We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Spekman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel below.

Rachel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for Made for More Coaching was born out of a deeply personal crossroads.

A few years ago, I was in a role that looked great on paper—big title, big responsibility—but I was exhausted, disconnected, and questioning who I had become. I had done everything “right” by traditional standards, but I couldn’t ignore the quiet voice telling me, this isn’t it.

I vividly remember the moment I knew something had to change. I was sitting in my office, staring at my computer screen, feeling completely numb. The work I was doing didn’t reflect who I was anymore—and I realized I wasn’t alone in that. So many high-performing, purpose-driven professionals—especially parents and professionals at a transition- were coming to me feeling stuck, burned out, or unsure how to pivot without losing everything they’d worked for.

I didn’t just want to help people find a new job—I wanted to help them find the right work. Work that felt aligned with their values. Work that honored their wholeness. Work that still paid them well.

That’s when I knew there was a gap—and I was uniquely positioned to fill it. With my background in business strategy, leadership development, and therapy, I saw an opportunity to create something that didn’t really exist: a space where career strategy and emotional support lived side by side.

What got me most excited was knowing I could help people build careers that feel like home.

This wasn’t just about solving a professional problem—it was about healing the disconnect so many people feel between who they are and what they do.

And it’s worked. Clients are not only landing new roles—they’re reclaiming confidence, clarity, and joy.

That’s how I knew this wasn’t just a good idea. It was a necessary one.

Rachel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Rachel Spekman—career coach, therapist, and the founder of Made for More Coaching, where I help high-performing professionals redesign their careers from the inside out.

My journey has been anything but linear, but every chapter led me here. I began as a classroom teacher, driven by a passion for education and helping people grow. From there, I pivoted into the startup world—coaching founders, building teams, and helping mission-driven companies scale. I also taught at Boston University and led leadership development programs that supported entrepreneurs navigating high growth and constant change.

But it was during an unexpected family planning journey that everything shifted. That season cracked me open—and invited me to slow down, go inward, and ask deeper questions about identity, purpose, and wholeness. It was in that space that I realized I felt called to help others do the same. Not just solve career problems—but do the kind of transformational emotional work that reconnects people to who they really are.

That led me to become a therapist—and ultimately, to create Made for More Coaching, an organization that brings together my three deepest passions: education, entrepreneurship, and mental health.

Today, I support ambitious professionals—especially women navigating inflection points—who are ready to move from burnout, confusion, or soul-sucking work into careers that are aligned, impactful, and sustainable. Through 1:1 coaching, group programs, and speaking engagements, I help people get clear on what they want, tell their story with confidence, and build careers that reflect their values and meet their financial goals.

What sets my work apart is its integration. This isn’t just strategy or therapy—it’s both. I hold space for the emotional complexity of change while also helping my clients take clear, decisive action. They don’t just land new jobs—they reclaim their voice, their confidence, and their sense of direction.

I’m most proud of the transformations I get to witness—clients who go from questioning everything to finally feeling like themselves again. Watching them realize they are not broken—they’re just ready for more—is what fuels me every single day.

If there’s one thing I want you to know, it’s this: You don’t have to choose between purpose and paycheck. You can do work that lights you up, reflects who you are, and still supports the life you want. And if you’re ready to create that kind of career—I’d be honored to help.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of my favorite sales stories didn’t feel like a “sale” at all—and that’s exactly why it worked.

It was during the early days of Made for More Coaching, and I had just left the stability of a salaried leadership role to launch my own business. I didn’t have a big marketing engine, a fancy funnel, or even a full website yet. What I did have was one LinkedIn post and the courage to show up honestly.

I shared a personal reflection about leaving a “big title” job that looked successful on the outside but felt soul-draining on the inside. I talked about the fear of letting go, the grief of identity loss, and the quiet but persistent call toward something more aligned. I wasn’t trying to sell anything—I was trying to tell the truth.

A few days later, I got a message from someone I had never met before. She wrote: “I don’t usually reach out like this, but your post stopped me in my tracks. I’ve been feeling everything you described, and I didn’t know how to name it until I read your words. Can we talk?”

That conversation turned into a client. And that client led to a referral. And that referral turned into another post, another story, and more clients who said the same thing: You’re saying what I’ve been feeling.

What I learned that day—and what continues to shape my sales strategy—is that the most powerful marketing doesn’t push people toward you. It resonates so clearly that it pulls the right people in.

That’s what value-add sales looks like for me: leading with truth, offering insight without pressure, and trusting that when people feel seen, they’re more likely to act. I don’t believe in fear-based tactics or manufactured urgency. I believe in creating clarity, sparking self-trust, and helping people make aligned decisions—even if that decision is not to work with me.

That one post taught me that when your marketing speaks directly to someone’s inner conflict, you don’t have to “convince” them. You just have to meet them where they are—and show them what’s possible from there.

That approach continues to shape everything I do—from content to consults to client experience. Because when people feel understood, that is the sale.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One of the most defining moments in my journey—and a true reflection of my resilience—was when I made the decision to leave a secure, high-level leadership role to start Made for More Coaching.

On paper, I had everything: the title, the influence, the trajectory. But deep down, I knew I was out of alignment. The work no longer reflected who I was becoming. It would have been easier—and safer—to stay. But resilience isn’t just about enduring discomfort. It’s about having the courage to listen to the truth and act on it, even when the path ahead is unclear.

Still, I didn’t take a blind leap. I took what I now teach my clients to take: calculated, methodical risks. I didn’t walk away without a plan. I got clear on my values, mapped out a financial runway, tested my ideas, and built a quiet foundation behind the scenes. I created space for fear, but I didn’t let it run the show.

Resilience showed up in those in-between moments—the uncertainty, the rejection, the “Is this really going to work?” thoughts. And every time I was tempted to retreat, I reminded myself: discomfort doesn’t mean you’re failing. It often means you’re finally on the real path.

Now, that resilience is baked into everything I do—personally and professionally. I coach high-achieving professionals, especially women, through moments of career upheaval, identity shift, and reinvention. But I don’t encourage reckless risk-taking. I guide them in taking strategic, intentional steps toward a career that feels aligned, impactful, and sustainable.

Because real resilience isn’t just about powering through. It’s about navigating transition with clarity, courage, and self-trust. It’s about knowing when to hold steady—and when to boldly move forward.

And that’s what I’m most proud of: building a business rooted in purpose, resilience, and the belief that we are all made for more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelspekman.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelSpekmanCareerConsulting
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelspekman/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MadeforMoreCoach
• Other: https://podmatch.com/guestdetailpreview/madeformorecoaching

Image Credits

Nikki Mendelsohn