Her Story
About Rachel
Rachel Vecchio serves as the Marketing Programs Lead at Rise 8, a company that develops custom software for the federal government. She joined the organization in September 2023 and has been in her current role for about a year after her title elevated from Marketing Manager. Rachel has worked in marketing since graduating college in 2014, gaining experience across traditional advertising, B2B SaaS marketing consulting, and now B2G marketing. As a marketing generalist, she specializes in building trust and ensuring brand consistency across ecosystems, particularly in the government sector where trust is paramount. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, she is part of the Marketing Women association. Rachel attributes her success to her curiosity, which helps her understand audiences and brands while prompting self-reflection on career fit, and her courage to explore new paths rather than settling. She values authenticity above all, ensuring alignment between what brands say and do. Her advice to young women entering the field emphasizes exploration over immediately picking a lane, noting that experiences from ad agencies, consulting, and even opening a food truck have served her well in her current role.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rachel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my curiosity and my grit, or more precisely courage. Curiosity has helped me understand the people and brands I'm marketing to, and ask questions that uncover misalignment. In my career journey, curiosity led me to check in with myself about what feels right and explore new paths. The courage to go find answers and not settle, combined with hard work and working smart, has been key.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
There is always going to be pressure to pick a lane, especially in marketing, but a lot of my skills have come from exploration and being at the edge of sectors. It's okay to explore and not know exactly what you want to do. The only way to find out is to go explore, be brave, take steps in new directions, and not worry about what it looks like on paper or finding the exact corporate ladder. Experience from trying different things serves you later, like my time in ad agencies, consulting, and opening a food truck.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity is most important. Being honest with myself about what I'm marketing and loving, and ensuring brands align what they say with what they do. I hold myself to not misleading people and expect the same from brands I represent, practicing what they preach.
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