Rachael's Story: Determination is Contagious

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This is a podcast episode titled, Rachael's Story: Determination is Contagious. The summary for this episode is: <p><strong><em>"You have to be open to the experience, and that doesn't mean you have to be an expert. Just open to the experience is the first thing. Have that mindset."</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p>In this next episode in our Stand Tall in Your Story speech series, you'll hear from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelncoverdale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rachael Coverdale</a>. Rachael is the President of&nbsp;<a href="https://coverdaleconsulting.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Coverdale Consulting</a>, and today she shares her experience with Rise &amp; Thrive and her Stand Tall in Your Story speech, "Determination is Contagious." Listen now!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode, you'll learn:</strong></p><ol><li>How Rise &amp; Thrive has helped Rachael grow as a leader</li><li>Why we need to try new things and be open to new experiences</li><li>The expectations vs. reality of the Rise &amp; Thrive experience</li></ol><p><br></p><p><strong>Things to listen for:</strong></p><p>[05:05] Rachael's expectations vs. the reality of the Rise &amp; Thrive experience</p><p>[15:24] Times where emotions were high during the Rise &amp; Thrive Journey</p><p>[22:10] The importance of being open to new experiences</p><p>[24:22] How Rise &amp; Thrive has impacted Rachael as a leader</p><p>[29:19] Rachael’s story</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources:</strong></p><p>Watch <a href="https://storybook.link/standtallinyourstory/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Stand Tall In Your Story - International Women’s Day</a></p><p>Join the&nbsp;<a href="http://unbouncepages.com/1000-thriving-women-movement/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1000 Thriving Women Movement</a></p><p>Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://wethrive.live/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rebecca and her work</a></p><p>Get your copy of&nbsp;<a href="https://badasswomenscouncil.com/product/write-your-own-story-paperback/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Write Your Own Story</a></p><p>Listen to Rebecca's Audiobook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Write-Your-OWN-Story-Audiobook/B0BPDXMSBG" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Write Your Own Story</a></p><p>Take the&nbsp;<a href="https://badasswomenscouncil.com/are-you-badass/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Badass Quiz</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Rebecca:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccafleetwoodhession/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccafleetwoodhession/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rebeccafleetwoodhession/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/rebeccafleetwoodhession/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/fleetwoodhession/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/fleetwoodhession/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rebeccafleetwoodhession" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@rebeccafleetwoodhession</a></p>
Introduction
01:01 MIN
Rachael's expectations vs. the reality of the Rise & Thrive experience
02:43 MIN
How Rachael felt while figuring out what her speech was going to be
01:38 MIN
Times where emotions were high during the Rise & Thrive Journey
04:30 MIN
The importance of being open to new experiences
01:09 MIN
How Rise & Thrive has impacted Rachael as a leader
02:36 MIN
Rachaels Talk: Determination is Contagious
06:44 MIN

Audio: (singing).

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: This is Write your OWN Story: Three Keys to Rise and Thrive in Life and Business. I'm your host, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession. Determination is contagious. That's the name of the talk that Rachael Coverdale, founder of Coverdale Consulting is going to share with you today because she is our guest today, one of the women of Rise& Thrive, season four, who gave a talk on International Women's Day at the fourth annual Stand Tall in Your Story event at the Vogue Theater in Indianapolis and we have the videos available for you to watch of that night in the show notes, grab the link, they're great to share on social or with someone that you just want to spark a great conversation. So today, Rachael's going to tell you a little bit about her experience with Rise & Thrive and some of her biggest takeaways and then you'll hear her talk at the end of the interview and don't forget, Thousand Thriving Women launches on May 1st for you to get all of the amazing Thrive tools that these women have experienced. I would love to spend the year with you, literally spend the year with you, every month, couple of live coaching sessions, some Rebecca on the go, little mini podcast snippets and a challenge each month for you to apply what we're learning that month. We've built this amazing platform and created a really safe, wonderful place for you to come in and get to know yourself and each other. I really want to have real conversations, real transformations, real relationships, not the regular social media kind of stuff. This is our own place, so I hope you'll check out the link in the show notes. But here we go with Rachael and her talk is Determination is Contagious. Before we even talk about your experience, this is one of my favorite Rise& Thrive recruiting stories, which, what's funny about this experience and you being in marketing is, and we talk a lot about this, because of you being in marketing and supporting me and my business, we like to have a plan. We like to know who our target customer is. We like to know how we're going to put messages out that are going to resonate with the people that we want to work with and every single time I have a new season of Rise& Thrive, the weird disparity of how people find me, and this program just cracks me up. It's like I can't replicate that. There's just something just special about this program that makes it interesting and unique. But one of my favorite conversations with you as we were getting ready for season four is you had been referred to the program from a common friend of ours.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Emily Shaw. And we had a couple of discussions about it. You said, " I want a few days to think about it." And I said, " Okay." And then I reached back out to you and I said something like, " Have you made a decision?" And I can't remember exactly what you said, but it was something to the degree of" I'm not good at making decisions today" or something. I said, " Well, how about if I tell you you're in the program and you have 24 hours to bail or cancel? What if I just sign you up today and then you have to back out instead of opting in?" And it was the only time I'd ever said anything that weird to somebody, but we'd already become friends and it seemed like-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...a comfortable thing, but it actually kind of worked for you.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah. I mean, I think sometimes a lot of business owners, they get that decision fatigue and you're like, I don't know, I've so much going on, I just can't make one more decision today so yes, that was very creative. I loved it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: I was like, I'm just going to put you down and then you've got 24 hours to tell me to take you out. You're like-

Rachael Coverdale: Yes.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...okay. But you did take a look at the investment of time like anybody does for anything that they're signing up for, but especially something that is a seven month commitment. And that is the very first question that people ask me is, or first they say, " I don't have time for this." Then they ask, " How much time is really a commitment?" But you run a business, you've got twins, little kids who were highly dependent and a husband who works, and you needed to take a minute and just make sure it was going to fit for you. So I have respect for it, but it was just, it's a funny story-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...that sticks in my mind. So you jumped in and I'm interested to hear from you the difference between what you were expecting and what it is, or what it has been.

Rachael Coverdale: So one of my most impactful leadership experiences I've had in my career is being a part of Hamilton County Leadership Academy. I just felt like it really impacted my life and I learn best when I'm surrounded by other leaders'cause I think that's inspiring and you learn a lot. It's just really motivating. So going into this, I had a similar expectation of what maybe it would be like, but one of the things that I didn't expect is to be in this group with highly motivated, busy women who were all moms, all super busy, all just with high goals. And it just was a really comforting feeling to be surrounded by women that they just all get it. You don't have to explain anything. They just get it. And it was a comforting feeling. I actually, the first couple times, I think I mentioned it to you, I would get choked up talking about it because it just felt so nice to have people that understand.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: That is my favorite expression of this experience ever because that's the piece that is required for us to really understand us and do the kind of work that I want this experience to provide is to feel safe and it's our role as a leader to create the kind of environment for our teams and our employees where they can feel safe to do their best work. And it is emotional. It's supposed to be a bit emotional. I mean, I don't expect everybody to come to work every day and have a teary experience, but when you can provide that kind of what we call psychological safety, it should touch you in that way that it feels special.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah. And I look forward to it every Thursday. I knew we were going to meet as a group, but I just got really excited. Yes, I'm going to be with my people.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And because you're right, we all moms this year for the first time, which was a special kind of experience as well, which I hadn't even realized until you brought it up that first time. It was like, oh my gosh, it is and you do have that shared understanding of certain challenges and emotions, and there was never any shame in just not having your shit together because as a mom, you just-

Rachael Coverdale: Yep.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...a lot of days just don't have your shit together.

Rachael Coverdale: Totally.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: So one of our, there are not many rules, but one of the things is you don't have to apologize, just-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...come in and be you. One of my other favorite parts of the experience is when we first start talking about that you're going to tell this story on International Women's Day and you've got seven months to do it, and immediately people start saying, I don't have a story. I don't have a story. Can you articulate what that felt like to be in that early stages of trying to figure out what you're going to talk about?

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah. I think with my background, as you mentioned earlier, being in marketing, one of my rules is being creative and my mind's always going a million miles a minute thinking of ideas and stories and how do I tell a story that's engaging and people can maybe take away some kind of life lesson. So I probably had no short of stories. I had maybe plenty of ideas, but I just couldn't really wrap my head around which might be the right story. So I basically wrote out what I was going to say the very first day that we started really putting words to paper and thought about it for a week, and then I completely changed what I was going to talk about. So I know that's kind of a no- no, but it felt right to change it for me.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And it's not a no- no until we get down to the last little bit where we're really practicing. Now, I will say that most seasons have several people that have that experience. You think, and then you do a little more introspection and then you're like, Hmm, I'm not loving that. It doesn't feel like me.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah. So I was excited that I got to really tell my story of how I started my business and some of the difficult challenges I encountered along the way and just how proud I am of the team and the company that I have today. And as soon as I put the story together, I was like, of course, this is my story. It makes complete sense now. So it took me a little bit longer maybe than the others to get there, but I was very happy with the story at the end of the day.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Me too. And your story does talk a lot about the support that you've received over the years, and everyone's going to get to hear your story at the end of this interview, but I love giving a little context of who you are before they hear your story. And that night at the Vogue Theater on March 8th for International Women's Day, many of those people that you talked about in your story were there to support you and your employees. And it was just for me to stand back after the event and see them all come and gather round you in support and I had a chance to talk to your dad for a minute-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...and we had talked a lot about your dad through the experience and his support and your story, but I had not met him, and he was so emotional and proud and sweet and just-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...it made me realize who you are and why you are the way that you are, and was just a beautiful, special moment.

Rachael Coverdale: Thank you. Definitely One of the highlights of my adult life is being able to tell my story with my dad in the front row and I cried so many times when I got to his part and my speech, but I practiced enough that I could get through it, and I was able to look right at him when I said my part in my speech about him. So I was excited that I got to share that moment with him because he means a lot to me, and I probably did a whole speech on my dad, and how supportive and positive he's been. It was special. Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yeah. It was so sweet and yeah-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...special. It's a perfect word.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And not many people get that opportunity to stand there in the height of your success and career and all the great things that you have going on and look that person in the eye and say, " Thank you for helping me get here." So I'm glad that that was your experience.

Rachael Coverdale: And then even my husband and my dad, days after the event, just them either texting or telling me on inaudible, " I still can't get over the other night, I'm so proud of you", and " That was so awesome," and my team or my family or friends, just saying that means a lot.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Because we don't spend much time sharing the personal, emotional and social side of who we are as a leader. We're so busy investing in everyone else and making sure that the business is running well, that I care a lot about providing that space and that means for them to really see you, not just the founder of Coverdale agency like you and who you are.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah, and it's funny because with a lot of our clients, one of the things that I think we do really well that is getting to know our clients so deeply that we can identify the things that make them unique and explain how we can tell that story. But when it comes to me, I feel like it's hard to be objective. So it was an interesting process for me to go through personally, often this season of life, especially the season of life that I'm in with six year old twins and growing a business and just trying to do all the things, you don't really stop and think about me and I have come a long way or compared to a lot of other companies. We do have an amazing culture and a team that just like everyone's all in and deeply cares and they want to be around each other and they want to collaborate. That's special and unique and not that I would ever, not that I take it for granted. I just don't think that I think about it like that. So really stop and think about it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And that's a big part of what we do in the entire Rise& Thrive experience is give you the space to really think about stuff in a way that you don't allow in your busy, frenetic life to do.

Rachael Coverdale: Mm- hmm. My VP Andrew, who I talk a little bit about in my speech, I tell little joke about a story that happened when we were first working together and he even said, " I forgot all about that, but that was really funny and just funny looking back on it."

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And we need those funny memories and moments to be revisited, to remind ourselves why we do this hard work and this busy life that we have. In that time of more reflection, because you are, you're constantly moving, you've always got something going on, you're always preparing for something and to have space, there were some times that you got caught off guard by some of the emotions that bubbled up through the experience. Anything you want to share?

Rachael Coverdale: So the first day that our group came together to really practice our speeches in front of just our small group, I was dreading it because I hadn't practiced yet, which was fine. But the reason that I hadn't practiced because I was getting so emotional about just the story, just based on what I just said about not really ever stopping and thinking about how far I've come. And yeah, it was a tough day for me. I could hardly get through my speech without crying, but I think when we practice it five times that day, we had to say it five times. And I pretty much tried to get out of it anyway'cause it's not happening for me today.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: I remember.

Rachael Coverdale: But I knew you guys were going to hold me to it and I did it and I remember I texted Alex Perry, who I'm sure you've talked a lot about on this podcast, but I said, " Thank you for today. It was so awful and great all at the same time. And thank you for being there for me and making me do it because then it only got easier after that."

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yeah, so if you're new to the show, just tuning in for the first time, Alex Perry is one of the Thrive guides who walks alongside these women to help them prepare their stories. She's a speaker coach, she helps people prepare for TEDx talks and just be better communicators in general as professionals.

Rachael Coverdale: Mm- hmm.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And it's funny because as leaders, especially somebody that you run your company-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...there aren't a lot of places in your life where somebody goes, " No, you are going to do it."

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah, totally. That's a good point. I think of it like that but you're right. You're right.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And sometimes the thing that we need the most is the thing that we do avoid and this community is about loving you enough to say, no, you're going to do it.

Rachael Coverdale: I know, and I needed that and I knew you guys were going to make me do it, and I needed that. I really did.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And each time that you got emotional, which for me that tells me that the process is working because you're allowing the emotions to bubble up. You are allowing yourself to be seen, you're allowing yourself to feel. And it's not that it always needs to be tears. I just care about, can you get back to that youthful place where you used to feel your way through life more than you thought you were planning your way through life? Because the truth is, the prefrontal cortex part of our brain that does planning and strategizing is only about 5% of our brain. And we are faking ourselves out by thinking that we have all of the plans together. Most of the time we're just feeling our way through based on our subconscious. And so this experience is, you know, we teach some of that neuroscience with Eliza Kingsford and some of my content and so it's making you aware that your feelings are data and your feelings are accepted and they are necessary and that that's a safe place to bring them whatever they are. And it's good to see somebody like you who's always just going, going, going, doing, doing, doing, just be like, well shit, and you would apologize at first.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Because that was not something you were accustomed to. It's especially-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ... ina quote unquote" business setting."

Rachael Coverdale: Right. Because I would say I'm pretty authentic with my team in terms of having a fun, relaxed, no bull shit type of culture. So I care deeply and I get emotional, but not an emotional in the sense that I'm up and down with my emotions and crying about different things at work, that's just not me so it was just, I don't know, it was so interesting, such an interesting process.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yeah.

Rachael Coverdale: But it made a big impact on me so I'm thankful for it. And probably, this is the busiest time of my business in life right now and I knew that going into it, but I was like, people will use that as an excuse and I'm not going to let that be an excuse and I'm just going to go for it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Mm, that's big because that is the number one restraining force for people that inquire about this is they are concerned that they're not going to have the time because women especially always think that they don't have time but it's really about, am I prioritizing this as a means to help me through all of the other things? And you saying that I think it's important for people to hear that sometimes you just need to jump in.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah, and I felt like it was also an outlet at a time where if you're really busy in life and then you can bring your challenges or say to a group that you feel so comfortable with, " I'm really struggling with this at work or this at home" and you have a setting where you can talk through it and get some, either just someone to listen because sometimes that's all you need or someone to say, " Let me connect you with this person who could help you more", or" Have you thought about this strategy?" Or, " Hey, I went through the same thing and here's what I did and it worked." So I think it's even more conducive to someone who's in that time of life where you're just going, going, going, and you're trying to figure it all out.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yeah, and just to have somebody to listen, oh my gosh, that that makes me emotional just thinking about it, right? It's like-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...a space where somebody, you don't have to explain why you want to talk about it.

Rachael Coverdale: Mm- hmm.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: You just can look at them and know that they get it and just are going to give you that space is, uh.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: So if someone is considering doing this and they're looking at their lives and busy kids running a business, whatever their scenario is, and you were sitting across the table having coffee with them, what are some of the things that you would share with her to consider? Because it's not for everybody, and-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ...I'm first one to say that wholeheartedly, but what would you say, having a drink and a snack with somebody sitting down thinking about Rise& Thrive?

Rachael Coverdale: I'd say one is you have to be open to the experience and that doesn't mean that you have to be an expert about or totally comfortable with sharing things about your professional or personal life, but just open to the experience is the first thing. Having that mindset. Logistically, I think you make it really easy and not overwhelming for women who are high achievers of a busy schedule. It's not like a lot of hours outside of your workday and it's all planned out, it's very easy to commit to and it's not overwhelming. And then I think it'll change you in ways that you aren't prepared for and that's one of the best parts. You don't know what it's going to be until you do it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Which also makes marketing this really difficult sometimes.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah,'cause I can imagine every person is taking away something different and unique to them, so just know it'll have an impact. You may not know until you get to the end of it, but it will.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: A hundred percent, a hundred percent. When you think about the impact that this has had with you and your team, which I know is really important to you, so the direct impact that you're looking for, you have a really young team, right out of college or in college interns, the many people on your team are very excited and fresh and impressionable about life and work and that's one of the things that I admire so much about you is you really gravitate to that demographic and they need great leaders that are allowing them to figure things out and make mistakes, but have high standards. And I love that you provide that culture for them. But when you think about your story and that experience and how it's impacted you as a leader, what are you hoping happens for them?

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah, a couple of things. I think it's really important for leaders to model the behavior that they want their team to have and I told them right before, I think it was the week before the actual speech on International Women's Day, I'm like, "I hope that you guys, what you guys take away from it is that you can do anything that you set your mind to. And even if something is intimidating and maybe a bit scary, go for it. It'll make you better for it." So I hope by modeling hard work and taking care of myself or taking time for myself, they see that as something that's important and telling your story, and you always say business is human.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: And you do provide learning opportunities for your team. You've brought me and other Thrive guides in to work with your team and provide that experience for them. Like I said, I really want those people coming into the workforce to have as great of an experience as they can with a leader because that was significant for me in my story is I had a company that really cared about us and gave us great opportunities to learn and make mistakes and feel safe in that and that set me on a real trajectory of success.

Rachael Coverdale: But I think there's a real difference now with, because we live in a post COVID world, there are some people, and there's nothing wrong with this either, that they want to work from home, do their job, not really talk to anyone, but just do their work and be done with it. We've created a culture of it. We still have somewhat of a hybrid work schedule where Mondays and Fridays are at home and Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday, they're in the office, but we make the most out of time that we have together and really recruit for people who are interested in building relationships with the people that they work with, the clients that they have. They want to get better every single day. They want to learn every single day. They want to create something that's never been done before. And I think as a company, you have to know what your vision is of what kind of personality you want your team to have, and then you have to go after it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: So true.

Rachael Coverdale: We're not, yeah, but we're not the company that we're a hundred percent remote and you do your job and you don't talk to anyone, which again, nothing wrong with it, just that's just not who we are.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yeah, truly nothing wrong with it. There are some people that their passions are so outside of the work that they do is simply to pay for their life and their passions, but it's not integrated like ours is with what we care about, but yours is very different. In fact, I'll give a shout out in how that environment and your team has been significant for me this year with Rise& Thrive and the event because as an entrepreneur, I have several partners that help put on this event and is a gargantuan undertaking to put on this event.

Rachael Coverdale: It really is.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: It's crazy. And this year, especially because of your team, I just felt so much more support and safe and knowing that there was always going to be somebody there to help with things that weren't even really in their stewardship. Claire is my account representative and does amazing design work, which anybody who's followed my brand has enjoys. She does amazing design work, but she's also always chipping in and asking" What do you need?" And delivering stuff for me and picking up stuff for me from printers because I was freaking out and running late for this and that wasn't a part of her job description or anything for what is in my contract from a marketing perspective.

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: But she, your team very much embodies that we're here to help and support you and we care about your brand or your event or your success just as much as you do and I-

Rachael Coverdale: Yeah.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: ... haveso much appreciation for that.

Rachael Coverdale: Well, thank you for sharing that and I do love my team a lot. It's always great to hear that. Yay.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Yay. All right. So anything you want to share as a setup for, they're about to hear your talk on the podcast here, any context you want to give about that?

Rachael Coverdale: Hopefully it's inspiring for any entrepreneur or someone who has big goals for their career and life's not perfect and you run into a lot of obstacles, but if you're determined and you have the right supporters, then you're going to get through it.

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: All right, here we go.

Rachael Coverdale: Milestone birthdays have always been a big deal for me. Whether it's 16, 18, or 21, for me it was turning 30. For me, 30 meant it would be my year of respect in the business world. At 29, I worked for my mentor, Lori. She was always determined for me to be successful. She invested in me, she included me in strategic conversations and big client projects, and she taught me what it meant to be successful in marketing and in business. While I was working for Lori, I had a friend who was an executive director. At lunch one day. She said, Rachael, have you ever thought about starting your own company? I think you have what it takes to be successful. At the time, it was something that I had really only thought of in the back of my head, but it was a quiet but determined voice that I just couldn't get over. So three months before my 30th birthday, I started my marketing agency, Coverdale Consulting. Thanks. The first year I operated out of my spare bedroom in our house. It was a lot of trial and error, but I focused on building relationships and doing great work, and I saw some success. The second year I got pregnant with twins. Yeah. It was great, but also overwhelming and scary. How was I going to be a mom and build a successful business and be an entrepreneur? But I was scrappy and determined, and maybe even at times desperate. I remember when my twins were born and they were in the NICU, I would sneak out of their room to take a client call or work on new opportunities, but my husband always said, " I have your back and we're going to get through it together." And we did. When we came home from the hospital, I received an email from what was my biggest client at the time, and they told me that there had been a leadership change and they were no longer going to be honoring my contract and they owed me$ 10, 000. At the time, I didn't even have employees and I thought, if this is what I'm going to be dealing with, how am I going to do this? But I had an attorney friend, she was determined to not let me fail, and she wrote a letter on my behalf and the next week, the money was in the mail. I kept going. I worked hard, and eventually it felt like time to have employees. I met Andrew while we were both freelancers on a mutual client. He was strategic like me and had all the strengths that were my weaknesses. I admired his work ethic and how he treated clients and what felt like months of pestering him and trying to convince him of my vision. He finally agreed to come work for me and as soon as he became Coverdale Consulting's vice president, we opened our first office on Lantern Road, the first of what would be three offices on the same road. So that first office was tiny. It was so tiny, it pretty much resembled a closet more than an office. It was a hundred square feet. We squeezed myself, Andrew, an account manager and an intern, all in that tiny, tiny space but there we did build a reputation and it couldn't have come soon enough. We moved onto our second location on Lantern Road. It was a thousand square foot house that had been converted into an office. It wasn't the most ideal space, but it was all ours and it was perfect, and I was proud of it. I was so proud of it in fact, Andrew had to tell me, " Rachael, please quit showing clients the creepy storage basement. No one wants to see it." But I just couldn't help it, I was excited. There our company culture really started to take shape. We have Nerf gun fights and what I called family lunches, and I decided if we were going to work, we might as well have fun. So we did. And then COVID came. COVID was a scary time for a business owners, the future was so uncertain and we didn't know what was ahead, but I was determined for my employees and our clients to keep going and at a time where marketing and communications was so critical, our clients relied on us to get them through COVID. And out of COVID came growth, and we grew by both clients and employees, and we moved on to our third location on Lantern Road, a 3000 square foot office space, completely built out how we wanted it. Big windows that look out to a trail and I could have only imagined that space when I was in my spare bedroom. Sure, I have time still where I question if I have what it takes to take it to the next level. But I'm lucky I have my dad who I can call on the way home from work, and he always has the words to cheer me on. Talk about someone who's determined for me. Eight years later and 10 employees later, everyone has contributed to the company culture that we have today. Everyone cares deeply about the work that they do, the clients we serve. Everyone shows up and they're determined. They're determined for themselves and one another and that's what gets me excited. I love that I can be a hundred percent myself as a leader and whenever they're facing something that's challenging or overwhelming, I can be determined for them and I say, " You get that shit. You can do it." And I can't think of any better way than to spend a day at the office than around a bunch of determined people.

Audio: (singing)

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Thanks for listening to this episode. I would love it if you would leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts and then go to wethrive. live. First thing you'll see is a place to drop your email and join the movement. I'll send you tools that you can use to thrive in life and business.

Audio: (singing)

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession: Hey y'all. Fun fact. Did you like the music for the podcast? That is actually my son, Cameron Hession and I would love it if you would go to Spotify and iTunes and follow him and download some of his other music. My personal favorite is TV Land.

DESCRIPTION

"You have to be open to the experience, and that doesn't mean you have to be an expert. Just open to the experience is the first thing. Have that mindset."


In this next episode in our Stand Tall in Your Story speech series, you'll hear from Rachael Coverdale. Rachael is the President of Coverdale Consulting, and today she shares her experience with Rise & Thrive and her Stand Tall in Your Story speech, "Determination is Contagious." Listen now!


In this episode, you'll learn:

  1. How Rise & Thrive has helped Rachael grow as a leader
  2. Why we need to try new things and be open to new experiences
  3. The expectations vs. reality of the Rise & Thrive experience


Connect with Rebecca:

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