Stop Waiting for the Perfect Plan—How Rachel Rowland Built Community and Tripled Her Business in One Year
- Hayleigh Hayhurst
- 24 hours ago
- 5 min read
What happens when you stop overthinking and start building the business you're dreaming of?
For Rachel Rowland, the answer changed everything.
Rachel went from teaching during the 2020 pandemic to launching a thriving real estate business and founding Eastside EntreprenueHERs, one of Seattle's most vibrant women's networking communities. In 2024 alone, she matched her entire teaching salary in just one month—and tripled what she thought was possible by year's end.
Her secret? True connection, relentless action, and showing up in ways that feel authentic—not perfect.
If you've ever felt stuck, unsure, or like you're doing everything "right" but not seeing results yet, this story is for you.
Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/employee-to-boss-entrepreneurship-side-hustles-and/id1598027167?i=1000758385629
From Teacher to Real Estate Agent to Community Builder—Rachel's Journey
Why Rachel Left Teaching (And What Pushed Her to Take the Leap)
In 2020, Rachel was sitting in front of a screen trying to convince teenagers to turn their cameras on during Zoom classes. She loved her students, but the isolation, administrative stress, and loss of three former students to fentanyl overdoses made her realize—she couldn't survive in that environment much longer.
So she got her real estate license. At first, it was selfishly motivated. She owned rental properties and thought: I could help myself and maybe a few friends.
Within two months, she already had closings underway. By February 2021—just weeks after getting licensed—she put in her notice at Issaquah School District.
No grand plan. No perfect strategy. Just action.
The Networking Problem No One Was Solving
Rachel and her friend Liz kept attending traditional networking events like Chamber of Commerce meetings and BNI. But something felt off. They'd leave with stacks of business cards but zero real connection.
"I don't want to collect 200 business cards. I want business cheerleaders who lift me up—and who I can support in return," Rachel said.
They couldn't find what they needed. So they created it.
Eastside EntreprenueHERs started as a grassroots meetup in Rachel's Issaquah real estate office. No name. No logo. No email address for the first year. Just women showing up to genuinely support each other.
Fast forward to today, and it's become a thriving monthly community with content days, Instagram chat collaboration, and real lead generation.
How Community Became Rachel's Superpower (And Her Real Estate Business Took Off)
What Makes Eastside EntreprenueHERs Different?
Rachel didn't copy other networking groups. She leaned into what she needed—and kept evolving based on what her members wanted.
Here's what sets Eastside EntreprenueHERs apart:
Industry-exclusive membership: Only one person per industry (unless they serve totally different audiences—like three photographers: one for Santa photos, one for branding, one for pets)
Evening meetings: Most groups meet in the morning. Rachel's meets at night because that's when her community can actually attend
Monthly content days: Members come together to batch-create social media content in different locations—because creating alone is hard
Optional dinner beforehand: Building relationships in informal settings matters
Active Instagram group chat: Members support each other daily with flyer feedback, tech troubleshooting, and quick business wins
"People will pop into the chat and say, 'Hey, I made this flyer. Can someone look at it?' And everyone jumps in to help. Those little annoying business things that can take hours? They become 30-minute projects when you have support," Rachel explained.
Positioning Herself as Both Leader AND Real Estate Agent
For a long time, Rachel struggled with how to show up authentically. Should she just be "the community leader"? Or was it okay to talk about her real estate business too?
Here's what she learned: hiding her business didn't serve anyone.
Now, Rachel gives herself 10 minutes a year to present about her real estate business to the group. She shares real estate questions in the Instagram chat. She openly partners with organizations like Resilient Hearts Animal Sanctuary, donating 10% of her commission when community members buy or sell through her.
The result? Members are now becoming clients. Leads are coming directly from the community she built.
As Rachel put it: "Men would do this without even thinking twice. We're running businesses, not charities. It's okay to ask for the business".
Rachel's Content Strategy: How She Shows Up Online Without Burning Out
The Truth About Effortless Content (Spoiler: It's Not Effortless)
People constantly tell Rachel, "You're so good at showing up online!" It looks easy. But here's what they don't see:
The night before content day, she scrolls through saved reels and screenshots the ones she wants to recreate
She circles which sounds and videos match her vibe and takes notes on what props she needs
She packs props and brings multiple signs so she always has options
She does everything in one take to avoid perfectionism paralysis
"If you keep re-recording, you'll never post anything. So I do it once, and if it's not perfect? Best take wins," Rachel said.
She also avoids scripted talking videos—they slow her down. Instead, she uses Instagram Stories to share quick thoughts or creates lip-sync videos where the sound is already made.
Her advice? Stop overthinking. First take. Post it. Move on.
The New Metric That Actually Matters
Rachel recently attended CEO Society and heard something powerful: The most important business metric right now is how many active DM conversations you have going.
Not views. Not likes. Not shares.
Real conversations with real humans who could become clients.
Rachel Rogers echoed this in her "Five Ways to Market Yourself" training: connect with actual humans. Respond to every comment. Keep conversations open-ended so people respond back.
"It's not 2021 anymore. We don't have a captive audience stuck at home. You have to put things out there 100 times. Justin Bieber posted 900 times for one song," Rachel said.
Your takeaway? Post more. DM more. Engage more. Stop worrying about "bugging people."
Why Events Are Harder to Fill Than Ever (And How Rachel Does It Anyway)
Rachel recently hosted a puppy party with Resilient Hearts Animal Sanctuary. To get 30 people in the room, she:
Sent individual invites to 80 people
Posted on Eventbrite, Google, her own website, the Kenmore website, the Issaquah website, and Pickles Playland's website
Promoted it repeatedly across social media
"You have to do so much more than you think to get a response. And I think we see other people post once and assume they got clients that way—but they've been posting a million times for years. They're also showing up in person and telling people to follow them on social media," Rachel said.
Her biggest lesson? You cannot be a small business owner hiding in your home office anymore. You have to be out in the world, constantly.
Rachel's Action Step for You This Week
Ready to grow your business? Here's Rachel's challenge:
Attend a women's-only networking event this week.
Yes, even if it "cuts out half your client base." The energy is different. The support is deeper. You'll leave inspired instead of drained.
If you're in the Seattle area, Rachel invites you to check out Eastside EntreprenueHERs. Your first meeting is free, and there's now a drop-in option if you can't commit to regular attendance.
Connect with Rachel:
Instagram: @eastsideentrepreneurhers (for community) or @rachelrowlandrealestate (for real estate)
Phone: (206) 910-2723 (Yes, she actually answers!)
And if you're thinking about buying or selling a home? Talk to a lender and a realtor way before you think you're ready. Rachel will help you create a roadmap—even if you're a year or two out.
Final Thoughts: Stop Waiting. Start Building.
Rachel didn't wait for the perfect plan. She didn't have a business degree or a huge following when she started.
She just started.
She built community because she needed it. She showed up online even when it felt hard. She asked for business even when it felt uncomfortable.
And she tripled her income in one year.
Your turn. What are you waiting for?
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