Ever wonder how women pursue entrepreneurial aspirations after kids? Perhaps you can ask Rachel Lubchansky, founder of REL Impact in Denver, she owns a business and has triplets.
“Focusing on my career was tough when the kids were little, but now they’re older, so it’s just like anyone who has three kids.” She chuckles.
After giving birth, she had full-time help, every day, for a year, mostly from volunteers in her close-knit community. She champions the idea that ‘saying yes creates community’ and admits that she has gotten better at accepting assistance over the years.
“You don’t need to be super independent when you’re going through life challenges. By saying yes to offers of help, we were surrounded by support and love, for us and for our children, which allowed us to enjoy that intense part of our parenting journey.”
Nurturing three kids, while growing a business in one of the nation’s most dynamic markets, also helped Rachel realize the difficulty of finding work-life balance.
“Seeking work-life balance isn’t really my approach. To me, that implies the existence of a seesaw where everything is equally weighted. Instead, I like to visualize an intersection of work and life, so the two can coexist, but not always in equal parts.”
And none of that would be possible without Rachel’s supportive husband, an engineer and her biggest cheerleader, whom she endlessly praises.
Rachel encourages her clients to make their professional life work for them too, identifying core values and zones of genius that fuel their passions and well-being.
“You absolutely have to understand your non-negotiables.” She states firmly, then she breaks into a low grin. “And time-blocking, I’m a big fan of just putting things on the calendar: board meetings, grocery shopping, client work, brushing your teeth.” (Really, she and her husband have a sacred practice of brushing their teeth together nightly. It’s their non-negotiable, uninterrupted two minutes together.)
You could say she has studied entrepreneurialism her entire life. When Lubchansky was growing up, her father owned his medical practice and her mother started and ran Milder Musical Arts in St. Louis, MO. Their example inspired her and taught her about business ownership. Long before starting a business, babies, or REL Impact, Rachel considered following in her mother’s footsteps with a music career.
“At first, I wanted to be a singer.” Lubchansky took voice lessons for over a decade and grew up standing around the piano making music with her family. Sometimes, she even performed in public. “I remember singing ‘If I only had a brain’ from Wizard of Oz, at St. Louis Union Station. That was pretty fun.” But singing couldn’t drown out her creative eye for fashion.
Upon graduating college, Lubchansky started working for Stuart Weitzman’s corporate office, eventually setting the runway for her first business; a fashionable clothing line for modest-dressing Jewish women.
“Funky Frum,” Lubchansky fondly recollects. The word ‘Frum’ is Yiddish for devoutly pious. “For the first time in my life, I hit that sweet spot where my talent and passions aligned.” And the idea really took off, Rachel’s online boutique ran successfully for five years.
It was also during this time that Lubchansky met and married her husband, who played a major role in launching the fashion line. But they both wanted a family, too.
“In 2009, we got pregnant with triplets and my priorities shifted dramatically; we bought a minivan and sold the business.” For three years, she stayed home with the triplets but volunteered frequently, which ultimately turned into a job directing marketing and branding for Epstein Hebrew Academy.
“It was a fun time, but also a very busy time.” She mentions. And then, in 2016, they decided to move from St. Louis to Denver.
“Starting REL Impact in Denver was really a byproduct of the move, not the reason for moving.” Rachel says. “But Denver warmly welcomed me, my family, and after I got it up and running, my business. So, it stuck!”
On May 15, REL Impact hosted a full day event, Rise Together Women’s Conference, featuring 18 influential, business-building, female speakers and panelists active in the Denver business community. Approximately 150 women, from all stages of business and career development, attended to level up in life and business; sharing, collaborating, connecting, and learning new skills.
“The energy in the space was exactly what I had envisioned,” Rachel’s smile is audible and sincere. “We had fun all day.”
Lubchansky’s children even attended to offer support for their mom and see her in action.
“My mission applies to multiple generations of women,” Rachel says. “My two daughters and son saw a room filled with strong, successful, smart women following their dreams and creating a better world.” Lubchansky encourages her children to dream big too. “At the conference, they saw the source of success – putting one foot in front of the other and never giving up. That was really powerful for them.”
So, what exactly does this green tea drinking, Broadway-loving, working mama of three have to say about raising kids and pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams?
“Take action in the spirit of progress not perfection, one step at a time. Not everything is going to be perfect. And that’s okay.” Rachel thoughtfully reveals.
And time-block. Don’t forget to time-block.