The best advice Rachel Fritz ever received was, “one’s greatest strength is their ability to keep learning.” That short phrase may pack more meaning than she realizes. Whether it’s her role as instructional designer at MarketSource or her journey as a child to the United States from Okinawa, Japan, Rachel has tapped into that “lifelong learning” mindset in every aspect of her life.
Born and raised in Japan until she was 10 years old, Rachel is the daughter of an Okinawan mother and a U.S. Air Force veteran father who was stationed there when they met. While the military eventually brought the family to the U.S. when Rachel was a child, her mom’s entire side of the family still lives in Okinawa. “One of my favorite memories growing up was spending time at my family’s karaoke bar, which they still own,” remembers Rachel. “Singing with loved ones and enjoying the warmth of our community is still something I deeply cherish.”
“From seeing people wear shoes in the house, to celebrating holidays differently, everything felt new.”
Moving to America was a culture shock for Rachel. “From seeing people wear shoes in the house to celebrating holidays differently, everything felt new,” she reflects. “I remember trying to eat spaghetti like ramen or being surprised by how loud and affectionate people could be! It took time to adjust, but I’ve learned to appreciate the richness of both cultures.” In fact, the blending of her parents’ cultures began at an early age. While Rachel was taught to speak in Japanese, she began learning English at just five years old. She still speaks conversational Japanese and loves opportunities to use it, especially when speaking with her mom or while attending cultural events, like JapanFest in Atlanta.
One part of the Japanese culture—and many Asian cultures in general—that stands out the most to Rachel is the importance of education, a value that runs deep in her family, as well. Rachel began her career as a junior high school teacher, inspired by her grandmother, a retired schoolteacher in Okinawa. After nearly a decade in public education, she transitioned to the corporate Learning & Development (L&D) team to broaden her impact. “Even though I’m no longer in a traditional classroom, teaching and learning remain central to my life,” she says. “There’s something magical about helping someone else grow. The best part of my job is witnessing the ‘aha’ moments.”
There are so many ways Rachel has made an impact outside of her work life, as well. For instance, she hosted a toy drive last holiday season for 3 Little Birds Project, a nonprofit that was started by a former MarketSource colleague supporting children and families affected by various types of hardship. It marked the organization’s first toy drive outside of California and was accomplished with the help of Rachel’s family and MarketSource coworkers. “Service is part of my DNA,” she explains. “From teaching in public schools to building homes with Habitat for Humanity, I’ve seen firsthand how service brings people together and strengthens communities.”
While Rachel has found ways to make a big impact individually, she credits three specific female role models who have shaped who she is today: “My grandmother is the epitome of resilience—a progressive woman of her time in Japanese culture who owned property, became an entrepreneur after teaching in the classroom for decades, and raised three children largely on her own. My mother showed me the meaning of service and sacrifice. As a military wife, she left everything she knew to move to another country, learned a new language, worked countless jobs as we moved from base to base, and made sure her children always felt loved and supported.
“Even though I’m no longer in a traditional classroom, teaching and learning remain central to my life.”
About Rachel’s day job: Rachel serves as instructional designer for our Retail Learning & Development (L&D) team, which equips team members with the training, tools, and resources needed to succeed and grow in their roles—from product training to professional development. In her role as instructional designer, she leads major initiatives for the company, including managing and designing training programs for our largest client, and for running our wildly successful Aspire mentorship program. Rachel recently wrote a book entitled The 5D Method: Streamlining L&D with Agile—which offers a practical framework to integrate Agile into learning and development—to bridge a gap she saw in her field. “In writing this book,” Rachel says, “I learned the importance of sharing my voice.”
#MarketSourceStrong #CoreValues #LifelongLearner