A missed promotion early in my career pushed me to explore unexpected paths, leading to the most rewarding experiences. Rejection isn't a roadblock - it's redirection.
Rachel Short · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Rachel
Rachel Short is a transformational executive, growth strategist, and business builder who has spent more than two decades helping organizations unlock their full potential. Throughout her career, she has led startups, global enterprises, business turnarounds, acquisitions, and commercial transformations across industrial manufacturing, automation, engineered systems, and technology-driven markets. She is widely recognized for her ability to identify growth opportunities, challenge conventional thinking, and build high-performing organizations that deliver lasting results.
Today, Rachel serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Applied Control, one of the leading industrial automation and flow control organizations in the Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions. In this role, she leads commercial strategy, customer experience, marketing, business development, sales enablement, and organizational transformation initiatives across multiple business units. Since joining the company, she has spearheaded significant changes focused on commercial excellence, customer engagement, data-driven decision making, and scalable growth.
What distinguishes Rachel's leadership is her unique ability to bridge strategy and execution. Throughout her career, she has successfully led organizations through periods of significant change, including startup launches, private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, global market expansions, and operational turnarounds. She has overseen businesses with more than $650 million in revenue responsibility, built and developed global teams of hundreds of employees, and consistently delivered exceptional growth while strengthening organizational culture and employee engagement.
Prior to Applied Control, Rachel held executive leadership positions with IMI, BACCARA USA, and Photo Stencil, where she earned a reputation as a leader who can rapidly transform underperforming organizations into thriving growth businesses. From launching a disruptive technology venture that scaled from concept to more than $70 million in revenue, to building BACCARA's North American operation into a market-leading business, to leading private equity-backed turnarounds and acquisitions, her career has been defined by a willingness to take on complex challenges and drive measurable outcomes.
Rachel's success is built on a leadership philosophy centered around people. She believes that sustainable growth happens when organizations create environments where individuals are trusted, empowered, challenged, and supported. Known for her authentic leadership style, high emotional intelligence, and unwavering commitment to accountability, she has built cultures that consistently produce both strong business performance and exceptional employee retention.
A passionate advocate for continuous learning and leadership development, Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Colorado Denver and completed executive studies through the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland. She remains actively involved in professional and community organizations and is committed to mentoring future leaders and creating opportunities for others to succeed.
Beyond the boardroom, Rachel is a devoted wife and mother who believes success should be measured not only by business results, but by the impact we have on the people around us. Whether coaching youth athletics, serving her community, mentoring emerging professionals, or leading global organizations, she is driven by the belief that leadership is ultimately about helping others achieve more than they thought possible.
Rachel's career is a testament to the power of courageous leadership, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to people. She continues to inspire those around her by proving that growth, transformation, and meaningful impact are possible when leaders are willing to challenge the status quo and invest in the success of others.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rachel
01What do you attribute your success to?
When I reflect on my career, I don't attribute my success to any single achievement, title, or business outcome. I attribute it to the values that were instilled in me from an early age and the people who helped shape who I am today.
I was raised in a family that believed in hard work, personal accountability, and earning opportunities rather than expecting them. From a young age, I learned that success comes from showing up, doing what you say you're going to do, and being willing to put in the effort when others are not. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career and continue to influence how I lead today.
My faith has also played a significant role in shaping both my leadership style and my perspective on success. I firmly believe that God and family should always come before work. While I am passionate about my career and driven to achieve ambitious goals, I never want professional success to come at the expense of the relationships and values that matter most. Maintaining that balance has helped me stay grounded through both successes and challenges.
I also believe strongly in the philosophy of working hard and playing hard. I have always approached my career with intensity, commitment, and a willingness to take on difficult challenges, but I believe life is meant to be enjoyed as well. Some of my greatest memories and lessons have come from time spent with family, coaching youth sports, serving my community, traveling, and creating experiences outside of work. Those experiences provide perspective and remind me why success matters in the first place.
Professionally, I attribute much of my success to curiosity and a relentless desire to learn. I have never been afraid to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, or pursue opportunities that others considered too risky. Throughout my career, I have often taken on situations involving significant transformation, turnarounds, startups, acquisitions, and organizational change. Those experiences taught me that growth rarely happens inside your comfort zone.
I also believe deeply in accountability. Leaders must be willing to own both the wins and the setbacks. It is easy to celebrate success, but true leadership is demonstrated when things do not go according to plan. I've learned that trust is built when people know you will take responsibility, be transparent, and focus on solutions rather than excuses.
Another key contributor to my success has been a commitment to data-driven decision making. While intuition and experience are valuable, I believe the best decisions are made when facts, data, and customer insights are combined with sound judgment. Throughout my career, this approach has helped me identify opportunities others missed, solve complex business challenges, and lead organizations through periods of uncertainty with confidence.
Most importantly, I attribute my success to the incredible teams, mentors, colleagues, friends, and family members who have supported me throughout my journey. No meaningful accomplishment is achieved alone. I have been fortunate to work alongside talented people who challenged me, believed in me, and helped me become a better leader and person.
At the end of the day, I hope the legacy I leave is not measured solely by business growth, financial results, or executive titles. I hope it is measured by the people I have helped develop, the opportunities I have created for others, the integrity with which I led, and the positive impact I made on my family, community, and the organizations I have been privileged to serve.
If I had to summarize it in one sentence:
"My success has been built on faith, family, hard work, accountability, continuous learning, and a commitment to helping others achieve more than they thought possible."
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I was ever given was to never turn down an opportunity to interview. Even if you're not actively looking for a job, every interview is an opportunity to learn something new about an industry, a company, a leadership team, or even yourself. Some of the most important lessons in my career came from conversations that never resulted in a job change.
I was also reminded early in my career that it's okay if your path doesn't unfold exactly as you envisioned. Many of the most rewarding opportunities I've had were not part of some carefully scripted plan. They came from being open to change, saying yes to challenges that stretched me, and having the courage to pursue opportunities outside my comfort zone. Looking back, the unexpected turns often became the defining moments of my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: believe you belong here. Don't spend time second-guessing yourself or waiting until you feel perfectly ready. Confidence doesn't come before success; it comes from putting yourself in challenging situations and proving to yourself what you're capable of.
Come in with a strong work ethic, stay curious, and listen more than you speak. There is tremendous knowledge in this industry, and the people around you can teach you a great deal if you're willing to learn. Focus on earning trust through your actions, being accountable, and consistently delivering results. Over time, your work will speak louder than any title, background, or stereotype ever could.
Most importantly, remember that you don't need to change who you are to be successful. Bring your unique perspective, be willing to learn, work hard, and let your character and performance create opportunities.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe our industry is at one of the most exciting points in its history. Digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence, infrastructure investment, manufacturing reshoring, and energy transition initiatives are creating tremendous opportunities for growth and innovation. For those who are willing to learn and adapt, there has never been a better time to build a career in this space.
At the same time, there are challenges. Industrial and automation markets have traditionally been male-dominated, which can feel intimidating for some women entering the field. However, I believe that is changing rapidly as organizations continue to recognize the value of diverse perspectives and leadership styles.
Another challenge is finding balance. Our industry serves critical operations that run 24/7, meaning customer needs, projects, and opportunities don't always fit neatly into a traditional workday. Learning how to be fully committed to your career while protecting time for faith, family, and personal well-being is something every leader must navigate throughout their career.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith, integrity, family, and accountability are the values that guide both my personal life and my career. My faith keeps me grounded and reminds me that success is about more than professional accomplishments. Honesty and integrity are non-negotiable because trust is the foundation of every relationship. I believe in making thoughtful, data-driven decisions, developing the people around me, and creating opportunities for others to grow. Above all, I strive to keep family at the center of my life and remember that true success is measured not only by what we achieve, but by the impact we have on others.
My personal motto would be: "Lead with faith, act with integrity, develop others, and never sacrifice what matters most for temporary success."
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