bizMe

Rachel is one of my favorite twitter friends. She’s got ambition galore and has definitely found her niche on the web! TheWorkingWardrobe features great advice and Rachel finds the best unique career looks–the Jarbo clip wrap dress she found at her favorite Chicago boutique is awesome and you’ll give it more than a second look!



Tell bizMe readers the story of your business, idea, inspiration, the aha moment?
I’ve worked in the corporate environment since graduating college, and one of my greatest frustrations was seeing how so many people in the work environment dressed inappropriately. When the economy started to affect my position in my company, I started looking for other positions “just in case”. Every position I came across required social media experience, of which I could only boast of having a personal facebook account. So in order to gain experience for potential employers, I decided to take my fashion frustrations from my corporate job and turn it into a blog. I started TheWorkingWardrobe.com as a result, and I gained a tremendous amount of followers in just a few months and started receiving a lot of press and positive feedback on the blog topic and content. After six months, I started receiving requests for consulting services, and the requests never seemed to stop. I quickly fell into my “aha moment” when I woke up before work one morning in order to update my blog, and I realized that I was never more excited to start the work day than I was at that moment. It was then that I decided that I didn’t want to use my blog as merely a tool to apply for jobs; but rather I wanted to use the experience from starting this blog to start my own company. A month later I bought a domain name, hired a web developer, and officially launched business fashion consulting company, RachelAnna Consulting.

What is your favorite career wear accessory?
The statement necklace. I love pumping up a plain business suit or blouse with a fantastic pendant or strands of beads. It’s also a great way to stand out from the other “suits” while still being professional at the networking event and/or business meeting.

What has been the craziest thing you’ve done to draw attention to your business?
Before quitting my full-time corporate job, I admit I used some of the networking opportunities from my company to market my business. Luckily it never came back to bite me and I gained my first client during the process; however I hope to not have to go through that “moonlighting” process again.

What is your biggest regret/disappointment while building your business?
By far, my biggest regret while building my business is not budgeting my personal finances more effectively to ensure that I would be out of debt before starting my company. I could have accomplished a lot more up front if I didn’t have my personal debt get in the way. One thing that I would definitely suggest to anyone thinking about starting his or her own business is to align personal finances in order to budget for future business expenditures.

What makes you successful?
A mixture between my passion and naivety. My corporate job was extremely secure even after the economic slump, and I knew that if I didn’t make the career change when I did, I never would because my experience and logic would get in the way. Luckily I also have an immense amount of passion and ambition in what I do, and I have found that my excitement comes across to others, which has resulted in a great many supporters and partners. Lastly, I believe what has assisted with my success has been my gratitude towards those who have helped me get to where I am, and my willingness to work with others. I have always been a team player and know that I would never do anything as well on my own versus from within a group environment, whether that “group” is a business partner, client, or even family and friends.

Tell us something about yourself that has nothing to do with your business.
I love jazz. One of my treats to myself after a week or two of hard work is to frequent a local jazz venue and listen to some great music while drinking a vodka martini (or two).

What college lessons have you applied to your career life?
It is more effective to learn from practical environments versus academic environments. My favorite college professors (most of whom I still keep in contact with) taught at my college as adjuncts, and were able to take us to their work environments and show us what it was like to work in the field we were studying, versus merely telling us about it. Whenever I want to learn something new, I do it before reading a book on it. That lesson has resulted in a lot of fantastic learning experiences and even some success stories. It also has resulted in learning a few things the hard or round-about way, but I still wouldn’t take back any of it as it has brought me to where I am today.

How do you spell success?
I grew up believing that everyone loved their job as much as my father loves his. When I entered into the workforce, I quickly realized that wasn’t true and just how lucky my father was to work in a job he absolutely loved. I spell success as finding and working a job that I genuinely love.

Visit Rachel, read her latest blog and see the Jarbo clip wrap dress at TheWorkingWardrobe.

RachelAnna Consulting is a company that assists in building and promoting your working wardrobe. Founded by Rachel Yeomans, RachelAnna Consulting services both working men and women throughout the Chicago-land area with premium wardrobe consultations that enable busy professionals to dress with aplomb. With an understanding of the needs of those entering into the workforce, RachelAnna also offers specialized services for students and those seeking employment. And as a small business owner herself, RachelAnna is proud to work exclusively with local designers and merchants to ensure the support of local businesses. Whether you are a student working a job fair, a traveling sales professional, an upper manager, or a work-from-home mother, RachelAnna Consulting perfects your working wardrobe and makes it your own.

RachelAnna Consulting – Your style. Your life. Your Working Wardrobe.