We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca Yates recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

When COVID hit, everything we thought we knew about running a health insurance brokerage went out the window. Overnight, people were losing their jobs — which meant losing their income and their health coverage at the exact moment they needed it most. The phones never stopped ringing. We were working around the clock trying to get people insured, interpret new regulations, and calm the fear that was spreading just as quickly as the virus itself.

It wasn’t just about insurance anymore — it felt like we were part of a national emergency response team. I was in meetings with legislators and even the President, trying to find solutions to make coverage more accessible. Every day brought new rules, new programs, new chaos to manage — and the responsibility felt immense.

Meanwhile, I’d scroll through social media and see people learning to bake bread or taking up hobbies to pass the time. And there I was, barely sleeping, trying to figure out how to keep people from dying because they couldn’t afford medical care. That contrast was jarring — surreal, even.

Even now, the ripple effects are still with us. The flux that started in those months has never really stabilized. It changed our industry — and our team — forever. But it also deepened my conviction that what we do matters. People need someone who will stay in the fight with them, no matter how chaotic things get. That experience became a defining moment for me as a leader — a reminder that purpose doesn’t pause for a pandemic.

Rebecca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been in the health insurance world for nearly two decades, but I didn’t start out thinking I’d run a brokerage. What drew me in was the people — I saw how confusing and frustrating health coverage could be, and I wanted to make it easier, more human, and more honest. That’s how Ark Insurance Solutions was born: a woman-owned, Utah-based brokerage built on the belief that people come before profit.

We help individuals, families, and small businesses navigate one of the most overwhelming systems in America — health insurance. From marketplace plans to Medicare and employee benefits, we cut through the chaos to help people find coverage that truly fits their needs and budgets. But more than that, we help them feel cared for and confident in their choices.

What sets Ark apart is our heart. We don’t see clients as policies; we see them as people who are trusting us during some of their most vulnerable moments. We take that seriously. Our team shows up with empathy, integrity, and grit — whether it’s fighting for a client’s claim, explaining a bill line by line, or advocating for policy changes that make coverage more accessible.

I’m most proud of the impact we’ve had — not just in helping thousands of Utahns get insured, but in building a workplace where our team feels valued, supported, and part of something meaningful. I’ve always believed that doing the right thing is good business, and Ark is living proof of that.

What I want people to know about us is simple: we care deeply. We’re here to make the system work for people, not against them — and to remind our community that even in an industry built on paperwork and policies, compassion still matters.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

When I first started Ark, things were really tight. I took a leap of faith and hired a former client to be my administrative assistant — my first real employee. Not long after, our biggest client sold to a venture capital firm that had its own in-house benefits team. They loved our work, but they didn’t need us anymore. And just like that, our largest source of revenue disappeared — barely a month after I’d made that hire.

I sat down with her and my business partner at the time, and my new employee, and said, “Okay, we can either lay you off, or we can both take an extreme cut in pay — $1,600 a month for a year — and try to rebuild.” She didn’t hesitate. She leapt with me.

It was rough. There was a day she called me while I was at the gas station and said, “Stop what you’re doing and put $40 in the bank right now or payroll is going to bounce!” I literally dug through my glove box for my emergency $20 and searched my couch cushions for the rest. But we made it.

We rebuilt, replaced the client we lost, and started to grow — slowly at first, then steadily. She’s still with me today — fifteen years later — and we’ve grown every single year since. That season taught me what true partnership looks like and reminded me that success isn’t built on luck or perfect timing; it’s built on grit, loyalty, and refusing to give up when things get hard.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My very first business was a clothing line for women with larger busts. My best friend, my mom, and I launched it in the spring of 2008 — just months before the Great Recession hit. We had taken out an SBA loan to fund our first round of inventory, created a totally unique pattern, and were so proud of what we’d built. Our shirts were designed to fit both waist and cup size, solving that frustrating gap-at-the-bust problem so many women know too well.

We launched full of excitement and quickly realized we’d ordered the wrong size mix. That was fixable — or so we thought. When we went to pay our web vendor, the bank declined the payment. Without warning, they’d pulled back our line of credit due to the financial crisis. Suddenly, we had a warehouse full of inventory, no cash flow, and a business that needed constant infusions of money we no longer had.

We had to pivot fast. Our plan had been to host live trunk shows and events here in Utah, but sales were flat. Then something unexpected happened: mom bloggers started discovering our shirts and writing about them. Word spread online, and we found a small but loyal national and even international audience. The first dress I sold in Israel literally had me jumping for joy! That digital pivot kept us alive — hobbling along at times, but alive — for twelve years.

That experience taught me resilience and adaptability in a way no MBA program ever could. I learned that timing can make or break a business, but grit and creativity can still carve a path forward. Every pivot since then — in insurance, in leadership, even in my personal growth — traces back to what I learned from that first hard-earned lesson.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ark-ins.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkinsurance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARKInsurance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccayates/
• Twitter: https://x.com/Arkinssolutions
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzue2_auTzozZF8TsLGCQDA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ark-insurance-solutions-salt-lake-city
• Other: Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@arkinsurance

Image Credits

Carrie Mann – Purple Moss Photography for image one.
Rebecca Yates for the others.