Meet Rachel Pesso

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

Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After attending college at The School of Visual Arts in New York City. I fell in love with Editorial Design and storytelling. I landed my first job as a freelance designer at Time Inc and worked my way up in a few months to be one of the two designers for Fortune Small Business Magazine. As time progressed, magazines were folding so I began leaning into the digital space. I started to feel bored and unmotivated in the corporate world. I knew there was something bigger I was meant to be a part of.

I reached out to my friend that I went to art school to see what she was up to and she told me that she was working for a woman named Marie Forleo. I had never heard of her at the time and after looking her up, I wanted nothing more than to be introduced to the entrepreneur world. My friend insisted that I attend Live Free, a retreat that Sarah Jenks and Nisha Moodley at the time we’re having in Sonoma, California. The retreat was all about sisterhood and creating a life that you want to live. It was completely out of my comfort zone but I decided to take the plunge and hop on a plane to California. It was the best decision for my business. I got to meet 60 other entrepreneurs who were also trying to create a better life. When I arrived in California, I had just launched my own website which happened to be the first full website I had ever designed. When I came home, I connected with many of the women I had met in California who were actually in need of branding and design help and I started collaborating with them. Today, my business has been running by referrals only and many started from the few women that I had met at that retreat.  I am still close friends and working with some of the women I had met at the Retreat.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No way! Entrepreneurship is a wild journey. My story makes it sound easy. The truth is people don’t share with you all the hardships and obstacles. For me, being a creative and never running a business I had so much learn and even six years later, I realized there is still so much I need to learn. Thankfully, I found many mentors and guides along the way.

I learned the hard way about contracts, invoicing, and creating boundaries with work. I suffered from burnout and exhaustion from working way too much at the beginning of my business. I struggled with feeling isolated and unmotivated from working from home.

I have struggled with financial instability. The up and down feelings emotionally that you feel like an entrepreneur and just learning how to build a support system and tribe.
I also have struggled with client workflow and feast vs famine in my business. I have finally figured out what I need in order to thrive and cope with the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. 

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a Brand Storyteller and Website Designer. I blend high-level strategy, collaboration, and deep love to design who you are online. I specialize and am known for branding, storytelling and designing websites. My ideal clients are on a mission for global change that starts from within. They run their businesses online, are ambitious, creative and value the importance of authenticity while helping humans thrive. They want to look as good as their message feels! What sets me apart from others is that my entire business is based on collaboration. I believe that when we design and include others in the process the solutions that come from it exceed any possible expectations. My clients love to be a part of the design process and along for the entire journey. I also only take on projects that I feel connected to energetically.

I am most excited about creation of my Soul Collective. It’s my personal method for helping hundreds of clients gain the clarity they require to take their business (and their impact) to the next level. I am really passionate to help people create meaningful brands.

When you look back, what are you most proud of?
To be honest, my proudest moments are when I look back and see how far I have come. If you asked me six years ago if I thought I was capable of everything I have accomplished, so far in my career, I would have laughed. I am really proud that I didn’t give up and continue to keep growing professionally and personally over the years.

One really great moment of my career is when I launched Laverne Cox’s website after months of keeping it a secret. It was so exciting and such a wonderful project.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachelpesso.com
• Phone: 914-774-2068
• Email: rachel@rachelpesso.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelpesso/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelpessodesign
• Other: https://rachelpesso.com/the-soul-collective/

Image Credit:
Randi Marie, Boss Babe Photography

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