Here at Inszone, one of our missions is to make sure that every employee is appreciated, acknowledged, and recognized for their achievements. This Employee Spotlight series aims to celebrate success and highlight the talented individuals we have at Inszone, Cover Cannabis, and California Pool Association. Each month we’ll be featuring Inszone employees on our website, blog and social accounts.
Please join us in congratulating Suraj Mistry, our Employee Spotlight for the month of July!
Summary:
Suraj Mistry built his career in human resources from the very beginning, a path that led him through different industries before bringing him to Inszone. While his role isn’t directly in insurance, he was drawn to the organization because of its growth and the chance to be part of a dynamic, evolving company. Though his position isn’t client-facing, he approaches his work with a client-service mindset shaped by past client-facing roles, communicating with clarity, responsiveness, and empathy to create a positive experience for everyone he supports.
With experience across ADP and a range of other HR systems, Suraj brings practical knowledge and helpful insights that support his team in improving processes and delivering a better overall experience. He approaches teamwork with a philosophy of “Up, Down, Side-to-Side”, a mindset inspired by a leader he once heard praise a manager for being able to play up, play down, and work side-to-side. To him, true teamwork means adaptability and a willingness to contribute wherever needed, whether that’s stepping into responsibilities above his role, supporting tasks below it, or collaborating across teams. He has also demonstrated resilience through challenge, maintaining professionalism and a positive, focused presence during difficult personal times by keeping perspective and staying committed to his responsibilities.
Suraj credits his growth to the important people who shaped him along the way. His mother taught him to stay positive, keep faith, and handle life’s challenges with resilience, while his first manager after college helped him develop key skills like Excel and learn how to manage his workload effectively, lessons that continue to keep him organized, accountable, and focused. He is especially proud of a complex project reconciling Employer Retention Credit data across two payroll systems, which strengthened his ability to break down challenges, build a clear game plan, and follow through to deliver results. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors, going for walks and runs and playing soccer, tennis, and golf—while also appreciating downtime to relax and binge-watch a good TV series.
Questionnaire:
1. What initially brought you to the insurance industry?
My current role isn’t directly in insurance, so in many ways, the industry found me. I’ve built my career in HR from the start, which led me to opportunities across different industries. I chose to join Inszone because I was excited about the organization’s growth and the opportunity to be part of a dynamic, evolving company.
2. In what ways do you think your unique background or experiences contribute to your success in your role?
Although my current HR role isn’t client-facing, I approach my work with a client-service mindset. My experience in client-facing roles has shaped how I communicate and handle situations—I focus on being clear, responsive, and empathetic, as if I’m supporting a client. This approach I hope bring a positive experience for those I work with.
3. Can you share a particularly challenging situation you faced in your career and how you overcame it?
One challenge I’ve faced in my career is maintaining a high level of professionalism during difficult personal times. In a client-facing role, there were moments when I had to navigate personal hardships while still showing up each day positive, focused, and ready to support others. I was able to overcome this by relying on mental resilience and maintaining perspective. I reminded myself that tough situations are temporary, and staying committed to my responsibilities gave me a sense of stability and purpose. This experience strengthened my ability to remain composed under pressure.
4. If you could describe your approach to teamwork in three words, what would they be and why?
“Up, Down, Side-to-Side.”
I approach teamwork with flexibility and a willingness to contribute wherever needed. This mindset was inspired by a leader I once heard praise a manager for being able to “play up, play down, and work side-to-side.” That resonated with me because strong teamwork means stepping in at all levels—taking on responsibilities above your role, supporting tasks below it, and collaborating across teams. I believe true teamwork is about adaptability, and doing whatever it takes to help the team succeed.
5. What do you think sets you apart, and how does it benefit your team?
What sets me apart is my experience with ADP and a range of other HR systems. This allows me to bring practical knowledge, share helpful insights, and support the team in improving processes and delivering a better overall experience.
6. Who has been the biggest influence or mentor in your life, and what valuable lessons have you learned from them?
It’s difficult to point to just one influence, as I’ve been shaped by several important people in my life. My mother has been a strong personal influence, teaching me to stay positive, keep faith, and handle life’s challenges with resilience.
In my professional life, my first manager after college had a major impact. He helped me develop key skills like Excel and taught me how to manage my workload effectively. Those lessons continue to influence how I stay organized, accountable, and focused in my work today.
7. What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career so far, and what did it teach you?
I’m proud of several projects I’ve worked on, but one that stands out involved gathering and reconciling data for Employer Retention Credits across two payroll systems in a previous role. It was a complex initiative that required careful planning and attention to detail.Through that experience, I learned how to break down a challenging project, develop a clear game plan, and successfully execute it. It strengthened my ability to stay organized, think strategically, and follow through to deliver results.
8. What are some hobbies you do outside of work that you enjoy?
Outside of work, I enjoy staying active and spending time outdoors. I like going for walks and runs, and playing sports like soccer, tennis, and golf. On the flip side, I also appreciate downtime—I enjoy relaxing and binge-watching a good TV series when I get the chance.
Words from Carrie Palmer:
“Suraj Mistry has been an outstanding addition to the HR team and has made a significant impact on the department’s success. As our HR Analyst, he has played a critical role in supporting our ADP Workforce Now implementation and integration, consistently demonstrating exceptional technical knowledge, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
What sets Suraj apart is his ability to approach challenges with both intelligence and composure. He remains calm under pressure, thoughtfully evaluates complex situations, and provides practical, well-informed solutions. His willingness to take on difficult projects and continuously improve processes has made him a trusted resource for both the HR team and the broader organization.
Suraj’s passion for his work is evident in everything he does. He genuinely enjoys solving problems, learning new systems, and finding ways to make our department more effective. That enthusiasm, combined with his professionalism and positive attitude, has been a key contributor to his success.
Beyond his individual contributions, Suraj has a positive influence on those around him. He challenges our team to think critically, improve processes, and strive for excellence. We are fortunate to have him as part of the Inszone team, and he is highly deserving of this recognition.”