Startups

Technical.ly DC Diaries: Rachel Koretsky, DC Startup Week organizer and Upace founder

In the latest episode of our video series, Koretsky talks about how she moved DCSW online in September and how she's been managing her own venture amid the pandemic.

(Technical.ly image)

When the coronavirus pandemic forced states to impose stay-at-home orders, we saw our favorite events get canceled, rescheduled indefinitely or moved online.

DC Startup Week is a series that brings the D.C. area startup ecosystem together every year. The organization was preparing to host its fifth annual conference for local entrepreneurs when lead organizer Rachel Koretsky had to find a way to pivot the normally in-person experience online.

Koretsky is the most recent honoree from Technical.ly DC’s RealLIST Connectors interviewed for our video series, which features interviews with local founders, technologists and startup leaders. The conversations are hosted by me, Market Editor Michelai Graham, and explore various topics including how these folks got their start in technology or entrepreneurship and what keeps them going. See more episodes here.

Koretsky also recently nabbed Impact Leader of the Year for the 2020 Technical.ly Awards in D.C. for all of her hard work this year through the pandemic. Outside of leading DCSW, she is the founder of six-year-old Upace, an app curator for the fitness community. Koretsky launched her venture during her time studying at American University, when she noticed a disconnect between students and fitness centers on campus. She shared in this episode that Upace use has actually been on the rise with pandemic restrictions, since fitness centers are seeking technology to make plans to reopen safely.

Creating routines, occasionally working out of WeWork for a change of scenery, and doing some simple “mindless” activities like short walks and lying on the couch are some of the ways Koretsky has been managing her workload recently.

To hear more about Koretsky and how she’s juggling all of her responsibilities, check out our chat below.

Here’s the audio version:

Watch our conversation here:

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

3 ways to support our work:
  • Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
  • Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
  • Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
The journalism fund Preferred partners Our services
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

Do zero-waste takeout containers work? We tried a new DC service to find out

DC houses many industries — and a ton of tech jobs

This Week in Jobs: Travel far in your career with these 26 open tech roles

This veteran helping Marylanders upskill says you shouldn’t fear less traditional pathways

Technically Media