Get to Know Yanni Grigorakakis

 

April 2021 - Yanni Grigorakakis has been with Emmanuel Insurance for 6 years, and he is a valuable part of our team.  Learn a few fun and interesting facts about Yanni, who is our Featured Employee this month.

 

1. Where is your favorite place to visit on vacation?
   Porto Kagio, Greece......my second home and where my father's family lives in Greece (very Southern tip of Greece)
    
2. What is the weirdest, most unorthodox, or most interesting job you've ever had?
   Since entering the workforce when I started college 13 years ago, I've only had 3 jobs... so I guess the most interesting was my interim job before I entered the world of insurance, when my uncle had an emergency and left for Greece. He left me in control of a huge construction project in the city, where I got to stay in a $800,000 condo on the Delaware River overlooking the water and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Meanwhile, I had ZERO experience managing a project like this coming from the food industry.
    
3. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you want to meet... and what would you want to discuss?
   I guess I would want to meet Denzel Washington. I would just want to discuss life and how the world has drastically changed over the past 30 years. Denzel has been one of my favorite actors and as we all know, a true inspiration to anyone who has heard him speak.
    
4. What is something interesting that you've learned within the past week?
   Due to the pandemic and the lack of employees in food manufacturing facilities, a case of prime rib went from $700 to $1,080 a case! (pretty crazy, and shows you what happens when production cannot meet the demand.)
    
5. When you were 10, what did you see yourself being when you grew up?
   A Marine Biologist
    
6. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, what would it be called, and who would play you?
   Changing Tides......(the world of juggling the passion for fishing, family, and insurance - haha)......Well, who would play me is a tough one... but I would say Channing Tatum
    
7. What is the last book you read?
   The Influence by Mark Goulston
    
8. What is one surprising or interesting fact about you that people may not know about?
   I speak fluent Greek and love to cook.
    
9. What was it about Emmanuel Insurance that made you decide it was a company of which you wanted to be a part?
   Emmanuel Insurance intrigued me because they treat all employees and clients like family, yet maintain the level of knowledge and professionalism needed to excel and continue to be a resource for our customers.
    
10. What are you enjoying the most about being a part of the Emmanuel team?
    It's pretty simple... what I enjoy most is just the feeling of being part of the Emmanuel team. The future to come is very exciting.
     
11. What personal characteristic do you believe is key in order to be successful in your role?
    Being a good listener is probably the most important characteristic, and getting a good understanding of what your clients need.