Daily Inspiration: Meet Rachel Reeves

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Reeves. 

Hi Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began working in post-secondary education while still in college. I started as a Student Ambassador in the Office of Admissions, where I made phone calls to prospective students, helped them through the admissions process, and conducted campus tours. I didn’t know it then, but this really laid the foundation for where I’m at today. Though it took a while (read ten years) to graduate from undergrad, the experiences I had directly inform my ability to recognize the challenges prospective and current students are facing and help them address/overcome the obstacles presented in the process. 

My entire professional career has been in post-secondary education both on the Student Services and Academic sides. I started in the Office of Admissions right after college, and after relocating out of state, I settled into teaching (English as a Second Language), which led to co-managing the division. When I returned to Michigan, I went right back into Admissions, and it’s been my home ever since. I love assisting students through the process, as most find it to be very stressful regardless of age. Part of my role is to reduce that stress, provide reassurance, and assist them through completion. However, I’m grateful, as no two days look the same, and I’m allowed a great deal of creative expression in other aspects of my responsibilities. 

In that, because my creativity gets to flourish in the professional workspace, it absolutely thrives in the personal. While education remains a part of my entrepreneurial journey, I have also built in creative consulting and marketing. Helping folx identify how they want to show up online – whether it’s on social media or their website or in someone’s inbox – brings me a great deal of joy, as it means their pursuing and investing in their dreams. And that’s what it’s all about, right? 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I’d say the road has been a winding one for sure. When I graduated from college, I had my heart set on continuing my education so I could eventually teach History at the collegiate level. However, I made the number one mistake when applying to grad school — I only applied to one and I didn’t get in. So, I quickly had to figure out something else. At the time I was working in Admissions, but I was only working part-time. I needed a full-time position, and none were available, so I decided to do a two for one; find a job, but it had to be in Miami, FL. This also meant I needed to find a trusted online graduate program because returning to school was still in the mix. 

I got into an online program, and that crystallized the decision! But, when I moved, I actually hadn’t ascertained a job yet. So, I took whatever was thrown my way. This is how made my first foray working in proprietary education. One thousand percent not a fan. I hated that job so much because I came out of working at a community college; education as a commodity to sell just didn’t make sense. It was super depressing, and I ended up moving back home after a year. 

Six months later, I landed in ATL, this time with a job and no housing. I couch-surfed for almost a month and then got my own place. And despite hating proprietary ed, I somehow ended up at another for-profit school, this time on the academic side. I loved teaching, but the twist was that it was still metrics driven. My time in Miami prepared me for this, so it wasn’t as bad, but definitely didn’t love it. I also realized that though I originally set out to teach, it wasn’t something I wanted to do long-term. I went into management and loved it, which also lended itself to what I ultimately got my graduate degree in. But for-profit ed is a monster I couldn’t see myself staying in, so I returned to Michigan. 

The road has continued to wind here, and has included five moves, several deaths in the family, personal struggles, two different jobs, and living through the ‘vid, while working to create something sustainable outside of my professional career. That said, everything you experience is an opportunity to learn. Everything happens for a reason, and that mindset has carried me forward. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I decided to dip my toe into entrepreneurship, like most, I had no clue where to start. The other part was that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Thank God I’ve grown tremendously since then. 

I run a creative consulting company that specializes in helping people identify how they want to show up online — what is their brand voice and how can they put that on display in an engaging manner. Additionally, I help with website rebranding, email marketing, and light graphic design. 

I would say I’m known for empowering people to do the things they want to do. Whether it’s entrepreneurship, moving across country, starting a podcast, changing careers, or whatever else it is that you want to pursue, I’m not only going to encourage you to do it, I’m going to remind you that you are powerful and possess all the things you need to make it happen. And while that may not be the standard answer, a lot of my work is based in helping people release their insecurities and tap into their unique abilities and power. 

It’s hard to nail down one thing I’m most proud of, but I’d say it’s continuing this business journey. It hasn’t been easy, but I have persisted. I finally feel like I’ve hit my groove and I’m grateful I never gave up. 

I would say what sets me apart from others is my willingness to be in a constant state of learning. When I see people market themselves as an expert, it’s almost as if there’s nothing left for them to learn; like, they’re at the top of their field. But, coming out of education, I’m of the mind that continuing education is vital to staying abreast of what’s going on in your industry. When someone works with me, they can trust that information they receive is current and will carry them through trends to longevity. 

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, for a long time I felt like I lived in my brother’s shadow. We’re the two oldest “kids” in the family, but he’s the oldest and it was just the two of us for a while. On top of that, it seemed like everything he touched he was good at. It wasn’t until we were in different schools that I felt like I could really begin to see myself. 

I’ve always been an introvert and a little nerdy; always reading or watching documentaries, even back then. I was a talker if you talked to me first and very much a wallflower in social settings. But, when I moved into junior high and high school, this evolved into knowing everyone without being popular and being able to kind of do my own thing style wise, without a lot of flak. 

I played sports from elementary school through high school, and also participated in the orchestra and the band. And outside of school, I did everything from Girl Scouts (short lived) to AYSO to being in the church choir. My mom gave us the opportunity to figure out what we liked, and I’m grateful for that. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.doublermanagement.com
• Instagram: @doublerdoes
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@doublerdoes