and then this happened… Liz Featheringill Pharo

Leading family business Momentum Telecom—and launching a private equity firm—keep Liz Featheringill Pharo on the move

THE BASICS 

Born in Birmingham, graduated The Altamont School and Birmingham-Southern College (computer science); recent MBA from University of North Carolina.

STRONG WOMEN  

Mother Carolyn Featheringill taught law at Cumberland School of Law  for 24 years; one grandmother  was a chemist; the other taught school for 40 years. “Growing up I never thought gender bias was a real thing.”

FIRST CAREER STOP

Writing software—like the then-revolutionary training program for SuccessEHS [Cloud-based EMR]. “I implemented the product—which trained multiple people in multiple locations simultaneously—and transitioned into management.”

GOOD DECISIONS

Hiring Bill Fox as Momentum CEO and, later, Chuck Piazza as Senior Sales Executive. “I trust him [Fox] and Chuck is awesome, really changing the way we sell.”

CONGRATS ON

The Jemison Award from Birmingham Venture Club. “I grew up in a household where nothing better could happen to a person in the world than to win this award. I was so excited and so surprised.”

BIG INFLUENCE: 

“My dad [the late Bill Featheringill, a leading Birmingham entrepreneur] always talked about us working together. I feel like I was in an entrepreneurship class from the age of 3.”

DAD’S LEGACY

“Taking over  Momentum Telecom [a hosted voice, broadband services and unified communications provider] and EHS [now sold] was challenging but I felt a strong desire to continue creating jobs and providing good returns for investors. My father took such pride in those things–and that’s the guy I grew up with in my ear.”

INEVITABLE QUESTION

“How I balance? I get up around 5:30 and work out before the kids wake up. Technology allows me to check email at their sporting events. I can do a phone call while I’m out running or a conference call in the car so then I can be totally there for the kids.”

ON HER HORIZON

Featheringill Capital, a private equity firm “looking to buy three to five businesses in the next five to 10 years.” Also helping start a bank.