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Published on:

16th Jun 2025

Unlocking Sponsorship Success: Tips and Tales from Rachel Horgan

In this episode, we welcome Rachel Horgan, a multi-talented Seattle expert and event organizer, to discuss her insights on securing sponsorships for events as well as her experiences with her podcast. Rachel shares valuable strategies for obtaining event sponsors, stressing the importance of being intentional and authentic in your approach. She also discusses different types of successful sponsorships and how to measure their impact, even when ROI can be hard to quantify. Later, Rachel delves into her podcasting journey, offering tips on how to attract sponsors and the challenges of maintaining a podcast. She aligns her sponsorship strategies with her podcast's brand values and audience, advocating for creativity and authenticity. Finally, Rachel discusses her recent ventures, including her work with Seafair and her freelance journey, offering career advice and the importance of trusting the process.

00:00 Introduction to Rachel Horgan

00:52 Getting Sponsorships for Events

01:31 Effective Event Sponsorship Strategies

03:16 Measuring Sponsorship Success

04:20 Challenges in Event Planning

05:52 Creative Sponsorship Ideas

06:42 Red Flags in Sponsorships

08:22 Starting and Sustaining a Podcast

13:00 Discussing Sponsorships and Paid Media

13:27 Networking and Event Promotion Strategies

13:58 Challenges and Opportunities in Social Media

15:19 Ideal Sponsors and Live Podcasting

18:27 Exploring New Ventures and Freelance Work

20:14 Final Reflections and Advice



Listen to Rachel’s podcast, The Weekly


Links and Resources:


Thanks for tuning in! Subscribe to The Paid Media Playbook on iTunes and Spotify, and leave us a review!



Transcript
Laura:

welcome Rachel Horgan.

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Now Rachel is like a multi-talented

Seattle expert and event expert.

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And today we're gonna talk

about both of those things.

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We are gonna

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talk about,

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her podcast and we're gonna talk about.

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A little bit about , getting

sponsorships for events.

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Why don't we start with that?

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I, you know, marketing directors

out there who are listening to

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this, I know that they oftentimes

are like, can you find a sponsor?

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You know, we're a media agency, so

it's like, if I know somebody, yeah.

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'cause it really does help me

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because it increases our

budget for paid media.

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Right.

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But what do you you know, how do you

go about doing that for your events?

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Rachel: Yeah.

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Well first of all,

thanks for having me on.

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Like you said, I run a podcast, so I am

so used to interviewing other people,

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so I was just saying it's fun to.

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a little role reversal.

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And you and I met when I spoke at

a marketing event and when I, when

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I heard you speak, I was like, I

feel like she should have a podcast.

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'cause you've got such a podcasty voice.

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So,

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Laura: Thank you.

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Rachel: Thank you for having me on.

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Yeah.

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In terms of sponsoring an event,

I, I worked for the Puget Sound

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Business Journal here in Seattle,

so a local business newspaper.

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And we ran about 30 to 40 events a year.

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So those are gonna be a mix

of awards, events, you know.

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Women of influence, 40 under

40, that kind of thing.

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And then some panel discussions.

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And every single one of those

events, I was the director of events

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and every single one of those,

you know, we had sponsors, we had

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banks, food, healthcare companies,

you know, big and large companies.

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So I got to see a

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Lisa: Able.

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Rachel: what works well and what doesn't.

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So I'm happy to share a few things

that I've picked up from it.

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But one would be, be really intentional

if you get a speaking opportunity.

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Let's say you sponsor an event and

they give you 60 seconds at the

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beginning of the program, or you get

a two minute pitch at the beginning.

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Try to be really intentional

about what that is.

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Maybe hire somebody to

help you with that speech.

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I will give a quick example.

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We had somebody that sponsored

our family business awards.

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She was a wealth management company.

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She spoke really briefly, I

wanna say maybe one to two

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minutes, and she walks

away with three clients.

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So I think it speaks to don't

just get up there and do a

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commercial for your company.

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Like obviously you're selling your

company, but if you just read your mission

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statement, if you just read something, if

you give us some, some boring information,

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it's not gonna have an impact.

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, Laura: Yeah.

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Elaborate on what she did

to get three clients in.

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Rachel: mean, I wish I like recorded it.

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This was a couple years ago, so,

but I think the biggest thing

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was she was really authentic and

spoke directly to the audience.

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I think alongside why this

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worked is also being intentional

about which events you're sponsoring

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and more people doesn't always mean

a more beneficial result for you.

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Right.

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So for her, she sponsored

Family Business Awards.

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We probably had a hundred,

200 people in there and we, we

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do a lot, much larger events.

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But it was the right people.

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It was the

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Laura: Yeah.

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Rachel: in the room and

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Rachel: aligned, so it worked out.

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So I think that would be kinda my second

piece is not only looking at numbers,

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but looking at what's the right fit.

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Laura: Oh, I love it.

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Lisa: What would you say a successful

sponsorship looks like at the end

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of the day is, I mean, getting new

clients obviously is great, but how do

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you sort of quantify that otherwise?

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Rachel: I mean it depends

on what your goal is.

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So sometimes people just

want brand awareness.

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I know I.

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Somebody just sponsored one of my events,

my own personal events for my podcast.

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I did a one year anniversary

party and her goal was really, she

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just started this media company.

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She wanted to get her name out there.

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Sure, it'd be nice to like get

some clients, but she just wanted

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more people to hear about it.

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More people to see her

logo, that kind of thing.

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So it depends on your goal.

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I also think, you know, I think I said

this at the event Laura, that it's really

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hard to measure R-O-R-O-I for events.

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It's incredibly difficult and I think

we just need to be okay with that,

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with that gray area because there's

intangible value that we're never

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gonna be able to write down on paper.

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But felt good.

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They maybe will remember it, you

know, you don't know if that's their,

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like sixth touch with your brand or

your seventh touch or whatever it is.

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But sometimes you just have

to trust that it was worth it.

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Laura: Do you feel like I mean most

of your events that you've done in

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the past are kind of B2B, right?

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Rachel: Mm-hmm.

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Laura: Yeah, so that makes a lot of sense.

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We do a lot of consumer events and

like trade show type things, you

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know, but it's all consumer, like

the Northwest Flower and Garden

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Festival, you know, so stuff like

that and just, I think of it obviously

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differently on that side 'cause it's

like attendance where the vendors happy.

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So this is good to hear it

from your perspective of,

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Rachel: a planning, I was gonna say, like

if you're an exhibitor, 'cause I, I used,

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Laura: mm-hmm.

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Rachel: company where I oversaw the trade

show, the sponsorships and exhibitors.

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And one thing that was frustrating

is as a planner, my job is

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to get people to your booth.

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My job is to create a map

and an incentive and put

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Laura: Yes.

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Rachel: in one area and the

popcorn in another area.

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Like that's my job.

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Create traffic.

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Your job is once they're right in front

of your booth, your job is to bring them

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Laura: Mm-hmm.

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Rachel: And I've seen a lot of people

get mad at the event planner and

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say like, nobody came to my booth.

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And I just wanna push back on that.

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Like once they're in front of it, like

you need to have some sort of game.

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You need to go approach them.

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You need to come up with

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something kind of interactive

or a photo or something.

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'cause just the standard table

in linen isn't gonna cut it

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Laura: Yeah, the, the poll

and drape they call it.

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Right.

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yeah.

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And what about, do you ever have

any, like, how are you supposed to

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help if you're only hiring Booth

Babes and you, you don't actually

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have your employees working there?

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I think I've seen that over the years on

B2B, and it's like, well, the Booth babes,

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but it's like a musician, professional

music, you know, pro it was the Nam.

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The, the National Association of

Musicians or whatever, it's the, the,

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you know, pro audio big event and

just a hundred percent Booth babes.

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Rachel: Yeah, I know, I know it happens.

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I do have one other thought on, on,

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advice if you're sponsoring

events and that's to get creative.

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So as an event planner, you know, I'm,

like I said, I was planning at the time

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30 to 40 events and you're kind of focused

on just getting the event off the ground.

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And so if you have an idea as a sponsor,

like, Hey, I wanna bring in for me, there

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was a long line at some point with this

like stadium that I was doing an event.

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was like, can I bring some entertainment

for people while they're in line?

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And what if I brought a character artist?

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And I was like, great, that sounds great.

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Do it.

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And you know, just not be afraid

to kind of come to them with ideas.

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And another example really

quick is we did our 40 and 40

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awards once and Alaska Airlines.

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There wasn't a lot of time for

people to talk with each other

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there 'cause it was a huge party.

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planned with us a private dinner for

just the forties and their plus ones.

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That's not something we

were planning on doing.

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He approached us with it.

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It made sense for us.

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It made sense for him.

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So I think coming with your own ideas to

an event planner is, is a good suggestion.

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Lisa: Can you think of any red flags

that you've noticed with sponsors

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that kind of tell you right off the

bat they might not know how to manage

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this relationship well or not get

the most out of their sponsorship?

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I.

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Rachel: I can tell some of the ones that

maybe are doing this to check a box.

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That don't really care, which I guess

is kind of fine, but it's the ones that

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are like, you know, I'll email them, be

like, okay, well these are your benefits.

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Do you wanna give away item?

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Do you want your speaking remarks?

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Do you want X, Y, z, your ad?

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And some of 'em are like, no, because I

think to them it's, they just wanna be

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associated with that brand, whatever it

is, or they're busy or whatever it is.

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But I don't know if that's a red flag.

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It's just something I've noticed

that some, some companies

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are like, don't care, just.

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Just put my name up there, you know,

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Lisa: Yeah,

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Rachel: But I don't know.

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I feel like there's more you

could do if I, I think you

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should take advantage of it.

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Laura: Yeah, I I'm in a couple

of organizations and they're,

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well, we should just get

sponsorships and it requires value.

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Rachel: Mm-hmm.

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Laura: So, you know, and if you

get value, make the most of it.

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But I think on both sides, as a

sponsor, push for value, right?

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Push for what value you can get.

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I mean, how many times are

you gonna post me on social?

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How many times are you gonna.

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You know, like negotiate, getting that

good stuff because I feel like I've done

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the same thing where I've seen these we

have a lot of media sponsors and they're

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like, oh, just put a sign up, you know,

by the stage, the radio station sign.

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And

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Rachel: Mm-hmm.

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Laura: it's like, well, you could do more.

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I mean, my client will do

whatever you want 'em to do.

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Rachel: I know, I know.

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Laura: so yeah,

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Rachel: am I allowed to ask a, one of 'em

said if I could ask you guys a question.

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Laura: of course.

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Rachel: so I started a podcast, as

you mentioned, it's a roundup of the

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local business news here in Seattle.

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So every week I go through the top four or

five articles and I have a different CEO

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on each week to give kind of context to

the news, and we get to know their story.

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My goal this year is to kind of be on

the other side of this conversation

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that I'm used to being on, which

is like, I want them to sponsor my

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own podcast and how can I pitch?

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yeah.

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Any advice on how to pitch that?

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Some advice I've already gotten is

to not focus solely on the numbers,

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but to focus on, you know, my

brand and what I stand for and for

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people to be aligned with that.

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But any other advice you guys

can give me on, on how I should

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approach some Of these conversations?

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Laura: with, well, I always think about

like, and I don't know how this works,

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Lisa, from a paid media, we place a

lot of ads to people during podcasts,

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and if you allow ads on your podcast,

is there a way to get paid for that?

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Lisa: There is, it depends on

what, publication platform you use?

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I don't know.

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I'm personally familiar with

captivate and Buzzsprout.

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I don't know which one you use, Rachel.

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Yeah.

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So, and that's more of a, like, that's

part of the auction system, right?

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Someone says, Hey, I have a 30

second slot in the middle of my

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podcast, and you can bid on it, and

then whoever bids on it wins it.

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but then you are, it sounds

like you're talking more about

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sponsorships, where you read the

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Rachel: I'm thinking.

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Yeah.

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Just because

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Rachel: am a local Seattle business, so

it would make sense to approach somebody,

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but yeah, I'm still figuring out.

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I've made up some packages, I've had

some conversations, but you guys, I, you

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know, obviously wanna hear from you too.

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Laura: do you, I'm thinking like if

you had your ideal, like where do you

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feel like you would have your ideal?

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Is it a local business?

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Would that be a conflict?

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Would you want it to be spot, you know, or

is it the business journal sponsoring you?

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Or is it,

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Rachel: I would think a local business,

but then I obviously wouldn't put

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them on if like, if we're talking shit

about one of the companies, I'm not

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gonna be like, also they're a sponsor.

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You know, I'm not gonna, you know, Alaska

Airlines was talking about potentially

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sponsoring, and I was like, yeah, okay.

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I'm not gonna cover a plane crash

when Alaska Airlines is sponsoring.

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So I think I would, I would tailor

that, but yeah, I think I, I would

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picture like a local business

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Lisa: Yeah, I know you mentioned

like focusing more on the value of

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your content and less on the numbers.

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And I agree and sort of like you

mentioned with the, the sponsorship

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event earlier, it's the quality of

the people you're reaching, right?

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Not just the quantity.

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So any information you

have on who's listening.

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think is also can make it really

attractive to a potential sponsor.

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Rachel: yeah.

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Laura: And this is

primarily business news.

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Rachel: Yes.

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Specifically Seattle business News.

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Laura: so it's perfect.

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I mean, Alaska's perfect with all

the business travelers, right?

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Rachel: Yeah, that's true.

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Well, that they sponsored my one year

anniversary party, so That one worked out.

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And then I had my friend

who started a media company.

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So those, I think there

was some synergy there.

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Lisa: Absolutely.

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Do you have a, a dream sponsor?

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Rachel: sponsor.

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Lisa: I mean, you, you

bagged Alaska, who's next?

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Rachel: Gosh, I don't know.

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I don't, I don't know if

I have a dream sponsor.

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I like a lot of the bus.

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I've

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Lisa: Mm-hmm.

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Rachel: different businesses here

in Seattle, obviously through my

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time at the, at the journal, but

then also through this research.

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So I think they're all kind of

like, I like 'em all right now.

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I like a lot of 'em.

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So.

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Lisa: Mm-hmm.

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You mentioned hitting your one

year anniversary with your podcast.

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Congratulations.

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Rachel: Thank you.

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Lisa: I feel like it's a lot

easier to start one and a

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lot harder to keep it going.

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Rachel: is true.

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There's some stat fact check me, but I'm

pretty sure it's eight out of 10 podcasts.

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Don't make it past 10 episodes.

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Lisa: I'm, I believe it.

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Rachel: don't make it past 10 episodes,

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Rachel: to you

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Laura: why?

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Is that because

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Rachel: because it's easy

to start a podcast and it's

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really hard to maintain it.

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I think people run out

of things to talk about.

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They run outta steam.

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You know, mine's every week.

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I don't know how often yours is.

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and it's really hard to see the return,

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Lisa: Mm-hmm.

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Rachel: podcast takes so long , you don't

just like the next day, have twice as

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many listeners, you know, and I think you

have to be in it for a couple years to

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finally start to see some of that growth.

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Lisa: Did we answer, we didn't

really answer your question.

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Did we answer your question?

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Rachel: I think so.

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I mean, yeah,

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Rachel: you got enough outta

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Laura: you.

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As well.

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So is there ways to get it so

that you can have like the bidding

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go on and like what we do, Lisa?

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Lisa: Yeah, it, that is a, such a

different, like, impact on your listeners.

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Rachel: mm-hmm.

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Lisa: so much more personal and

engaging when it's the actually

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the podcaster reading the copy out.

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and I, and I get wanting to keep

your podcast like being able to

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maintain that control over the

voice and, and tone and everything.

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Rachel: Yeah.

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And I think it just like makes

sense with what I'm covering, right?

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Like I'm

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Lisa: Mm-hmm.

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Rachel: businesses Seattle.

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It'd be weird for a commercial

to come on and be like.

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Tempur-Pedic is here to support you.

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You know, like I just feel like it

would be kind of jarring for the

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listeners, but also, you know what?

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Money's nice, so

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Rachel: sell out and I

get the national sponsors.

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I don't know.

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Laura: oh, have we talked

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to anything about paid media or what

you do to promote your, podcast.

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What do you do?

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Rachel: I haven't paid for it

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yet, so I could

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start to do

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that, but I've been doing

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just a lot of networking, a little bit

of trade, trying to get some interviews.

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I am interviewing somebody at the

Northwest Event Show, which is a

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large show for event planners here

in Seattle, and I'll be on the

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main stage, obviously representing

my podcast and doing a shout out.

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I'm doing another panel with Elevate

Seattle, so I'm trying to put my name

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out there and connect with people, but.

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I do think I wanna start looking

20 24 was my creating year.

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I think 2025 is, let's get

this bigger, let's build it up.

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And I think it's probably time to

start investing in something like that,

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Lisa: Absolutely.

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Yeah, and

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Rachel: especially with all of these

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Lisa: Social

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Rachel: media platforms

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Lisa: sort of

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Rachel: prioritizing organic content

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Lisa: and just making it harder and

harder to reach people even when they

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Rachel: one.

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Lisa: what you're doing.

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Rachel: so true.

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It's so true.

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Yeah.

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So I'll, I'll be experimenting on

a few different things I think.

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Lisa: Yeah.

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I

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Rachel: I always feel like

both hero and the bad guy.

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When I come into a, an organic

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Lisa: media

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Rachel: conversation,

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Lisa: because it's like

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Rachel: no one is seeing

all of the hard work.

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Lisa: do.

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I

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Rachel: I can fix that.

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Lisa: Give me money.

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Rachel: Yeah.

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Laura: It's so true.

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Yep.

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And they really do think it's like,

what is it, like 5% now or something?

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Lisa: think it's like

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Rachel: 10,

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Lisa: Of your

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Laura: 10 per

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Lisa: Yeah.

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Laura: are are gonna be served.

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Yeah.

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Rachel: 10% of your followers

see what you're posting?

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:

Does it

392

:

Laura: Yeah.

393

:

Rachel: I believe it.

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:

'cause I'm, how many people I'm

following on Instagram, like a

395

:

thousand or something for more.

396

:

Lisa: Mm-hmm.

397

:

Rachel: I feel like I see

the same seven people and

398

:

Laura: Mm-hmm.

399

:

Rachel: why is it the

person I don't like anymore?

400

:

You know?

401

:

Lisa: Yeah.

402

:

Laura: Exactly.

403

:

I know.

404

:

So it is worth it.

405

:

I've been trying to get MCI to do that.

406

:

Like just get out there and,

you know, LinkedIn, it's like

407

:

a couple hundred dollars,

408

:

Rachel: I

409

:

Laura: know, it's a small.

410

:

Rachel: the the route, 'cause I think

Facebook and Instagram is a little

411

:

crowded on in terms of sponsored content.

412

:

So maybe I'll try LinkedIn.

413

:

Laura: Yeah.

414

:

Yes, for sure.

415

:

And it's easy to target

exactly who you want to like

416

:

decision makers at businesses.

417

:

Rachel: That is

418

:

Laura: So I still try to think

of your ideal sponsor, sir.

419

:

' cause it would be something big or like a

420

:

Rachel: I was thinking like a

bank or a healthcare system, just

421

:

Laura: Yeah.

422

:

Rachel: have money,

423

:

Lisa: Mm-hmm.

424

:

Laura: Yes, they do.

425

:

What about a plumber?

426

:

Rachel: that's true.

427

:

I mean, it really could be anybody

428

:

Laura: So much money.

429

:

Rachel: it's a lot of the general

audience in Seattle, so it could be It

430

:

could be a restaurant, like it could

be anybody that wants to tap into

431

:

Laura: Right?

432

:

I was just saying though, like

plumbers and smaller like owned,

433

:

you can go meet the owner.

434

:

You don't have to go through

a bunch of bureaucracy.

435

:

Rachel: right?

436

:

Laura: That's the kind of thing that I

think would be easier than Virginia Mason.

437

:

Rachel: Yeah.

438

:

Laura: and, and, you'll probably get the

same amount of dang money and then you

439

:

can have them on and like a little, it

just, and there's a lot of, there can

440

:

be, I'm not gonna say this in, you know,

case anybody's listening, but just there

441

:

may be some ego in there that helps that

442

:

Rachel: I was approached.

443

:

This is, I don't know if this is a new

idea, if you guys have heard about this,

444

:

but somebody wanted me to do a live

podcast at one of their conferences for

445

:

their client, and they would pay me, I

would obviously be there interviewing, I'd

446

:

bring in some video, and then it would be

an upcharge for it to be like a regular

447

:

episode on my, because I asked them like,

do you want me to do this interview?

448

:

And you can have the content, you

can post it on your channels, or

449

:

do you want me to on my channels?

450

:

And obviously that's gonna be an increased

cost because it's my brand and my

451

:

audience, You know, maybe it's a regular

episode, maybe it's a special episode.

452

:

But I'm looking into more

of that kind of stuff.

453

:

I don't wanna be, again, I keep, I'm like

worried about selling out where I'm just

454

:

like, highest bidder gets to be my guest.

455

:

But tell me

456

:

Lisa: Well, and you

mentioned too being worried

457

:

Rachel: about like,

well, you have a sponsor

458

:

Lisa: you're not gonna

459

:

Rachel: your news,

460

:

Lisa: that put them in a bad light.

461

:

And so

462

:

Rachel: how much?

463

:

Mm-hmm.

464

:

Lisa: your content?

465

:

And will your listeners still

like react the same way?

466

:

Mm-hmm.

467

:

Rachel: I think it's a,

it's a fine line to walk.

468

:

I think there's a lot of.

469

:

I'd actually be curious if there's any

kind of regulation around this because

470

:

when I was at the newspaper, you obviously

have to declare whether it's sponsored.

471

:

You've seen this on Instagram, you have

to declare whether that's sponsored,

472

:

what are the regulations in podcasting.

473

:

And let's say I say like

this episode's sponsored by,

474

:

Laura: Mm-hmm.

475

:

Rachel: But do I say, and that's why

this guest is on here, he paid X amount.

476

:

No, not obviously, but yeah, like

how much to disclose and how much to

477

:

change

478

:

your

479

:

Laura: If it's sponsored and

you're saying it's sponsored

480

:

and that person's on, then it's,

481

:

you are saying this is sponsored content.

482

:

Rachel: Yeah.

483

:

Laura: It doesn't, you

can do whatever you want.

484

:

If you say it's sponsored content.

485

:

Rachel: Yeah,

486

:

Laura: Seriously.

487

:

Rachel: It's true.

488

:

Laura: yeah, some, it's paying for it

and it's, so it's like, and I know,

489

:

and I'll use an example if you're

feeling like ethically weird, I think

490

:

of like NPR and they cover stories.

491

:

All the time.

492

:

And they're like, you know, talking

and, you know, full disclosure,

493

:

McDonald's is an underwriter for NPR.

494

:

Rachel: Yeah.

495

:

Laura: And, but anyway, here's

a bunch of shit about them.

496

:

And so they cover it anyway,

and I, I think that's cool.

497

:

It keeps it kinda, you know, ethical.

498

:

Rachel: just think it's cool to see

the different ways people are using.

499

:

Advertising and how we're incorporating

podcast podcasting has just become so

500

:

much more popular and how we're partnering

with, with them and bringing them

501

:

into events and what that looks like.

502

:

So I'm excited to explore that.

503

:

Lisa: Absolutely.

504

:

Laura: what's your next big thing?

505

:

Rachel: My next

506

:

Laura: Oh, Seafair and, and 4th of July.

507

:

Rachel: Yeah.

508

:

Laura: Do you?

509

:

That is so cool.

510

:

Rachel: Yeah, so I quit my job last

year and I took a little break and

511

:

then I went full freelance, which.

512

:

Was terrifying.

513

:

Is terrifying.

514

:

And I've had a couple different

clients I've worked for.

515

:

I'm here at the Avalara office right now.

516

:

I'm finishing up with them.

517

:

It's a local tech company and then

I just signed on with Seafair to

518

:

be their entertainment coordinator.

519

:

So I'll be, you know, securing

the entertainment for their

520

:

main stage at 4th of July.

521

:

I don't know if people know that

they put on the Gasworks Park

522

:

celebration and then also Seafair

523

:

Laura: Right.

524

:

Rachel: a couple other things.

525

:

So I just, yeah, I just

started with them and I'm

526

:

Laura: Fun.

527

:

Rachel: to do that.

528

:

Laura: And how do you find, are you kind

of hooked into the music scene here?

529

:

Are you, how does that work?

530

:

Rachel: Yeah.

531

:

Well, so in addition to events, I

always kind of have a side hustle.

532

:

So currently the podcast is a

side hustle, but before that, it

533

:

was very much the music scene.

534

:

I started an acapella

group, but I don't sing.

535

:

I just wanted to start a group.

536

:

And so that group is still going strong.

537

:

They're like 16 members.

538

:

It was for fun.

539

:

Laura: You don't sing.

540

:

Rachel: I don't, I just wanted to create a

541

:

space.

542

:

Laura: I have an acapella

group, but I sing.

543

:

Rachel: That's so cool.

544

:

Well, we should connect,

545

:

Laura: Yeah, we're the silver bells.

546

:

We,

547

:

Rachel: bells.

548

:

Laura: we, sing only on the holiday

and we usually win the great figi

549

:

pudding caroling competition,

550

:

Rachel: figure

551

:

Laura: creative.

552

:

Rachel: Wow.

553

:

Laura: So we,

554

:

Rachel: is

555

:

Laura: yeah,

556

:

Rachel: adjustment.

557

:

I've stepped back,

558

:

this was a couple years ago, so the

directors handle it all now, but.

559

:

Laura: so fun.

560

:

Rachel: And then I worked

with a local musician.

561

:

I kinda helped her run some stuff

in like the business side of it with

562

:

Kate Dinsmore, shout out to her.

563

:

And then I've been booking

musicians for different restaurants.

564

:

Again, all of this kind of on the side.

565

:

So I think throughout that time I've

gotten to know a lot of the Seattle

566

:

bands, and I still, I still have

a lot to learn, but I'm excited to

567

:

use those skills for, with Seafair

568

:

Lisa: Nice.

569

:

Laura: I love Seafair.

570

:

Lisa: thank you so much for joining us.

571

:

This

572

:

Laura: Yes, thanks, Rachel.

573

:

Rachel: thank you.

574

:

Before we let you go,

575

:

Lisa: our final question, if you could go

576

:

Rachel: go back in time,

577

:

Lisa: and give

578

:

Rachel: give yourself

at the beginning of the

579

:

Lisa: one piece of

580

:

Rachel: career.

581

:

Lisa: what would it be?

582

:

Rachel: Oh gosh, I don't know.

583

:

Invest in some better clothes, I guess.

584

:

I'm just kidding.

585

:

I'm just kidding.

586

:

I'm just kidding.

587

:

I feel like I was always just like not

professional enough, but i, I don't know.

588

:

I think I'd say like kind of trust

that it's all gonna work out.

589

:

I think there's jobs that I really

thought I was gonna get and I didn't.

590

:

There's jobs that I thought I really

wanted and that I hated it there, and

591

:

I had to quit after a couple months.

592

:

And there's this fear of

like, am I gonna make it?

593

:

And I think just trust

that it, it does work out.

594

:

I think I had to think about

that a lot when I quit last year.

595

:

And I really wasn't sure if I was gonna

be able to make it freelance work.

596

:

I thought it was gonna be like.

597

:

Valeting cars with no offense to that.

598

:

I just thought I was gonna have to like

really, you know, scrap by it and it,

599

:

the clients have showed up and the jobs

and the opportunities have shown up.

600

:

So I think just trust your

network and trust your skills.

601

:

It's all gonna work out.

602

:

Lisa: That's wonderful.

603

:

I

604

:

Rachel: I don't think you should discount

605

:

Lisa: the

606

:

Rachel: the better clothes.

607

:

Lisa: advice too, though.

608

:

It's.

609

:

Rachel: shout out to Armoir.

610

:

It's a local company here, add the

founder on and she gave me a free trial,

611

:

which is a clothing rental company.

612

:

I didn't realize how much that

affects your confidence and your

613

:

self-worth and like just how

you present yourself in a room.

614

:

She's so, they've styled me for

a couple different events and

615

:

it really has made an impact.

616

:

So that's, it's top of mind for me.

617

:

Lisa: Very cool.

618

:

Well,

619

:

Rachel: Thank you

620

:

again joining us.

621

:

Lisa: and we'll have to talk soon.

622

:

Rachel: Thank you both.

623

:

I appreciate it.

624

:

Laura: Thanks, Rachel.

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About the Podcast

The Paid Media Playbook
Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Digital Marketing Strategies
Welcome to The Paid Media Playbook — where marketing leaders share what’s really working.

‍Each episode, we go beyond paid media to explore the strategies, insights, and behind-the-scenes lessons shaping modern marketing. From brand building to measurement, comms to creative, no topic is off-limits. You’ll hear from a diverse mix of Marketing Directors, Creators, Researchers, Agency Leaders, and Founders — all pushing the edge of what’s possible in their fields. Whether you're leading a marketing team or just love smart marketing conversations, this show is your playbook for what’s next.

About your hosts

Laura Szczes

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Paid Media Agency Owner with over 25 years of Paid Media Strategy Experience. Based in Seattle and talking about Paid Media, Marketing, Clients, and the Pacific Northwest.

Lisa Wekellis

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