DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

GRETCHEN RAKOWICZ, President of Aura Healthcare and CEO of Aura Staffing Partners, has mastered the balancing act. As a single mom running two companies with a national reach, she thrives on networking. “Connecting people is my forte,” says Rakowicz, a Detroit native who started her first medical equipment company at age 24, followed by Aura Healthcare 13 years later. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she is mother to an 11-year-old son and splits her time between Winnetka and Union Pier, Michigan. When she’s not changing the health care world, she’s enjoying a game of pickleball or a good yoga session.

Most rewarding part of what you do? Having the ability to create something organically and watch our team grow and find success is definitely the most rewarding part of what I do.

How should women support women? In the business world you see men working together as a team to support and promote one another. This is very fragmented with women. We should push nationally to make this a priority as it is most definitely needed.

How do you inspire others? I believe my passion and tenacity for what I do shines through and is definitely contagious for my team. I focus on pushing them to be the best they can be with the message that nothing is out of reach and that there is always room for growth and improvement.

Definition of success? My definition of success is knowing that my company has an amazing reputation in the industry.

Greatest risk you have taken as a professional? In 2004, I quit my job with very little money in the bank and launched my second company on my own. Failure was not an option.

For more information, visit aurahc.com and aurastaff.com.