Ep #47: Safeguarding Against Burnout with Rachel Hale
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Episode Summary
Jenna talks to her client Rachel Hale about valuing her offer, her genius, and the path along the way.
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Show Notes
Do you worry about burning out, given how driven you are? What a hard worker you are? How much you care about your clients? How much of a people pleaser you are? You may have a proven track record of overdoing it and are concerned you might head down that road again. My guest today used to be right there with you.
Rachel Hale is a member of the Clarity Accelerator. She joined the program knowing she was talented, but needed help learning how to sell herself with ease. Rachel shares her experience of setting up systems to avoid and safeguard against burnout.
Together we explore being pushed to the edge, the reality of burnout, and some unexpected methods for moving past corporate manipulation and burnout.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
Why control and ease are essential in business.
Why a lack of clarity leads to burnout.
How to identify correct marketing.
Why confidence in your offer is key.
How the Clarity Accelerator helps you clarify your offer and avoid burnout.
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Ep #41: Really Loving Your Offer with Dr. Georgeanne Freeman
Full Episode Transcript:
Do you worry about burning out, given how ‘fill in the blank’? How driven you are? What a hard worker you are? How much you care about your clients? How much of a people pleaser you are? Whatever it may be, you have a proven track record of overdoing it. So, are you concerned you might head down that road again? Today, I'm bringing on a guest who used to be right there with you. So, she can talk about what's different for her now, and how she got there.
You're listening to The Uncommon Way Business and Life Coaching Podcast, the only podcast that helps you unlock your next level in business and life by prioritizing your clarity and your own Uncommon Way. You will learn to maximize your mindset, mission, messaging, and strategy in order to create a true legacy. Here's your host, top-ranked business coach, and reformed over-analyzer turned queen of clarity, Jenna Harrison.
Hey, friends, welcome back to The Uncommon Way. I am just home from a perfectly amazing week in Arizona where I was on my mastermind retreat. I sent an email to my list with a bunch of pictures, and I was telling them how we went full woo. We're talking shamanic breathwork, opening ceremonies, Sedona vortex experiences, sound baths, and some things I'd never heard of before.
But I was telling my friend beforehand, “I'm just down to ride. Give it all to me. I'm just going to open myself and see what happens.” And wow, it was so delicious and relaxing. Of course, when you truly relax your nervous system like that, it just opens up so much creativity and paves the way for so many downloads. And I now have even more clarity about what this business wants to grow into, and what that path will look like. I'm feeling really excited and inspired, and looking forward to sharing that all with you.
Just a preview; this is becoming much bigger than just me. And it's really about the community that has formed and will continue to form. All the groundbreaking that we'll do as a group, that awareness, it's been waking up within me. And then I started seeing more signs and manifestations. But then this retreat, it just was like boom. It really became so solid for me in my vision and I got flashes of the future. I just felt very dialed in.
So, in perfect timing, my clients and I we've been talking about the first Uncommon Way retreat, which is happening in October. Because adding that personal component, it just up-levels the group dynamic like nothing else can. So, we're getting together this month to collaborate on how we want it to look, where we want it to take place, and when exactly it will take place. Because this is a collective, after all.
And now, I have this fresh experience and new ideas to bring to that conversation, which is so, so fun. And speaking of fun, today, I am really excited to bring my friend and client, Rachel Hale onto the podcast. She is a luxury brand consultant, and she and her business had a really beautiful before and after in the Clarity Accelerator.
As we sat down to talk, I haven't quite been able to crystallize the angle, for lack of a better word, right? That made her story so important for you to listen to. Because I don't just want to bring people on that have had great results in the program, and then keep bringing on the same type of person working through the same type of thing. This would not be The Uncommon Way if we were just funneling the same person through the exact same process and spitting out carbon copies of one another. No.
So, I want to bring people on that are working through some specific situation that you can relate to, and then hear from them how they worked through it. And what those key pieces were that helped them build that bridge, so that you have the inspiration or a roadmap for yourself and you can accelerate your own timeline. Or I don't know, build resiliency or understand the process better or whatever it may be. I want you to have something that you take away from each of these.
In some ways, Rachel had some things in common with an earlier guest, Georgeanne, and that they both came to deeply love their offers and then see the value in their offers. And Rachel's journey seemed just a smidge different because she really came to deeply value herself and her skills in that process.
But after we recorded this, I was reflecting on our conversation, and I realized that there was, in fact, another theme there. And that's how the work she did in the Clarity Accelerator, allowed her to safeguard against burnout. So, Rachel had a history of burnout, and she was afraid that she might burn out again.
But by doing the work to really understand her zone of genius and the value of what she's offering, she has set herself up for success. It's hard to burn out when you're staying in your flow state. You aren't letting other people's desires infiltrate your boundaries. And you're bringing in clients who value what you do so much that you can comfortably meet your income goals. And that is really what Rachael has created.
It's so fun, because you'll hear about how one of her earliest visioning exercises, where she was just imagining herself completely at ease and in her happy place, I'll let her tell you what that happy place is, but as she was in this place, so just disconnected from work, knowing that everything was taken care of, she was able to manifest that exact thing, within these months together.
So, that is the framework that I suggest you listen to this conversation with, in order to get maximum value. Just ask yourself, as you listen to her story, if you don't feel that same sense of control and ease in your business, where are the discrepancies between you and Rachel? And what thoughts or ways of being does she share that show you where your work is? Okay, please enjoy this episode.
Jenna Harrison: Hey, Rachel, welcome to the podcast.
Rachel Hale: Hi, Jenna. It's awesome to be here. Thanks so much for having me.
Jenna: Yes, yes. I wanted to bring you on. We're touching on some of the same themes that we have with other clients. But there are certain nuances to yours that I knew were really juicy. And so, I thought we'd just kind of talk through your story, as you've been in the Clarity Accelerator and you've just completed that process. And I wanted everyone to hear it fresh.
Rachel: It is fresh and juicy. I love it.
Jenna: So, let's kind of let people know what we're going to be talking about first. I realized I haven't been doing that with some of the other podcast guests. And then, we'll go into your background and the experience working through, the kind of the insights that came to you that’s created what we have now in front of us.
But I just want to, if I can, read back something, word for word, that you said on a past call. And then you tell me kind of how you feel about it now. Okay?
So, you were saying that when you thought about coming into the program, you felt like you, of course already had a flourishing business by many accounts. You were, I think, at multiple six figures. And you also did really well when you were on the phone with somebody. It wasn't really a problem to bring clients on, once you had them in that position.
But I remember you saying that you really liked my website and felt like it resonated really quickly, and you wanted your best clients to have that experience as well. It would just help them very easily know that you were the one for them.
And then, the way you described it on the last call, is you said your biggest hurdle was actually knowing what you do. And then, how do you tell people about it and bring them in? And then, “How do I package it all in a way that really values who I am? And where I can value myself in that?”
So, I know for a lot of people, they're going to think, “Wait a minute, how is that possible? She was so successful.” But there were still those little doubts. Can you just talk about how you feel right now? And then, where you think some of that might have come from before?
Rachel: Yeah, it's really interesting to have that retrospective look back. Because now I do have so much clarity. And I realized just how far I've come in this journey, because I know what I do. I know what I offer. And I know how valuable my time and my services are. And I'm not willing to be wishy-washy about that. But that came through doing a lot of work. I don't know if you want me to paint the picture of where my brain was where I when I started?
Jenna: Why don't you? Just start there. It’ll help people explain why you think it was there, like in retrospect.
Rachel: Yeah, absolutely. So, in retrospect, yes, I had a very successful career. I traveled the world. I've met with some extremely high-profile people. And when I decided to shift gears, there was all of a sudden, this overwhelming question mark of my value.
And so, certain people label it imposter syndrome. Deep down, I had a knowing that I was very talented, obviously. I wouldn't have earned the income that I had previously without that. But I realized I'm like, “Well, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. But what do I want to do? And what defines me?”
I think the real crux of the moment was when my husband had given me so much encouragement. He said, “Babe, you're really smart. You can do this on your own. You have my support. But what the hell is it that you do? Because I'd love to tell all of our friends, and I don't get it.” I looked at him, and I said, “I don't either.”
That's when I found your website. I said, “Shit, if I'm going to do this entrepreneurial thing for real, I need to wrap my brain around it first, so that I can have the world's greatest elevator pitch.” And so, that really was where I was floundering. Because I knew I had skills. And I knew that there were a lot of things that I could do. But I didn't have clarity on what I wanted to do, nor what my company would stand for.
Jenna: Yes, yes. So good. Just to clarify for everyone, when Rachel was talking about traveling all over the world, she had this great, high powered corporate career helping people do a lot of what she's doing for them now. And then, I think when you and I met, you already had clients, but they had come in from a place of you not quite being clear on what that looked like for you being alone. Like, you had always sold on behalf of the company that you were working for. And now, you were selling yourself.
Rachel: Yes, yes. And I love how you just say, “Selling myself.” I think that that has a different layer of vulnerability that I was not familiar with. I had always had a superior or someone to give me a kudos or an attaboy, or here's a bonus or some kind of recognition. And now, I looked over my shoulder and it's an empty room, it's just me. And I'm like, “Am I doing a good job?”
Jenna: You and your fern, right?
Rachel: Yes.
Jenna: What plant is that?
Rachel: My tropical plant. Yeah.
Jenna: Yes. So, here you are, you find yourself… By the way, we haven't mentioned this yet, but you live in the Bahamas. And you work with luxury clients. And there all of these clients around, potential, right? Almost like overflowing with potential, because there are so many things you could do. Tell us a little about what you did do in your corporate career. Why were you flying around talking to all these people? And how did luxury play into it?
Rachel: Sure. So, for seven years, I lived in 13 different countries, mostly emerging markets. And I was helping to produce investment profile features in leading publications. Boy, that's a mouthful, that's not a sexy pitch. That's not what you helped me with, at all. What I do now is much more fun. I was able to interview presidents and prime ministers and captains of industry, and so it just illuminated my worldview that luxury is out there; you can fly private, you can have drivers and all these people.
Now, as a girl from middle class Chicago, there were a lot of lightbulb moments for me. And then finally, at the age of 29 I had my first burnout, and I moved to Miami so I could utilize my language skills in Spanish and Portuguese. Had another great job in advertising and media and marketing and promotions. I just kind of fell into these careers and realized I was good at them.
But it wasn't until eight years after that, that I was in one single place, and had to sit with my shit, if you will; irrational, emotional, all that stuff. I was no longer on the run. There was no longer a shiny object that I was chasing. But I started to do some more soul searching on what I wanted to do, not just what was I good at and what could I get paid for.
So, that really was what led me to the Bahamas. I also have a wonderfully supportive partner who allowed me that freedom and creativity to dream big.
Jenna: I love it. And then, when you were thinking about which direction to go, throughout all of that, you were bringing on other clients. And I know that burnout was a big concern for you. You really didn't want to go down that road because you've tasted it before. Right? So, tell us a little about what it was like working with those clients before we started talking.
Rachel: Sure. Without getting too detailed, I had been in an industry that served me well, but it just wasn't filling my cup. I just knew that there was more, something beyond media sales. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I just craved more. So, that was one component. Then I worked for a narcissist. Then I was hired with a bait-and-switch.
And so, I don't think it was until I had that last ingredient, that I didn't realize was so important, to taking the leap of faith and start my own business. And that was actually anger. I mean, it wasn't a sexy emotion. But I finally I said, “You know what? I'm not going to let burnout beat me, I'm going to beat burnout. Screw it. I'm taking the reins. I'm not going down with this burnout ship anymore. There's got to be something better than this.”
I think, far too often, especially females, will just see the world as against them. And if you acknowledge one bad thing, things seem to snowball, and it becomes really, really difficult to pick yourself up. And so, harness whatever energy you have for your betterment. Even if it's get angry, yell at somebody, quit your job, walk out.
Don't be reckless with your life, but sometimes that's what it takes. It's easy to play safe, and just have security of a steady job and whatever. But you deserve so much more than that, and it's out there.
Jenna: Oh, yes, I feel that so much. Especially knowing you. Which is so easy in retrospect, to be like, “Yes.” To speak to that younger Rachel, and be like, “Yes, Rachel. You have so much. Let's go for it.” But back then, of course, you don't know what you don't know. And everything kind of feels like a risk, and is this a pipe dream, and could I really do it?
Rachel: Yeah, or really hazy. And I think that's why I sought you out, Jenna, because I knew that there was something else. But then it was like this black hole of, what? And where do I begin? And where do I start? So, yeah, in retrospect, I'm very grateful.
Jenna: Oh, I'm so glad. And just going back to how it was for you, in that kind of lack of clarity, I guess the point that I'm thinking, when I'm thinking about your story, is just that a lack of clarity can attract so much, often, of what we don't want, right? Because we're not as clear on what we do want. And so, I just remember stories of you doing all sorts of things for your clients, [cross talk]. So, tell us about that energy, in that environment, and how it probably would lead to burnout.
Rachel: I know what you’re going to say. Yeah, oh, I had a call with you, Jenna. Oh, that's so funny. And I said, “I can't turn my camera on right now, because I'm at an immigration office working on someone's immigration permits.” And she goes, “Is that your zone of genius?” And I used some very strong expletives and told her, “No. No, that's not a very good use of my time.”
And even the whole idea of charging per hour for my line of work, I realized wasn't serving me, because there's a finite number of hours. I was chopping it up and trying to put a numerical value to it. And then I said, “Okay, if I have all these clients, I fill up all my hours, what I think I'm worth, I only hit half of my revenue goals.” And that was such an Aha moment.
I realized that's not going to help me scale. But without going through those motions and bringing on some of those initial hourly clients, which felt validating, I wouldn't have built that full picture out.
Jenna: Yes. And then it was great also, I’ve got to admit, for me, listening to what you were doing because, and everyone in the collective, we were able to see how many different things you were actually doing for these clients. Because a lot of times you would talk about yourself as, “I help them with marketing,” but then you were also doing all of these other things.
And now that I'm thinking about it, it was really in your most passionate moments that you were talking about how much they get wrong in their business. And the fire within you, that would show how you were able to kind of help them course correct.
And it was much bigger, like on a very high strategic level, as they were making really important decisions about their company and how they were showing up in the world. And that was really beautiful. It really helped us all ground into the real work that you were doing there.
Rachel: Yeah, I mean, I've said this to you before, but it's certainly true. I give all the shits. You know, there are people who don't give a shit. And then I give all the shits. Which is true, because I will get so passionate.
You don't you think a marketing person, or someone of my stature, should be giving you strategic direction on HR, or operational directives. But for those who don't know my company, really, I now am focusing on bridging the gap and being the connector between what you say you do and what you deliver.
And so, I can't sit in the marketing seat with my marketing hat on knowing that maybe we'll deliver on that like half of the time. And then, we'll spend more of our time putting out fires or comping a guest a hotel room or searching through social media reviews trying to make it up to people. It's just like, why don't we just own what we are from the get-go. So, I think that's where the fire in my belly comes from with those types of conversations.
Jenna: And I love that ‘owning what we are’ because that was also your journey; was really owning what you are. Which is so good. But okay, so let's actually bring out some details there, just to talk about what was going on with some of the clients. So, you don't have to name names. But talk about that brochure, that marketing brochure. You remember that?
Rachel: Oh, my God. So good. Yes. I had a friend of mine in the hospitality sector ask for my opinion on a new brochure for a new business segment they were launching. And it was beautiful, heavy cardstock, very tactile, had some nice watercolor; I'm just painting the image for you. In terms of high quality, it was all there.
But then I started looking at it, and there was this lovely image of a hot air balloon. This hospitality brand happens to be based here in the Bahamas. And to my surprise, I thought, “That's really interesting. Do we have hot air balloons?” Hell no, was the answer. No. There are no hot air balloon services in Bahamas.
That was a moment where I said, “Listen, one thing is painting this fantasy of these services in this elevated luxury that you aim to deliver. The other is just being outwardly, completely false and lying. “It's a blatant lie,” I said, “That I can't stand behind.” And it was really interesting, because this was a big brand with a lot of marketing dollars behind them and a ton of eyes on it, and nobody else had caught that. It was like, you have to be kidding me.
Jenna: Yes, yes. And that really speaks to how a company like that, that I'll just say, has national, if not worldwide, brand recognition. We would all know the name if you were to share it. They will go and potentially hire a great company in New York to design these brochures for them. But they're not thinking holistically like you are, about all the operational pieces as well that then need to support that.
So, tell us a little bit about… Do you feel comfortable talking about some of the problems that you've seen? Or maybe even just hypothetically could see with a hotel client or a private jet client or something when they're not living up to their marketing? How much that affects them.
Rachel: Yeah, sure. I'll just start off by saying that, I think at the core of all of this, it's just operating with integrity. And that shows up in your marketing and operations. And whether it's a stretch or a lie or an aspiration, that can all get quite muddy. But it's just operating with integrity of what you think you'll be able to deliver. And maybe you don't have it today, but you at least will be.
Jenna: Yeah. And then I remember you saying, “What happens then, as they put out this great marketing, and then they get the backlash from it, or then they get the surge of demand from it, but they can't actually handle the demand? Then it degrades their brand,” right? And so, you have all of this knowledge that helps you forward see all of the potential impacts of every marketing message that goes out.
Rachel: Exactly. You could just kind of preempt that shitstorm, if you will. Just another quick anecdote, I was at a cruise summit recently, and a bunch of the massive cruise lines were talking about their marketing messaging and how they're trying to differentiate themselves. So, they were amongst their peers. And everyone's trying to say, “Well, we're doing this and we're doing this,” as you do in the competitive landscape.
There were also some travel advisors in the room, though, and they gave their perspective. And they said, “Well, while you all are out there; big brands trying to be super sexy, self-identify, and make yourselves sound unique. You talk about attributes that either are completely just irrelevant to our guests, or you over promise and then when those people call to book, we have to walk them back, explain, “It's not really that, it's this. It's only this for these types of periods.”
They were creating such strange expectations that it was making their job to sell that much harder. So, the wrong marketing can actually be very, very harmful; I was able to see.
Jenna: And so now, I love, now that you are kind of on the other side of that clarity... And you've said, “I feel really confident articulating exactly what I do. And how I do bridge this gap for my clients, and can come in lean and mean as a luxury consultant, and help them see all of the pieces and put it all together; big picture.” And then you've said that the response you've been getting from that was like, “Oh, everyone needs that.” That there's just this immediate shift when their eyes light up. So yeah, tell us about that.
Rachel: Sure. Not everybody needs a CMO or a COO or this big old bloated staff; that's the term you shared with me that just really resonates. But everyone wants alignment in their business. And everyone wants to say that they're the best, or they're really good at something. And have that trust that their company will deliver.
Imagine being a CEO, and you're out at a networking event, which is what CEOs are meant to be doing. Saying, “My company can offer you XYZ services. And rest assured, we've got fabulous customer support.” And that's your job, is to go out and say all of those things. But if you're clenching yourself, as you say it, and going, “Oh, crap. I hope we get this right,” that's not a great feeling. So, really trying to make sure that, operationally, you can go out and say that stuff with such confidence that your business has a protocol in place to deliver that.
Jenna: Yeah, and again, which is exactly what you're doing now. You're going out and saying it with such confidence, what your business can deliver.
Rachel: Yeah, thank you.
Jenna: I remember you saying, “Now that I can say my elevator pitch, and people are actually leaning in and saying, ‘Oh, my gosh, everyone needs that. That's so great.’” You talked about the pride you feel in being able to say that.
Rachel: Yeah, I think there's also a component that I believe in it, I know I'll deliver it, I give all the shits. But I also feel really good and aligned with my own integrity. Because I'm not just offering a service that I can charge a fee for. I'm helping businesses operate more smoothly, and people feel more ease in their business. And that just feels really good in my body.
Jenna: Yeah, so good. This reminds me of Georgeanne's podcast, where we were talking about really loving your offer. Because I'm sure everyone here can see how you really love your offer. But again, I just love the idea also, that you brought in, about really loving yourself and valuing yourself, and your abilities and your zone of genius and all the things.
Rachel: Well, one of the components of the Clarity Accelerator, that was just more reaffirming than anything else, was the human design. And boy, is that a rabbit hole. But it's really fun, because I realized that I'm a generator. And I'm just going to read from what it says here, “Generators who do not follow their strategy and inner authority are also prone to becoming the slaves of everyone else.”
Which, I had such an Aha, and saying, “Well, yeah, that's where I get burnout. Because I do all the things.” And without having that clarity, it was basically a fast track to another burnout.
Jenna: Yes, yes. Good one. And you being able to trust your gut, or trust your sacral, both, I think, in the work you're going to do for clients, but also really trusting your own authority when you're with a client, and being able to say, “Hey, this is the way we need to go.”
Rachel: Well, even having those hard conversations. Because when I was an early professional, I wanted to be a people pleaser. I wanted to say things that people liked. And of course, you want to win clients. But I think that part of my genius now, is that I know when people are on the wrong path, and I have the confidence to speak up about it.
And so, whoever is listening to this, whether you're in corporate world or coaching, really just knowing that you know your stuff and being able to say, “Huh, interesting. I might be wrong. However, these could be the ramifications if we go down that path.” Rather than be, “Okay,” very passive energy.
Jenna: But that's so hard, for us to believe that we really do know what we're talking about, right? That we really do have that zone of genius.
Rachel: What you told me the other day, about being in ‘you’re welcome’ energy. I have used that so much.
Jenna: Oh, good, good, good. I need to do a whole podcast on this. Yeah. And this was actually also given to me by my coach, Danielle Eyman. So, I had lived into it but I've never had that label before, and the label just made everything click. So yeah, she talked about ‘you’re welcome’ energy.
And it just means being in a state of ‘you’re welcome’ when you are presenting yourself to the public. And even when you're working with a client. Just knowing that you actually have had all the hard knocks, and you've had to go through all the experiences and all the learning and all the things to get here, so that they don't have to.
And if you can just stay in that state of, “Yes, I can help you with this. Yes, I know this seems cloudy or hazy,” like you said before, “But here I am. You're welcome.” It's such a different energy than ‘please, could you become my client? Could you pick me?’
Rachel: Right. And even delivering the sometimes not so great news. It's like, “Ugh, that color is terrible.” Don't say, “That color is terrible.” It's, “Perhaps we should select a different color for the following reasons.” And now my posture is, “You're welcome. I've just helped you avoid a massive pitfall or a massive bad decision.”
Jenna: Yes, yes, that is such great context for that. You're right, because the way we're conditioned would have us approach the situation with, “Gosh, I'm so sorry I have to say this to you. I feel bad even saying this to you. You're going to think so badly of me.” But coming in with ‘you’re welcome’ energy to that situation, completely different.
So, tell us, if you don't mind, I know it's hard to look back, there's so much and it feels like a lifetime usually, when people go through the Clarity Accelerator, it feels so long ago. But can you tell us about your Clarity process? What was that like for you? How did you get from the point of being like, “I don't know what I do,” to, “I know exactly what I do.”
And it's so funny, because I think there was a story the other day, where someone was asking you to do something kind of outside of your scope, and you were like, “No, I'm okay. That's not quite my zone of genius. Let someone else do that.” That's a big shift.
Rachel: It feels just so easy now, which is great. But I will take a quick step back. My Clarity journey in the Clarity Accelerator, while I wanted it to be linear and super, super fast, it was a process. And I think that that was by design. I had to redo some of the work. I kind of got lost in my own head, and started writing some different narratives and thinking different thoughts.
Again, it's that, “Well, I probably could do all these different things. But what should I be doing?” And I think it was once I allowed myself to go there and be creative, that it was a fun exercise. And then I was able to, again, just lean into that gut feeling of saying, “No, this is actually really my path.”
And you allowed me that grace. I felt frustrated with myself that I wasn't completing the assignment, being a good student, and staying on track and all of those things. But it was, in retrospect, it all happened for a reason and for me.
Jenna: Yeah. And then, sometimes clarity can just come in a conversation or two. It’s like all the little pieces that build up to it, and then it just locks in, it dials in.
Rachel: I know, I know. I feel like there were times where it was just like, there was a light beam from above that just kind of shone down on me. And I was like, “Oh, that's what you've been trying to tell me.” There were plenty of aha moments.
Jenna: Yeah, yeah. So good. What do you think you'd say to somebody who was maybe in the same position you were, doing really well and not really needing to change anything, but kind of on the fence? What would you say? What would you suggest?
Rachel: Well, first, I would just offer that it is possible. And more than that, that you're worth it. If you want more, if you seek more, if you're doing comparisonitis, and looking on Instagram, “Those people can have it, but I can't,” just know that it is available to you. It does take some work, but not nearly as much as I thought, to be quite honest. Yeah, it did come easier than I anticipated.
And I think in those hazy moments, it's really great to call in an expert. To have the humility to say, “I know some things, but I just need some guidance. I need somebody to hold my hand and walk along the path with me.” And I appreciated that you never pushed me in any direction. You literally just sat and watched me wander for a couple of weeks when I was off my path, and then you watched me come back, but let me do that work.
I would say just know that it's in you. And if you need to harness a certain energy, be it anger or sadness or complete burnout, whatever it is, to take that leap. You're not alone.
Jenna: Oh, yes, yes. But hopefully also, I like the idea, of course, if we are there in anger, go with it. But also, if we could do it earlier. If we could listen to that nudge and allow ourselves to take action from the nudge rather than from the burnout or the anger, that's a beautiful thing too. Said for a friend. I’m still working on it myself, sometimes.
Rachel: Yeah. I mean, especially when you're feeling kind of like you're being chipped away and your confidence isn't there, or you know you're ready to, it's tough to find the confidence and the courage to do it. But goodness, yes, I wish I had done this so much sooner. I wish I could have saved previous Rachel a lot of heartache, and a lot of angst, even in my relationship, the negative energy that I was bringing home. If I could have this new energy five years earlier, would I do it? Absolutely.
Jenna: Yes. Thank you for that. That is a great point. Because I think sometimes there's some thought errors where people think, “Maybe it's too late in my business. I've established this level of success. I’ve just kind of got to get my mind to around it and keep going.” And that's not true. And then other people that think, “Well, maybe that kind of work is something that I'll do later. But now, I just really need to know about Instagram hashtags. I need to know about these other things.”
But unfortunately, more money won't solve the problems, right? Those core pieces, if you don't get them aligned, the problems are just going to get bigger and worse, as your business grows.
Rachel: Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I wish that I had done this sooner. I would encourage other people to do it, as well. But I'll also say that it's never too late. When I decided to kind of course correct here, I was very fearful, even financially, that I would start from zero.
I’ve built a life that I don't live on zero. Nor do I want to I. I like luxurious things. I like to travel. I like nice cars; all the things that I've become accustomed to. And I wasn't willing to get rid of all of that just to start a new business. Maybe some people are.
But what I think was really cool, is I didn't have to. I wasn't starting from zero, I was starting with 18 years of experience behind me; a lot of great connections and people who believe in me and tools at my fingertips. So, it's not that big of a leap when you really start to take all of the emotion out of it.
Jenna: Oh, such good advice. Yes. That's good wisdom. So, paint a picture about why it might be worth it. What is on the other side? I know that people now, like we said, they lean into your elevator pitch. They're asking you for proposals, rather than you having to go out as much. You've raised your prices, I think. You're bringing in more aligned clients. What's your emotional life like? Oh, I know, the boat. Tell them all the things.
Rachel: Yeah. I'll tell you that we took a leap of faith, and we got a bigger house with a bigger yard for the dogs, and a private office for myself. And that was right when I decided to start my business. And I was like, “Oh, my God, how are we going to pay for all this?” And I just believed in it.
So now, I have a beautiful private office, my dogs have a great yard. I'm able to work from home, and I know that they're being taken care of. Which, from a work/life balance perspective, gives me such peace and ease that I don't feel strange that I'm leaving my family if I want to work long hours. I have my private space, but I'm able to attend to my husband and our dogs. And that makes me feel really good.
And then, it's really funny, that on our first call and then on a visualization call, I brought up boating. And how my happy place is being on a boat, and really what I aim to feel was untethered. Not constantly connected to my phone, freaking out who's going to call me now to yell at me, or what fire is there; untethered, and being on a boat.
Just last week, I bought my boat. But you know what? This new life has allowed me to have the freedom to even use a boat. Where I would have been like, even financially, “Could I afford it? Yeah. But I'm always at the office.” And I don't have that energy anymore.
Jenna: So yes, I love that. And that was a substantial part of our work, was restructuring your offers, so that you weren't just kind of on the clock hourly. And you weren't having these deliverables that would be based on the amount of work you're doing. But really stepping into what your expertise was providing them and the value they would get from that.
Rachel: Yeah, that was a lot of the mental reframing on my part. Kind of abstract terms. Just saying, “You get me and I'm worth this,” without having to spell out every… It didn't read like a real estate listing: It's four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Jenna: Yes. Oh, and that is everything, stepping into that, owning it for yourself, like you said earlier. Oh, my gosh, so good. Rachel, I think this will be really helpful for a lot of people. Thank you for sharing your story. And just being honest about the ups and downs, and where we start from and where we can get to, is there anything that you think we haven't covered?
Rachel: No. I think it would just be how grateful I am for the Clarity Accelerator. Because not only was there work for me to do in self-discovery, and now I have these tools, that I look back at with totally fresh eyes, in a relatively short span of time. But I think that the community that you're building is really just so awesome, as well.
And having the space to share thoughts and bounce ideas off of other entrepreneurs really helped me feel a sense of community, and that's when I had some of my biggest breakthroughs.
Jenna: Oh, I love that. And I feel that that's exactly what I am seeing as our future. Right? All of us, really this coming together. You were so great about it, too. Thinking of ways that you all could get together offline, even outside of our coaching calls, and really building that kinship, I think of it. Oh, so good. So good. Where can people find out more about you and your company?
Rachel: It's Haleeffect.com. I will continually be adding things to it as I gain more clarity. And would love to connect with some people even just to jam about coaching, my experience, and all things.
Jenna: Oh, good. So, it's on Instagram @haleeffect?
Rachel: On Instagram, it’s @the.hale.effect.
Jenna: Okay. And then your website is, Hale Effect. So, we'll link to both of those to make it easy. But yes, you do a fun life, worth looking, so they could come connect with you over there. And yeah, and see what you're doing and all the room that you have now to just absolutely flourish in the Bahamas, as one should, especially when you’re in the Bahamas.
Rachel: Thank you. I think you're also saying that I have room here for visitation, so that's a possibility, as well.
Jenna: Yes. So good. Thank you, Rachel.
Rachel: Thank you, Jenna.
Hey, if you want true clarity about your secret sauce, your people, your best way of doing business, and how you talk about your offer, then I invite you to join us in the Clarity Accelerator. I'll teach you to connect all the dots, the dots that have always been there for you so that you can show up like you were born for exactly this.
Come join us and supercharge every other tool or tactic you'll ever learn, from Facebook ads to manifestation. Just go to TheUncommonWay.com/schedule and set up a time to talk. I can't wait to be your coach.
Thanks for joining us here at The Uncommon Way. If you want more tips and resources for developing clarity in your business and life, including the Clarity First Strategy for growing and scaling your business, visit TheUncommonWay.com. See you next time.
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