How She Carries On with Rachel Katzman

• Rachel believes you can conduct any meeting in sweatpants
• The entrepreneur was diagnosed with Lyme disease during the pandemic
• It is Rachel’s belief that we learn more from our mistakes than we do from our wins

Rachel Katzman is the Co-Founder of P.volve – a fitness method designed to help you know your body better. Rachel talks to 35 Thousand about living with Lyme disease, her pivotal moments in business and her passion for making a difference in people’s lives through P.volve.

Describe yourself in 3 words…

“Visionary, loyal, decisive.”

Tell us about your work…

“Day to day, I focus on driving the creative vision of P.volve forward, growing the digital platform and looking to establish our expanding footprint in the fitness space. I’m obsessed with the true difference P.volve can make in our members’ lives – improving the body’s performance, reducing everyday pain and leaving you looking amazing.”

What parts of your work give you energy?

“The team that I work with energise and inspire me every day – I’m surrounded by a group of incredible thought-leaders.  Moreover, our community! They fuel me through the feedback they share of their true stories of how P.volve is making a positive impact on their lives.”

Most pivotal point of your career so far?

“There was a time where I was running two companies – I was the founder and CEO of a haircare line, Cuvee, as well as co-founder of P.volve. After years of balancing the two, I decided to solely focus on P.volve and it’s growth. It was that moment where I realized that I had to make a decision of where to focus my time and where I saw the most opportunity. While I stepped away from something that I loved, I learned that it’s important to know when to let something go and how to prioritize both focus and passion.”

Best piece of advice you received that you now pass on to others?

“You learn more from your failures and losses than you do from your wins. “

Describe your pre-pandemic day-to-day… 

“Wake up early, play with my adorable cats that I’m obsessed with, Matsu & Nobu, while answering emails and getting ahead in work, go to the office/studio and take class, day of meetings, always make an early dinner and wrap up any calls at home, spend some more time with the cats for some evening playtime, unwind with some tv, a face mask and tea!”

How has your daily life changed, what’s your new normal?

“I used to take studio classes, and pivoted to virtual, I also take all of my meetings virtually. Now that things are opening back up, I try to take classes IRL when I can, especially now that we have a pop-up in the Hamptons, where I have relocated to this summer.
During the pandemic, I got diagnosed with Lyme disease. As someone who has always been active and incredibly busy, I had to learn the importance of listening to my body even more with my new diagnosis. Six months later, this is still an adjustment for me and something that I am factoring into my new normal every day.”

Has the Corona crisis impacted you personally and professionally? How?

“Professionally, we pivoted to an entirely remote working environment. Personally, I found that I was craving nature and a simpler environment. I made the decision to move out of New York City for the time being to feel more grounded.”

What have been your best coping strategies over the past year? Do you have any objects, routines or tools that you found particularly uplifting? Gin or gym?

“Two things that make me feel whole: reconnecting with nature and making time for workouts!”

Did 2020 change your outlook on life in any way?

“While health was always incredibly important to me, 2020 changed the way I looked at my own mental health and mindset. You should treat your mind the way you treat your body in order to feel like the best possible version of yourself. Thankfully we recently launched Meditation & Mindfulness in our Live Virtual Studio, and it’s been teaching me more and more how to connect to my mind and go inward, which enhances both my productivity and my workouts!”

Are you travel ready? Where do you want to go, with who or would you rather stay home?

“I miss travelling so much! I’ve always spent time in other countries- I can’t wait to go back to Ibiza!”   

Finish this sentence “If you look in my handbag at any time you will ALWAYS find….”

“My wallet, my keys, my phone a pen Wallet, AirPods, chapstick, sunglasses, a mask and hand sanitizer! And a cat treat :)”

What are your work-from-home saviours? 

“My skincare routine!  I love Biologique Recherche products, P.volve on-demand and LVS classes, and my cats of course!”

Describe your style? 

“Comfortable, relaxed, monochromatic. I believe you can conduct any meeting in sweatpants!”

Name your 5 essential items of clothing:

“Black sweatpants, black and white cropped top, black workout pants, plaid shirt, Nike sneakers.”

How do you see your business or career in two years from now?

“P.volve will become a household name – it will have redefined the way people look at fitness.” 

What could you say to your 20-year-old self that would help her the most?

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t make the mistakes or challenge myself the way I did when I was 20 so I wouldn’t change a thing – plus, she probably wouldn’t have listened to me anyway!” 

Do you have a life motto or mantra that really resonates with you?

“If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Take a look at the P.volve website here.

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