For Lara Murphy, burnout isn’t just something to power through. Burnout is something most professionals should actively manage.
While leading a well-established commercial construction company—the only female-owned construction company in Calgary—and helping build a professional women’s soccer franchise from the ground up, Murphy says she keeps a watchful eye on burnout. Murphy, who is the founder of Ryan Murphy Construction and co-founder, president and CEO of the Calgary Wild FC, says the demands of juggling multiple high-stakes roles make discipline around time and energy essential. She frames burnout as a signal to reassess priorities, emphasizing the need to focus on what directly impacts daily decision-making while carving out space to acknowledge progress along the way.
Recognizing what restores energy, and allowing time for it, is key to sustaining performance over the long term. This is especially important in high-pressure leadership roles where the risk of burnout is constant. Lara says stepping away from work to recharge, whether through time with family and friends or through outdoor activities, is central to this approach.
“Looking back at my own experience, I never once imagined playing professionally or getting paid to play. That opportunity didn’t exist. So when this league came together, I would have given anything for that chance.”
“For me, it’s about doing things that refill your cup—spending time with friends and family, skiing, being outdoors. I don’t get my best ideas staring at a screen. I get them listening to music, biking, or sitting by the river.”
Recognizing what restores energy, and allowing time for it, is key to sustaining performance over the long term, she adds. This is particularly important in high-pressure leadership roles where the risk of burnout is constant.
Murphy has roots in the construction and entrepreneurial realm from her early days growing up in New Brunswick, where her parents remember her keen interest in construction and architecture.
“At 16, I started my first company… I could fit two lawnmowers in the trunk, with equipment and sometimes ladders on the roof. Whenever I looked in the back, I’d see the lawnmowers sticking out, and a pair of soccer cleats and a ball rolling around.”
“I would ask questions like, ‘Why is the light switch over here, and the light’s in the middle of the room?’ I was very curious,” she says. “I played a lot of different sports and had a lot of energy. I was the eldest kid, so my parents encouraged me to do things. I picked up a drill and a hammer. Over time, I became that kid on the block who did things for the neighbours— painting, building fences, planting trees. I loved earning extra money shoveling snow. Being in New Brunswick, there’s lots of that.”
“At 16, I started my first company called Handy Student Maintenance. I had this old Firefly car, it used to cost two bucks to fill. I could fit two lawnmowers in the trunk, with equipment and sometimes ladders on the roof. Whenever I looked in the back, I’d see the lawnmowers sticking out, and a pair of soccer cleats and a ball rolling around. I just always played. My friend and I were the only girls on the boys’ team. I loved it.”
When she was just under 17 years old, a soccer coach from England came out to watch one of the tournaments in the area. But she happened to be running track and field that day.
A friend who was on an opposite team told the English soccer coach about Murphy. She told him she’d go to England only if he came back to watch Murphy play.
“That moment changed everything,” says Murphy, adding that the two went to England and played soccer.
From there, she started getting noticed by schools. Each summer, she ran a construction company to pay for New Brunswick’s Mount Allison University, where she got a scholarship, played soccer, and earned a Bachelor of Arts. She also played on the provincial team, and the first Canada Games team where women’s soccer was included.
“In 2005, I came to Calgary for a wedding for a former teammate. That’s where I met my current partner. That trip changed my life again because of soccer. I moved to Calgary with a duffel bag, no money, and a Bay credit card. I used to buy groceries in the basement of The Bay downtown,” says Murphy.
“The city has really provided for me, and I’ll always give back. I worked for a developer, then started Ryan Murphy Construction. I worked out of my basement for five years. We weren’t embraced early on. It was slow and steady.”
Murphy got involved in the community and was introduced to Deanna Zumwalt, who was involved in the soccer ecosystem and had heard about the initiative to start a pro league in Canada. Zumwalt wanted Calgary to have one of the first clubs.
“She asked me to come on board because of my construction experience, to help find a home for the team. That’s how I got involved. As we met weekly, I became more passionate,” adds Murphy.
“Looking back at my own experience, I never once imagined playing professionally or getting paid to play. That opportunity didn’t exist. So when this league came together, I would have given anything for that chance.”
“We launched on April 15, 2025, in Vancouver— the first game of the league. We raised $8 million, recruited players, staff, and built everything from scratch. It’s been incredible.”
Murphy says she has been fortunate to have a wonderful team on the construction side, so her time is primarily dedicated to the Wild. It’s a big lift. There’s a lot involved—compliance, operations, staffing, marketing.
At Ryan Murphy Construction, Lara and her team manage multi-million-dollar projects in corporate, commercial, health care and residential construction.
“It’s about recognizing what makes you happy and giving yourself permission to do those things. Balance is key.”
Murphy said the company prides itself on being a diverse supplier advocating for inclusivity, authenticity, and supporting the underserved in our community and mentoring youth. She has educated herself further in inclusivity issues by participating in courses including Indigenous Studies, governance and completing the Diversity Inclusion Certificate at CCDI Consulting in order to more conscientiously drive change in the construction industry and Calgary’s business community.
She regularly gives talks about leadership, entrepreneurship, the construction industry and business. Outside of work, Murphy loves working with her community. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 for community work and advocating for equity, inclusivity and authenticity, and supporting younger entrepreneurs through her service on the Boards of YW Calgary, SAIT, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and the Calgary Airport Authority.
Running two separate and different businesses can be a challenge for anyone. For someone as busy as her, how does she prevent burnout?
“It’s about prioritization. You have to be disciplined with your calendar and focus on what impacts day-to-day decisions. Also, take time to celebrate wins,” explains Murphy. “It’s about recognizing what makes you happy and giving yourself permission to do those things. Balance is key.”
One of her favourite quotes, that resonates with her, is from tennis star Serena Williams: “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.”
