At the age of 26, Rachel Koretsky is – to put it simply – living the dream.
She is the CEO of her own company, just spent five weeks traveling in Israel with her boyfriend, and recently learned how to make the best matzo ball soup ever. Let’s get to know the #bosslady behind the app transforming fitness communities across the U.S. and Canada – upace.
Rachel: I went to American University and stayed here ever since. One of the main reasons I stayed is because of the really great startup community in DC, and especially the support of women entrepreneurs. It’s also such a beautiful city filled with history and has a hustle and bustle to it.
Upace is a customizable mobile platform for gyms/rec centers to build communities for their members, while improving their operations. [Once gyms/rec centers download the platform], members use the app to make reservations for classes and equipment, personal training, spa services, receive push notifications, and view real-time facility occupancy.
Rachel: I love fitness, but had a lot of frustrations with my university’s recreation center while in college – the long wait times, equipment and facility crowds. I had this idea [for upace] to use mobile technology to help university rec centers and gyms better manage their facilities and classes, and allow members to gain control over their workouts. Two of my professors from the American University Entrepreneurship Incubator program encouraged me to take this idea beyond the classroom and explore making it into a business.
Rachel: At the beginning, my knowledge of technical development was very limited. It was a struggle to find the right development team to bring this vision to life.
Rachel: Playing tennis. I love getting out there on the courts. Also, going to different workout classes across the DC-region, like CorePower and Pulse House of Fitness. I also love some good TV shows, like Grace and Frankie on Netflix.
Rachel: The top is going to the Galapagos Island. I want to climb Machu Picchu in Peru and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Rachel: Ruth Messinger, the president of American Jewish World Service. The work she’s done to make a difference in the world and bring attention to global crises has been really miraculous.
Rachel: I love matzo ball soup. My mom recently taught me how to make it and I’m trying to make it as good as hers. One day I’ll get there.
Rachel: They make great food!
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