About Rare Bird

I'm Rachel, and I help rare birds stop apologizing for their brilliance.

Brand discovery, strategy, and copywriting for creatives and artists who refuse to be caged.

Truth #1

How I became a Rare Bird

For 20 years, I’ve been a copywriter and marketing strategist.

I’ve worked in agencies of all sizes, in-house marketing departments, arts nonprofits, and higher education. I’ve written everything from ad campaigns to annual reports, fundraising appeals to website copy, social media strategies to brand manifestos.

I couldn't help but notice:

The most talented people were often the most invisible.

Not because they weren’t good enough. But because they didn’t know how to talk about themselves without feeling fake.

They’d shrink themselves to fit someone else’s formula. They’d sound generic because they thought that’s what “professional” meant. They’d hide their most interesting qualities because they seemed “unprofessional.”

Which made the world miss out on their magic.

The Screenwriter-Marketer Paradox

I’m also a screenwriter and filmmaker.

Which means I live in two worlds: the business world (where everything is strategy and metrics) and the creative world (where everything is story and truth).

Most people think these worlds are opposites.

Business people think creatives are impractical dreamers. Creative people think business is soul-sucking and fake.

Plot twist: they’re the same thing.

The best marketing is storytelling. The best stories are strategic. The most successful creative businesses are built on authentic brands that tell true stories.

Your brand isn’t separate from your creative work. It’s part of it.

And if you’re a creative entrepreneur, your story IS your strategy. (And if you’re a musician, a writer, an artist? You’re a creative entrepreneur—you are a business.

 

Why My Approach Is Different

I don’t believe in “personal branding.”

At least not the way most people teach it.

You don’t need a polished persona. You shouldn’t sound like everyone else in your field. You don’t need to minimize what makes you weird to appeal to more people.

I believe the opposite:

Your “weird” background is your competitive advantage.

Your authentic voice is more magnetic than any polished persona.

What makes you different is what makes you valuable.

Most branding advice teaches you to fit in better.

I teach you to stand out: authentically, strategically, unapologetically.

Most branding advice gives you formulas to copy.

I help you discover what makes you irreplaceable.

Most branding advice treats you like a product.

I treat you like a rare bird learning to fly.

My Manifesto (But Make It Real)

I believe:

  • You’re not a commodity. You’re not “just another” anything.
  • Talent alone isn’t enough—but neither is marketing without authenticity.
  • The creative world needs MORE weird, not less. More specific, not more generic.
  • Your impossible combination of experiences is your superpower, not something to downplay.
  • Building a sustainable creative business doesn’t mean selling your soul.
  • You can be successful AND yourself. You don’t have to choose.
  • The best brands aren’t manufactured—they’re discovered and claimed.
  • Strategy and authenticity aren’t opposites. They’re partners.

I’m here to help you claim credit for your genius before someone else gets recognition for it.

Because the world is absolutely waiting for your exact magic. They just need to be able to find you.

What It’s Like to Work With Me

I’m direct.

I’ll tell you what’s working and what’s not. I won’t blow smoke or use corporate jargon. If something feels off-brand, I’ll say so. If something is brilliant, I’ll make sure you know it.

I’m strategic.

20 years of marketing experience means I know what works and why. I don’t just make things “pretty” or “inspiring”—I make them effective. Your brand needs to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. That requires strategy.

I’m a storyteller.

Everything I create is rooted in narrative. Your brand story. Your origin story. The story of your impossible combination. I help you find the words that feel true when they come out of your mouth—and make other people lean in and say “tell me more.”

I don’t do formulas.

You won’t get a template or a paint-by-numbers system. You’ll get strategic guidance tailored to YOUR specific rare bird status. Because you’re not like anyone else, and your brand shouldn’t be either.

I give you permission.

Permission to be weird. Permission to niche down. Permission to say no to people who aren’t your people. Permission to charge what you’re worth. Permission to sound like yourself instead of a “professional.”

I expect you to do the work.

Whether you’re working through The Flight Plan on your own, booking a Perch session, or investing in a Wingspan VIP day—I expect you to show up honestly. The more real you are with me, the better I can help you.

Beyond the Bio

Random things that make me, me: 

I’m obsessed with storytelling in all forms—screenplays, novels, podcasts, even the stories we tell ourselves about our work.

I believe in swearing when it serves the message. (Not gratuitously, but authentically.)

I have strong opinions about fonts, whitespace, and the Oxford comma.

I think the best creative businesses are built by people who refuse to choose between art and commerce.

I’ve worked with everyone from tiny arts nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, and I learned something valuable from all of them.

I get equally excited about a perfect brand strategy and a perfectly structured screenplay.

I believe your business should support your life, not consume it.

I’m a Rare Bird, too

Former agency copywriter + screenwriter + marketing strategist + fierce advocate for creatives and artists (especially women and nonbinary folx) = someone who helps you build brands that feel like YOU while actually working in the marketplace.

That impossible combination is why I can help you find yours.

Let's Work Together

Ready to Discover What Makes You a Rare Bird?

Here’s how we can work together:

DIY Brand Discovery

The Flight Plan
$444 (beta)
Complete brand discovery system for self-paced work.

Strategic Support

Perch Sessions
$250
45-minute focused strategy sessions when you’re stuck.

Done-For-You Services

Wingspan VIP Days
Starting at $2500
Once you’ve completed The Flight Plan, I write your choice of website copy, emails, social content, or something else—while you focus on your business.

The Closing

One Last Thing

If you’re reading this, you’re probably tired of blending in.

You’re probably sick of sounding like everyone else in your field.

You’re probably ready to build something that actually feels like you.

Good.

Because the world doesn’t need more pigeons.

The world needs you—the rare bird you actually are, not the version you think you’re “supposed” to be.

Let’s get you airborne.