Matthew Mak 0:05

You ever notice the people doing the most aren't asking for advice? This is built without permission. I'm Matthew Mack. Before I ever drew a blueprint or signed a business deal, I was folding suits, hauling snow, and washing glasses until 2 a.m. Then came architecture, tow trucks, and a built business from the ground up with my partner. No blueprint, no safety net, no approval. Just real stories, hard pivots, and what it actually takes to build something from nothing. Let's get to work. So, Rachel, thank you for joining me on Built Without Permission. How's it going?

Rachel Erickson 0:46

Good. Hey Matt, good. Thank you for having me on. Excited to be here.

Matthew Mak 0:49

Awesome, awesome. And uh so tell me, uh if I met you before any of this existed and what we're doing right now, what would I have found you doing?

Rachel Erickson 1:03

So I've well, I'm sure we'll get into this, but I've had, I feel like, you know, I'm 35 and I swear I've had like 10 careers. So before this, I probably would have either been working at a winery somewhere, probably like in Europe or like Australia, or I'd be a personal trainer at some like Gold Gym or something. So it'd probably be one of those two things.

Matthew Mak 1:25

Okay. And what and what is it that you're doing right now, currently?

Rachel Erickson 1:28

So currently, um uh this is my second year uh full time into building a creative agency. It's called Burroom Media. Um, and we're a social media marketing agency primarily for hospitality brands. So we work with a lot of uh wine and beverage brands in that space.

Matthew Mak 1:44

Cool. You get uh any freebies?

Rachel Erickson 1:48

Oh, there are some perks. There are some perks, pretty nice. Yes, travel perks, some good, good uh food, good drinks. Yeah, I can't complain.

Matthew Mak 1:56

Cool, and then where whereabouts are you located?

Rachel Erickson 1:59

So I'm based in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

Matthew Mak 2:02

In Oregon, okay, cool.

Rachel Erickson 2:03

Yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 2:04

Nice. I'm I'm in the four far north, I'm in Toronto, so oh, okay.

Rachel Erickson 2:07

Oh, so you're okay, nice. Yeah, I've been to Banff, uh beautiful country.

Matthew Mak 2:12

Yeah, I'm just the other side though. Okay, okay, got it. East and yeah, Ontario. Okay, yeah, yeah, nice. Um, okay, so now uh how long have you been doing that?

Rachel Erickson 2:24

So I've been uh technically founded Bellroom Media in October of 2022. It was uh like a side hustle photography business when I was still my full-time job was a financial advisor for a wealth management firm out of Seattle. So I guess before this, that could have been something else that that is something else that I was doing. I was a uh advisor for about seven years. And um, and so starting in 2022, just kind of side hustle, just something fun to do on the side. Move, I was living in the Pacific Northwest again, and that just and got back into the wine industry. My I went to college for my my bachelor's degree is in winemaking, essentially. And uh and it just kind of evolved from there. And over a couple of years, it started just building and building, and I obviously really enjoyed it. And so then last uh January made the leap to go full time, and now I have a team, a growing team. I have two two full-time full timers, uh, and and another one who's starting this week.

Matthew Mak 3:25

Cool, that's awesome. Yeah, who doesn't love wine, right? So between the two, white or red, what's your preference?

Rachel Erickson 3:32

Oh, I'm I'm very much a seasonal drinker, so it's hot right now. It's all it's like it's like it's actually really hot where I'm at this week. We're in like the high 90s, so I'm definitely a good chill, a white rose all day.

Matthew Mak 3:45

Okay, I'm just red all day long. I don't know what it is, I just don't have that taste for for the white. I don't know. That's just me though. That's okay.

Rachel Erickson 3:53

We'll we'll work on it.

Matthew Mak 3:54

Yeah, we'll work on it. So then you also have, I guess, the experience on like pairing what's good like food-wise with with yeah, yeah.

Rachel Erickson 4:01

I definitely I've done some some wine and food pairing. I'm not a Psalm uh by any means, not that quite that skilled. Uh, but but yeah, have uh I I'm usually the person who's asked, like, all right, Rachel, bring the wine, Rachel pick out the wine. I I can't cook to save my life, but I can I can pair it with a with a good cocktail or a glass of wine for sure.

Matthew Mak 4:18

Yeah, I always found it really interesting, actually, with the wine, uh like different types of wine, how um like the pairing and how like the palette change for the taste, and it's really interesting. It's very cool.

Rachel Erickson 4:29

Yeah, it definitely alters, especially when you're like thinking about it or if you're like you know purposely doing that, you know, yeah, you you do notice how it it does it does all work and yeah, it can make the food better or not better.

Matthew Mak 4:40

Yeah.

Rachel Erickson 4:41

So tell me though, do you really have to spin the bull the the glass and then smell it and then you know you know, only it for certain things it does help, it does serve a purpose if you're trying to do, you know, trying to like test out certain things get tech technical, but you know, at the end of the day, I just say drink how you want to drink and drink what you like. It doesn't matter what else thinks, everyone's palette is unique to them, and and don't be ashamed, just drink what you enjoy.

Matthew Mak 5:06

Yeah, and now with like the decanters, does that actually also make a difference when you pour it?

Rachel Erickson 5:10

That does, yes, definitely decanting for certain, especially for like bolder reds, older vintages, higher alcohol percentages. Definitely decant those. You will be glad that you did.

Matthew Mak 5:21

Yeah, and and then what is it that like just for my own knowledge and understanding, what is it exactly that it does to the wine that changes?

Rachel Erickson 5:28

Oh, yeah, great question. It essentially just like uh oxygenation, essentially just kind of allows like just through that oxygen and that and also that different vessel. You notice decanters have those kind of wide, you know, kind of some of them are kind of funky looking, but yes, it's really that oxygenation and just essentially opening up the wine. That's the best way to describe it. Okay. Um, because you'll notice, like, if you do try it, like next time you open like kind of an older red or a bigger bodied red, if you take a sip, you know, just right after pouring it, right after opening. Um, and then you know, if you decant it and and take another sip like 30 minutes later or so, you'll see it, it'll feel much softer. That first sip, you might be like, Oh, you know, it kind of pinches you in the jaw a little bit, it's a little sharp. You're like, cool. Uh, but yeah, so decanting helps with that.

Matthew Mak 6:10

Awesome, awesome. Yeah, I always wondered that, and you just answered it.

Rachel Erickson 6:14

Happy to help, happy to help.

Matthew Mak 6:15

So maybe I might have to just go order one soon on Amazon.

Rachel Erickson 6:17

I think so, yeah. Just yeah, and you and you'll want to, there's there's lots of them out there.

Matthew Mak 6:22

Yeah, cool, cool. Now, uh tell me what's a decision you made that look reckless from the outside that made total sense to you.

Rachel Erickson 6:33

Oh, um, I think definitely when I left my very stable, very successful job as a financial advisor to be my own boss and work in something that maybe not seem as uh logical, you know, as you know, it's marketing and it's wine industry. Uh, but I love I've always was I've been passionate about wines specifically, but just that broader hospitality space of worked in it and um and just always want to do something for myself. I was always that person doing extra projects, just figuring other things out, just taking that those leadership roles. And um yeah, so mine has seemed a little bit reckless, but I I would I was very much a planner leading up to it. So like I I was like ready to do that, but at the same time, you know, on paper, be like, why would you do that? So but I I there's no I wouldn't I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad I didn't.

Matthew Mak 7:27

Yeah, no, and that that's awesome because it's like it's like um you you have it all planned, right? Like it's like whatever you're doing, you have your plans for it. And everyone else around may not know what it is, so they might think, like, okay, like you said, like why would you be doing that, right? One thing to another, right? Yeah. Like I I'm I myself, I was uh I was an architect for 10 years designing residential homes.

Rachel Erickson 7:51

Oh, cool.

Matthew Mak 7:52

Yeah, and then for every it's funny, I said every kid I have, I have three kids. So every kid I had, I had a job. So I did uh architecture, that's why I studied, uh towing, like tow trucking.

Rachel Erickson 8:03

Oh, oh, okay.

Matthew Mak 8:04

So I did tow trucking at night. Wow, bought my own truck and did that, and then I started the rental business, what I do right now with my brother-in-law, which is with the equipment construction.

Rachel Erickson 8:14

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 8:14

And then I I had to let go of everything and focus on one thing.

Rachel Erickson 8:17

Just one yes, that's oh right. Then that's the next thing. Then you start, you get that like entrepreneur bug. And then I I was I fell into that trap of just offering all the services, taking on all the projects, saying yes to anyone. And on one hand, I'm like, you kind of have to do that when you're first starting out, like you just need experience. I guess it depends on how you start out, and you gotta figure figure out because you don't know what you don't know. But then eventually, like push comes a shove, and you're like, I gotta focus. And so thankfully, I've finally reached that point of like, I know what to I at least I think I know what to focus on. It's going okay, but but uh yeah, I totally understand that. Like you just have your all the ideas, right? All the things all the ideas, try it all. Let's just see what see what works.

Matthew Mak 8:59

It's like um uh that ADHD of all of us kind of like kicks in and you want to just do everything, you want to do it all.

Rachel Erickson 9:06

Everything seems like the best option, the best idea.

Matthew Mak 9:09

Oh, yeah. Then, like, let's say today you're like your focus is on this thing, yeah, it's more something else, and then you neglect that thing that you restarted, and you're like you're like, wait, how many more can I add to my plate?

Rachel Erickson 9:21

Yeah, yeah. You know what? Let's just scrap all that and just find something else to do. And then six months you're oh I remember I really liked that idea. Let me come back to it.

Matthew Mak 9:29

That's so funny.

Rachel Erickson 9:30

Uh is the entrepreneur brain.

Matthew Mak 9:32

It oh yeah, tell me about it. It's a it's it's a gift and a curse at the same time. It is. I feel like yeah, sorry, go on.

Rachel Erickson 9:38

Oh, this is I was about to say, you know, we're both uh very uh familiar with Dan Martell, of course. So it's like uh thank thank goodness for him and and his coaching, because I think that's about a lot of what we take away from it.

Matthew Mak 9:49

For sure. His coaching is like focus, focus on one thing, one thing, just pick one, everything on that, yes. Yeah, yeah, it just helps you realign and it's crazy because it's like our our minds, um, you know, as much as we do know, like we all know, yeah, right. But it's just having that reminder from someone to rewire your brain to say, you know what, you're right. I gotta read.

Rachel Erickson 10:11

Oh, okay. And someone who like is clearly successful at what he's done and followed, like practice what he preached, it's like, all right, I guess.

Matthew Mak 10:18

Okay, right.

Rachel Erickson 10:20

All right, I'll finally do what he says.

Matthew Mak 10:22

Yeah, it's like when he says it, it's like, just do the thing that I tell you to do. Yeah, period.

Rachel Erickson 10:27

Period.

Matthew Mak 10:28

It seems so simple, it's way too easy, you know?

Rachel Erickson 10:31

Like, there's no way I can I can make this harder. I know I can make this harder.

Matthew Mak 10:34

Yeah, I make it harder for myself and everyone around me, right?

Rachel Erickson 10:37

Yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 10:38

That's so funny. Oh my god. So, okay, um what's a piece of standard business advice you could actively ignore now?

Rachel Erickson 10:51

Oh, that's oh, I like that you added actively ignored now. I would say it's the kind of that concept of like hustle culture, but also like finding balance. I've definitely come to realize that especially as uh like choosing the entrepreneur lifestyle, it's much more about like integration and not like, yeah, sometimes you you are just gonna have to lock yourself away and you do kind of have to like hustle and you just gotta do what you gotta do. But there's really no such thing, but you can only do that for so long. And and there's other things that are gonna be neglected, and you have to be able to come back and figure out, you know, what's important in your life and and really work towards more of that integration and not, you know, I I like I'm I'm terrible at the analogy, but the like the glass ball, rubber ball. Yeah, you probably heard that, right? Like certain things in your life are glass balls. If you neglect them for too long, they break, other things are rubber balls, they'll back bounce back. So I've learned to try to ignore more of the like the advice for the 22-year-old that you know is just like that's not, you know, I'm in my mid-30s. I, you know, have other things in my life and are things that are important. I I enjoy sleep and taking care of myself and things. And so working on more of that like integration versus just like you're a failure if you're not, you know, a multimillionaire by the time you're 25 and and you just work harder, not smarter, you know, kind of thing.

Matthew Mak 12:11

Yeah, it's like different stages, right? That's what it is. Like different stages apply to different uh age levels, different like your knowledge and things like that, right? Just different steps in life.

Rachel Erickson 12:22

Yeah, exactly. And and being okay with that, accepting that like that's that's a good thing that you're growing and you're going in different stages, and so it's you need to operate and accordingly, otherwise you're just gonna exhaust, you just burn yourself out, and you just and then you don't want to do anything.

Matthew Mak 12:38

Yeah, yeah. That yeah, there's not enough time in the day. 24 hour clock does it doesn't exist in our world. 100%. That that's a big problem.

Rachel Erickson 12:48

Yeah, yeah, totally.

Matthew Mak 12:50

So um, like with the uh like uh the dance stuff and all that you've uh you mentioned to me earlier that you've been in the program for almost about a year right now. Like so from what you have uh succeeded from when you started until now, like do you see that you're able to measure some pretty good uh growth from that?

Rachel Erickson 13:10

Yeah, especially from um like a personal, like a development standpoint, like you know, Rachel, August 2026, Rachel, to compare to I guess I think it was like October 2025, Rachel, it's like night and day difference in just I think how I make decisions, how I've been like building. I kind of tore some things down and rebuilt with right people in the right seats and you know, delegating the right things and learning how to not be, you know, who I was when I started, you know, freelancer, you know, just kind of figuring things out, saying yes to everything and doing everything myself to trying to become more of a leader in you know, professional life, personal life, just just that overall growth and building that confidence and just working hard, but also working towards having a focus for that energy that us is, you know, just like me, like you you have the same you know, energy like all of us do, and like all the different things that kind of come into play and and where to focus that and what to really like build that's gonna support your lifestyle. And so I think that's that's been probably some of my biggest transformations from being being a part of elite is that just general development, the stuff they don't teach you in school, and that you kind of learn on your own, but you don't really, or and being surrounded by you know everyone else that's on that kind of similar journey has been life changing.

Matthew Mak 14:30

Yeah, and I and I do agree. Like I I love the fact of like being able to network and connect with like-minded people, right? Putting yourself in that same space, and it's cool because like everyone's doing something different. Yeah, some could be similar, but it's like the mindset again comes back to being very similar.

Rachel Erickson 14:48

This is our people, like oh yeah, we think like you get it, yeah. You can have those conversations and feel like oh, I'm not alone. I think other people are this way, yeah.

Matthew Mak 14:57

You just nailed it where um I I've been feeling a lot more so lately than before. Is that it's the I'm not alone.

Rachel Erickson 15:04

Yeah, right.

Matthew Mak 15:04

It's that feeling, it's like when you share something with someone and then you're like, Yeah, I'm not alone. Wow, it's I thought it was just me. It was happening. I thought, yeah, I thought it was just failing, I thought I was doing something wrong.

Rachel Erickson 15:13

Like, oh no, we all struggle with that.

Matthew Mak 15:15

Yeah, exactly. And then I see it now like with uh with the Dan and other um uh amazing uh positive speakers, uh, about how like I look at them and say, you know what, their success is amazing, good for them. Right. And I see it as you know what, they've succeeded where they are right now only because they have failed more than us at this moment.

Rachel Erickson 15:38

They've failed more than I've even tried at this point.

Matthew Mak 15:40

You know, like exactly it's like recognizing. But we just gotta be ready for more failures.

Rachel Erickson 15:45

Yeah, remembering like uh the other saying, you know, of you know, don't compare your chapter one to someone's chapter 20. Like there's so much that you don't see. Like I was just watching one of Sam uh I never know how to pronounce his last name, got got it, got it.

Matthew Mak 15:57

Okay, sure. Got it got it, yeah, got it.

Rachel Erickson 16:02

Yeah, got his uh video, you know, about how he was you know talking about building up, you know, Dan's audience and stuff of you know, no one saw the the three years before it did seem like an overnight success, but it's because we did all of this stuff, you know, for years to make that happen, to make it happen. Then it finally compounds and grows, and you're like, Yeah, I've not even been full-time in this business for three years, so I guess I should stop complaining and just yeah, right things.

Matthew Mak 16:27

Yeah, and he he actually uh now that you brought him up too, Sam also put out there about like how it's like, yeah, right now I would be thinking that it'd be over 60,000 followers. Oh yeah, on his journey. For yeah, for what I know, yeah on my journey, but I haven't hit that yet, right?

Rachel Erickson 16:42

So exactly. It's yeah, it's so good. Yeah, just that whole, it's um, it's just the whole group, everyone, both internal, the dance, like the elite team, and then all of us in in the coaching is like yeah, yeah, then just that overall development. I think that's been awesome.

Matthew Mak 16:58

And have you uh have you had the chance to uh do any meetups or no?

Rachel Erickson 17:01

I haven't yet. No, I need to make I I I've actually was looking at flights like like a week ago. Well, yeah, right.

Matthew Mak 17:08

Not to put you on the spot, yeah.

Rachel Erickson 17:09

No, I haven't gone to make it up to Colonia, but I want to come up and do like the Tuesday. I know this morning they did the founder site because every Tuesday. So um I actually do have like a flight, like Google flight tracker alert to be like, all right, well, like you know, because I think I can fly direct from Portland. So um like uh it's it's it's high on the to-do list for sure because I'm looking forward to getting up there.

Matthew Mak 17:28

Yeah, I I went ahead and I jumped the gun. I don't have flight yet or hotel stay, but I'm gonna be going to the summit. Oh, cool in in October. Nice. I'm worried in a good way because it's just like we were saying about when you start reaching out and networking with the same mindsets, that means I'm gonna feel like we could do a million things at once.

Rachel Erickson 17:45

So, yeah, and like, oh no, there's so many things, there's so many ideas.

Matthew Mak 17:49

Yeah, it's like uh do you do you are you a movie buff or no?

Rachel Erickson 17:53

Uh I it depends on the genre, but I'm pretty good. Yeah, pretty well.

Matthew Mak 17:55

Do you ever watch uh Stepbrothers?

Rachel Erickson 17:57

Oh, yeah. Do we just become best friends?

Matthew Mak 17:59

Yeah, there's that one, and then there's a scene where they make uh the bunk beds and all, and they're like, there's so much space here for activities, dude.

Rachel Erickson 18:06

Activities, yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 18:07

That's like the feeling I'm getting for that.

Rachel Erickson 18:10

Oh, a hundred percent. Yes, that's that's the best analogy. That's cool. That's definitely it, yeah.

Matthew Mak 18:15

I love that just not not building bunk beds, that's all.

Rachel Erickson 18:18

No, no, no, maybe not building bunk beds, but there can be a lot of activities.

Matthew Mak 18:21

Yes, absolutely. Amazing. Uh okay, so now um tell me, uh, what's a rule you refuse to break no matter what it costs you?

Rachel Erickson 18:34

Oh, um I probably the biggest one that's kind of been guiding me, especially over this past like year, eight, ten months, you know, is working working with good people. Like, I don't care if whether it's a person uh coming on board to be an internal team member or or a potential client, if they treat others poorly, if they're you know, don't have like morals value, if they're not don't believe in what they're doing, if they're not good with others, like I don't care how much money you offer or what your resume says, like I just want to work with good people. It's not worth distress, like karma is a thing. And also like I will I will go to the ends of the earth for someone you know I I believe in and and want to work with. Um, but I you know, if it no no no dollar amount could make me bend, like, oh I guess, I guess I'll take them on, or I guess I'll hire them because A, B, and C if they're not not a good person.

Matthew Mak 19:32

And that's the that's what's cool. Like, it's it's your focus on culture, right? And that's yeah, yeah, culture.

Rachel Erickson 19:36

That's a great way to sum it up.

Matthew Mak 19:37

Yeah, that's that's huge, right?

Rachel Erickson 19:39

Yeah, both like client, especially as when I made the decision to like, I don't want to just be freelancer Rachel. I want to build an agency, I want to build like a true thing that's bigger than me and like leaves an impact, that it just the people matter even more, not only like who we're working with and who we're associated with, but then I think to like my team and what I want to be able to set them up for success. So I'm not gonna, I don't want to say yes to a you know, a client like, oh, they're this huge, like amazing client, they're gonna be so well for us if my team's just gonna be hating their life happening to have them. So yeah, um, yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 20:12

And that's interesting, like uh about the client's perspective on that note, right? It's like you know, I I've also like sharing that is like gone through a lot of like a lot of customers where it's like a step back and I said, Okay, so if they're talking nice to me, talking nice to my partner, but if they're talking not so nice to my staff, yeah, you know, like why would I serve or cater? Because it's if it's putting them under stress, then you're right. Like the dollar value doesn't matter to me. I can find business at other other places with better people that treat people well.

Rachel Erickson 20:45

Exactly. Yeah, and that's who I want to support. And yeah, I just it it works out better for everyone in the end. And just like there's always there's always more work, there's always more people, there's enough to go around absolutely good people doing good things.

Matthew Mak 20:59

Yeah, it it hit me when Dan was saying about like talking specifically about like the AI stuff and like saying how there's maybe was it like 0.1% of the world even tapping into it really right now. And I'm like, wow, that's a very small fraction.

Rachel Erickson 21:13

And I'm like okay, and well, and I feel like to us, like in the group, it feels like, oh, everyone's already on board with AI, but it's because we're we're in this narrow perspective of like we're in it actually, like trying to figure out and implement, but you go talk to I I mean talk to anyone, they're just general, not that they're not smart by any means, but they're just not in in that, like because they'd become a business or they're you know just not in that space. That like, yeah, what what's Claude?

Matthew Mak 21:38

And I'm like, Yeah, oh my god. Oh, how do you yeah, exactly? How do you not know? How do you not? Yeah, and then like even it's like uh I I know there's a lot of people out there where they they say, Oh no, we ain't touching AI. Like, I don't I don't trust it. Yeah, I'm not getting into that, you know. Like, uh, like what's wrong with you?

Rachel Erickson 21:55

Like, I don't think you understand. Like, yeah, don't become a robot, but but don't

Matthew Mak 22:00

Left behind if you have secrets that you want to hide from the world, by all means I can understand. Yeah, you know, but listen, Clock can take everything it knows about me because I really don't care.

Rachel Erickson 22:08

It's fine. There's not really anything on the colour.

Matthew Mak 22:10

Yeah, there's nothing I'm hiding about, right? Exactly.

Rachel Erickson 22:12

You know, yeah, clock. I mean, it's my therapist at this point. Like, I don't even care.

Matthew Mak 22:16

Right. So, uh, have you have you actually um tried the uh the Dan AI yet or no?

Rachel Erickson 22:21

Oh yeah, I've been using so whatever that call was, I don't know, a couple months ago or something when it when he like released it. Released it, yeah. When yeah, when we got to like it came open to the group, I hopped on that. Yeah, I'm I'm like, dang, it's good. Like it is, it is like you actually have Dan like talking about to really give you like chill, like actual like oh that is what he would say. I but I love when there's been questions on the group of like someone's like, I asked Dan AI first, and here's what it said, and like how would you? And he was like, Oh yeah, that sounds that's what I would say, that's what I would say. And then he and then you know, whatever additional tweaking that he does to it. So no, it's have you been using using it?

Matthew Mak 22:57

Oh yeah, so yeah, like with the trial was great. Then again, like going back to like March, I wasn't able to really continue on with oh yeah, that's what's going on, right? Yeah, but then uh I think it's about three weeks ago, I said that's it, I gotta do it. So I I I invested into it and I talk to him like every day.

Rachel Erickson 23:16

Oh yeah, it's the app's always open on my phone.

Matthew Mak 23:19

And then I get to be honest, I actually get frustrated when it doesn't give me the audio response. So then I ask it every time, give me the audio response because I want to hear Dan talk to me. I want to hear him talking to me. Yeah, because also like I'm also on the road a lot, so it's easier. At least I can listen out. Listen to it. Yeah, Dan's talking to me.

Rachel Erickson 23:37

Yeah, exactly. I'm like, I need to hear it because if I hear it from I can just because I can picture him being like Rachel, get your shit together.

Matthew Mak 23:44

Yeah, exactly. It's so wild and crazy.

Rachel Erickson 23:46

Oh, and I love how he like the he is a he it, I guess. It's so weird to say refer to Dan Hughes, but uh it like you know prompts you, like checks in with you. Like, hey, it'll be like, hey Rachel, it's been a couple days. Like, did you get X? And I'm like, Yes, Dan.

Matthew Mak 24:00

Yeah, I thought that they're right.

Rachel Erickson 24:02

So he like holds you accountable too as well.

Matthew Mak 24:05

It's very impressive. It's very impressive.

Rachel Erickson 24:07

I recommend when it if if and when it becomes released to the world, I don't think it will. I don't think it will, but yeah, this can be a promo video for for right, exactly. Maybe any future elite, any other leaders.

Matthew Mak 24:19

You can totally like work work on uh building your own eventually.

Rachel Erickson 24:23

That's what, yeah, with Buddy is Buddy AI, right? Or buddy pro or something.

Matthew Mak 24:27

Yeah, no, that's what he's using, right? That's what he's using, yeah. Um, but if you like start like working with Claude and um that's true and what's that all with Obsidian? Obsidian can start taking your your files, your memories, and everything and link it together, and then you'll be able to do some wild things. Yeah, clone slowly, yeah, build your clone.

Rachel Erickson 24:45

Yeah, I haven't started on that on that journey yet, but I feel like it's definitely especially people like us, like you almost you eventually, whether even if you're only ever doing it just like for your own team or for certain, even if you don't ever become like a coach or a consultant of some kind, like being able to have that for even just a team to be like go go to Rachel AI first and then exactly so then they can answer the questions when you're not available, right?

Matthew Mak 25:09

Yeah, exactly.

Rachel Erickson 25:10

I'm like, I'm in Italy in a vineyard right now, so I really don't want to answer that.

Matthew Mak 25:14

Yeah, there you go, right? Yeah, but yeah, that's what I'm also kind of working on on the side too, is just slowly building that, but just finding the time to do that.

Rachel Erickson 25:21

Yeah.

Matthew Mak 25:22

But I know um uh Felipe, um he's on their group. He's uh he does the uh custom home building.

Rachel Erickson 25:30

Oh yeah.

Matthew Mak 25:31

He's the one that brought the trophy to um to Dan.

Rachel Erickson 25:34

Yeah, yeah.

Matthew Mak 25:35

So I saw him do a post that he also created his own clone. Yeah, oh wow.

Rachel Erickson 25:41

Oh, I have to check that out. Okay, yeah, yeah. That's wild. There's a lot of things to do. I know, right? There's never ending.

Matthew Mak 25:48

Yeah, it's never it's never ending. Never ending. Yeah, yeah.

Rachel Erickson 25:51

I guess that's a big now, Rachel.

Matthew Mak 25:54

To to to finish off two-parter here, all right. Uh what does built without permission mean to you?

Rachel Erickson 26:01

I love that question. I think built without permission is I think what we're all doing is it to me it means just doing something that maybe isn't new or revolutionary, but you're doing it your way and you are revolutionizing whatever your thing is.

Matthew Mak 26:16

Yeah.

Rachel Erickson 26:17

Because you you saw a need or you saw a gap and you're doing it your way. And that I think on this, you know, going back to the subject of AI, like at the end of the day, we are there, we're all still humans, and like you need to be human. And so if you can build without permission and just be you and not be afraid to show up as you and build the thing that you think the world needs, then just go for it unapologetically.

Matthew Mak 26:39

Yeah. Mic draw.

Rachel Erickson 26:41

Yeah.

Matthew Mak 26:43

Nice. And uh now, where can we find you, Rachel, for the listeners out there?

Rachel Erickson 26:51

Thank you. Great question. So you can follow me. I'm most active on Instagram. It's uh my handle is Rachel, it's my first and last name, Racheleric.sun, and uh, or you can go to barrelroommedia.com. Uh, that's that's our website. Um pretty active there. It's the same handle on TikTok as well. I'm working working on my TikTok game, getting there. And uh, and for all your listeners, uh, if if you have any gaps in your content, if you're wondering like how do I post? What do I, what am I missing? What's I need, like a little roadmap to figure out I'm kind of stuck somewhere. Uh if you DM me score, uh, I have a free, it's called the content gap scorecard, and uh I'll send it over to you. But it's a four-part roadmap, and it'll just help you go from like beginner to pro uh on with your content.

Matthew Mak 27:34

So yeah, sweet. Now the thing is just do it, just do it, exactly. Just do it. It's there, just do it.

Rachel Erickson 27:41

Just do it, just just be Nike.

Matthew Mak 27:43

Yeah, that's it. Just be awesome.

Rachel Erickson 27:45

And I'm in, I'm I I I'm from I'm in Oregon. I'm an Oregonian, so I wholeheartedly believe that.

Matthew Mak 27:51

Sweet. Well, Rachel, thank you so much for joining me on Built Without Permission. We'll uh be in touch. It'd be great if you you know connect with me again on here.

Rachel Erickson 27:58

Yeah, I would love to come back. I appreciate you having me on. It's uh fun combo.

Matthew Mak 28:02

Awesome, awesome. Well, cheers. Take it, take a take a great day, take a break, you know. Have a good one.

Rachel Erickson 28:07

Yeah, you as well. Enjoy. Uh let me know how that decanton that red goes.

Matthew Mak 28:11

Yeah, we'll do. Cheers. Take care, Rachel. See you bye. If you're waiting for permission, you're already behind. The life you're building starts with the decisions you make today. So stop thinking and start moving. Subscribe, share this with someone still thinking about it, and start building something of your own. No blueprint, no approval, no excuses. I'm Matthew Mack. This is built without permission.