Lily Kanter

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A former Microsoft executive turned entrepreneur, Lily Kanter is the CEO of the wildly successful baby bedding and furniture company Serena & Lily. With celebrity fans like Jennifer Garner and Debra Messing raving about the high quality, unique colors and modern style of their line, the sky is the limit for this business. The popularity of Serena & Lily. has been featuerd in People Magazine and the two founders are Cookie Magazine's current "Mothers of Invention." Lily and her partner Serena authored the soon to be released Nursery Style. Somehow Lily also manages to engage in many philanthropic pursuits. With three boys under five, she certainly has her hands full. Take a peek at her very candid answers to our questions and you will see why she describes herself as both easy going and maniacal. From our perspective, Lily is incredibly kind, extremely generous with her limited time and an inspiring example of all that we women with young children can accomplish.    
How many children do you have? How old are they? What are their names?
3 children, 5 ½, 3 ½, and 1 ½, their name are Max, Zeke, and Nate.

Describe your job.

As co-founder of Serena & Lily, I run the business and operations of Serena & Lily

How many hours a week do you work?

40+ hours per week

Do you work exclusively in the office, exclusively from home or some combination?

I work mostly from the office and many hours in the evening after the children go to bed.

What are the pros and cons of your schedule?

The major pro is that my schedule is dictated by me, the con is that I am not the least bit dispensable in the company and I have zero time for myself.

What are the best and worst parts of your job?

The best part is the creation of new ideas and strategy. The worst part is the daily burden and aggravation of running a business.

Would you work if you could afford to stay home? If so, why?
Absolutely YES, I love to create and that is what fuels my soul. I love spending half my waking hours with my children/husband and half with my business and non-profit pursuits. This definitely makes me a better mom and wife.

Describe your childcare set up.
I have two full time nannies that are like family. They are on at the same time for about 47 hours per week.

If you have a spouse or a partner, does he or she work? What do they do for a living?

My husband is self employed and gives a lot of time to the children. He runs a gemstone website.

How does the question of who earns more in your house affect the domestic workload division?

Because I am building a business right now, my husband definitely gives more time to the family.