Meet Rachel Russell

We were lucky to catch up with Rachel Russell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

I feel lucky that I am naturally an optimistic person. I try to look for the positives in life. I regularly write in a gratitude journal and listen to the Calm app. Even if I have a bad day, there are things I can be grateful for, and focusing on those helps shift my mindset. When I was a teenager, I watched a documentary called The Secret that describes the law of attraction. It explains that you can attract positive things to your life, such as success, wealth and happiness, through positive thinking and visualization.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I serve as the Program Manager for Entrepreneur Of The Year® Greater Los Angeles, an award program that has honored business leaders over the past 40 years. In this role, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and build relationships with the CEOs and Founders of Beyond Yoga, Clippers, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Evite, LAFC, Sprinkles, and Wetzel’s Pretzels, to name a few. I find my job extremely rewarding because we get to shine a light on entrepreneurship in Los Angeles and recognize those that are doing good in the world.

In my free time, my boyfriend Dylan Lawrence and I are co-writing a travel guidebook focused on Palm Springs, which will likely be released in fall 2027.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My attention to detail, hard work, and relationship building have been impactful in my career.

I am detail oriented in both my personal and professional lives. In my friend group, I am the one who puts together trip itineraries, makes reservations, and books travel. When planning events for work, the details become especially important. Something as miniscule as an attendee’s dietary restrictions or a tracking number for a shipment to the venue could make or break an event’s success.

I am also incredibly hardworking. Ever since I was young, I was dedicated to schoolwork and studied for hours in order to achieve straight A’s. I have very high expectations for myself and strive to go above and beyond in the workforce. While at Deloitte, I noticed that there was no tutorial for new team members, so I created an onboarding document from scratch.

I owe a lot of my success to networking. Attending the University of Southern California gave me a huge network of alumni to reach out to after graduation, and that made it easier to find a job in Los Angeles. I have a passion for building relationships and connecting with others. I regularly attend networking events and look for ways we can support each other.

If you are early in your journey, think about what qualities make you noteworthy and lean into them. Be open to going outside your comfort zone to meet others in the career track that you are interested in.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

As an overachiever, I often work long hours and overcommit myself, leading to burnout. Over the past 12 months, I have experienced personal growth in prioritizing my work life balance. I spent more time at Magic Castle, traveled with loved ones, and further explored Los Angeles. I started the 111 Places Challenge, which involves visiting all the spots featured in the 111 Places in Los Angeles That You Must Not Miss book and the 111 Places in Hollywood That You Must Not Miss book. The international guidebook series offers a unique perspective on a region, introducing locals and travelers to places beyond the typical tourist spots. As I’ve embarked on this challenge, I’ve gotten a better understanding of my city and made memorable experiences, from horseback riding under the Hollywood sign to touring America’s oldest stained-glass company.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Ketara Gadahn, Studio Alani

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