The Newsroom
Jennifer Smith: YYZ to YVR
For the first time in my working life (nearing three decades now) I work from a home office far, far away from the company HQ. It’s an interesting experience: flexible, energizing, and sometimes a little lonely. Being in business development though, I am usually out on the road meeting amazing people and talking about how books can be a part of their lives. What a great gig. I should have done this years ago!
It’s when I am in the home office that things get quiet – that is, until I pick up the phone to call the office. WITHOUT FAIL this causes the office hounds to get jealous and either a) try to knock the phone out of my hand, or b) bark incessantly. The latter results in me hitting the mute button, and then wondering why no one can hear me talk. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
Lucky me, for getting out to BC three or four times a year to commiserate and collaborate with this incredible team. And this next trip, in late November, will add a third “C” to that list: celebrate, as we give ourselves a well-deserved pat on the back for creating such thoughtful, beautiful books for five incredible years. Books that delight and inform, and books of which I am very, very proud.
Toronto out.
Jennifer works closely with our cultural, culinary, and corporate partners to produce exceptional new books for Figure 1. With more than twenty-five years’ publishing experience, she leads Figure 1’s publishing program in Central and Eastern Canada. When Jennifer isn’t at Figure 1, she can be found playing hockey or walking her mischievous dogs, Jasper and Ollie.