In this empowering episode, host Lorie Jones is joined by Rachel Platt, dynamic CEO of PLATTinum Consulting, for a candid look at her inspiring journey from corporate HR leader to building her own thriving people strategy business.
Rachel shares how she overcame imposter syndrome, why self-advocacy in the workplace is crucial, and the importance of living out your authentic values—especially kindness. She offers honest advice about pivoting after reaching long-held goals that don’t feel quite right, and emphasizes why no one should ever feel bad for doing more or being kinder.
Packed with actionable tips and encouragement, this conversation will motivate you to speak up, embrace growth, and never underestimate the impact of a little extra kindness. Tune in and get inspired to take your next bold step!
Show Highlights:
- Three impactful business must-reads for professional women. [03:38]
- Discovering the perfect blend of passion and profession in HR. [06:13]
- Changing course from a high-level corporate role to consulting. [10:23]
- Explore the realities of building a woman-owned startup. [13:23]
- How certification is additive to dispel impostor syndrome in women’s careers. [16:19]
- The power of self-advocacy as women, plus actionable steps. [21:47]
- Lessons on compassionate, human-centered change management. [32:17]
- Why hiring expertise matters to solve entrepreneurial gaps. [35:45]
- Do well-meant gender microaggressions need an assertive response? [39:55]
- Key advice for young women for empowered work and lives. [48:16]
Connect with Rachel on her website at https://www.plattinumconsulting.com/why-plattinum.html and her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelplatt/
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to https://fearlessfinancialadvisors.com/fearless-females.
00:01.99
Lorie Jones
Good morning, Fearless Females. I’m so excited that you’ve joined us today. Today we have Rachel Platt, and she is the CEO of Platinum Consulting. Thank you, Rachel, so much for agreeing to do this and share your story. I appreciate it.
00:17.07
Rachel Platt
I’m so honored to be here, Laurie. Thank you.
00:20.33
Lorie Jones
So my first question is always my favorite. i love reading. What is your favorite book?
00:28.22
Rachel Platt
I love reading also, but I have to be honest, I am in non-reading for pleasure phase of my life.
00:38.84
Rachel Platt
I am reading a lot of business books that I pick up and put down. Some of my favorites, um The Go-Giver Bob Berg and John David Mann.
00:54.38
Rachel Platt
um Very relevant for this audience would be It’s Not a Sticky Ceiling. and I’m sorry, It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor.
01:06.79
Rachel Platt
by Rebecca Shambaugh, all about, um it’s an older book. I mean, I think it’s from like 2008, but it really is about how women sometimes self-sabotage in the workplace.
01:22.71
Rachel Platt
And my all-time favorite is Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, really anything by Brene Brown. I just love um because it talks about vulnerability and leadership and courage.
01:36.36
Rachel Platt
And my work is all about how we show up in the workplace and how we make better workplace environments where people really can thrive. So just those books all just remind me that showing up is your full authentic self flaws and all.
01:55.04
Rachel Platt
um That’s really the act of bravery. And that’s true in business and in life. And so those are three that I pick up, put down, like read a chapter, go back, flip through um and or on a pretty regular basis.
02:12.02
Lorie Jones
I love that. i haven’t I haven’t heard the glass ceiling sticky floor one, so I’ll have to check that out. That’s so interesting. But I did just read The Go-Giver, and i I too love anything by Brené Brown. So that’s really great. I love those suggestions. Thank you.
02:27.48
Rachel Platt
Yes. um But I do need to get back into some fiction and, you know, more reading for pleasure.
02:28.82
Lorie Jones
so
02:33.45
Lorie Jones
I know.
02:33.54
Rachel Platt
just feel like I spent too much time on my computer and on my phone. Like I can’t read anymore. right now
02:40.57
Lorie Jones
I know, i know. I have that problem too. um I read for business and then have to you know watch the news and the markets and all that sort of stuff. So just keeping up on all the new data and the new trends and the new thinking that’s come out kind of take all day long. It’s good thing I like reading, right?
02:59.41
Rachel Platt
Yes, yes.
03:01.78
Lorie Jones
um So tell me a little bit about your journey, Rachel. Talk about how you got started. Like, did you always want to be what you are today? How did that journey progress and kind of what you’re doing today?
03:13.94
Rachel Platt
Sure. So, I mean, I don’t think anybody grows up and when they’re little want says, oh I want to work in HR. I mean, I want to be a ballerina. I want to be a princess. I want to be the queen, whatever it is.
03:30.45
Rachel Platt
But I studied marketing and psychology and human development. And I had an opportunity straight out of college where I got into recruiting and it seemed like a really good mix.
03:47.14
Rachel Platt
of things that I was interested in and things that I was good at. um And I started in an agency environment and pretty quickly realized that that was not for me and went corporate.
04:03.43
Rachel Platt
And i mean, within six months of graduating, I was working for what at the time was a pretty major um well-known organization.
04:14.02
Rachel Platt
And got so lucky because i have had so many incredible bosses throughout my career who have seen things in me that I might not have seen in myself and really kind of went from job and
04:30.69
Lorie Jones
you
04:37.67
Rachel Platt
where I started doing one thing and they plucked me and said, no, you should try this. We should put you here. um And over time and different organizations and different leaders, I really created very robust,
04:56.49
Rachel Platt
ah HR background in all sorts of environments, large organizations, small organizations, very stable organizations, startup organizations, for-profit, not-for-profit.
05:10.73
Rachel Platt
Actually saying that makes me sound like a job hopper and I don’t think I’ve ever had a job for less than five years and I’m not 125.
05:13.27
Lorie Jones
Bye.
05:17.67
Rachel Platt
So that sounds like a lot of jobs, which it really is not. But um but And I always loved what I was doing and finding ways to balance helping individuals really be successful and feel like they were contributing and helping the business to do and make the right business decisions about their people and their resources and their human capital.
05:51.65
Rachel Platt
And so when an opportunity came up, in, well, actually it didn’t come up when the opportunity, um I had always wanted to be the head of human resources, chief people officer, CHRO.
06:08.62
Rachel Platt
And I took that opportunity in 2017 I realized that and i realized it was not for me.
06:16.09
Lorie Jones
Great.
06:16.18
Rachel Platt
Um, maybe it was the wrong organization. Maybe it was the wrong people. Maybe it was the wrong time, but I’ll never know what it actually was because I left that opportunity. And I just said, I’m so far away from doing the work that I actually love where I know I can make an impact.
06:35.22
Rachel Platt
I’m going to start my own thing. And so in 2018, I started platinum consulting. We focus on people strategy for small and mid-size organizations across the country.
06:51.79
Rachel Platt
And um having a ton of fun. um We do incredible work with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, primarily in the professional services space.
07:07.29
Rachel Platt
space um But I really feel like I’m having an impact. And that makes all the difference.
07:13.84
Lorie Jones
and
07:17.05
Rachel Platt
and like Getting up in the morning and feeling like you’re doing good work is ah such a gift.
07:20.80
Lorie Jones
yeah
07:23.91
Lorie Jones
So in what way, like, what did you find that you really love doing that you get to do now and you weren’t able to do in the, in the chief people officer position?
07:35.95
Rachel Platt
Um, you know, sometimes the more senior you get in an organization, the more political it is, the more time you spend in meetings, and the less time you actually spend executing, having an impact on the business that you can see and feel.
08:01.04
Rachel Platt
And to me, that has always been very important. Like, I love and I do a ton of strategy work that is the work that we do, but seeing it executed and hearing directly how it is being received by the employees or the managers, how it’s impacting the bottom line, how it being
08:32.52
Rachel Platt
improving engagement scores or how it is improving retention or whatever the particular project is really fuels me.
08:46.01
Rachel Platt
Um, and, For me, in my situation in corporate, I just felt like I wasn’t having the direct impact anymore. It was it was very high level.
09:02.10
Rachel Platt
And to me, i mean, some people love that and they thrive in these huge organizations with you know many direct reports who have many direct reports.
09:14.02
Rachel Platt
And I just… I always thought that that’s what I wanted. um But once I actually got there, it was just, ah I did not feel that I was contributing as much as I could.
09:30.57
Rachel Platt
And I always want to feel, and I think most people want to feel like they’re doing good work that is making, whether you’re for profit, not for profit, that,
09:38.21
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
09:44.20
Rachel Platt
they’re making a difference in someone’s life.
09:46.96
Lorie Jones
yeah
09:46.94
Rachel Platt
um And I just wasn’t feeling that. and But with Platinum and working directly with leaders, um ah HR leaders, or directly with the C-suite, we really can customize for what an organization is challenged with.
10:07.14
Rachel Platt
and And that’s a great feeling every day.
10:10.29
Lorie Jones
I love that. I love that you really did think that this was where you were headed. It’s what you set your sights on. It’s what you’d planned on. It’s what you grew for. um but when you got there and found out that it wasn’t quite what you thought it would be or how you thought it would be, you were able to pivot. That’s a hard thing to do when you finally reach your goal and you realize that this might not have been the best goal for me.
10:40.28
Rachel Platt
And you’re absolutely right. I mean, and again, I’ll never know whether it was the timing, the specific organization, the specific people that it was working with, maybe in a different organization, it would have been a very, very different circumstance.
10:55.83
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
10:56.20
Rachel Platt
um I’ll never know. And I didn’t necessarily, I mean, just to be truthful, I didn’t necessarily say oh, I’m going to start my own thing.
11:07.73
Rachel Platt
I said, have to get out of here. um And i come from a long line of entrepreneurs. My mother had her own business for a while. My father has always had his own business. My grandfather, my uncles, probably my great grandfather, if I really think about it, they always, um you know, were very entrepreneurial.
11:35.56
Rachel Platt
And when I left, I kind of put the word out to several of my former colleagues, former bosses,
11:47.64
Rachel Platt
that hey I’m looking to do some projects can I help anyone out right now while I figure out what’s next and all of a sudden this one came back and this one came back and here’s this project and I was like this is exactly what I should be doing and so it was just kind of like people helped me to get there um So I wouldn’t say, i yes, I pivoted, but it was pivoting while I was trying to figure out what was next.
12:20.64
Lorie Jones
Thank
12:22.26
Rachel Platt
And then I never actually interviewed for another job because one thing led to annette to another. and now it’s, you know, seven years later and it’s a thriving business and such a small percentage of people startups, you know, actually last five years, such a small percentage of women owned businesses, um, last and are profitable and move beyond what they call like the hobby stage.
12:53.32
Rachel Platt
Um, and so I’m incredibly proud of that. Um, and it takes a lot of different skills than what I ever learned in corporate. Um, and so,
13:05.55
Rachel Platt
Every opportunity that I’ve had to learn something, and I would definitely recommend this for any of your listeners, like take what you can from every single situation because it does come back. You you need those of a variety of different skills.
13:24.84
Rachel Platt
And you also need to know when it’s not for you and, hey, I should hire someone to help me do this because I don’t know what I’m doing.
13:32.22
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that’s marketing for me.
13:34.09
Rachel Platt
Yeah.
13:35.86
Lorie Jones
So what is the best investment that you’ve made in yourself? Is there something that you can point to and you’re like, oh my gosh, I’m so glad I did that. I just wouldn’t be where I’m at today without it.
13:51.02
Rachel Platt
you know, I would say financial investment is probably, I mean, certainly education.
14:02.01
Rachel Platt
And while I don’t believe certifications have ever gotten me a job, um,
14:13.50
Rachel Platt
it, they gave me confidence, um, and the confidence to know i can learn anything. Um, I can do, i can do things.
14:26.63
Rachel Platt
Um, I just have to really dedicate time to them. And so, you know, those investments, whether it’s in certain webinars, certain taking the time to invest in myself, um,
14:44.17
Rachel Platt
Even if for me, those things just tend to give me more confidence that I have recognition or awareness of what’s happening.
14:56.83
Rachel Platt
um So I know where to look if I need further information. um i know that. you know a name or a trend or something you know a buzzword like it clicks for me just that i’m aware of it and i think those investments in yourself even if your organization doesn’t have the budget the time um reading just staying on top of those things and doing it for yourself is such an important investment
15:34.36
Rachel Platt
and
15:34.70
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
15:34.92
Rachel Platt
I think it’s been very, very beneficial for myself.
15:38.46
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I love that you mentioned, Rachel, that it just kind of gives you the confidence. You know, a lot of times um when I’m introducing myself to people, i’ll I’ll tell them some of the designations that I have. And and And they’re like, well, that’s a lot.
15:52.28
Lorie Jones
and And I don’t really need all of those designations. Like I barely use some of them day to day, but they do give you that sense of like, hey, I know what I’m talking about. You you feel comfortable sitting in those rooms um with, you know, with other investment bankers or or hedge fund managers or really, really smart, bright people because you understand and are educated about what they’re saying. So I, you know, a lot of women deal with um things like imposter syndrome and am I good enough or am i you know, and and sometimes that education does help out with that. It it doesn’t like you are good enough.
16:38.93
Lorie Jones
You can do it, but sometimes the education or the designations help you feel like you really are.
16:45.66
Rachel Platt
Yeah, I think they actually help me feel more confident than they actually have necessarily taught me anything or that anyone else um looks at the designation and says, oh, well, she’s got that. She might as well. She obviously knows something.
17:02.21
Rachel Platt
It’s more it’s more for me um because I do think imposter syndrome is.
17:11.30
Rachel Platt
study show, i mean, I could show you the workplace, um, data that shows that women tend to have more imposter syndrome.
17:24.73
Rachel Platt
They also tend not to, i mean, have you ever heard the situation where if there are two equally qualified, um, individuals looking at a job description,
17:41.83
Rachel Platt
if the woman does not have probably close to, I believe the percentage is 90% of the requirements, the woman won’t even apply.
17:55.90
Rachel Platt
The man more typically at 60% will throw their name, throw their name in the ring.
18:05.13
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
18:05.20
Rachel Platt
um And, you know, so we all have a little bit of it. I find that as I was like get older, it goes away a little bit. But I have it. It’s just a funny thing, Laurie. You know, I’ve been listening to ah when we started planning this, I’ve been listening to all of your podcasts um and all of your guests.
18:26.22
Rachel Platt
And i was like, um my goodness, she asked me to be on. I was like, why did she ask me to be on? These women are terrific and they’re brilliant and they speak so eloquently.
18:38.16
Rachel Platt
And i you know, I was joking with my husband about that and he was like,
18:45.72
Rachel Platt
you’re good enough. Um, but it’s, it still hits us.
18:50.40
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
18:50.60
Rachel Platt
Um, and so just for me having a little bit of education under, under my belt, um, ongoing education, it doesn’t need to be anything formal really, um,
19:05.23
Rachel Platt
is an investment that I encourage everyone to make in themselves.
19:08.58
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah. It’s amazing the amount of confidence that helps bring us. and And you’ll be shocked to know, Rachel, that just about every woman I ask to do my podcast is like, oh, so you don’t want me.
19:22.84
Lorie Jones
don’t do anything cool. I don’t, I’m not all that great. And I’m like, you get in and they do, they have all this knowledge and um they do such cool things. So you’re in you’re in good company. You do cool things too.
19:37.61
Lorie Jones
So tell me a little bit about the worst advice someone gave you. Can you ever remember like somebody giving you some really bad advice and did you take it or did you not take it what happened?
19:49.41
Rachel Platt
The worst advice is keep your head down. Don’t make waves. um ah You know, I think a lot of professionals, particularly women, but a lot of professionals are told just do good work and you’ll get recognized.
20:14.85
Rachel Platt
And A, I never found that to be true. um But B, as people strategist, as a human resources leader, I will tell you that you need to advocate for yourself.
20:25.09
Lorie Jones
you
20:35.54
Rachel Platt
And so keeping your head down is not good advice. um I received it. I did it. I wanted to, you know, I’m a people pleaser. I want to be liked all of those things.
20:53.42
Rachel Platt
And so I was just going along to get along and doing good work. um And that is terrible advice. If you don’t advocate for yourself, if you’re not keeping a list of your accomplishments, big and small, you it Your supervisors, even the best supervisors, and I have had some incredible ones, I’ve been so, so lucky, they don’t remember.
21:21.83
Rachel Platt
They need to be reminded. And so keeping a list for yourself, um A, talking about boosting your confidence and getting rid of imposter syndrome.
21:35.46
Rachel Platt
That’s ah it’ a great strategy for that. But also um really advocating for yourself and not just kind of letting the waves go over you.
21:46.01
Rachel Platt
and But like speaking up, making your voice be heard, even, you know, as the expression goes, even if that voice is a little shaky at first,
21:49.65
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
21:56.81
Rachel Platt
um you need to you need to speak up. You need to offer your ideas. You need to be heard and you need to advocate for yourself.
22:06.76
Lorie Jones
So, Rachel, are there some ideas that you have for doing for advocating for yourself for showing that you’re like I I I tell my team to keep a list of their accomplishments, but I don’t know how you get that list to your supervisor without sounding braggy or maybe it’s OK if you sound braggy. Like, how do you do that?
22:28.72
Rachel Platt
So as a supervisor, one of the things that i try to do is in one of the monthly meetings, I tell everyone, you need to come with something that you’re proud of, something that you’ve accomplished.
22:51.63
Rachel Platt
And so everyone, big or small, so everyone is bragging a little bit and we all can hear it and we can celebrate, you know, with someone.
23:05.60
Rachel Platt
And I’ll be honest, not everyone is comfortable with that, but we help them get comfortable because we also um give shout outs to each other.
23:19.35
Rachel Platt
Hey, no one else may have noticed that Lori actually did so and so. How amazing is that? And it doesn’t have to be something huge.
23:30.32
Rachel Platt
It just could be Lori solved the problem that none of us ever had time for before or knew how to solve. So those are great ways. um The other thing I also tell people, which I’ve never understood, people say, you know, you should come prepared to your annual or your quarterly check-in with your supervisor, however your oreg organization does it.
23:57.13
Rachel Platt
um to to talk about these things. No, no, no. You need to send it in advance. You need to ah say, hey, supervisor, I’m looking forward to our check-in.
24:15.44
Rachel Platt
I’m really proud of these accomplishments and my expectations are XYZ. We’re going to be talking about what it takes for me to get promoted, what it’s going to take for me to get an above average increase.
24:34.65
Rachel Platt
Give your supervisor the opportunity to prepare to have a meaningful conversation and even if that meaningful conversation is to tell you that you are off your rocker and, but like get that knowledge and don’t expect somebody to be able to do it on the spot.
24:59.41
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
25:01.35
Rachel Platt
That is just a really great way to advocate for yourself put out there what your accomplishments are and what your aspirations are so you can have a really productive conversation.
25:19.27
Lorie Jones
I love that. I love those two suggestions. They’re great. And I think that um ah I was talking to Gargi Chaudry for one of my podcasts a while ago, and she said, no one cares about your career as much as you do.
25:34.81
Lorie Jones
And, and that’s, yeah, yeah.
25:35.18
Rachel Platt
No one should. yeah
25:37.87
Lorie Jones
And, and so that, that’s what you’re saying is like, Hey, it like your supervisor, as much as they care about you, even great ones are like, Hey,
25:42.80
Rachel Platt
wow
25:49.04
Lorie Jones
I need you to put the effort into this.
25:51.34
Rachel Platt
Own it. Yeah, own it. Own your career. um it’s know that You are the one in the driver’s seat. Your organization, your supervisors, whatever the professional development is that is available to you, those are all of like giving you some fuel for your car as you’re driving along, if we work this analogy a little bit. um But you’re the driver.
26:20.51
Rachel Platt
of your career you can’t expect anybody else to do it for you. um And so take all of those inputs, but but drive and own your career.
26:35.70
Lorie Jones
I love that. So Rachel, if you’re looking back, is there a situation that you can think of along your journey where you’re like, oh my gosh, I wish I could go back and do that again.
26:47.04
Lorie Jones
I know so much more now. i would do it so much differently. um And I know that, you know, there I’m not going to say regrets exactly, but just like I’ve learned from that situation and I would do it differently this time around.
27:03.42
Rachel Platt
well So, you know, sometimes the Shoemaker’s Kids does have no shoes. um
27:16.00
Rachel Platt
I was early in my career, I had to do a reorg in my own department.
27:27.57
Rachel Platt
And I was a very, very, very young supervisor. And I had people on my team who were old enough to be my parents that I was leading.
27:41.14
Rachel Platt
And I just didn’t handle it in, I handled it in a very procedural and appropriate and legal way, but not,
27:57.74
Rachel Platt
in a human respect and dignity and not built on the relationships that we had actually built with each other.
28:11.04
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
28:12.35
Rachel Platt
i just, I did what was necessary. I didn’t do more than what was necessary. And
28:22.68
Rachel Platt
That has always bothered me. Now, unfortunate unfortunately, fortunately and unfortunately, um i have, you know, the nature of the work that I do, I have been involved in so many reorganizations and layoffs over time.
28:41.89
Rachel Platt
um Luckily, not as many within my own team. um But I learned from that very first experience and I never, um ever, ever do it that way anymore. I mean, what we are seeing right now, not to get political, this is not political.
29:03.21
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
29:03.32
Rachel Platt
um Whether you agree or disagree with what the outcomes are supposed to be by what is happening in the federal government right now.
29:17.26
Rachel Platt
We can all agree that this is a masterclass in how not to make change in an organization, how not to impact someone’s life.
29:32.83
Rachel Platt
um And i mean, it’s it is actually astounding. Every you know leadership professional, every ah HR professional that I have spoken to,
29:47.16
Rachel Platt
in the last you know six months is just aghast at what what is actually happening. And that has nothing to do with where you are on the political spectrum.
30:00.10
Rachel Platt
It is just basic human decency.
30:03.88
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
30:04.06
Rachel Platt
um So I have learned a tremendous amount and I’ve never felt bad for doing more and being kinder.
30:17.28
Rachel Platt
and to someone during a time of change. I’ve only felt bad when I’ve only done the minimum.
30:28.53
Rachel Platt
I just being a good human is just really important and love
30:34.70
Lorie Jones
That’s it’s so hard, Rachel, because I’ve, I’ve talked to people in, you know, corporate America and they said that there are so many rules around that kind of change and reorganization. Like, how do you bring that human touch in while still following all the rules?
30:53.47
Rachel Platt
Um, you know, some of it is the language that you use. I mean, you’re get making the same points, but some of it is also some decisions that organizations make on how they are supporting people who are departing, not just like potentially what their severance may be, but what other services, outplacement services, support,
31:03.19
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
31:22.57
Rachel Platt
leaning into your own network to help someone. ah All of those things are things that we can do just to be kind um and helpful to someone else.
31:33.25
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
31:36.84
Rachel Platt
I mean, there are also other things like if if you’re in person, like how someone’s last day is handled, how they are escorted or not escorted out of the office, um you know, what is communicated to staff that has not been impacted, all of that, how you do these things, not only has reverberates for the people
32:08.18
Rachel Platt
who are potentially being let go, but also for the folks who are staying with you, they see what you’re doing.
32:15.17
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
32:17.34
Rachel Platt
And look, there is always a hit on morale when you make big changes, but that how long that morale hits, how you recover from it, how people who are remaining with the organization,
32:35.27
Rachel Platt
talk about it, get re-engaged, the trust that they have or have lost, um it really matters in how you’re you’re communicating it.
32:47.83
Rachel Platt
And so having a strong people strategy that not only includes the legal aspect of it, but really includes people strategy is is critical for organizations that are really, you know, desiring. they they These are business decisions and sometimes they’re really hard and heartbreaking business decisions, but how you go about it matters so much.
33:23.42
Rachel Platt
um And there are things you can do. So having someone um really focused on the people strategy side of it beyond the legal side um is critical.
33:36.48
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I think that’s so interesting because um after ah the downturn or the, you know they the reorganization is finished, you do still have people in that in that organization that are kind of looking at what has happened and deciding, hey, this is, they, you know, they did a good job. They were as human and as kind as they could be.
34:02.67
Lorie Jones
um You know, i or they’re looking back and saying, oh my gosh, I’m out of here as soon as I can possibly find another job. you know, based on your interactions with those people that that are actually let go or laid off or or given severance or some of that.
34:10.92
Rachel Platt
Absolutely.
34:20.58
Rachel Platt
Yes, you’re absolutely right. Yes.
34:24.49
Lorie Jones
What scared you the most at the beginning of your journey? is it Did anything and does it still scare you today or did you learn how to how to handle it?
34:36.19
Rachel Platt
You know, to be honest, going out on my own was scary not because of doing the work um the work i was confident in but like didn’t know how to run a business i didn’t know how to do sales necessarily i didn’t know anything about marketing like i worked for organizations that did that um and so Yeah, I was terrified, to be honest.
35:07.28
Lorie Jones
Thank
35:07.28
Rachel Platt
um I did a lot of reading, um a lot of trial and error, a lot of flailing. um And I’ve made some choices experts that I was hiring and how I was going to invest in the business. And I have finally realized…
35:27.87
Rachel Platt
um Someone said to me, and I think that this is brilliant and I have no idea who to attribute it to but this concept of, there are two kinds of leaders, leaders of of organizations, i’m entrepreneurs.
35:46.97
Rachel Platt
Um, there are those who use their time in order to save money And there are those who spend some money in order to save their time.
36:06.60
Rachel Platt
And I’ve made a bit of a shift between, I used to try to do everything myself because, oh I can’t invest in that.
36:17.85
Rachel Platt
But you know what? There is a reason why there are finance experts and accounting experts and marketing experts. Um, and they should be those experts and people hire me to be people strategy expert because that’s when I do really well.
36:39.74
Rachel Platt
And so I think that that, you know, has just been a a lesson for myself um and also something that terrified me at first and doesn’t terrify me anymore, even though I still get the butterflies, to be honest.
36:57.79
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
37:00.47
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s so interesting because I do, you know, walk clients sometimes through opening a business or starting an entrepreneurial um sort of in, you know, what kind of business organization do you want? And let’s think about your cashflow and like all those sorts of things. And, and because I’ve done it so many times, like i I kind of know a template.
37:24.26
Lorie Jones
it It’s easier.
37:25.36
Rachel Platt
Yes.
37:26.41
Lorie Jones
Whereas you’re like coming at this and it’s like this big, huge, monstrous thing, right? So if you find those people, i find them in marketing. Like I can’t do marketing to save my life. i I could actually do it, but I wouldn’t do very well at it. And so I find those people that are expert that that’s the thing they do and that’s the thing they love to do.
37:48.66
Rachel Platt
Yes.
37:48.81
Lorie Jones
And it makes a huge difference. They do it way faster than me too.
37:52.64
Rachel Platt
Yeah. And even in like the days of ai like, it’s just, there are people who know things. So find those people.
38:04.75
Rachel Platt
And because AI is not going to replace the brilliance or the creativity of the the human aspects.
38:15.99
Rachel Platt
um Like you can do a lot of research But I don’t know if you’ve had this in your business. There’s so many people out there to listen to. So if you’re trying to do it on your own, it’s like it is overwhelming because you listen to this person and then this person says something a little different and this person says something a little different and it becomes like, oh my goodness.
38:38.74
Rachel Platt
I just, it’s, there’s just too much out there. So work with a person who is an expert um and make your life a whole lot.
38:42.76
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
38:50.36
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Did you face any unique challenges along your path, Rachel, because you were a woman?
39:02.09
Rachel Platt
I mean, enough of course, trying to be a working mom is a delicate dance.
39:14.76
Rachel Platt
You know, it’s funny. and i had two times in my career… where the executive team that I was working with was all men.
39:27.91
Rachel Platt
And i mean, I love working with men. I’ve had some terrific male bosses. I’ve had some mentors. I mean, I’m not someone, I’m a boy mom, you know, I’m i’m not someone who, anyway.
39:39.79
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
39:45.03
Rachel Platt
um But I have to say that being
39:50.02
Rachel Platt
young professional woman and I’m not very tall, um there have been some real strange like getting patted on the head.
40:04.13
Rachel Platt
um Like, I’m sorry, what? um But like the first time it happened when I was in my 20s by like a 6’5 man, i like kind of laughed it off.
40:17.52
Rachel Platt
Um, and when I told my boss about it, the response was, well, you’ll never wear flats again. And that was true for many, many, many years. I at least tried to give myself a couple of extra inches.
40:34.62
Rachel Platt
Now I wear sneakers all the time because whatever. um But the next time it happened to me, um i was not quiet about it.
40:47.79
Rachel Platt
And… I’m just not sure that I, and it was meant with affection. I truly believe that. um But I don’t think that ever would have happened to a shorter man.
41:07.70
Rachel Platt
um I just don’t. And there’s lots of real scenarios, you know, that I can think of. But like that scenario is like, it’s so silly, but yet it’s so real.
41:20.88
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
41:20.84
Rachel Platt
Um, like, I’m sorry, you were not doing that to…
41:25.39
Lorie Jones
ah What did you do the second time? Like, what did you say?
41:30.98
Rachel Platt
I don’t remember exactly, but it was something along the lines of like, you’re kidding, right?
41:38.57
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
41:39.87
Rachel Platt
um I mean, and it was somebody who I had a great relationship, like I said, I believe it was done with affection.
41:42.78
Lorie Jones
right
41:49.32
Lorie Jones
you
41:50.16
Rachel Platt
But, you know, it still is like when people call you like hun in the office, ah an older, you know, more typically it is an older man who genuinely does not mean anything by it.
42:06.86
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
42:07.03
Rachel Platt
I still say to them, I’m sorry, that’s not appropriate. um Like, ah I appreciate the affection. I appreciate the relationship we have, but like,
42:18.99
Rachel Platt
I have gotten to a place in my life and the young women, younger women in my life who like, they don’t tolerate it one bit. I tolerate a whole lot more than they do.
42:32.37
Rachel Platt
Um, you know, all of those circumstances, but like I tell somebody with a smile, uh, uh, no, we’re not playing that.
42:34.37
Lorie Jones
ah
42:41.82
Rachel Platt
That is not appropriate. Um, And I try to do it with, in a very like endearing way. Um, but it’s not, but I’m not allowing it.
42:55.76
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I like that. Yeah, and and those those younger women, a lot of times they do stick up for themselves pretty well. So… ah
43:04.30
Rachel Platt
Yeah. More power to them.
43:06.82
Lorie Jones
I know.
43:06.92
Rachel Platt
So proud of them.
43:08.16
Lorie Jones
i love it. I take notes. I’m always like, and they talk about like mentorship and and those of us that are on the latter half of our career can kind of, you know, help and and tell these younger women a lot of times things that we’ve been through and things that we’ve seen, but it works the other way as well.
43:28.54
Lorie Jones
Like I’ve learned so much from those, for those young ladies who are just starting out in this
43:28.80
Rachel Platt
Oh, yes.
43:34.58
Lorie Jones
in this career path and I’m like, oh my gosh, I wish I would have done it that way.
43:38.92
Rachel Platt
Yes. I love these women who, not all of them, but these women who stand up for themselves, speak their mind. They are not taking any crap.
43:50.33
Rachel Platt
um And I have more power to them. You know, I, yeah.
44:00.39
Lorie Jones
What Rachel is the thing that you are most proud of?
44:05.87
Rachel Platt
I mean, I’m super proud of this business. Um, I’m super proud of my boys. Um, I would say that ah as much as we’re talking about fearless females, um, I want them to grow up in a much more, um,
44:34.28
Rachel Platt
equal where they realize that they have roles and responsibilities. mean, I am super lucky.
44:39.93
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
44:41.21
Rachel Platt
My husband is incredible. Um, he does like 90% of the cooking in our house. Um, and my kids have grown up with that. So I’m, I’m really proud of them.
44:56.10
Rachel Platt
I see them with their female friends, with their girlfriends and, um, think I have hope um between them and their friends.
45:09.53
Rachel Platt
um You know, I have hope that future generations will, we’ve taken what women before us have done and we stand on their shoulders and they will stand on our shoulders.
45:26.87
Rachel Platt
But I also believe that, you know, having good men, um makes a difference also. So both the business and the kids always.
45:39.60
Lorie Jones
I love that. i I too have three boys and and I watch them and how they how how they treat their relationships and how they treat their wives and their and the people in their lives. And i I see where that great hope comes from because it really is truly a partnership. You know, i think that um as as it goes through the generations, like I have so much hope for this next generation of women that are coming into this professional space, both on you know, them and, and their skills and the way they show up in this professional space, but also on those that are supporting them and the, and the, and the men in their lives that are helping them, um to, you know, the dads and the brothers and the husbands and the father, you know, just, yeah.
46:21.39
Rachel Platt
Yes.
46:33.09
Rachel Platt
Coworkers and you know all of those things, you know, i mean, look, I think about it all the time.
46:35.52
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
46:40.13
Rachel Platt
I’m not sure that my dad knows how the washing machine works. And I’m not. I’m fairly certain he could feed himself, you know, but it probably would not involve the stove.
47:02.90
Rachel Platt
Yet, he has always been my biggest supporter. You can do it. You can do everything. You can do anything. Um, and i just think that while not everyone has had that more and more we’re seeing, um, you know, people like the phrase girl dad did not exist when I was a kid, but now my, my cousins, my friends who, you know, have daughters, they are,
47:41.86
Rachel Platt
leaning in to make powerful, to grow and develop and raise powerful women. And it’s amazing. um And like my dad in his own way did that.
47:57.19
Rachel Platt
Absolutely. So yeah, I have hope.
48:02.64
Lorie Jones
Any advice for a young lady who’s just starting down her path so that she could be as successful as you are one day?
48:12.48
Rachel Platt
Can I repeat an answer and just say advocate for yourself? Stand stand up for yourself. Don’t let, don’t be such a people pleaser um that you’re just saying yes.
48:22.09
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
48:28.50
Rachel Platt
Create your boundaries and know what it is that you need and want and speak up for yourself.
48:39.49
Rachel Platt
And take the advice I give gave earlier, which is don’t wait till the last minute to speak up for yourself. Give people time so that they can prepare, so that they can know what your expectations are, what your aspirations are, so that you you get solid answers, so that you’re not like sitting in limbo, but that you, hopefully somebody gives you
48:55.96
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
49:03.37
Rachel Platt
honest and actionable feedback. um Whether it’s feedback that is goes the direction that you want it to or not, having choice is the most important thing.
49:15.69
Rachel Platt
So always put yourself in the position where if you’re not getting what you want from this work environment, for from this relationship, from whatever the scenario is, you have a choice.
49:31.64
Rachel Platt
to do something different. It’s scary, but you can make that choice. You are never stuck.
49:39.57
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Oh, I love that. We should frame that and put it somewhere. You are not stuck. love that.
49:45.17
Rachel Platt
Yes, it is not a sticky floor.
49:45.41
Lorie Jones
ah
49:48.63
Rachel Platt
It is sometimes, but back to the book, um you you can unstick yourself, unstuck yourself, unstick yourself. You can you can Make a choice and vote with your feet and do something different.
50:02.25
Rachel Platt
But you just need to put yourself in a situation where you have choice, where you can make choices.
50:02.41
Lorie Jones
i love that
50:09.93
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Well, Rachel, it’s just been delightful having this conversation with you. Thank you so much for all your experience, for just sharing that path in your journey with me. If I have a young lady who wants to reach out and ask you questions, how does she get ahold of you?
50:25.14
Rachel Platt
Absolutely. um I am pretty active on LinkedIn, Rachel Platt, um or someone can reach out to me through my website, which is platinumconsulting.com.
50:38.90
Rachel Platt
Just a reminder, my last name Platt is spelled with two T’s and therefore platinum is spelled with two T’s.
50:47.71
Lorie Jones
ah
50:48.03
Rachel Platt
um So that’s how you find me. And I would love to hear from anyone, any young women, um or from any older, um not as young women who are making their way. I’m happy to be a resource.
51:09.82
Lorie Jones
Thank you so much.
51:09.98
Rachel Platt
Happy to
51:10.54
Lorie Jones
Thank you for your time today, Rachel. I’ve really enjoyed it.
51:13.93
Rachel Platt
Thank you so much, Lori. You’ve got a great podcast and I learned so much from it and I’m truly honored to be considered worthy to be on it.
51:24.90
Rachel Platt
So thank you.
51:25.73
Lorie Jones
A fearless female. There’s lots of us out there, right?
51:27.85
Rachel Platt
me Yes. Thank you.