Some consultants find it difficult to balance their career with outside interests. Lasma Orlovska does not. For much of her childhood she managed a professional figure skating career with her schooling. As a senior consultant with Simon–Kuthcer and Partners, Orlovska continues to find time for competitive skating and her consulting career.
Consulting: How long have you been skating?
Orlovska: In my native country of Latvia, I skated professionally from age seven to 14, but stopped to focus on my education. At that point, I was spending more time at the rink than at school. I'd spend two hours on the ice every day, plus an hour or two off the ice taking choreography lessons. It took all my focus, which is why my parents started to reconsider my life choice. They definitely made the right decision; I'm quite tall and in figure skating that does not work to your advantage.
Consulting: And then you began skating again as an adult?
Orlovska: I began skating again about two-and-a-half years ago, when I moved to London. Depending on my project workload, I typically get to the ice rink when it opens at 6 a.m. and leave by about 7:45 to get to the office by 9. When the workload is OK, I like to do it three times a week—and, if my consulting schedule allows for it, I may go daily before competitions.
Consulting: What motivated you to return to figure skating?
Orlovska: I feel that I'm good at it. When I was a kid, my partner and I were runner-ups in the pairs category in the national championships. And all these years later, I still like seeing the immediate results of my effort. I also don't see myself as being particularly graceful in most things—I couldn't do dance or pure ballet—but combining dance with the physical aspects needed for figure skating works for me.
Consulting: Do you see any parallels between your consulting career and figure skating?
Orlovska: Both require having passion. My family doesn't know much about consulting, but they know the long hours and hard work I put in. And I tell them that I'm doing it because I enjoy it. I don't mind because I'm passionate about consulting, just as I'm passionate about skating. The other similarity is that both require the ability to think on your feet. When you skate, no matter how much you practice, you may stumble or even fall, but the challenge is to get up and continue through your program as if nothing has happened. You also have to adjust your program to pick up the points you lost and still end with the music. In consulting, there are times when a third-party may let you down or you don't get the data you need, but you still have to achieve the same result within the deadline.
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