Ask Rachel Anything | Part One

I am so excited to start the “ask Rachel” series! I’ve had a lot of questions come in, so I plan to start a series about this. If I haven’t answered your question yet, be patient! I promise I’ll get to it.

Let’s dive in shall we?

“How can I grow my following and business without breaking the bank while being authentic?”

Great question! I am a firm believer in being authentic in all your marketing. It’s no fun running a business that is centered on something or someone that isn’t fully YOU. I also believe that you can use your story to grow your business. People want to connect with others. That’s why I started #theheartfeltgrid and if you want to go through the 5-day FREE e-course, just sign up here!

“How did you know when to start your business?”

My business journey is a little different than most. You can read the full story in three parts: Part I, Part II, Part III. I started my business as a full leap of faith! But I really believe there is no perfect time to start a business. If you’re feeling the urge and hunger to jump into a creative business, why not start now? You will never have everything figured out before you start. I think sometimes we learn faster when we get thrown into the middle of something. So, if you’re eager to start learning about how to run a business, then start! You won’t be able to learn everything from courses and books. It takes real life experience.

“Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?”

I literally LOL’d when I read this DM. And although it’s silly, I still wanted to put it in here. I will have to go with one horse-sized duck. Ducks aren’t that small so I don’t really want to fight 100 duck-sized horses.

“How do you manage running your business and doing family stuff?”

From the genesis of my business I knew that family/marriage would always come first. It’s always been a priority and always will be. Because of this, I am very intentional with the things I choose to say “yes” to and I am very intentional during my office hours. I could easily design and produce way more products, but it would take a lot more time. Time that I am not willing to give up. I am blessed to have help right now so I can still run my business and take care of my son. All of this to say: you have to be very intentional with business and family. For me, it means doing less and working less hours, but the hours that I do work are jam-packed with productivity.

“What are some general tips about how you’ve grown your business?”

When I look back at my business one of the BEST things I’ve done for my business is networking. I know that seems generic, but you can read a whole entire post about how to use online networking to grow your business here. I also suggest connecting with influencers (if you sell a product), build a brand, write a mission statement, and identify your ideal client.

“How did you get started?”

You can read the Rachel Allene story in three parts: Part I, Part II, Part III.

“What is your favorite TV show you’re watching right now?”

We are SO in love with This Is Us, like pretty much every other person on this planet. It’s truly the best show. Definitely in my top five of all time!

“Do you have suggestions for vetting suppliers? I have one that works but I want more variety in products.”

I list out all my favorite suppliers in my Product Shop Gurus Guide to Success.

Part II with more questions about life and business will be coming next week! If you have any questions you want answered, be sure to comment below! I love getting to know you as well.