Sonia Zarbatany seems to have it all. The businesswoman, wife and mom of two grew up in the fashion industry. At the age of 9, she used to go to the office and do odds and ends jobs. After university, instead of going into the family business right away, she chose to move to Los Angeles to become a life and business coach to make a difference in people’s lives. “Showing people how to achieve the lives they wanted, and giving them different techniques on how to achieve it is a great passion of mine, the self-made entrepreneur told Mtl times.” After 7 years away, she was then ready to move back home (Montreal) and get back into the grind of the fashion industry. Her family business distributed brands such as Kathy Van Zeeland, Guess and other big name brands. A little while after that, they discovered Vince Camuto and Sancturary brands, and the rest is history. “I love developing the brand into becoming a household name as well as our other brands, CeCe and One State in Canada, she states.” Here are some questions we asked coach Sonia Zarbatany, who was recently named President of Vince Camuto in Canada.
– What do you like the most about Montreal?
“When the sun is out, Montrealers are ready to play. I love the summer because it’s when the city lights up. The people are friendly, warm and real. I love the true friendships I have in this city and that my kids can play and be raised in such a safe environment. We have a big city vibe even though we are probably more like a small town!”
– What is the biggest difference between Montreal and the other big cosmopolitan cities from your point of view?
“Montreal to me is home. It’s a family-oriented, culturally enriched city that allows me to find the perfect balance between work and family life. I find the biggest difference is probably the work life or the work mentality. In Montreal, we work hard, but we definitely don’t grind like they do in some of the other big cosmopolitan cities. Whenever I travel, the second my plane lands in New York, I can smell business in the air. The idea of 9-5 does not exist. Work hours consist every waking hour! Other American metropolitans are much more work oriented, and focused on financial success.”
– What is a typical work week for you?
There is absolutely nothing typical about any work week. During market week, I am in New York once or twice a week to preview new collections, work with Canadian accounts and plan what will be in stores for the next collection. If I am working from the Montreal office, my days start from the second my son or daughter wakes me up to the second my head hits the pillow at night. I prepare my daughter for school and I head to the office where I’ll do anything from sales, to logistics, accounts receivable and payables. Basically, oversee every part of the Canadian business. I squeeze in ‘me’ time by heading to the gym. Then, my evenings are family time, events and back on my laptop for more work. My social media platform has become a great source to share tips and coaching so I do my best to give it an hour a day. I try to balance work and family life as much as I can.
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