Saturday 11 August 2018

Finnish-Montanan Work-Life Balance

A Speech given at the InnovateUM Summer Garden Party
Aug 8, 2018 Missoula, MT
Jenni Rohrbach

Good evening, a warm welcome to you ladies and gentlemen; innovators, collaborators, artists, believers, friends. I’m honored to get this party started by reminding us of why we have gathered together. A sincere thanks goes to the InnovateUM Team who planted “ the seed” already quite some years ago and ever since have persistently preserved and invested in our relationships that have an immense value in the collective impact work. And as it comes to utilizing and embracing our relationships and collaborations, it sure helps to combine work with some leisure and relaxation and this is what the InnovateUM Team does magically well. Work can be fun! And this goes well hand in hand with a precious thing called Work-Life Balance that directly translates into success and happiness.

It’s clear that especially in the summer, life in Missoula simply slows down. It slows down to basic enjoyments such as casting a fish, jumping into the lake, sitting around a campfire with family and friends, and visiting the farmer’s market.  It truly goes like that… you really try to catch that fish, might dive into the river, but with support from friends and family you warm up in the sun and life is good again and maybe later that night you hit the local brewery, bar or market to get some real comfort food, instead of fresh trout some fried fish…It’s these very mundane but endearing moments that make the  “Nordic-Montanan” or Finnish-Missoulian way of balanced life, the appreciation for nature to human connections that we cannot work or live without. So to everyone here, thank you for making it! …from our favourite happy place somewhere to another happy place here at the Stockman Bank Roof Top! Tonight is yours and ours, to mingle to catch up. And keep in mind the work-life balance when you approach the wet bar for some drinks! Let’s enjoy each other’s company and have fun, Thank you.






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