent and offer life hacks, must-have products, or simple advice, what would be on your list?

Today’s times are so different from when my kids grew up. We didn’t have iPhones! When they start school, and they need a phone to communicate, get them a flip phone. Schedule an evening dinner time that all can eat together and make Sunday night dinners a special event. Be present, drop what you are doing and listen to your child.

Thank you so much for these insights! We really appreciate your time.

About The Interviewer: Vanessa Morcom is a millennial mom of three and founder of Morcom Media, a performance PR shop for thought leaders. She earned her degree in journalism and worked for Canada’s largest social enterprise. She can be reached at vanessa@morcom.media