kirstie McLellan Day kirstie McLellan Day - The MOMpreneur

legal issues
Business Abounds
in Untying the Knot
Q&A with Darcie Shelly, Co-Owner of Untie The Knot Divorce Service
Delivering a strong online presence and
top-notch customer service are among
the factors Darcie credits for her
company’s success in helping couples
make it through uncontested divorce
quickly and efficiently…
Q: What gave you the confidence
to establish your business?
I worked as a court filing agent in the Supreme Court of
B.C. in Vancouver and worked as a legal assistant for many
years. Over time, friends going through separation and
divorce asked for my help with the preparation and filing of
their documents. In 2001 I was faced with the task of doing
my own divorce. As I was preparing my own documents, it
occurred to me that even with the knowledge and skills I
possessed from my own experience, the process was difficult
and time consuming.
A few other things I learned early on – and I mean no
disrespect to the legal profession – is that many lawyers do
not have the time to deal with simple, uncontested divorces
where the couple has already sorted out the outstanding
issues. Further, I realized that separation and divorce are
financially traumatic on the majority of couples. One
financial entity divides into two causing hardship to both
parts of the “new family”. Legal fees on top of that can prove
crippling, particularly in today’s economy.
When my divorce was processed successfully, my new
partner and I decided it was necessary to offer a service to
help couples type and file their uncontested and joint divorce
applications in B.C. and thus, Untie The Knot was born
in July 2002. We began with a local presence only serving
customers in the Lower Mainland, eventually branching out
to the rest of B.C. with a strong online presence. Slowly we
have expanded our service from West to East.
Q: What are the goals for your company
for the next five years?
Five years from now, I see Untie The Knot fully expanded
across Canada and pushing into the United States.
Separation and divorce aren’t easy experiences for couples.
There are so many services couples require as they enter
into the process of divorce. We are looking at forming
partnerships with other professionals; accountants, financial
planners and yes, even lawyers, to assist our clients with
every difficult step along the way.
Q: What advice can you give to a Mompreneur who
is thinking about starting an online business?
I cannot overstate how important a strong online presence
is. I have seen the businesses of so many incredibly
talented women and men fail because of an insufficient
online presence.
A well-designed website which compliments your type of
business is essential. A website should be easy to navigate
32 MOMpreneur ® � July/August 2010