Rachel Zoe: Nothing Replaces Hard Work | E22

In Search Of Excellence

Rachel Zoe is an icon in the fashion world. But before Rachel became a household name, she was 25 years old, styling celebrities like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys out of her West Village studio apartment. Rachel continued to make a name for herself as a stylist by putting together some of Hollywood’s most memorable red carpet looks and collaborating on iconic fashion lines. But, when she discovered that she had a unique platform to empower and inspire women from all walks of life, her creative and entrepreneurial mindset took over. And the rest is history, she became a best-selling author, a Bravo star, the Editor in Chief and publisher of The Zoe Report, and more.
Rachel attributes her success to working hard, being open to opportunities, and always being the most prepared person in the room. But, being in the spotlight comes with fear, doubt, and criticism, all of which Rachel saw as learning experiences and opportunities for growth.
In this episode, Randall and Rachel talk about how Rachel became the fashion icon and influencer she is today, how growing up in a well-off family surrounded by beautiful things influenced Rachel’s career, the experiences Rachel had starting as a freelance stylist, the importance of taking risks, why she’s always the most prepared person in the room, how she faced and overcame criticism and tabloid rumors, and everything she’s learned along the way.
Topics Include:
- The influence of her mother’s style
- Education’s role in future success
- The important advice she got from her father
- Rachel’s advice for people who hate their jobs
- Why getting over our fears is crucial on the path to success
- Failure as a necessary ingredient to success
- Rachel on designing her own style
- How to deal with adversity at work
- Rachel’s views on styling
- Perceptions vs reality of being famous
- Qualities she looks for in applicants
- The importance of proactive thinking and planning for things to go wrong
- Rachel’s ingredients to success
- Marriage and life with Rodger and the secret to working with a significant other
- The defining moment of Rachel’s career
- Fill in the blank for excellence
- And other topics…
Rachel Zoe is an icon of the fashion world. She is a distinguished designer, editor, author, TV personality, and entrepreneur. She is the Creative Director of the Rachel Zoe Collection, which comprises ready-to-wear, footwear, and accessory lines.

Rachel is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, Style A to Zoe and Living in Style. Rachel had a reality television series, The Rachel Zoe Project which aired on Bravo and ran for five seasons (2008-2013). In 2009, she founded The Zoe Report, a daily newsletter about what she was coveting in the worlds of lifestyle, beauty, and fashion. With the success of The Zoe Report, Rachel launched another paper focused on beauty, entitled Zoe Beautiful. Rachel and her husband Rodger Berman co-host the podcast, Works for Us.

She is also a board member at Baby2Baby and an artist ambassador at Save the Children International.
Resources Mentioned:
Rachel’s Podcast Works for Us

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches
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