In the series of Slice of Life interviews, we are trying to get a look behind the business side of our business partners and well-known industry names. We explore what makes them tick and what occupies their day and thoughts when they are not at work. Keep on reading for a glimpse of Breda Pečovnik in her spare time.
Q: What gets you going in the morning?
I customarily start my day with a smile, some keep-fit exercises and a 30-minute workout on the OrbiTrek trainer. As I have low blood pressure and do not drink coffee, I need physical activity to begin my day.
Q: What is a personal project you are currently working on or wish you were?
I’d like to learn to play the piano; as a young girl, I played the accordion for my parents. And I’d also like to take lessons in conversational Spanish.
Q: How do you spend a normal weekend?
I usually spend my weekends outdoors, enjoying nature at my homestead in the Štajerska region, cultivating and harvesting grapes and taking pleasure in the company of my friends and the people I hold dear. If spending the weekend in Ljubljana, I always dedicate several hours to doing sports. This is also an opportunity to perform some routine tasks that have been left undone during the week, to attend social events or spend time in the company of friends.
Q: What are your hobbies/what do you do for fun?
My hobbies are different sports: running, golf, skiing, cycling, as well as reading books, watching films, listening to different music genres and getting together with the people I care about.
"I believe it’s an achievement to help the underprivileged"
Q: What do you count as your biggest non-work related achievement?
My greatest achievement in life is the birth of my daughter and her own accomplishments – she has obtained a degree in stomatology. I pride myself on raising a person who is honest and good, ready to tackle everything life has to offer. I believe it’s also an achievement to help the underprivileged or people in need; therefore, I donate blood regularly, bring food to the people who are unable to buy it and actively take part in charity appeals.
Q: How do you define friendship?
True friends are rare indeed. I believe a true friend to be a selfless person who is always there when you need them, in times of joy or grief, always telling the truth no matter how painful it might be. The rest are but fleeting acquaintances you meet in the course of a lifetime.
Q: What is your absolutely favorite place in Slovenia that you love to visit and why?
My favourite place is my hometown Maribor, the place of my birth where my loved ones used to live or still continue to live. A place where your eyes can feast on the verdant greenery of the Pohorje Mountains and the vineyards – a sight that gladdens your heart – whose people are open, merry, sincere and resilient. It is a place where I have been given the gift of life, and where I was raised to be an honest, openhearted, hardworking…person. It is the place of my youth. I also often visit Bled, Piran and Slovenia’s other natural and cultural beauties.
Q: What kind of conference would you like to attend if you could choose?
It has been my wish for some time to attend a conference with over 15.000 delegates. It would be interesting to be the observer, to get an insight into the organisation of such a large-scale event, the logistical details behind the implementation and other services related to professional congress organisation.
Q: What is your best source of information?
I obtain information from different distribution channels. I get specialist information from scientific literature and the web. I keep up to date with the global, day-to-day information by listening to radio stations. And I keep informed on professional concerns by following national and international communication media. It goes without saying that it has become inevitable to also follow social networking sites.
Q: What is the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this week?
This week, I have finished reading a book titled “When the Body Says No” by Mate Gabor. The book contains a lot of interesting details concerning personal growth and calls attention to the wisdom of sometimes decidedly saying “no”.
