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Meet Rachel Downey of Rachel Downey Business Guide in Littleton

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Downey.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Some people find their entrepreneurial spirit later in life. Others are born with it– like me.

Growing up in a small town outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I was the kid running the lemonade stands, garage sales and magic shows. I loved it. At 25, I ditched the corporate world and launched my first “real” venture: Guide Studio.

As a design consulting agency, Guide specializes in wayfinding, branding and communications for places with people-traffic (think cities, campuses, hospitals, parks and sports venues). We create sign programs to help people navigate through these complex environments, along with brand strategies that establish who they are and what they offer. We’re currently working on a new brand for Longmont, Colorado!

After 20 years with Guide, I yearned for my next adventure. The mountains were calling my name – so I answered. Luckily, my husband and teenage son were on board, too. Phew. We packed up and moved to downtown Littleton – a town that mixes that Midwest charm with those majestic mountain views.

You might be asking: How could I leave my business behind while still owning it? A big reason was the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS). Based on Gino Wickman’s book, Traction, this methodology coaches you to create a cohesive, functional ecosystem so that owners and teams get what THEY want out of their business.

What did I want? To exit the company while empowering my team to carry forward.

I’ve taken my personal life to new heights but my entrepreneurial journey isn’t over. I believe in EOS so much that I’m now an EOS Implementor under my new gig, Rachel Downey Business Guide. I help other small businesses get what they want out of their company so they, too, can live their fullest lives.

Has it been a smooth road?
Please find me an entrepreneur who says it’s a smooth road! After 20 years, I’ve experienced all of the bumps, twists and turns. Even a crash or two. We survived startup hardships, recession desperation, the tragic loss of an employee to cancer and several adjustments to our market position.

I struggled the most when I felt lost or alone. Oddly, those feelings crept in when things were going well, but I didn’t know where we were going next or how I was going to get us there. (Maybe this is why I love wayfinding!)

Fortunately, two things saved me:

1. Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). I joined the local chapter of this global network and realized that there were thousands of other entrepreneurs who understood my journey and could offer solidarity and support.

EO did so much for me that I’m now a global trainer for the organization’s Accelerator Program. I also volunteer for the EO Colorado board.

2. EOS (not related to EO). This transformational business system helped us define the vision and establish clear goals. It also led us to create a formal leadership team made of three other women who are 100 percent by my side. They’re running the business and making decisions.

I wasn’t alone anymore. The ride is so much more enjoyable with great company.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m the Business Guide for Wayward Entrepreneurs. To me, wayward entrepreneurs are the rule breakers. The risk takers. The change makers.

They do things their own way but sometimes get lost. All they need is a little guidance. I know that because I’ve walked in their shoes.

I help these leaders and their teams implement EOS so they can enjoy healthy, high-functioning business operations and less chaos. Yes, less chaos – imagine that. With a sharper focus and defined roles and processes, the business can reach its objectives. And the business owner gets the freedom to do what he/she wants.

The business should serve them, not the other way around.

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
I look forward to watching my Guide Studio team continue to crush it and reach new milestones. Even if it’s without me. I feel so much gratitude for my leadership team and what they’ve accomplished. Cheers to them!

As for me, I’ve found an awesome place to call home.  And I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and loving: Helping entrepreneurs get what THEY want out of their business and their life.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I recently heard a statistic that there are 11,000 new companies formed every hour in the world. Entrepreneurs are running the global economy.

Denver has a fantastic community of entrepreneurs, doing really cool things that are making a difference culturally, economically, and sustainably. And often with a big sense of adventure which makes me happy!

Being relatively new to the area, I have found the business people here welcoming and generous with introductions to others. I’ve also had the advantage of being an EO Colorado member on arrival so an intimate network of 100+ friends was already within reach. There’s a lot of interesting businesses here and I continuously hear stories about business owners helping one another with connections and guidance.

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Image Credit:
Mary C. Gardella

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