When healthcare facilities partner with Daniels Health, they get to know many familiar faces. But beyond the frontline, there are many roles and responsibilities that collectively contribute to our goal of making healthcare safer. Every individual plays a vital part in shaping the company's journey, and we're shining a light on some of the people and teams that our customers may not interact with every day.

Meet Hannah Blumenfeld, a dynamic force within Daniels Health for the past three years. In this spotlight, we unveil Hannah's journey—a narrative of resilience, professional growth, and an unwavering commitment to overcoming challenges. From spearheading global website rollouts to customer-oriented projects, Hannah exemplifies the adaptability and dedication that define both her story and the ethos of Daniels Health. Join us in celebrating Hannah's triumphs and shared values that drive excellence within the company.

TOPICS WE WILL COVER:

1 / Jumping in 

2 / Saying Yes to an Unexpected Challenge 

3 / Scaling the Triathlon Mountain

4 / Racing with a Smile

5 / Driven by Accountability 

6 / From Fear to Victory

Jumping In

“If you told me at this time last year that I would be doing a triathlon I would have laughed in your face. I’d never ridden a road bike. I’d never swam laps. I don’t even enjoy running.” But here she was. Eyes lined up and forward, side by side with her fellow triathletes. Massive black waves, eight feet in height, thwacking against Chicago’s concrete shoreline.

How did Hannah Blumenfeld get here?

How could she be taking on something so UNFATHOMABLE to her just one year ago? Hannah simply said yes to a challenge. Much like our customers do every day when they face new and unexpected situations, she jumped into the unknown. 

Saying Yes to an Unexpected Challenge

It all started with saying yes to a challenge she couldn't imagine doing. Hannah Blumenfeld, a Texas native and self-proclaimed foodie, has a knack for trying new things – triathlon included. “My boyfriend was doing it and I thought to myself, you know what, I can do this too.” Taking on challenges like this is nothing new for Hannah. In her second year as a Marketing and Brand Specialist, and third year at Daniels, she routinely takes on novel challenges.

“Across Hannah’s career with Daniels a lot of the projects or roles she has taken on have been unchartered…” said Chief Marketing Officer, Laura Wakelam.

Or as Hannah puts it, “Everything I’ve worked on, I’ve never done before. Every day is so different”. In Hannah’s role, she is exposed to a wide variety of projects; The coordination of company-wide uniforms, global website rollouts, visual communications between operations facilities, and dozens of customer-oriented projects. All these have one thing in common: each is different from the next and most come without a roadmap or “beaten path to follow.” 

Scaling the Triathlon Mountain: Hannah's Methodical Approach to Challenges
 

Completing a triathlon is no easy feat. Swimming half a mile in jumbled waters, biking 15 miles, and running 3.1 miles, all at a sprinting pace for over two hours, requires immense effort. 

Hannah approached this daunting challenge much like she tackles projects at Daniels Health: by breaking it down into manageable steps. 

1. Accept the challenge.

2. Map out necessary tasks: 30 miles of biking, 4 miles of running, and 1,600 yards of swimming, per week

3. Execute each step diligently.

Her rigorous training, especially in swimming, gave her the confidence needed for the triathlon. For five months, she prepared tirelessly.

With all her training boxes checked off, Hannah was fearless. Nerves and excitement, sure, but not fear. She knew the future was undetermined, and uncertainties may pop up, but through months of preplanned, day-in-day-out training, she was “event-ready.”

“Hannah has exemplified a pattern of not just ‘ticking a box’ but finding the most holistic solution that resolves current and future challenges,” said Laura Wakelam, Chief Marketing Officer for Daniels Health. 

This methodical approach to challenges is a focal point of the Daniels Health mission: to make healthcare safer with rigorously thought-out solutions that can adapt to any customer challenge. And her training did make it easier when future challenges cropped up. 

Racing with a Smile: Hannah's Positive Perspective
 

On the day of the triathlon, eight-foot waves barrel-rolled and smacked into the harbor line, making the swim component of the event too dangerous for contestants. A Beach Advisory declared the lake off-limits for all 7,500 triathletes.  “Swimming, the one I felt most confident in and comfortable with, I couldn’t do,” said Hannah.

Understandably, Hannah was disappointed. She had spent months of her life working for this exact moment. Hannah would now have to run 1.5 miles, bike 15 miles, then run an additional 3.1 miles. This was heartbreaking. But the show goes on – and it was time to roll with the punches.

“I just tried to stay positive. Even if something doesn’t sound good to me, with a positive outlook, I accept it head-on.”

Hannah, much like Daniels, believes having a positive mindset is the answer to facing unknown challenges – both professionally and personally. “It's about embracing what you can't control and focusing on what you can control to overcome any obstacles,” said Hannah. 

Channeling this positivity, she lined up next to her fellow 7,500 racers, a nervous tick tapping through her, determined and with a smile on her face. 

Driven by Accountability: Hannah's Story of Dedication
 

A sense of accountability and ownership reverberates through everything Hannah does. Recently, she played a crucial role as the primary architect, onboarding and training expert for the rollout of Wrike Project Management Software across Daniels’ global marketing team, ensuring a seamless experience for our customers.

“I try to take ownership and accountability. When a project gets put on my plate, I really want to see it all the way through. I want to own it.” In response to a disappointing experience with the third-party onboarding process, Hannah took it upon herself to become proficient in the platform and eventually became the go-to expert, successfully onboarding other departments in the company.

“She took the reigns herself. She worked through Wrike tutorials, self-navigated the platform to create dashboards and reports, and became a subject matter expert in the platform and its complimentary capabilities for our team workflow,” said Laura Wakelam. As Laura says, Hannah had become the “source of truth” for the project, not just completing the task, but fully engaging with it, aligning objectives with outcomes, and adding her unique touch to the process.

“Take ownership, be patient, and be that source of truth, because ultimately, I am the one doing it, so I’m going to do it right,” said Hannah, echoing Daniels’ commitment to delivering outstanding service to our customers. She doesn’t view running a Triathlon any differently. She hated running. The thought of running not once, but twice, made her feel sick. So, she channeled mind over matter in conquering it, turning something she despised into something she would master. “Nothing can be perfect, but I hate the feeling when you’re not putting your best foot forward in something.” 

From Fear to Victory: Hannah's Story of Triumph and Growth
 

Hannah blazed out of the gate with the same determination we strive to bring our customers every day. “The first part of the run felt great. I was so excited to get going that I was moving too fast! I had to slow down a bit.” With her legs loosened from completing the first run, she felt the true challenge looming ahead. Extensive training didn’t keep her nerves at bay for the biking section. The thought of navigating a road bike among competitors terrified her, but she pushed through with a thumping heart and a knot in her stomach. She started pedaling, her confidence grew, and the widening road of Lake Shore Drive exhilarated her.

“I’ve worked so hard, I know I could do this. The street was so wide, I was passing everyone, crushing it. It was AMAZING.”

After a liberating yet grueling 15-mile bike ride, Hannah faced a 3.1-mile run on wobbly legs. “I kept telling myself I couldn’t quit. I thought I was running super slow, but it turns out I was running faster than when I was training!”

Like Hannah, we persist and give our all to ensure that customers receive top-notch service and support. Hannah whisked down the street, feeling on top of the world. “It was an amazing feeling. Right before I crossed the finish line, I saw all my family and friends, which was so exciting, and I felt so happy and proud of myself.” This is the same feeling she gets when she sees Daniels customers succeeding on projects she spearheaded, or when she scrolls through the Daniels Property Group Website or runs a training session about the complexities of Wrike. 

The proud feeling of doing something you didn’t think you could do. As she crossed the finish line, Hannah felt a mix of emotions: relief, happiness, pride. But one thought stuck out like a sore thumb. After completing the most physically challenging two hours of her life, Hannah couldn’t stop thinking,  “I was very disappointed I didn’t get to swim because that is the one thing I trained the hardest in… but I guess that means I just have to do it again.”

Imagine Hannah from one year ago hearing that.

This is why Hannah’s journey reflects Daniels’ commitment to our valued customers: she adapts and grows to meet new challenges and looks at things not from just where they are now, but where they could be.

“One thing I’ve come to learn about myself is that I’m ok with change… Growth comes from accepting it.” Just as Hannah's journey signifies growth and resilience, Daniels’ commitment to adapt and excel helps us provide the best service and support to our valued customers, no matter the circumstances.

Choose Daniels as your partner in tackling new challenges, as we maintain our unwavering determination each and every day.

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