Helena Smrcek

Relationships are the center of all I do. My extraverted tendencies help me to navigate through unfamiliar ground of social gatherings, trade shows and conferences. I love meeting new people. Life is too short to be shy.

As a writer, I value the friendships of many wonderful writers, editors and others in the publishing industry all over North America. I find that in our age of social media, distance still plays a role, but there are ways to overcome that hurdle. Staying connected is a vital part of building the platform that all publishers ask for. My blog shares the ups and downs of my platform building quest.

I’m also a small business owner and invest a great deal of time building relationships in my local  community. Small businesses, corporations, schools, charities, faith based non-profit organizations – they are all part of our home town. One of our primary goals at The Art Studios is to build community through art.

I also believe that a small local business can have a great impact on our global community. The idea of triple bottom line was first introduced to me by Bruce Tip, the owner of G.A.P. adventure travel. I think it’s a great way to run a business.

But what about home? Many working moms struggle with the right balance, and I do too. My core values revolve around relationships, and family is in the center of all I do. Married for almost twenty years, life has been an interesting rollercoaster. As our kids are getting older, I’m very aware that our parenting time is running out fast, and I feel that there is no time to waste.

Someone once told me that our job as a parent is not to be the best friend to our children, but to raise independent and responsible adults. My aim is to balance both. Communication is very important, and I’m pleased to say that our teens still talk to us. Family dinners are a daily occurrence, and yes, I do try to cook a somewhat homemade meal every day. The slow cooker and freezer are my best friends, and I refuse to believe that a dishwasher  is not a necessity.  All these little helpers save me valuable time that I can in turn spend with my family – play a game, watch Star Trek, walk the dog or chat about life.

And there are our family vacations. We love to travel. Road trips are the highlight of our year – and we have done a few. Now that the kids are older, they are more involved in planning our trips, researching attractions, history and local interests. From cheese factories, lime stone quarries, caves and caverns, to power plants and mines, we aim to share the world with them, every chance we get.  

But it is not just fun and games. We play hard, but we also work hard. My husband and I believe that our children need to be a part of our businesses, and as they get older we gradually teach them and add to their responsibilities. Some might call us too strict or too traditional, but we believe in big dreams, persistence and hard work.