Dare to Know: Elisabeth DeVos Shares the Ride

Aspiring ballerina to high school dropout to computer programmer to professional writer to single mom to communications guru? Hardly what one might call a typical career trajectory. But for Jane-of-all-trades Elisabeth DeVos, the only way up was through. “When you’re in the dark, you can only see one step ahead,” she recalls of her career's convoluted early stages. “You have to be true to your passions and rely on time to provide clarity.”

Elisabeth got more than clarity. After an impressive interview saw the creation of a new position just for her, the Marketing Communications Manager of Inome (formerly Intelius) quickly began applying her broad skill set to her work. Elisabeth’s accumulated talents in both creative and technical fields earned her the company’s iPrize, a coveted distinction and $50,000 reward. Elisabeth’s winning pitch, a software program based on the "six degrees of separation" principle, will be backed by Inome and realized as a major commercial product.

While good timing played a role in Elisabeth’s recent achievement, she stresses that everyday engagement on the job built a far more important foundation. “There’s no such thing as instant success,” she says. “I didn’t wait until that day to bring my creativity and to the office. I focused on my company’s mission, and I took advantage of an opportunity to make a contribution beyond my usual role. I don’t think I would have had the insight to pinpoint a winning idea had I not been already building my knowledge and credibility.”

Work is still just one part of the picture, however. Whereas some women prefer to draw hard lines between job and family responsibilities, Elisabeth sees her thriving career as an opportunity to mentor her daughter, Marielle. “I want to be available to my child, but I also want her to see my passion for my work,” explains Elisabeth. “If I’m disappearing into an office, she’s not learning anything practical. I want her to understand what adult life is all about, whether it’s work or cooking or relationships. I want to bring her along for the ride.” In fact, at Elisabeth’s encouragement, Marielle submitted her own idea to the iPrize competition (no hard feelings between the two competitors, of course).

Whether acting as prizewinner or breadwinner, Elisabeth holds her role as nurturer in highest regard. “What excites me is growth, whether it’s my career or my child,” she affirms. Only fitting, then, that both should blossom in tandem.

—Emma Aubry Roberts