My impact grows through you: A guide for referring me
This post is part “Thank You” note, part guide. I’ve been reflecting on how referrals are helping me build formations consulting and how to make it easier for those who want to help me continue growing.
Small businesses grow through community
No matter what industry you're in or who you serve, your business thrives when your good name connects with the trusted names of others.
For entrepreneurs, referrals—your active sponsorship of someone else’s business—aren’t just helpful. They’re essential.
I’ve seen it from both sides: as a client and colleague and referrer and recipient. A referral is more than a kind gesture. It’s you putting your name behind someone else’s. It’s a risk. And it’s an investment.
As I build my business, I’m deeply honored by every person who trusts me as their coach or consultant, and by every person who’s referred me. I know what it takes to put your name behind someone else’s work. I don’t take it lightly.
To take that risk and invest in someone’s work through a referral, people need:
Clarity about who I help and how I help them
Context to explain what I do and when I might be a fit
Confidence in the quality of my work and the impact it makes
Who I help and how I help them
The people who refer me usually have clarity on this, and I want to make sure you do too.
I help executives, Chiefs of Staff, and HR leaders transform themselves and their organizations, without losing what makes them stand out. With me as their coach and thought partner, they can evolve in ways that are durable, strategic, and actually stick.
My sweet spot is small-to-mid-sized tech and design organizations, but I’m game to work with anyone serious about doing the work of transformation, not just checking boxes.
What this can look like:
For leaders asking, “How do we grow without losing who we are?” I offer executive and team coaching, strategic offsites, and team development experiences that build clarity, connection, and performance.
For leaders thinking, “This organization needs to get ready for what’s next” I offer org consulting, org and talent development strategy, and org design support that align people, purpose, and performance.
What makes my work different
There are a lot of coaches and consultants out there making similar claims, and many of them are excellent. I’m a champion of my colleagues in this space.
So here’s what I bring to the table:
A bias for data. Whether it’s a personality assessment, an org diagnostic, or a proven model, I start with insight. We use the data to find what’s true and decide what will make the right impact.
Systems thinking. I look at the whole. I think about who’s affected, what’s changing, what’s reinforcing what. It helps us figure out what to do, what not to do, and how to make change stick.
A deeply human approach. This is about people: the people you serve, the people you lead, the people you are. My work starts there.
15+ years of experience. I’ve been a talent exec, a coach, and a partner to leaders in nonprofits, hypergrowth tech, and enterprise orgs. I’ve led in complexity. I know what actually grows leaders, and what actually moves organizations forward.
Why leaders work with me
The most powerful way to build that kind of confidence is through experience: working with me, seeing my work in action, or hearing from someone who’s partnered with me before. That’s why referrals from former clients and colleagues are so meaningful. They’ve lived it.
Testimonials also help, which is why the quotes from current and past clients on my homepage are so important.
If you and I have worked together, know this: I’m proud of the work we’ve done, and I would be honored to earn your enthusiastic referral. If you’re ready to share your story about the impact we’ve made together, let me know.
And if we haven’t yet? Let’s talk. I’d love to find creative ways for you to support you and for you to get to know me and how I work. You can always check out my blog or follow me on LinkedIn. I’m also working on something new that’ll make it even easier to get a feel for what I do. Stay tuned!
When you're ready to refer...
If you’re listening for the right moment to refer me, here are some phrases you might hear from a senior leader, an HR executive, a Chief of Staff, or an EA who’s actively supporting their leader’s mission:
“We need to rethink how we’re investing in our leaders and build something for both scale and impact.”
These folks are at an inflection point in how they’re developing talent. I help define and deliver leadership development strategies, balancing high-touch coaching, thoughtful program design, and scalable learning.“We’ve got great people! We just need to unlock their full potential.”
I help teams accelerate through strategic facilitation and systemic coaching. Whether they’re newly formed or just stuck, I create experiences that build clarity, trust, and traction.“The way we used to work isn’t going to get us where we need to go.”
These organizations are mid-transformation and are often grappling with culture, accountability, or change fatigue. I help align ways of working, leadership behaviors, and systems with the business goals they’re trying to reach.“I just stepped into a new leadership role / got promoted / inherited a new team.”
These leaders are navigating personal transformation. I coach them to grow into the next version of their leadership with clarity, intention, and the confidence to have real impact.
And when it’s time to refer, here’s a quick way to make an introduction over email (mine is rachel@formationsconsulting.com):
I’d love to introduce you to Rachel Nelms. She’s an executive coach and organizational consultant with 15 years of experience across hypergrowth tech, nonprofits, and big orgs. She helps leaders grow into more durable, high-impact versions of themselves, and helps organizations evolve into more generative, aligned, and human places to work. I think she’d be a great partner as you navigate [insert challenge here].
You can find out more about Rachel at https://formationsconsulting.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheleonelms/.
If you’ve referred me, or even considered it, thank you. I know it’s no small thing to put your name behind someone else’s work. Your trust means everything to me.
If someone in your world is leading through growth, change, or transformation and needs a thought partner to help them do it with more clarity, strategy, and wisdom, I’d be honored to be introduced.
Referrals are how my business grows, and how I get to do the work I’m uniquely built to do: helping leaders and organizations evolve with intention, courage, and care. It’s through my relationships with you and others that I’m able to make the impact I’m here to make.
