Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Perkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Born and bred a true ATLien, I have always called Atlanta “home.” However, I have always had a free spirit, a passion for travel, and a creative and curious soul that has often pulled me to various places, often in multiple directions at one time.
Growing up, I was a major tomboy – constantly playing sports, getting dirty, and wearing basketball shorts and baseball hats. When I got to high school, I started to branch out and decided to trade in the gym shorts and baggy t-shirts for cheerleading skirts and hair ribbons. However, I still didn’t feel like I truly fit into the stereotypical cheerleader role either. I was constantly insecure and dumbing myself down. Thankfully, one of my high school teachers (who is now still a life mentor and a huge source of support) saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time. I had big dreams and goals of attending the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs), but was focusing way more on trying to “fit in” than trying to “stand out.” My priorities were out of line, so he sat me down and pushed me to realize my potential. From that day forward, I held myself to a higher standard. I worked harder. I worked smarter.
Fast forward a few years and I had accomplished my dream of attending the University of Georgia and was studying to obtain a degree in Marketing with an emphasis in Digital Media. I was simultaneously building my resume, taking on any and every odd job or internship I could find (Promotions Team for the Gwinnett Braves, Social Media intern for the UGA Hockey team, Concierge host for suites during sporting events/concerts, IMG College Intern, and even selling KRAVE beef jerky which my friends never let me live down). Among all of this, I also was juggling a full-time job with the Atlanta Braves Tomahawk Team. I’m not going to lie… it wasn’t easy driving over three hours from Athens to Atlanta for every home game and community event, but the three years I spent with the Braves organization brought me so many friendships, connections, experiences, and learning opportunities that are still some of my most valuable relationships today.
Once I hung up the cleats with the Braves (pun intended) and graduated from college, I felt as if I was being pulled in a different direction than jumping right into the corporate 9-5 office job. Remember that free spirit and creative and curious soul I was telling you about? Well, that was really resurrected when I studied abroad in Australia during my junior year. The minute I stepped foot in that country, I knew that I was meant to experience far more than living in the same city I was born and raised in working at a job that I didn’t love. There was so much beauty everywhere I looked, so much inspiration in every city I visited, and so much culture in every person I encountered. I had traveled fairly often growing up, but what I experienced on that trip was indescribable. So, that’s when I made a decision to move to Australia for a year following graduation. I had everything planned for months in advance, including my one-way plane ticket, my Airbnb, and even a few job interviews lined up with agencies over there. I had obtained my work Visa beforehand as well. I had done my research, preparation, and even many of my goodbyes in the months, weeks, and days leading up to my departure.
Except God had other ideas for me and my future, so my plans changed and my life took a complete 180 from the route I had envisioned for myself. I randomly fell into my “dream job” working as a Client Services Manager in the football department at the world’s largest Sports and Entertainment Agency.
I recognized how rare of an opportunity this was, so when they called and offered me the position five days before my planned move across the world… I canceled my flight and stayed in Atlanta.
I spent two years in that position learning, growing, adapting, sacrificing, and navigating the ups and downs of the sports industry. I jumped all into my position, managing about 50 NFL athletes in all aspects of their careers from the time they signed with the agency out of college to the day they decide to retire. I made myself available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And I sincerely loved it. I loved the job. I loved the variety. I loved the speed of the industry. I loved my clients. I cherish the time I spent there and am extremely grateful for the relationships, experiences, and knowledge that I gained. It wasn’t an easy decision to move on, but starting my own company has been the absolute most rewarding journey of my life. It hasn’t been easy. In fact, it has been SO hard. But it forces me to grow, to learn, to push myself, to hold myself accountable, to provide the best service for my clients, to network, to travel, to figure things out, to find my passions, to follow my heart, to do good, to help others. And I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, friends, and clients.
I have always been a natural networker by nature, so now, I get to use those skills and connect with people all over the country, and even all over the world. I get to help rookies transition into the league. I get to help veterans build their brand and leverage their name to provide for those in need. I get to see my clients do what they love every single day, and watch their families and friends support them on their journey.
My time and experience working in the world of sports helped me realize my passion for helping others and connecting talent to brands, the community, the fans, the team, and the media. I quickly realized that many “famous” people are really just people… except with an extreme talent that the other 99% of us lack. They have dedicated their entire lives to developing that talent and building a career for themselves. They are normal people who have problems, struggles, anxieties, passions, hobbies, opinions, and feelings. They have a lot of moving parts in their lives just like everyone else, and their career depends on them continuously putting effort into their physical, mental, and emotional well-being to remain among the small group of elite athletes, musicians, actors, etc. that they are in. I always knew that my passion was to help people in this unique market, but what I didn’t know was how to make a career out of it. And honestly, I am still figuring that out. But by staying true to myself, to my values, and to my clients I can proudly say that I am navigating this crazy industry as an entrepreneur and working every single day to find creative ways to solve problems, manage the many moving parts of my clients’ lives, and maintain a personal, professional, and customizable relationship with everyone I encounter along the way.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting my own company and navigating the sports and entertainment industry has definitely not been an easy journey. I have always had a desire to start my own company, but wasn’t exactly sure what that would look like. I noticed a disconnect between the agency and the clients and there was a gap that I wanted to fill. I wanted to create my own happiness and be more hands-on with clients – something that was lacking with such a big agency. I wanted to help a wider range of athletes both on and off the field and saw an opportunity to eventually help athletes with their mental health, physical health and managing their overall life and having someone in their corner that they can trust. The obstacles I face range from combating stereotypes as a woman in sports, being taken seriously, proving my value right out of the gates, and vetting resources and relationships along the way. There are a ton of snakes in the industry, so you have to be careful who you trust and who you align yourself with. As a business owner, your name and reputation are all you have and the key to growing your business are key referrals, so it is important to focus on the details and really give each client 100% of your effort, honesty, and focus.
My advice to women who are just starting their journey would be to take as many internships as you can and network as much as possible. Experience is valuable and good mentors are important because this business is all about connections and who you know. Getting in front of the right people will help you get where you want to go. Do as many different things as you can to get an idea of what you like and don’t like in a company, work environment, and client because having a job you love in the long run is so important.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with PERKS Lifestyle Management – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
PERKS Lifestyle Management is a full-service concierge consulting company offering around the clock personal attention for each individual client. We strive to assist clients by addressing the main stressors and obligations in their lives in order to minimize distractions so they can focus on their job, family and overall mental, physical and emotional well-being for the longevity of their career. We provide our clients with a comprehensive experience + unique lifestyle assistance.
PERKS Lifestyle Management is a one of a kind concierge service offering an unforgettable, unbeatable experience. At PERKS, we care about the needs + wants of our clients + know how important it is to have someone in their corner that they can trust. I feel that this is what makes us so different from other agencies or companies because we truly make sure that it is a family atmosphere and care about our clients and their families on a personal level while always staying professional along the way.
Our services extend far beyond luxury travel or glamorous event planning. We help our clients with managing their day-to-day activities, big or small, while simultaneously providing them hands-on assistance in organizing their lives, homes, schedules, budgets, and other top priorities so they can focus on improving their overall well-being. We work with a wide variety of clients in age, interests, and lifestyles so we can easily customize our role to each person specific to their needs and wants rather than a “one size fits all” approach.
Our goal is to be a resource that helps guide clients throughout the course of their days, weeks, months and years of their career (while simultaneously preparing them for retirement) by creating and executing a structured approach to their overall lifestyle. By doing this, we encourage them to perform at the highest level and achieve optimal results.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
As mentioned in the introductory bio, I have always been a tomboy at heart. A true daddy’s girl, I never left my dad’s side. Whether it was playing softball with him as my coach, attending Braves games at Turner Field with our favorite usher, Sunny, or eating, sleeping, and breathing all things Georgia Football (attending almost every single home game over the years), I knew I would eventually turn my passion for sports and entertainment into a career. My parents have been my #1 supporters over the years, and continue to push me and hold me accountable even as an adult. Knowing that I have their continued support, no matter what was a strong influence on the decision to start my own company and continue to strive for success each and every day.
I have always been driven and pretty hard on myself, but over the years I finally realized that with a strong support system, my key ability to network and connect with others on a personal level, and my desire to help others be the best versions of themselves, that I could be successful simply based off of the things that I was naturally doing anyway.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.perkslm.com
- Phone: 770-296-8277
- Email: rachelperkins@perkslm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perkslifestylemanagement/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perkslifestylemanagement/
- Other: https://rperkinsblog.wordpress.com/
Image Credit:
Rachel Perkins / PERKS Lifestyle Management
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