Rachelle Hermiz

Growing up in a Middle Eastern immigrant family, I learned early that success is built through hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. My parents came to America with absolutely nothing and spent countless hours working to give my sisters and me a beautiful life. Watching their dedication shaped everything about how I approach my career. I've seen how much they sacrificed for us, and that drives me to work hard and make them proud every single day. I was the first person in my family to graduate high school, let alone college, and because my parents didn't read and write too well in English, I had to learn how to navigate a lot of things on my own. If I wanted to do well, I had to stay after school and get the extra help I needed, because I knew I couldn't get it at home. That taught me to be resourceful and to advocate for myself. What I've learned throughout my career is that success isn't just about tying yourself to a number - it's about understanding people and building meaningful relationships. There were so many moments in sales where I would go to my car and cry after getting rejected, wondering if this was for me. But I kept pushing through, and those wins taught me that the reward often comes right after your breaking point. When my previous company offered me what seemed like a life-changing opportunity last year, 10 out of 10 people would have told me I was crazy not to take it. But something in my heart told me to stay with Hologic. I called my dad crying, and he told me to go with my gut. I stayed, and that September, a deal I'd been working on for almost 2 years finally hit. I sold 6 units and became Rep of the Year in a territory where no one had sold a single unit since 2021. That experience reinforced the most important lesson: trust your instincts and never give up, even when it seems impossible.

The best career advice I ever received came from my dad during one of the most difficult decisions of my career. Last year, my previous company reached out with an offer that seemed incredible - honestly, if I put 10 people in a room and told them what they were offering compared to what I had, all 10 would have said I was crazy not to take it. I was crying, torn between the life-changing money and my love for Hologic and women's health. My dad told me something simple but powerful: just go with your gut. He reminded me that I was already making great money, and if my gut was telling me to stay, then I should stay. I listened to that advice, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. That September, I closed a massive deal I'd been working on for almost 2 years, became Rep of the Year, and proved that sometimes your instincts know something your logical mind doesn't. That advice - to trust your gut - has become a guiding principle for me, especially in those moments when the easier choice would be to walk away or when everyone else is telling you to do something different.

My advice would be to make sure that every single person you encounter, whether they're more tenured than you or less tenured than you, you're making an impact in their life and creating connections that are valuable. You never know when down the road those connections could blossom into something bigger for you. I learned this early on, and it's been one of the most important factors in my success. The other piece of advice - and I know it's cliche, but it's so true - is to never give up. Life is always going to be an up-and-down roller coaster with highs and lows, and so many people give up during the lows. There were so many moments where I was about to leave or felt like I couldn't keep going, but I stuck to my gut because I felt something in my heart and knew I had unfinished business. I kept moving toward my goal even when I wasn't expecting anything magical to happen. And then, out of nowhere, in the blink of an eye, it came to me. Just like when I was working on that enormous deal - I wasn't expecting it to close, but because I kept pushing through and didn't give up, something magical happened. So just keep moving toward your goal, and don't give up. The reward often comes right after your breaking point.

One of the biggest opportunities in my field right now is showing other women what is possible and motivating them to pursue ambitious goals in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated. When I started at Cintas, it was extremely male-dominated, and we created WAVE - Women Adding Value Everywhere - where all the women at Cintas would get together, bounce ideas off one another, and create camaraderie to support each other in succeeding in sales. Being a motivator for other women to achieve their goals is something that drives me every day. Representation and visibility matter so much, especially in fields like sales where women are still fighting for recognition. The other major challenge and opportunity is in women's health itself, particularly when it comes to fibroids. A lot of times the medical community can be dismissive, lessening the choices and options that women have. Women are often told to either silently suffer with this health problem or get a full hysterectomy, and it's really important to know that there are more options in between. About 80% of women will have fibroids within their childbearing years, and most of the time we're dismissed and told to just live with it, that this pain from your period is just part of being a woman. But it's not true. That's why working with advocates like Venus Williams and Mary Pierce, and physicians like Dr. Shirazian who are committed to giving women real options, is so important. The opportunity is to continue raising awareness and making sure women know they don't have to choose between suffering and losing their uterus.

The values that matter most to me are hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance - values I learned from watching my parents come to America with absolutely nothing and build a life for our family. They worked countless hours in our family business, and seeing their dedication shaped everything about who I am today. I believe success is rarely the result of a single moment - it's built through consistency, resilience, and the willingness to keep moving forward when things become difficult. There were many times throughout my journey when the easier choice would have been to walk away or settle for less, but I chose to keep pushing forward and trust the process. Another value that's been crucial to my success is the importance of building meaningful relationships. Whether I'm working with colleagues, physicians, hospital partners, or mentors, I've learned that people remember authenticity, integrity, and those who genuinely care about helping others succeed. It's not just about the numbers - it's about understanding your audience and making real connections that are valuable. Outside of my professional life, I value balance and lifelong learning. I enjoy cooking, traveling, and exploring new cultures. Italy is one of my favorite destinations - I would go there anytime, any time of year, and I even joke that maybe one day I could live there. These experiences help me maintain perspective and remind me of the importance of appreciating life's simple pleasures. I'm also very active and work out a lot, and I spend as much time as possible with my family, because at the end of the day, they're the reason I work so hard.