Meet Rachel Griffin

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Griffin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

For the longest time, I didn’t believe myself to be an optimist – I was a realist. This is what I told myself over and over. It wasn’t until friends and loved ones pointed out to me that I WAS the optimist. It didn’t make sense to me. I’m a very logic-driven person, but what they pointed out is that I’ve taken so many risks in my life (quitting my cushy sales job during the pandemic to pursue a career in entertainment, starting my own business and investing personal finances to do so, moving to LA, etc. etc.) that only an optimist would pursue. Why was that?

My optimism comes from the support from my community of loved ones, as well as the realization through trial and error, that “if it can be achieved, why can’t I achieve it?” Of course, easier said than done, but I’ve developed this mindset over the years that hard work, passion, and self discipline are the ingredients needed to live a successful and fulfilled life. It’s not rocket science; it’s not abstract. It’s been proven time and time again. If you look at many “successful” individuals, they all kept pushing in times where most give up. My optimism comes from logic and is supported by the people I surround myself with who remind me of why I am taking the risks and how they can pay off. I also like to think of the silver lining of things – if something doesn’t end the way I wanted it to, did I learn something during the journey? How can I make a positive spin of it?

Nowadays, I listen to a lot of encouraging podcasts (I drive A LOT) that also help remind me of my WHY. If you’re looking for any good recommendations, the Mindset Mentor and the Diary of a CEO are great sources of motivation for me 🙂

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

As many of us in the entertainment industry do, I wear many hats as an actor, host, children’s book author, voice over artist, model, and more. My biggest passion, though, is the children’s show I created called SunBeam Buddies. It is an educational show for young children that focuses on key learning concepts that are crucial to a growing mind. The main character (whom I play), Miss Sunshine, brings on industry experts to facilitate topics while animated characters appear to help children understand and navigate their emotions. I’m very excited to announce that the show is now live on YouTube and Rumble (@SunBeam Buddies) with new episodes releasing each Sunday. In a world where it seems there an abundance of media but a disparage in quality, this is my passion project of bringing back wholesome children’s content that is both fun and educational (think of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood). ☀️

SunBeam Buddies is entirely self-funded at the moment, with a team of volunteers who work tirelessly to bring this show to life. Each episode includes an activity or song with a “SunBeam Challenge” at the end that encourages children to get off their screens. Children are the next generation of leadership and SunBeam Buddies aims to inspire curiosity while instilling healthy values. The creation of this show and brand has been a journey that has both tested my resilience and encourages me to pursue my dreams. I am personally inspired by the community of generous individuals who have decided to join me in this vision. My goal is to grow this brand beyond the show, by providing families and schools with additional learning resources/activities as we expand.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our link tree that can direct you to our profiles, opportunities to donate, website, and more.

For anyone that is reading this with a project of their own in mind in which you are too afraid to start, let me give you a quick tip that’s helped me: tell others about it. That sounds simple but it has seriously changed the trajectory of my business. As soon as I started telling others of my vision and goals, even before having done anything with it, I became more accountable. I also found people who wanted to be involved (or knew someone that might have been interested) that I would have never thought of asking. It was a game changer for me. Trust me, when people start following up with you saying, “oh hey, how’s that kid show you were telling me about? What’s the update with that?” – it motivates you to work more towards it 😉

Aside from SunBeam Buddies, it has been such a fulfilling experience pursuing a career as an actor and entertainer – even if I question my decision at least once a week. But that’s a story for another time!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The first skill that has been crucial for me is resilience. I cannot tell you how many times I questioned my pursuit of a career as an actor and starting a business. The ability to keep pushing forward in times of doubt is invaluable. What helped me stay focused was reminding myself of my WHY (why did I decided to pursue this in the first place?) and my IF (if this is as successful as I believe it can be, what would my life look like? How would it make a positive impact on myself and others?). I also sought out examples of people I look up to or believe to be successful and the obstacles they overcame to get there. In other words, I looked for examples of resilient people who achieved success. It also helped to have people to turn to who believed in and supported me who could encourage me to keep going.

The next skill that I believe is crucial for anyone to learn is networking. I know…that dreaded word. It’s so important, though. Networking doesn’t have to be going to industry events, dressing up, and giving your best sales pitch (although going to those events can be very beneficial). It could be a casual conversation with someone on set, reaching out to people you know to ask if they know of anyone who would be helpful for your pursuit, or reaching out to people in the community. If you’re scared of networking, just remember: everyone is human. Everyone has their own fears, struggles, and inner turmoil. It doesn’t have to be this daunting task. Asking questions is also a great way of networking. People love talking about themselves so if you ask follow up questions, the conversation flows easily – you’ll eventually get to talking about your projects too.

Lastly, the area of knowledge that has been helpful is to just start. You don’t have to have the whole journey planned out and even if you did, it’s not likely to unfold just the way you planned it anyways. Keep moving forward and you’ll find a way to make it happen. I am a perfectionist but it’s the realization that if I strive for perfection, nothing will ever be accomplished because nothing is perfect. We learn and we grow, but the only way to do that is to just start.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, I would love to collaborate! If you would like to collaborate with me as a model/actor/host, etc., DM me on Instagram: @TheRachelGriffin.

If you are interested in collaborating with SunBeam Buddies, DM us on Instagram: @SunBeamBuddies. Collaborations for this show include:
– Coming on the show as an Industry Expert
– Getting involved with the show (as crew, pre-/post-production, PR, sponsorships, resource connections, etc.)
– Anything else I didn’t mention? Feel free to reach out.

I believe that best form of creativity is through collaboration. I am always open to new ideas and partnerships.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Modeling beauty photo by Crowrex Studio

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
Working hard in 2025: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that