Eva Zatrak
Eva's work ethic is her key to success
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Many people would concur that it was the disaster of Chernobyl eventually left Eva Zatrak without any immediate family and raising her two nephews as sons here is Canada. In Libya at the time of the disaster working as a nurse, Zatrak escaped the radiation that entered the food chain that was the likely cause of the cancer that killed her two siblings their spouses and parents who were living in Slovakia- all at young ages. There is not nearly enough room in this column to do justice to the courage, dedication and work ethics of Zatrak – her life a testament to these attributes.
Zatrak, now 46, met her husband in Libya and together they decided to move to Canada to make a better life for themselves. Two of the few final communist refugees, they arrived separately, Zatrak arriving in 1990 one year before her husband. Picked up at the airport and dumped un-ceremoniously at a hotel in Hespler Ontario, Zatrak tired and sobbing, un-informed of the process she was now a part of as a refugee and not knowing a word of English, she began her life here in Canada.
She was met the next day by an interpreter and a government official who better explained she would be enrolled in a school(Conestoga College) in two weeks time in the English as a second language’ program. Zatrak, discouraged and alone at that time, made the decision to stop feeling afraid and sorry for herself and make the best of her situation.
Although restricted from working while in school because she was receiving support from the government refugee program to live, she found a job at a nursing home in Cambridge where she worked from 3 – 11 p.m. after attending school from 9a.m. – 3 p.m. “I knew it was not permitted to work while I was in school” she explained “but I was lonely and needed to be around people”. She asked the staff at the home to help her with her English, and returned to her government contact and told him she was working. She paid back all she owed the government and left the official scratching his head- although he had been aware of many refugees working illegally, she had been the only refugee he had ever known who come to him, admitted she was working and paid back the government for working on the side.
Zatrak sponsored her husband who arrived a year later and they eventually moved to Toronto where they had friends. She returned to upgrade her school to become registered as a nurse in Canada and met her friend Marion, whom she started a homecare agency with in Etobicoke. She is still partner in that business that grosses between 1-2 million a year and has 150 employees.
In 2003 after a short stay in Mississauga, Zatrak moved to Flamborough with the desire to own a country home. With money she had saved from the profits of her first business, she opened Hollyhock Caregivers in Mississauga in 2002. With an initial $10,000 investment Zatrak set out on her own to set up a second company. In 2003, she moved to Carlisle and expanded Hollyhock Caregivers in the Flamborough area. She still has 15 clients in Mississauga, and is growing here in Flamborough/ Hamilton area. She has 30 employees and provides services from home-making and companions to live-ins and personal support workers. The minimum stay for a service is three hours, but she also can provide 24 hour a day care. Prices range from $18 an hour to $180 a day for live-ins.
Zarak admits it has taken a lot of hard work- and sometimes days without sleep. But she is thankful for her health and the opportunities that Canada has provided her. Her business, just in what she calls ‘it’s infancy’ grosses between 300-400k a year. Her dream is to open a full care nursing home. Her services are registered with Veterans Affairs and she is also a provider for WSIB. Hollyhock Caregivers can be found on the web at www.hollyhockcare.com or by calling 1 888-824-1313. Mandie Crawford can be reached at mandie@roaringwomen.com
Lessons Learned:
1. Learn to Listen. Zatrak knows the importance of communication- at one time not knowing the language. She tells stories of how she learned to communicate by watching and listening to others- mimicking the sounds and words she heard- and watching the results. Listening was the key- it still is and that is how she meets her customers needs.
2. Appreciate your staff – Zatrak never leaves at the end of the day without saying thank- you
3. Keep Paperwork in order. Zatrak attributes some of her success to keeping up and following up on paperwork. In her highly regulated industry she must continually file forms and applications.
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