Rachel Sapoznik: " Nothing stays the same"

As seen in:

                                                    June 16, 2021

Rachel Sapoznik: “ Nothing
stays the same”
By Edward Sylvan, CEO and Founder of Sycamore Entertainment
Group

I realized how important wellness was when my cousin died unexpectedly from a heart attack. It deeply affected me
as it was preventable had she taken better care of her health. It hit me just how important taking care of yourself is
and how many people don’t monitor their health properly. I started an initiative called The Gift is You.

As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact,” I had the pleasure of interviewing
Rachel Sapoznik.

Rachel is the Founder and President of Sapoznik Insurance, a World Insurance Associates Company, and is recognized
as a passionate philanthropist who most recently was appointed to the Jackson Health Foundation Board. For the
past three decades, Rachel relentlessly pursued her entrepreneurial vision to revolutionize employee benefits,
championing education and wellness initiatives that help improve the lives of others while positively impacting the
bottom line. With her published book, A Passion for Wellness: Healthy Employees, Healthy Bottom Line, she shares
the importance of corporate wellness.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our
interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your
childhood backstory?

I’m very proud of my heritage and it has made me the person I am today. Having a diverse background
made my childhood unique, exciting, and fun. My parents immigrated to the United States — my mom
from France and my father from Panama. I was born and raised in North Miami Beach, Florida with two
sisters. I grew up watching my parents be in a country that they were not born in and learning a new
language while working hard to support our family. Although I came from humble beginnings, I was taught
some important life lessons that continue to guide me: never give up, work hard, be passionate about
what you do and when you can make an impact in someone’s life, do so. I also learned that growing up
with one bathroom in the house, getting up early is crucial!

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When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed
your life? Can you share a story about that?

Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl had a profound impact on me. Anne’s life reflected the lives and
deaths of so many during World War II. Despite the depths of human cruelty and events that she grappled
with in her life, Anne remained positive. She exemplified a testament to the courage and fight of the human
spirit. As she wrote in her final entry of her diary. “As I’ve told you many times, I’m split in two. One side
contains my exuberant cheerfulness, my flippancy, my joy in life, and, above all, my ability to appreciate
the lighter side of things.”

Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career?
What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?

Towards the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey as an insurance broker, I was conducting open
enrollment meetings for a large retailer. I woke up extra early to be there and start the sessions. On one of
those days, the owner walked in and said to me that they were opening the store and that I needed to leave
as I was interfering with their operation. Since we were conducting the meetings in groups, it didn’t occur
to me that it would have such major consequences to the operation of their business. It was my largest
client at the time, and I was petrified that we would be fired because of it. Although we weren’t fired, what
it taught me was to ensure a good understanding of each client’s operations, their processes and to ask
about their goals and expectations.

Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?

I authored A Passion for Wellness — Healthy Employees, Healthy Bottom Line to educate employers on
the importance of corporate wellness and incorporating it into their culture. According to the latest Kaiser
Family Foundation study, approximately 49 percent of Americans get their health insurance from their
employer. Given this, corporate leaders hold the key to solving some of the most important problems facing
healthcare today. The book addresses how business leaders can be an integral part of the solution that
influences an employee’s health and wellness, and it goes even further. There is a trickledown effect with
employees helping family members live healthier lives. This creates an impact that goes well beyond the
office and affects communities.

Health and wellness have never been more critical. The pandemic has shown us that there is a need for
additional focus on mental and financial health. A holistic approach to employee benefits is not only our
socially responsible duty, but it also positively impacts the bottom line. Employers have the power to make
a paradigm shift from sick care to well-care. In doing so, the greater their success, the more jobs are
created and the healthier we are as a society.

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                                                 June 16, 2021

Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?

The rate of overweight and obese children has increased dramatically in recent decades, with about one-
third of children in the U.S. currently being either overweight or obese. This leads to about a quarter of our
youth being diabetic. Diabetes is even more prevalent in lower-income and ethnic minority communities
and their respective public school systems.

I shared a story of how a county in South Florida, Miami-Dade, is fostering an initiative to combat obesity
through the public school system. The Education Fund, where I serve as a proud board member, has a
Food Forests for Schools program, which is now in 51 Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Through these
gardens, children are learning about fruits, vegetables, and healthier eating options. They are actually
planting the produce and sharing their newfound passion with their families. This includes bringing the
produce home, which helps reduce the cost of food for families. The school cafeteria prepares lunch
with the fruits and vegetables that the students planted, and students and their families can attend
healthy cooking and gardening workshops. This initiative is transforming the traditional classroom
by significantly improving eating patterns in children and their families while also improving students’
academic achievement.

What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the
greater world? Can you share a story about that?

I realized how important wellness was when my cousin died unexpectedly from a heart attack. It deeply
affected me as it was preventable had she taken better care of her health. It hit me just how important
taking care of yourself is and how many people don’t monitor their health properly. I started an initiative
called The Gift is You. The premise is that you are a gift to your family and taking care of your health
allows you to continue to be the best gift you can give anyone. Literally, ensuring you are healthy prevents
loss of life.

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause without
sharing specific names?

We had an employee who started with our company when he was 17. He struggled with weight issues
his whole life. In a span of eight years, his weight fluctuated between 330 and 380 pounds, which was
a lot of weight to carry on his 5’8” frame. By the time he was 22, he was on medication for high blood
pressure and was pre-diabetic. Our company has always provided a robust well program, but he never
participated. We continued to encourage him and all employees to join our programs, which includes
rumba classes, workout sessions, weight loss challenges, and healthy cooking classes. Through diet
and exercise he was able to lose 150 pounds over a one-year period. His doctor informed him that he no
longer had to take blood pressure medication and was not at risk of becoming a diabetic.

The satisfaction from being able to help a young man reach his weight loss goal and the physical and
mental improvement in his health, was so satisfying and a true testament to how employers can help
employees live their better life.

Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the

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                                               June 16, 2021

problem you are trying to solve?

1. Politicians can take a hard look at the curriculum and programs in our public school system — bring
   back physical education, increase the emphasis on health and wellness, from a holistic perspective
   (physical, mental, and financial).

2. Communities can bring action and increased attention to the importance of nutrition and health for
   everyone, but particularly our youth.

3. Our society can demand change particularly regarding the importance of the health of our children.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

I wholeheartedly believe in this definition by Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision
into reality.” A leader needs to have a vision that employees can embrace and carry out to make your
business successful and their lives richer. In our company, this is accomplished through education about
the importance of health and wellness.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or
example for each.

1. Agility is the key to survival

You will undoubtedly have situations that you never expected — changes in your industry, clients and
employees leaving, and even a pandemic. Being able to pivot is critical to survival. Historically, my
company did in-person benefits education and corporate wellness programs. When the pandemic
impacted our ability to do anything in person, we created a complimentary virtual wellness program that
all our clients and the community at large could participate in. We conducted the classes via Zoom and it
was instrumental in our continued health and wellness efforts. Being nimble is critical.

2. Take the time to hire the right people

Hiring people is challenging and hiring mistakes are costly for your business. You must hire people that
have the right talent for the job — soft skills that are needed to be successful in the role, and everything
else can be taught. Surround yourself with great people, and your business will thrive.

3. Work-life balance is important

As an entrepreneur, you get so hung up on making your business a success, that you forget about you.
So, you miss out on little league baseball, ballet recitals, and ignoring your own well-being. No one told
me about these sacrifices and how they would impact my life. Take the time to balance your life so you
don’t miss out on things that truly matter. Invest in yourself!

4. Nothing stays the same

As you are building your business and developing your client base, it is important to realize that clients have
an expiration date. Once realizing this, losing your largest client isn’t as devastating and also reinforces
the importance of always having a pipeline. It also allows you to prepare your team for the ebbs and flows.
Realizing this allows your business to grow and diversify.

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                                              June 16, 2021

5. How fulfilling it is to start a business

Being an entrepreneur is exciting! It enables you to impact the lives of so many, not only by the benefits
you bring to clients, but also the opportunities you provide for employees to develop, grow, and even
retire. You provide financial stability for them and their families. I am proud of the fact that during the
height of the pandemic, we didn’t have to lay off a single person on our team. It is truly amazing to see
the potential in people!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you
in your life?

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear
for newer and richer experience.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I have lived my life and run my business with the thought that you need to be constantly evolving, getting
out of your comfort zone, and having passion in everything you do. I did that when I started my career in
the insurance industry, when I made the decision to start my own business from my home, and recently
when I sold my business I made the decision to partner up with one of the fastest-growing insurance
brokers in the country. It was the right time, the right cultural direction, and the right opportunity to
complement our product line and continue to expand our footprint across the country. The acquisition has
not only enhanced our business, but it has also provided my team members with greater opportunities
for professional growth. I still run my business locally and my team appreciates and are thankful for the
decision I made.

Is there a person in the world or the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch,
and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.

I would love to meet with Elon Musk. He is a true visionary. I would like to speak with him about how he
envisions the future regarding healthcare — what innovations he sees, and will healthcare be part of the
gifts he leaves to the world.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I’m very active on social media. You can follow me on:

LinkedIn: Rachel Sapoznik https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-sapoznik-b38043b/

Facebook: Rachel.Sapoznik: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.sapoznik

TW: @Rachelsapoznik https://twitter.com/rachelsapoznik

Insta: @Rachelsapoznik — https://www.instagram.com/rachelsapoznik/

This was very meaningful; thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your
great work!
— Published on June 16, 2021

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/rachel-sapoznik-nothing-stays-the-same/