The goal of Hardly Hustle is to provide inspiration, drive and motivation in a 10 minute read or less. What you see is what you get. This is hot off the press without an editing team.
Rachel Cross is up.
Who are you and what do you do?
I'm Rachel K. Cross and I'm the Chief Business Sherpa of Rachel K Group, a boutique consulting firm specializing in brand and career strategy. I'm passionate about amplifying stories and developing people to boldly impact the world. I consider myself a "sherpa" because I enjoy the challenge of guiding my clients to where they want to go while helping to “carry their packs.” Plus, sherpas get to wear warm, fuzzy hats! I'm also a writer, speaker, and avid snowboarder.
What did it take / how did you get started?
After spending 12 years in corporate America, I realized I wanted more freedom and flexibility in my day to day life, including my work projects. I really wanted to care about the projects I was working on and wanted to help companies doing good in the world. The division of a big tech company I was working for shut its doors, so I decided to try my hand at freelance consulting. That was 10 years ago, and I have never looked back!
What does the future look like for you and your hustle?
After being in the biz for 10 years, I am continuing to grow my services. Last year, I added career strategy to help others transition from full-time jobs to create their own solopreneur careers, and this year, I'm working more with corporations to help them understand their own brands and align their cultures throughout the organizations.
What drives / motivates you?
My "soul boomerang" (what I call a spiritual vision or unique genius) is to help people and brands become fully-aligned, joy-filled, and world-impacting. This is what I was born to do and what gets me excited.
What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?
Understand what's needed/required to be your own boss, get your own clients, and run your own business. Check in with your gut, know your "why" and start taking small steps every day toward that goal. You can start a side hustle instead of quitting your job full-time, but even that requires some set-up to do it right. I also highly recommend hiring a business mentor who you can bounce ideas and questions off of.
What has been the hardest part of the hustle?
Entrepreneurship is not a linear journey - sometimes, it can feel lonely and confusing, but if you keep returning to your "why" / soul boomerang, then I believe you'll find the motivation to keep going. It's also helpful to get into a community of like-minded business people, whether it's a mastermind of some kind, peer group, or just a group of friends that spends intentional time discussing your work and shares struggles.
What are a few resources that you'd recommend?
I have a free checklist for people who want to start a side hustle or freelance business on my website at rachelkgroup.com/checklist and have a few videos on my YouTube channel (you can find the link from my website). I also love Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why" and Brené Brown's book "Dare to Lead."
The STATS
Side or full-time hustle?
Full-time
List the founders
Just me
How many hours a week do you work on this hustle?
35-45
# of Employees?
1 full-time; about 6 independent contractors at any given time
When did you start?
March 2011
How much did it cost to launch?
Approx. $5,000
What were your funding methods and ballpark amount raised?
Personal Savings
Annual Revenue?
Not provided.
Projected Revenue?
Not provided.
Any call to action?
Not provided.
Social:
Website: https://www.rachelkgroup.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelkcross