In this episode, we welcome Rachel Horgan, a multi-talented Seattle expert and event organizer, to discuss her insights on securing sponsorships for events as well as her experiences with her podcast. Rachel shares valuable strategies for obtaining event sponsors, stressing the importance of being intentional and authentic in your approach. She also discusses different types of successful sponsorships and how to measure their impact, even when ROI can be hard to quantify. Later, Rachel delves into her podcasting journey, offering tips on how to attract sponsors and the challenges of maintaining a podcast. She aligns her sponsorship strategies with her podcast's brand values and audience, advocating for creativity and authenticity. Finally, Rachel discusses her recent ventures, including her work with Seafair and her freelance journey, offering career advice and the importance of trusting the process.

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00:00 Introduction to Rachel Horgan

00:52 Getting Sponsorships for Events

01:31 Effective Event Sponsorship Strategies

03:16 Measuring Sponsorship Success

04:20 Challenges in Event Planning

05:52 Creative Sponsorship Ideas

06:42 Red Flags in Sponsorships

08:22 Starting and Sustaining a Podcast

13:00 Discussing Sponsorships and Paid Media

13:27 Networking and Event Promotion Strategies

13:58 Challenges and Opportunities in Social Media

15:19 Ideal Sponsors and Live Podcasting

18:27 Exploring New Ventures and Freelance Work

20:14 Final Reflections and Advice

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Listen to Rachel’s podcast, The Weekly

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Links and Resources:

• Rachel Horgan on LinkedIn
• Lisa Wekellis on LinkedIn
• Laura Szczes on LinkedIn
• Double Z Media Website
• Double Z Media on LinkedIn

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Thanks for tuning in! Subscribe to The Paid Media Playbook on iTunes and Spotify, and leave us a review!

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Transcript:

Our transcripts are AI generated, please excuse any typos or transcription errors

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​​[00:00:35] Laura: [00:00:00] welcome Rachel Horgan. Now Rachel is like a multi-talented Seattle expert and event expert. And today we're gonna talk about both of those things. We are gonna talk about, her podcast and we're gonna talk about. A little bit about , getting sponsorships for events. Why don't we start with that? I, you know, marketing directors out there who are listening to this, I know that they oftentimes are like, can you find a sponsor?

[00:01:00] You know, we're a media agency, so it's like, if I know somebody, yeah. 'cause it really does help me because it increases our budget for paid media. Right.

[00:01:08] Laura: But what do you you know, how do you go about doing that for your events?

[00:01:12] Rachel: Yeah. Well first of all, thanks for having me on. Like you said, I run a podcast, so I am so used to interviewing other people, so I was just saying it's fun to. a little role reversal. And you and I met when I spoke at a marketing event and when I, when I heard you speak, I was like, I feel like she should have a podcast.

'cause you've got such a podcasty voice. So,

[00:01:29] Laura: Thank you.

[00:01:30] Rachel: Thank you for having me on. Yeah. In terms of sponsoring an event, I, I worked for the Puget Sound Business Journal here in Seattle, so a local business newspaper. And we ran about 30 to 40 events a year. So those are gonna be a mix of awards, events, you know. Women of influence, 40 under 40, that kind of thing. And then some panel discussions. And every single one of those events, I was the director of events and every single one of those, you know, we had sponsors, we had banks, food, healthcare companies, you know, big and large companies. So I got to see a

[00:01:55] Lisa: Able.

[00:01:56] Rachel: what works well and what doesn't. So I'm happy to share a few things that I've picked [00:02:00] up from it. But one would be, be really intentional if you get a speaking opportunity. Let's say you sponsor an event and they give you 60 seconds at the beginning of the program, or you get a two minute pitch at the beginning. Try to be really intentional about what that is. Maybe hire somebody to help you with that speech. I will give a quick example. We had somebody that sponsored our family business awards. She was a wealth management company. She spoke really briefly, I wanna say maybe one to two

minutes, and she walks away with three clients. So I think it speaks to don't just get up there and do a commercial for your company. Like obviously you're selling your company, but if you just read your mission statement, if you just read something, if you give us some, some boring information, it's not gonna have an impact.

[00:02:37] Laura: , Yeah. Elaborate on what she did to get three clients in.

[00:02:40] Rachel: mean, I wish I like recorded it. This was a couple years ago, so, but I think the biggest thing was she was really authentic and spoke directly to the audience.

I think alongside why this

worked is also being intentional about which events you're sponsoring and more people doesn't always mean a more beneficial result for you.

Right. So for her, she sponsored Family Business Awards. [00:03:00] We probably had a hundred, 200 people in there and we, we do a lot, much larger events. But it was the right people. It was the

[00:03:05] Laura: Yeah.

[00:03:06] Rachel: in the room and

[00:03:07] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:03:07] Rachel: aligned, so it worked out. So I think that would be kinda my second piece is not only looking at numbers, but looking at what's the right fit.

[00:03:14] Laura: Oh, I love it.

[00:03:16] Lisa: What would you say a successful sponsorship looks like at the end of the day is, I mean, getting new clients obviously is great, but how do you sort of quantify that otherwise?

[00:03:26] Rachel: I mean it depends on what your goal is. So sometimes people just want brand awareness. I know I. Somebody just sponsored one of my events, my own personal events for my podcast. I did a one year anniversary party and her goal was really, she just started this media company. She wanted to get her name out there. Sure, it'd be nice to like get some clients, but she just wanted more people to hear about it. More people to see her logo, that kind of thing. So it depends on your goal. I also think, you know, I think I said this at the event Laura, that it's really hard to measure R-O-R-O-I for events. It's incredibly difficult and I think we just need to be okay with that, with that gray area because there's intangible value that we're [00:04:00] never gonna be able to write down on paper.

But felt good. They maybe will remember it, you know, you don't know if that's their, like sixth touch with your brand or your seventh touch or whatever it is. But sometimes you just have to trust that it was worth it.

[00:04:12] Laura: Do you feel like I mean most of your events that you've done in the past are kind of B2B, right?

[00:04:18] Rachel: Mm-hmm.

[00:04:18] Laura: Yeah, so that makes a lot of sense. We do a lot of consumer events and like trade show type things, you know, but it's all consumer, like the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival, you know, so stuff like that and just, I think of it obviously differently on that side 'cause it's like attendance where the vendors happy.

So this is good to hear it from your perspective of,

[00:04:39] Rachel: a planning, I was gonna say, like if you're an exhibitor, 'cause I, I used,

[00:04:42] Laura: mm-hmm.

[00:04:42] Rachel: company where I oversaw the trade show, the sponsorships and exhibitors. And one thing that was frustrating is as a planner, my job is to get people to your booth. My job is to create a map and an incentive and put

[00:04:52] Laura: Yes.

[00:04:53] Rachel: in one area and the popcorn in another area.

Like that's my job. Create traffic. Your job is once they're right in front of your booth, your job [00:05:00] is to bring them

[00:05:00] Laura: Mm-hmm.

[00:05:01] Rachel: And I've seen a lot of people get mad at the event planner and say like, nobody came to my booth. And I just wanna push back on that. Like once they're in front of it, like you need to have some sort of game.

You need to go approach them. You need to come up with

something kind of interactive or a photo or something. 'cause just the standard table in linen isn't gonna cut it

[00:05:17] Laura: Yeah, the, the poll and drape they call it. Right. yeah. And what about, do you ever have any, like, how are you supposed to help if you're only hiring Booth Babes and you, you don't actually have your employees working there? I think I've seen that over the years on B2B, and it's like, well, the Booth babes, but it's like a musician, professional music, you know, pro it was the Nam.

The, the National Association of Musicians or whatever, it's the, the, you know, pro audio big event and just a hundred percent Booth babes.

[00:05:47] Rachel: Yeah, I know, I know it happens. I do have one other thought on, on,

advice if you're sponsoring events and that's to get creative. So as an event planner, you know, I'm, like I said, I was planning at the time 30 to 40 events [00:06:00] and you're kind of focused on just getting the event off the ground. And so if you have an idea as a sponsor, like, Hey, I wanna bring in for me, there was a long line at some point with this like stadium that I was doing an event. was like, can I bring some entertainment for people while they're in line? And what if I brought a character artist? And I was like, great, that sounds great. Do it. And you know, just not be afraid to kind of come to them with ideas. And another example really quick is we did our 40 and 40 awards once and Alaska Airlines.

There wasn't a lot of time for people to talk with each other there 'cause it was a huge party. planned with us a private dinner for just the forties and their plus ones. That's not something we were planning on doing. He approached us with it. It made sense for us. It made sense for him. So I think coming with your own ideas to an event planner is, is a good suggestion.

[00:06:42] Lisa: Can you think of any red flags that you've noticed with sponsors that kind of tell you right off the bat they might not know how to manage this relationship well or not get the most out of their sponsorship? I.

[00:06:53] Rachel: I can tell some of the ones that maybe are doing this to check a box. That don't [00:07:00] really care, which I guess is kind of fine, but it's the ones that are like, you know, I'll email them, be like, okay, well these are your benefits. Do you wanna give away item? Do you want your speaking remarks? Do you want X, Y, z, your ad? And some of 'em are like, no, because I think to them it's, they just wanna be associated with that brand, whatever it is, or they're busy or whatever it is. But I don't know if that's a red flag. It's just something I've noticed that some, some companies are like, don't care, just. Just put my name up there, you know,

[00:07:28] Lisa: Yeah,

[00:07:29] Rachel: But I don't know. I feel like there's more you could do if I, I think you should take advantage of it.

[00:07:33] Laura: Yeah, I I'm in a couple of organizations and they're, well, we should just get sponsorships and it requires value.

[00:07:41] Rachel: Mm-hmm.

[00:07:41] Laura: So, you know, and if you get value, make the most of it. But I think on both sides, as a sponsor, push for value, right? Push for what value you can get. I mean, how many times are you gonna post me on social?

How many times are you gonna. You know, like negotiate, getting that good stuff because I feel like I've [00:08:00] done the same thing where I've seen these we have a lot of media sponsors and they're like, oh, just put a sign up, you know, by the stage, the radio station sign. And

[00:08:09] Rachel: Mm-hmm.

[00:08:10] Laura: it's like, well, you could do more.

I mean, my client will do whatever you want 'em to do.

[00:08:13] Rachel: I know, I know.

[00:08:16] Laura: so yeah,

[00:08:17] Rachel: am I allowed to ask a, one of 'em said if I could ask you guys a question.

[00:08:21] Laura: of course.

[00:08:22] Rachel: so I started a podcast, as you mentioned, it's a roundup of the local business news here in Seattle. So every week I go through the top four or five articles and I have a different CEO on each week to give kind of context to the news, and we get to know their story. My goal this year is to kind of be on the other side of this conversation that I'm used to being on, which is like, I want them to sponsor my own podcast and how can I pitch? yeah. Any advice on how to pitch that? Some advice I've already gotten is to not focus solely on the numbers, but to focus on, you know, my brand and what I stand for and for people to be aligned with that.

But any other advice you guys can give me on, on how I should

approach some Of these conversations?

[00:08:59] Laura: with, well, I [00:09:00] always think about like, and I don't know how this works, Lisa, from a paid media, we place a lot of ads to people during podcasts, and if you allow ads on your podcast, is there a way to get paid for that?

[00:09:13] Lisa: There is, it depends on what, publication platform you use? I don't know. I'm personally familiar with captivate and Buzzsprout. I don't know which one you use, Rachel. Yeah.

So, and that's more of a, like, that's part of the auction system, right? Someone says, Hey, I have a 30 second slot in the middle of my podcast, and you can bid on it, and then whoever bids on it wins it. but then you are, it sounds like you're talking more about sponsorships, where you read the

[00:09:41] Rachel: I'm thinking. Yeah. Just because

[00:09:42] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:09:42] Rachel: am a local Seattle business, so it would make sense to approach somebody, but yeah, I'm still figuring out. I've made up some packages, I've had some conversations, but you guys, I, you know, obviously wanna hear from you too.

[00:09:52] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:09:52] Laura: do you, I'm thinking like if you had your ideal, like where do you feel like you [00:10:00] would have your ideal? Is it a local business? Would that be a conflict? Would you want it to be spot, you know, or is it the business journal sponsoring you? Or is it,

[00:10:09] Rachel: I would think a local business, but then I obviously wouldn't put them on if like, if we're talking shit about one of the companies, I'm not gonna be like, also they're a sponsor. You know, I'm not gonna, you know, Alaska Airlines was talking about potentially sponsoring, and I was like, yeah, okay.

I'm not gonna cover a plane crash when Alaska Airlines is sponsoring. So I think I would, I would tailor that, but yeah, I think I, I would picture like a local business

[00:10:28] Lisa: Yeah, I know you mentioned like focusing more on the value of your content and less on the numbers. And I agree and sort of like you mentioned with the, the sponsorship event earlier, it's the quality of the people you're reaching, right? Not just the quantity. So any information you have on who's listening. think is also can make it really attractive to a potential sponsor.

[00:10:50] Rachel: yeah.

[00:10:51] Laura: And this is primarily business news.

[00:10:55] Rachel: Yes. Specifically Seattle business News.

[00:10:56] Laura: so it's perfect. I mean, Alaska's perfect with all the business travelers, [00:11:00] right?

[00:11:00] Rachel: Yeah, that's true. Well, that they sponsored my one year anniversary party, so That one worked out. And then I had my friend who started a media company. So those, I think there was some synergy there.

[00:11:09] Lisa: Absolutely. Do you have a, a dream sponsor?

[00:11:12] Rachel: sponsor.

[00:11:13] Lisa: I mean, you, you bagged Alaska, who's next?

[00:11:16] Rachel: Gosh, I don't know. I don't, I don't know if I have a dream sponsor. I like a lot of the bus. I've

[00:11:20] Lisa: Mm-hmm.

[00:11:21] Rachel: different businesses here in Seattle, obviously through my time at the, at the journal, but then also through this research. So I think they're all kind of like, I like 'em all right now. I like a lot of 'em. So.

[00:11:29] Lisa: Mm-hmm.

You mentioned hitting your one year anniversary with your podcast. Congratulations.

[00:11:34] Rachel: Thank you.

[00:11:35] Lisa: I feel like it's a lot easier to start one and a lot harder to keep it going.

[00:11:39] Rachel: is true. There's some stat fact check me, but I'm pretty sure it's eight out of 10 podcasts. Don't make it past 10 episodes.

[00:11:47] Lisa: I'm, I believe it.

[00:11:48] Rachel: don't make it past 10 episodes,

[00:11:50] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:11:50] Rachel: to you

[00:11:51] Laura: why? Is that because

[00:11:53] Rachel: because it's easy to start a podcast and it's really hard to maintain it.

I think people run out of things to talk about. They run [00:12:00] outta steam. You know, mine's every week. I don't know how often yours is. and it's really hard to see the return,

[00:12:05] Lisa: Mm-hmm.

[00:12:05] Rachel: podcast takes so long , you don't just like the next day, have twice as many listeners, you know, and I think you have to be in it for a couple years to finally start to see the, some of that growth.

[00:12:21] Lisa: did we answer, we didn't really answer your question. Did we answer your question?

[00:12:25] Rachel: I think so. I mean, yeah,

[00:12:26] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:12:27] Rachel: you got enough outta

[00:12:28] Laura: you. As well. So is there ways to get it so that you can have like the bidding go on and like what we do, Lisa?

[00:12:37] Lisa: Yeah, it, that is a, such a different, like, impact on your listeners.

[00:12:43] Rachel: mm-hmm.

[00:12:43] Lisa: so much more personal and engaging when it's the actually the podcaster reading the copy out. and I, and I get wanting to keep your podcast like being able to maintain that control over the voice and, and tone and everything.

[00:12:56] Rachel: Yeah. And I think it just like makes sense with what I'm covering, right? Like I'm

[00:12:59] Lisa: Mm-hmm.[00:13:00]

[00:13:00] Rachel: businesses Seattle. It'd be weird for a commercial to come on and be like. Tempur-Pedic is here to support you.

You know, like I just feel like it would be kind of jarring for the listeners, but also, you know what? Money's nice, so

[00:13:10] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:13:10] Rachel: sell out and I get the national sponsors. I don't know.

[00:13:15] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:13:15] Laura: oh, have we talked

to anything about paid media or what you do to promote your, podcast. What do you do?

[00:13:21] Rachel: I haven't paid for it

yet, so I could

start to do

that, but I've been doing

just a lot of networking, a little bit of trade, trying to get some interviews. I am interviewing somebody at the Northwest Event Show, which is a large show for event planners here in Seattle, and I'll be on the main stage, obviously representing my podcast and doing a shout out.

I'm doing another panel with Elevate Seattle, so I'm trying to put my name out there and connect with people, but. I do think I wanna start looking 20 24 was my creating year. I think 2025 is, let's get this bigger, let's build it up. And I think it's probably time to start investing in something like that,

[00:13:56] Lisa: Absolutely. Yeah, and

[00:13:58] Rachel: especially with all of these

[00:13:59] Lisa: [00:14:00] Social

[00:14:00] Rachel: media platforms

[00:14:01] Lisa: sort of

[00:14:02] Rachel: prioritizing organic content

[00:14:04] Lisa: and just making it harder and harder to reach people even when they

[00:14:06] Rachel: one.

[00:14:07] Lisa: what you're doing.

[00:14:08] Rachel: so true. It's so true. Yeah. So I'll, I'll be experimenting on a few different things I think.

[00:14:13] Lisa: Yeah. I

[00:14:14] Rachel: I always feel like both hero and the bad guy. When I come into a, an organic

[00:14:19] Lisa: media

[00:14:19] Rachel: conversation,

[00:14:20] Lisa: because it's like

[00:14:21] Rachel: no one is seeing all of the hard work.

[00:14:23] Lisa: do. I

[00:14:24] Rachel: I can fix that.

[00:14:25] Lisa: Give me money.

[00:14:25] Rachel: Yeah.

[00:14:28] Laura: It's so true. Yep. And they really do think it's like, what is it, like 5% now or something? think it's like

[00:14:33] Rachel: 10,

[00:14:34] Lisa: Of your

[00:14:34] Laura: 10 per

[00:14:35] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:14:35] Laura: are are gonna be served. Yeah.

[00:14:38] Rachel: 10% of your followers see what you're posting? Does it

[00:14:40] Laura: Yeah.

[00:14:40] Rachel: I believe it. 'cause I'm, how many people I'm following on Instagram, like a thousand or something for more.

[00:14:45] Lisa: Mm-hmm.

[00:14:46] Rachel: I feel like I see the same seven people and

[00:14:48] Laura: Mm-hmm.

[00:14:49] Rachel: why is it the person I don't like anymore? You know?

[00:14:51] Lisa: Yeah.

[00:14:52] Laura: Exactly. I know. So it is worth it. I've been trying to get MCI to do that. Like just get out there and, [00:15:00] you know, LinkedIn, it's like a couple hundred dollars,

[00:15:04] Rachel: I

[00:15:04] Laura: know, it's a small.

[00:15:05] Rachel: the the route, 'cause I think Facebook and Instagram is a little crowded on in terms of sponsored content. So maybe I'll try LinkedIn.

[00:15:12] Laura: Yeah. Yes, for sure. And it's easy to target exactly who you want to like decision makers at businesses.

[00:15:19] Rachel: That is

[00:15:19] Laura: So I still try to think of your ideal sponsor, sir. ' cause it would be something big or like a

[00:15:26] Rachel: I was thinking like a bank or a healthcare system, just

[00:15:29] Laura: Yeah.

[00:15:29] Rachel: have money,

[00:15:30] Lisa: Mm-hmm.

[00:15:31] Laura: Yes, they do.

What about a plumber?

[00:15:34] Rachel: that's true. I mean, it really could be anybody

[00:15:35] Laura: So much money.

[00:15:38] Rachel: it's a lot of the general audience in Seattle, so it could be It could be a restaurant, like it could be anybody that wants to tap into

[00:15:44] Laura: Right? I was just saying though, like plumbers and smaller like owned, you can go meet the owner. You don't have to go through a bunch of bureaucracy.

[00:15:52] Rachel: right?

[00:15:52] Laura: That's the kind of thing that I think would be easier than Virginia Mason.

[00:15:58] Rachel: Yeah.

[00:15:59] Laura: and, [00:16:00] and, you'll probably get the same amount of dang money and then you can have them on and like a little, it just, and there's a lot of, there can be, I'm not gonna say this in, you know, case anybody's listening, but just there may be some ego in there that helps that

[00:16:13] Rachel: I was approached. This is, I don't know if this is a new idea, if you guys have heard about this, but somebody wanted me to do a live podcast at one of their conferences for their client, and they would pay me, I would obviously be there interviewing, I'd bring in some video, and then it would be an upcharge for it to be like a regular episode on my, because I asked them like, do you want me to do this interview?

And you can have the content, you can post it on your channels, or do you want me to on my channels? And obviously that's gonna be an increased cost because it's my brand and my audience, You know, maybe it's a regular episode, maybe it's a special episode. But I'm looking into more of that kind of stuff.

I don't wanna be, again, I keep, I'm like worried about selling out where I'm just like, highest bidder gets to be my guest. But tell me

[00:16:51] Lisa: Well, and you mentioned too being worried

[00:16:53] Rachel: about like, well, you have a sponsor

[00:16:55] Lisa: you're not gonna

[00:16:55] Rachel: your news,

[00:16:56] Lisa: that put them in a bad light. And so

[00:16:58] Rachel: how much? Mm-hmm.[00:17:00]

[00:17:00] Lisa: your content? And will your listeners still like react the same way? Mm-hmm.

[00:17:04] Rachel: I think it's a, it's a fine line to walk. I think there's a lot of. I'd actually be curious if there's any kind of regulation around this because when I was at the newspaper, you obviously have to declare whether it's sponsored. You've seen this on Instagram, you have to declare whether that's sponsored, what are the regulations in podcasting.

And let's say I say like this episode's sponsored by,

[00:17:20] Laura: Mm-hmm.

[00:17:21] Rachel: But do I say, and that's why this guest is on here, he paid X amount. No, not obviously, but yeah, like how much to disclose and how much to

change

your

[00:17:30] Laura: If it's sponsored and you're saying it's sponsored and that person's on, then it's,

you are saying this is sponsored content.

[00:17:38] Rachel: Yeah.

[00:17:38] Laura: It doesn't, you can do whatever you want. If you say it's sponsored content.

[00:17:42] Rachel: Yeah,

[00:17:43] Laura: Seriously.

[00:17:43] Rachel: It's true.

[00:17:44] Laura: yeah, some, it's paying for it and it's, so it's like, and I know, and I'll use an example if you're feeling like ethically weird, I think of like NPR and they cover stories.

All the time. And they're like, you know, talking and, you know, full disclosure, [00:18:00] McDonald's is an underwriter for NPR.

[00:18:02] Rachel: Yeah.

[00:18:02] Laura: And, but anyway, here's a bunch of shit about them. And so they cover it anyway, and I, I think that's cool.

It keeps it kinda, you know, ethical.

[00:18:12] Rachel: just think it's cool to see the different ways people are using. Advertising and how we're incorporating podcast podcasting has just become so much more popular and how we're partnering with, with them and bringing them into events and what that looks like. So I'm excited to explore that.

[00:18:26] Lisa: Absolutely.

[00:18:27] Laura: what's your next big thing?

[00:18:29] Rachel: My next

[00:18:30] Laura: Oh, Seafair and, and 4th of July.

[00:18:32] Rachel: Yeah.

[00:18:33] Laura: Do you? That is so cool.

[00:18:34] Rachel: Yeah, so I quit my job last year and I took a little break and then I went full freelance, which. Was terrifying. Is terrifying. And I've had a couple different clients I've worked for. I'm here at the Avalara office right now. I'm finishing up with them.

It's a local tech company and then I just signed on with Seafair to be their entertainment coordinator. So I'll be, you know, securing the entertainment for their main stage at 4th of July. I don't know if people know that they put on the Gasworks Park celebration and then also Seafair

[00:18:59] Laura: [00:19:00] Right.

[00:19:00] Rachel: a couple other things.

So I just, yeah, I just started with them and I'm

[00:19:03] Laura: Fun.

[00:19:04] Rachel: to do that.

[00:19:05] Laura: And how do you find, are you kind of hooked into the music scene here? Are you, how does that work?

[00:19:10] Rachel: Yeah. Well, so in addition to events, I always kind of have a side hustle. So currently the podcast is a side hustle, but before that, it was very much the music scene. I started an acapella group, but I don't sing. I just wanted to start a group. And so that group is still going strong.

They're like 16 members. It was for fun.

[00:19:26] Laura: You don't sing.

[00:19:27] Rachel: I don't, I just wanted to create a

space.

[00:19:29] Laura: I have an acapella group, but I sing.

[00:19:30] Rachel: That's so cool. Well, we should connect,

[00:19:32] Laura: Yeah, we're the silver bells. We,

[00:19:34] Rachel: bells.

[00:19:35] Laura: we, sing only on the holiday and we usually win the great figi pudding caroling competition,

[00:19:40] Rachel: figure

[00:19:40] Laura: creative.

[00:19:41] Rachel: Wow.

[00:19:42] Laura: So we,

[00:19:43] Rachel: is

[00:19:43] Laura: yeah,

[00:19:44] Rachel: adjustment. I've stepped back,

this was a couple years ago, so the directors handle it all now, but.

[00:19:47] Laura: so fun.

[00:19:49] Rachel: And then I worked with a local musician. I kinda helped her run some stuff in like the business side of it with Kate Dinsmore, shout out to her. And then I've been booking musicians for different restaurants. Again, all of this kind of on the [00:20:00] side. So I think throughout that time I've gotten to know a lot of the Seattle bands, and I still, I still have a lot to learn, but I'm excited to use those skills for, with Seafair

[00:20:07] Lisa: Nice.

[00:20:08] Laura: I love Seafair.

[00:20:10] Lisa: thank you so much for joining us. This

[00:20:11] Laura: Yes, thanks, Rachel.

[00:20:13] Rachel: thank you.

Before we let you go,

[00:20:15] Lisa: our final question, if you could go

[00:20:16] Rachel: go back in time,

[00:20:17] Lisa: and give

[00:20:17] Rachel: give yourself at the beginning of the

[00:20:19] Lisa: one piece of

[00:20:20] Rachel: career.

[00:20:20] Lisa: what would it be?

[00:20:21] Rachel: Oh gosh, I don't know. Invest in some better clothes, I guess. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I feel like I was always just like not professional enough, but i, I don't know. I think I'd say like kind of trust that it's all gonna work out.

I think there's jobs that I really thought I was gonna get and I didn't. There's jobs that I thought I really wanted and that I hated it there, and I had to quit after a couple months. And there's this fear of like, am I gonna make it? And I think just trust that it, it does work out. I think I had to think about that a lot when I quit last year.

And I really wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to make it freelance work. I thought it was gonna be like. Valeting cars with no offense to that. I just thought I was gonna have to like really, you know, [00:21:00] scrap by it and it, the clients have showed up and the jobs and the opportunities have shown up. So I think just trust your network and trust your skills.

It's all gonna work out.

[00:21:08] Lisa: That's wonderful. I

[00:21:09] Rachel: I don't think you should discount

[00:21:10] Lisa: the

[00:21:11] Rachel: the better clothes.

[00:21:11] Lisa: advice too, though. It's.

[00:21:14] Rachel: shout out to Armoir. It's a local company here, add the founder on and she gave me a free trial, which is a clothing rental company. I didn't realize how much that affects your confidence and your self-worth and like just how you present yourself in a room.

She's so, they've styled me for a couple different events and it really has made an impact. So that's, it's top of mind for me.

[00:21:33] Lisa: Very cool. Well,

[00:21:35] Rachel: Thank you

again joining us.

[00:21:36] Lisa: and we'll have to talk soon.

[00:21:37] Rachel: Thank you both. I appreciate it.

[00:21:39] Laura: Thanks, Rachel. [00:22:00]

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