5 Questions with Suzanne Smaltz, owner of Smaltz Insurance in downtown Akron

About Smaltz Insurance, 526 5. Main St. #104
Suzanne Smaltz is proud to be an agent for HealthMarkets in Northeast Ohio. She loves meeting with clients personally to help them reach their retirement goals.

1. You've had an office at Bounce Innovation Hub for 6 years, what has it meant to your business to be part of the constellation of entrepreneurs at Bounce?
When I first looked at Bounce, I was looking for a space where I could keep my files and create a comfortable meeting place for people to come and discuss their needs. There are insurance brokers who visit their clients in their homes, which I used to do, especially in 2017 after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Many of our community members in Northeast Ohio brought their senior family members to Ohio to live. I became the broker who could visit with them and talk to them about Medicare in Spanish. But then once my business started to grow, it was important for me to have a place rather than the feeling of working out of the trunk of my car.

Once I committed to an office space, I realized that Bounce is unique; I like the energy of the folks who come in to use the space for coworking, and I love what Bounce is doing for the entrepreneur community in Akron. And my clients love coming to Bounce, sharing stories of when it was the BF Goodrich factory and how they met their spouses while working there. Some are retired business owners who are intrigued by what Bounce is creating.

2. Smaltz Insurance has a pretty visible presence in downtown Akron: what does it mean to you to be located in downtown?

When I first moved to Akron in 1996, downtown was very quiet. Being a part of the downtown community and the excitement is great; when I came here from California I couldn't imagine that I would be here 30 years later! This is my dream, to make a difference.

3. What would you tell someone about downtown that they might not learn just from researching the district?

Downtown is not just a place. It's a vibe, as we just saw in Highland Square during PorchRokr. It's the collaboration between downtown businesses to support one another. It's the collaboration of different partners coming together to create the Polymer Cluster and MedTech industry.

4. What's your favorite thing to do in downtown Akron—favorite eatery, activity, place to unwind, or just someone who makes you smile?

I have a few favorites—Kabylia Baguette at Bounce, Sweet Mary's Bakery, Akron Honey, The Nightlight Cinema. Who makes me smile? The team at Bounce who have become like family and an extension of Smaltz Insurance.

5. How can business owners get more involved in the downtown Akron community?

We visit each other's places of business to learn more about each other. I'm not just the crazy insurance lady you can visit at Bounce. I can tell you stories about how I became friends with my favorite places, and their biggest cheerleader.

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Introducing the Smaltz Insurance Conference Room
A Perfect Partnership

In August, longtime Bounce community member and partner Suzanne Smaltz revealed the Smaltz Insurance Conference Room located in The Generator at Bounce, formerly Cascade Meeting Room.

The room comes equipped with a beautiful custom conference table and references to Akron's famous Cascade Valley.

The table can hold up to 8 people and has video conferencing functionality. To book your next meeting here and see it in person, click here.

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