Hey Rachel! Can you give us a quick background on how you got started?
I started out as a lawyer. In 2010, I graduated from law school. In 2009, clerked for a judge for a year. It bought me some time to decide where I am going next with this career. Ultimately, I hated the idea of working for anyone. So, on September 1st, 2010, I started my law practice. My clients were entrepreneurs, and that’s how I started my practice.
Then, I discovered that I love selling, marketing, and running a business. I didn’t love practicing law as much. So, I started with business coaching. Transitioning out of my law practice, we hit around $700,000.
Then, I moved into business coaching. As time went on, I started focusing more on business coaching and taking fewer legal clients. Over time, my income shifted more towards business coaching.
You’ve got Hello Seven right now. Give everyone a rundown on the business model and then any numbers that you’re okay with sharing.
With Hello Seven, we’ve exceeded 8 figures last year. So that was our first 8-figure year which is very exciting. I feel like it’s a big milestone. I think it’s just the beginning, though. It’s a huge market, there’s a huge need.
We’re working with women entrepreneurs primarily. We’re about 85% women and about 40% women of color. It’s just very fulfilling work. It’s something I’m passionate about.
It’s a membership model. So it’s not just me teaching, I bring in experts and we teach different things. Every month we’ll have a workshop and a Q&A. We’ll have a guest expert come in. So it’s really a curriculum. Then there’s some accountability built into that as well. So we’ve got business coaches and mindset coaches and they’ll do live coaching and then they’ll do a Q&A. It’s a really full experience. That’s like our core product. That’s our flagship.
I’m all about creating community and I think that’s what’s so special about this product. You know, we’ve got 600 members right now and it’s just a very special community. I think it’s so powerful because it’s not just about the business, it’s about empowering women.
I’ve seen memberships where they pump out so much content that members get overwhelmed. Overloading with content doesn’t equate to value. Value is really about: are they getting closer to the results they want?
Many members will say they don’t even have time to consume it all, right?
Yes, and that’s where the commitment to the community really shines. You need to be in tune with what your community wants and needs. They will tell you if you listen.
It’s not about just churning out more, it’s about fine-tuning, iterating, and providing what’s truly valuable. Sometimes, that’s just being there to answer their questions, give them guidance, or provide a space for them to connect with others on the same journey.
What’s important is to give your customers the bare minimum they need to achieve the promised results, right?
Exactly. Don’t bombard them with content. Just provide what’s essential to get the desired results. As for the brand I’ve built around Hello Seven, it’s been a deliberate effort to make it distinct from the typical personal brands out there.
It’s evident that the brand reflects many of your values and personality.
Yes, but the difference is in scalability and autonomy. If everything hinges on me, that limits growth. Hello Seven was designed to inspire businesses to reach that 7-figure mark while making the journey enjoyable.
My aim was always to reduce my day-to-day involvement, and now I’ve achieved that. I’ve stepped back to let my team take charge. I’m still the CEO, but my role is more hands-off. The brand embodies our shared values and mission.
Why did you write “We Should All Be Millionaires” and how does it play into the long-term vision for Hello Seven?
I wrote the book because I had something to say. I was passionate about it. It felt like a big sweeping argument, and I wanted to make it in a big way. I didn’t want it to be just a YouTube video or a podcast episode. I probably did “We Should All Be Millionaires” a million times in some version, but I wanted to make a bigger statement and reach more people.
I wanted more people to know that we exist and that we’re available to help them. The message is about making money not being as hard as it seems and it’s important for women and people of color to realize that. Business can be a tool for social justice and can be used to create more equity in the world. That’s the argument I wanted to make and I wanted to share a formula for success.
There’s something to be said for long-form content. I wanted to back up everything I said and that builds a huge amount of trust. The book lets people get to know you better.
What has been the result of the book? When did it come out?
The book came out on May 4th, 2021. It feels like it’s been longer because I started promoting it well before that. It was a huge promotional effort and I ended up burning myself out, but it was very successful.
The business has grown exponentially since then. With the book, I was able to get on media platforms I’d always aspired to be on. The hardcovers sold 6,000 copies, short of the 10,000 I aimed for, and it didn’t hit the New York Times bestseller list, which was disappointing. However, the audiobook exceeded all expectations. The book is still picking up steam and will likely generate business for years to come.
On the PR side, it seems like having a book changes the perception and opens up more media opportunities?
Yes, having a book definitely gives you something to talk about in the press and opens up doors. For example, shows like Good Morning America have predefined narratives of who should be a guest and being an author fits that narrative.
You’ve had several TV appearances recently, right?
Yes, I was on GMA 3, and then finally, Good Morning America. It was like 5 minutes on ABC that I didn’t have to pay for, essentially an incredible commercial for my business. I thought I was going to come on and give financial tips, and they were like, ‘No, we want to share your client’s stories, showcase their results, talk to you.’
Do you invest in other companies?
I don’t think I’m going to do a huge amount of that, but if something comes my way and it seems amazing and I’m excited about and believe in the founder, I’ll do it.
So, that’s kind of what I’m doing with my money and just living my life. Just like enjoying my life and enjoying my money, not just saving.
Rachel, where can people find you?
Oh, they can find me on Hello Seven or follow my Instagram.
