Aurora Voss is the Co-Founder & CEO of ClaimSpace, a web-based, data-driven engagement platform for insurers to communicate and collaborate.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I’m the CEO and Co-Founder of ClaimSpace, the best way for insurers to communicate and collaborate with their customers and stakeholders for more transparent and efficient claims experiences.

ClaimSpace was founded three years when one of my Co-Founders Gilberto, was working as a claims specialist.

He had used every cutting edge technology under the sun but still struggled to communicate the most basic, real-time information to claimants, brokers, medical professionals and others whose help he needed to manage a huge portfolio of complex disability and income protection claims.

Fast forward three years and we have customers all over the world with a distributed team spread across in Australia, the US, and Mexico.

I studied Arabic & Islamic Studies at University and have done everything from interpreting to driving a bus. But I have spent the last 6 years growing startup customer experience teams and working in the early-stage venture capital space.

2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I have a 6-month-old so my day revolves largely around him. Things kick off at around 6.30am with emails, a metrics review, and coffee. I spend mornings with my son and afternoons either at the office (which is 5 mins from my house) or working from home.

As CEO the only constant is constant context switching, so doing whatever falls outside of my teams job descriptions and removing any obstacles that are in their way. Outside of that, my main areas of responsibility are sales and hiring.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

100%, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. Entrepreneurship has been the greatest gift as a new parent. It’s allowed me to do what I love while being with the ones I love.

My team is a really diverse group of people who all have responsibilities to loved ones so remote-first and flexible is a really strong part of our culture.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

It means having enough flexibility to be able to manage the context switching that my chosen life demands while positively investing in my health and relationships.

As a new parent/startup founder, there are a lot of structural things that I had to put in place to ensure I would be able to do everything that is important to me: raise a baby and a business. So moving my parents in with us was a really critical decision which has paid off in spades.

My husband is also an entrepreneur and works from home which, along with my parents has meant that I have had constant support and freedom to keep working. Also being in business with partners who also value the kind of work-life balance that I do, makes things a lot more achievable and fun.

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5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

This time last year I was pregnant, living out of hotels, travelling across the US selling ClaimSpace to customers and investors. I woke up at 5am every day, exercised for 2 hours, meditated, drank hot water with lemon and fasted until midday. That routine is gone and it’s never coming back.

6) Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

Before I became a parent I was a voracious reader of history: anything by Richard Fidler and Russian history. Nowadays any non-critical content I consume has to be bite-sized or done slowly over time. I now use Twitter a lot: to learn new skills, connect with other founders, and even meet investors. I still can’t believe that it’s free.

7) Are there any products, gadgets, or apps that you can’t live without?

My iPhone, breast pump, and the feminine hygiene range from Toms Organic.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?

My mother. She raised five kids (2 as a single mom) all while growing her business. I’ll never get tired of learning from her.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life, or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Be honest with yourself about what it really means to you, then move mountains to make that a reality. Whatever it is, it’s possible.

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