The Million-Dollar Network: Why Your Community Determines Your Success

Rachel Rodgers has a contagious laugh which was on full display at ROI: The Millionaire Summit last month in Huntington Beach, CA. The three-day event was an energizing, catalytic gathering of people doing big things. I was impressed by the vibrancy, professional diversity, and eagerness of the folks in attendance. It was my first time attending, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’m happy to report that my expectations were exceeded! I have a game plan for building my company, Kairos & Heart, into year four and beyond.

Rodgers is the CEO/Founder of Hello Seven, an award-winning company that teaches women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA people how to build a seven-figure business and create generational wealth. She has a fascinating story which she details in We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman's Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power, named one of Audible's top Audiobooks of the Year, with more than 200,000 copies sold. She started her career working on The Hill with nonprofits, federal judges, and Hillary Clinton and transitioned to entrepreneurship after realizing that "changing the world is easier when you have some cash in your bank account."

Hello Seven is a multimillion-dollar empire focused on helping underrepresented entrepreneurs achieve financial success and build generational wealth. On the first day, Rodgers took the mainstage to drop some gems: "When you upgrade your community, you upgrade your income." Her session gave me the following gems:

Community is Critical: Who we surround ourselves with impacts how we move in the world. If I am focused on scaling my company, then I need to be sharing time and space with likeminded folks. I am grateful for my squad that holds me down and encourages me to move more boldly. Cultivating the right community includes dream clients, referral partners, coaches and mentors, and peers who can support me through the hills and valleys. I am committed to seeking out connections with people who have achieved what I want to achieve.

Develop a Clear Vision: Back in summer 2021 when I completed business planning for Kairos & Heart, I had the spaciousness to dream about what I wanted my company to be.

Mission: We collaborate with mission-minded enterprises to enlarge their territories by seizing new possibilities and making shift happen.

Vision: We envision a world where all thrive, experience joy, and justice is real.

My guiding principles anchor on joy, meaningful relationships, ujima, and multiple ways of knowing. I’m grateful that I have aligned business goals with my personal values, and yet, Rodgers reminded me that I can be even more intentional. It’s time for me to develop a concise, actionable plan for business growth.

Embrace Personal Growth: Rodgers shared about tremendous loss with the recent passing of two dear loved ones. Managing grief destabilized her and disrupted her vision. As she re-emerged, her advice was to allow yourself to feel emotions and process grief and be open about periods of struggle and loss. We are human. Life can be a lot to contend with and it’s important to give challenges space to breathe.

Prioritize Joy and Play: Capitalism has brainwashed us to think we are simply worthy based on what we produce. Rodgers cautioned participants not to become just a "productivity machine," but to incorporate fun, creativity, and personal experiences into our professional lives. I spark joy with travel, time in nature, writing, sewing, and all manners of crafts. I can tell when I have found my fit with clients when the butterfly wings make an appearance. Thank you, State Innovation Exchange  and BoardSource 😊It’s possible to maintain a balance between work and personal fulfillment/authenticity. 

Say "Yes" to Unexpected Opportunities: Manifestation works. (See my post on meeting Fawn Weaver two years after she was on my vision board!) But/and, manifestation requires my cooperation and being willing to step out of my comfort zone. Rodgers shared an example of when she took an impulsive risk that led to a transformative experience. She found herself in conversation with business leaders who sparked new ideas and elevated her thinking all because she said yes to an invitation to join a friend on Richard Branson’s island. I can expand my worldview by meeting new people and being open to the possibilities.

Rodgers’ overarching message was that personal growth, community support, and a clear vision are essential for business success. She and the team at Hello Seven support a vast community of entrepreneurs on their journeys. You can learn more about their offers and Hello Seven’s global community here.