Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Burch.
Hi Rachel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, I always “knew” I wanted to be an attorney. Although now looking back, I think I was brainwashed…possibly by my dad, definitely by Matlock. You see I spent many hours in front of the television watching Matlock with my dad, an attorney, while he got dressed for work. I grew up thinking I wanted to be just like my dad…and Matlock. As far back as high school, I “knew” I wanted to be an attorney, so I didn’t really pay attention to courses or assessments that told me which fields I would be best suited for. After graduating law school, I went to work at a litigation firm in downtown Los Angeles. I spent many hours sifting through papers and writing motions. Funny, I never remembered seeing Matlock sitting at a desk. The shine started to wear off and I quickly realized I had made a big mistake – I was miserable. I found myself trapped in a job I hated and depressed that my life’s vision had turned out to be nothing like what I had expected. I knew I needed to make a change. But how? I had no idea. Instead, I spent hours googling things like “non-law jobs for lawyers” and stuffed the feelings down – usually with the help of something from the vending machine (or a couple of the free doughnuts dropped off by a vendor.)
It turned out before things could change, I had to change.
I had to do my own personal development work. Lots of it. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew I didn’t want life to continue as it was. I kept thinking “there has to be more than this?!” So I signed up for a 1:1 coaching program and started the journey of personal growth and exploration. I started journaling and processing and determined that what I really wanted (for that season) was to just stay home with my son (who was suffering from severe developmental delays.) So, after ten years in the law (three law firms, five years of business litigation, one General Counsel position and five years of contracts, trademarks, patents and stressful negotiations), I had a new mission! My goal was to get my son caught up and back on track developmentally. I found myself at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I got certified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. At first, my goal was just to help my son, but soon I realized that I was passionate about coaching. The part I had always loved about being a lawyer – being a counselor and trusted advisor – was something I could continue to do with coaching.
At IIN, I learned not only about health and wellness but also the beginnings of life coaching.
Hungry for more (no pun intended, but who doesn’t like a pun here and there), I enrolled in an ICF (International Coach Federation) approved program which promised to take me around the world as I learned more about life and success coaching. But two days after enrolling, I found out that I was pregnant with my second son, Max. It was the greatest surprise of my life – although to be honest, I wasn’t immediately thrilled with the news. You see, we had tried to have a second baby and were unable to, so I turned my focus back to my career and travel and my (now ex) husband and I had made big plans. Of course, Max has turned out to be the most amazing blessing and one that I am thankful for everyday, but I needed a perspective shift. I needed to know that I could be a good mom to my boys and still pursue my coaching dreams…and travel. And voila, here we are! As it turns out, it is possible to have a child (or a baby) or two or more and still live a life of meaning and purpose and design it all yourself. It just takes a plan of action, a blueprint, some determination and lots of excitement and encouragement.
When Max was six months old, I was able to reenroll and in 2017, I received a second certification in coaching while traveling and studying in Maui, Mallorca, Paris and other places. This program and opportunity added a healthy dose of luxurious self-care and divine living to round out my coaching program. Because life was meant to be lived not worked!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road – and expecting it to be smooth was my biggest challenge.
My first challenge was getting over my fears of rejection, failure and being seen. Thankfully that’s what personal development is for and I ended up finding my passion for helping people do the same by conquering those fears myself.
Another huge challenge was my son’s health journey. At first, I had let my fears and “what if/worst case scenario thinking” stop me from focusing on me and my work at the same time. I had so much fear and mom guilt that I couldn’t see how I could do both. However, as a result, I learned so much about being my son’s (and my own) best health advocate and so again, this challenge turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
A struggle that I wasn’t prepared for was my divorce. There was so much processing and growth that needed to happen as a result of that. And mourning – mourning the loss of a dream. And yet again, this struggle taught me so much and really helped me relate better to some of my clients who were also going through divorce and was able to show them that not only is their life after divorce but there’s joy through reinvention for yourself and your family.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Rachel Burch Coaching provides life and business coaching for female entrepreneurs, creatives and executives.
Specialties including work/life balance, designing and creating a bespoke epic life and collapsing the two year plan to a two week plan.
Believe it or not, my legal skills help me get results faster by connecting the dots through expert question asking and listening. I also use humor to facilitate change (I also found my passion and hobby of being a stand up comedian through this work).
I’m most proud of watching my clients crush their dreams – quitting corporate jobs, starting new businesses, buying dream vacation ranches and taking epic trips, among other things.
I offer 1:1 coaching, retreats, VIP intensive days and occasional group programs. We also have a podcast – Love Before 100.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My mentors who have shaped who I am as a person, coach, mom and business owner: Gina Devee and Kyle Cease.
My ex-husband was a HUGE supporter and always believed in me and my business.
My clients have been a huge part of my success – not only have I been inspired by their risks and growth, but also they have grown my business for me – 90% of my clients are returning clients or referrals from happy clients.
My fellow coaches/coaching community – these women have been mastermind partners, sources of inspiration/support/love. As Cheryl Richardson says, “People start to heal the moment they feel heard.” This group of women held me and heard me.
Contact Info:
- Email: rachel@rachelburch.me
- Website: https://theupleveledentrepreneur.com
- Instagram: @therachelburch
- Other: www.transformationmavenpodcast.com
Image Credits
Lea Prokopowicz Wendy Yalom
