We were lucky to catch up with John Rachlin recently and have shared our conversation below.
John , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
This is a question I love because many of us have sense that we need to find our purpose in life and whether that perception is something innate for us or perhaps a product of societal influence, how many people can really say they have “found their purpose”? I spent years trying to figure out what my purpose was. I looked to education to try and facilitate an answer to that question by getting both an undergraduate business degree and then a law degree. Both broadened my understanding on certain facets of the world we live in, but neither gave me insight into my purpose. I tried to tap into my inner mind and feelings to try and bring my purpose to light by trying psycho therapy, hypnotherapy, personal coaching, and read numerous “how to find your purpose” type books, but none of that made a lightbulb go off in my head with the answer of what my purpose was. At some point I accepted the possibility that I might not find my purpose and decided to put the question aside and simply move forward living my life in a manner I thought I’d enjoy and was in line with my core values. Although I had a law degree and interest in business, I was also an accomplished musician. Since I couldn’t decide if my purpose was one or the other, I did both! I got a music agent who had me playing in Los Angeles top venues for several years, while at the same time I started building a business with a business partner that did court receivership (a niche that combines both business and law). Fast forward 20 years, I’m still playing music professionally several times a month and I’ve built a successful business with my business partner. Can I say I’ve found my purpose? I’m not sure I can, and that’s ok. Maybe one day a lightbulb will go on in my head and my purpose will make itself known, until then I will continue to do my best to lead a life of integrity to myself and others, that hopefully brings joy to others, that I find fullfilling, and that doesn’t leave feeling any worse for that I still can’t specify what my purpose is.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As far as my day gig goes, me and my business partner started a company and we get a pointed the court as a court receiver. A court receiver is a neutral 3rd party appointed that gets appointed over a business or a property that parties are finding over and they need a 3rd party to operate it and protect the cash flow while they are resolving their differences. It’s a mix between business, real estate, and law. It’s actually an interesting niche to practice in since on any given day, we could be appointed over almost any type of asset (ie.. we’ve been appointed to operate oil rigs, a fruit packing plant, cannabis grows and dispensaries, a fruit packing plant, a porno website, shopping malls, restaurants and bars, a sheet metal manufacturing plants, disputes involving the Michael Jackson estate, disputes involving the Jimi Hedrix estate, gas stations and convenience stores, 29 buildings on Los Angeles’ skid row, in the list goes on). It’s exciting because you never know what adventure is around the corner with regards to what type of asset you might be appointed by the court to take over. We’ve even had reality tv producers approach us to do a show about us, but we declined. As far as might night gig, although I’m not playing LA’s top Sunset Strip clubs these days like in years past, I am still gigging almost every weekend as a guitarist and singer in a Los Angeles cover band called Run For Cover that serves to fullfil that performer and creative need I still have to rock a crowd.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most impactful things in my journey to success that I would impress upon others is: 1) surround yourself with people who have a skill you don’t and their skill adds to the success of whatever you are trying to accomplish; 2) allow yourself to not be afraid give up control and delegate to those talented people you hire or associate with in item 1 above; and 3) don’t get discouraged if it takes you a while to find those talented people in item 1 and 2 above. My real success didn’t start to happen until I got over the fear of delegating responsibility and allowing myself to build a team of talented people that could take my business to the next level. In addition, it made my work situation less stressful knowing that I had that support system in place.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I think it’s better to go all in on your strengths than try and be a jack of all trades and master of none. People want to hire and/or work with the best. If you are not one of the best in your industry, people will go with your competition that is. We all have our own unique strengths. It’s rare to find someone that excels in every area. Focus on your strengths and become excellent at what you do. Then, associate with or hire those that can excel in areas you don’t.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.recievershipspecialists.com
