Rachel Axelrod has spent her life navigating spaces where precision is celebrated, but her most valuable lesson has been learning to let go of perfection. From her early days as a trial lawyer defending high-stakes cases to leading event productions for TEDxChicago, Rachel’s career reflects a pattern of embracing challenges, adapting to change, and finding greatness in imperfection.

Growing up in the suburbs of Detroit, Rachel wasn’t the stereotypical perfectionist, but her years in law school and a decade-long legal career ingrained in her a high standard for excellence. “In the legal world, perfection is the baseline,” she explains. “Every case, every deposition, every motion—it had to be flawless.” But her mentor’s advice, “Don’t let perfect get in the way of great,” would later become a guiding principle as she transitioned into the unpredictable world of event production and public speaking.

Rachel’s path to becoming an event producer was anything but conventional. After stepping away from her legal career to focus on family, she wasn’t quite sure what was next. A chance introduction to the TEDx organization, sparked by a friend, opened the door to a world she’d never considered. “I didn’t know anything about producing events, but I said yes anyway,” she recalls. It was a decision rooted in curiosity and the belief that she could figure things out along the way.

She and her co-founder, Jessica Lederhausen, tackled their first TEDxChicago event with minimal experience but an unrelenting drive. “We Googled how to build a website, begged for resources, and learned everything on the fly,” Rachel shares. Despite their initial hurdles, the event was a resounding success, and she discovered a love for creating spaces where impactful ideas could shine.

One of Rachel’s most enduring lessons stems from her time as a lawyer and event producer: the importance of making decisions and moving forward without getting stuck in analysis paralysis. “I’ve learned that you’re going to make mistakes. An email might have a typo. Your hair might not be perfect. But that shouldn’t stop you from taking action,” she says. This mindset has been instrumental in her ability to juggle multiple roles as a producer, coach, and mentor.

As a public speaking coach, Rachel draws on her legal background and experience producing TEDx events. She helps clients refine their messages and navigate the nerves that often accompany high-stakes presentations. “It’s amazing how much people don’t realize about the small habits that can block their message,” she notes. Her coaching style blends empathy with a straightforward approach, helping speakers grow in confidence and clarity.

Rachel’s focus on imperfection isn’t about settling for less but about recognizing when something is “great enough” to make an impact. “Perfection is often in your head. Most of the time, people won’t even notice the tiny details you’re obsessing over,” she says. It’s advice that resonates deeply, particularly with women who may feel pressured to check every box before stepping into a role.

Her story is a reminder that success isn’t always about having a perfectly mapped-out plan. It’s about saying yes, figuring things out along the way, and trusting your ability to adapt. “The only way to grow is to step into spaces where you don’t feel 100% prepared,” Rachel insists. It’s a principle she’s applied in her own career and one she encourages others to adopt.

Whether coaching a speaker on how to own a room or evaluating a venue for an event, Rachel carries the same philosophy: aim for greatness, not perfection. “The key is to do the best you can with the resources you have and keep moving forward,” she says. And for Rachel, that approach has proven to be not just great—but extraordinary.

From coordinating vendor contracts to creating the perfect atmosphere, event production is a complex and multifaceted field. At the forefront of this industry is Paulina Herrera, a mastermind event producer who has worked on events all over the world. In a recent episode of The Event Producers Network, host Estefania Galvan sat down with Herrera to learn more about her experiences and insights into the event production industry.

Herrera's story is one of perseverance and dedication. As a child, she was fascinated by the world of events and was determined to make a career out of it. She pursued her passion by obtaining a degree in event management from an Ivy League university and quickly rose through the ranks in the industry. 

Her hard work and dedication to her craft have paid off, as she has become one of the most sought-after event producers in the world.

During the podcast episode, Herrera shared valuable insights into the event production industry. One of the key takeaways was the importance of adaptability. Events are constantly evolving, and it's crucial for event producers to be able to pivot and make adjustments on the fly. 

Herrera also stressed the importance of communication and collaboration in event production. As a producer, it's essential to work closely with vendors, clients, and other team members to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Another important topic discussed in the episode was the impact of technology on event production. Herrera noted that technology has revolutionized the industry, making it easier to plan and execute events. 

However, she also emphasized the importance of finding a balance between technology and human connection. While technology can be a valuable tool, it's essential to remember that events are ultimately about people coming together and experiencing something special.

Throughout the episode, Galvan and Herrera shared a wealth of knowledge and experience that event producers of all levels can benefit from. Whether you're just starting out in the industry or have years of experience, there are valuable lessons to be learned from Herrera's journey. 

As Herrera stated, "The most important thing is to never stop learning and growing."

Paulina Herrera is a true mastermind in the world of event production. Her dedication, passion, and willingness to adapt have made her one of the most successful event producers in the industry. 

Through her personal story and insights, listeners can gain valuable knowledge and inspiration for their own careers in event production. So tune in to The Event Producers Network and join Estefania Galvan and Paulina Herrera on a journey into the exciting world of event production.

Cera Stan | Owner and Event Director of Stan Mansion

Though never crossing paths before first working together, Co-Founders Lindsie Hass and Kaitlyn Cinquegrani, were destined to become business partners and lifelong friends. The two founded Scout Hospitality, a corporate event planning company, during the pandemic and quickly found success in the industry. 

Now best friends, Lindsie recalls the two learning just how much they have in common after forming the company. 

“It's funny, but we didn't know a lot of this until we started Scout. We knew of each other. We knew of our families. We knew our husbands kind of played hockey, but they'd never crossed paths. It turns out both of our boys are three. 

Our girls are within six months of both being six years old, our husbands now are best friends. They play hockey every Friday and Sunday and Wednesday, whenever they can get it, then. So, yeah, just all the similarities, it just meshed not only as a business partnership, but as friends as well. Just a couple of weeks ago, we realized that we both went to Roosevelt University in the city, too.”

It is that combination of similarities that would prove to be instrumental in building a business and brand during a pandemic. As companies needed more and more help, Scout Hospitality was able to fill a void and provide key support when they needed it most. While they did and still do provide planning services for virtual events, as Kaitlyn points out, it’s in-person events that create a memorable experience. 

“I'm just excited that in-person is back, because the virtual side, while it's not going away, the togetherness and the engagement that you get from people when you're actually meeting, there's just an energy and a vibe that everybody feeds off each other.”

Yet with so many marketing managers, and those deemed their company’s designated event planners, trying to do it on their own - it’s about creating awareness for how a professional planner can actually save them money. Built on a business model that makes it hard to say no, Linidsie explains the value they’re bringing to their clients. 

“I would say for our clients we're like an arm of their company without being an employee. So when this wave happened, these teams that were 15, 20 people are now down to one in two people. So they need help more than ever, but their budgets might not allow to hire another person to help them. The greatest thing about our biggest tier is the sourcing is free. As long as you have a room block with that. So we're bringing value to the table without them even knowing it until we get into the conversation.”

Tune in to hear more about how these two best friends built a brand around their friendship and shared vision of success.

On our inaugural episode, Tionna Van Gundy joins us to share her journey into the event planning industry and how she, at the time it was held, produced the largest event in the midwest - during the pandemic of 2020. The Founder and CEO of a wedding planning company [Wedicity] and corporate and non-profit events planning business [Fueled Events], she discusses leaving the comforts of corporate life to pursue her own business - and the lessons learned along the way. 

Right out of high school, as most kids are struggling to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives, it was Tionna’s mom who’d encourage her to pursue a career in Event Management. Not knowing one could make a career out of planning events, Tionna’s passion for planning parties started at a time when most kids are still playing with toys. 

“I made business cards on word or whatever and they had a Mickey mouse logo. He was holding balloons and it had my name and it was like ‘Party Time Planners.’ It was just printed on basic paper, but I put them on all my neighbors' doors and I thought I was going to be the next biggest party planner in the neighborhood for all the kids' parties.”

Eager to learn the wedding industry, Tionna started reaching out to different wedding planners where she lived, at the time, in Columbus, Ohio. Already certified as a wedding planner, she was fortunate to connect with a woman, who owned various businesses in the same industry, that would become her mentor. Leveraging her experience, she accepted a position with Marriott that would take her to Chicago. 

After five years with Marriott, Tionna admits feeling hindered by the amount of red tape she needed to go through to make any type of change. It was then she made the decision to work for a smaller hospitality group in the heart of downtown Chicago. 

“I went to a small restaurant group, Kinzie Chophouse and worked with that company for quite a while. It was an amazing role for me, as well. I worked for someone who also became a good mentor to me. She was a great business owner. I learned a lot, from that role and that job, and was able to really move up quickly. Because it was a small company, she let me really run within my positions.”

With a newfound appreciation for small business culture, made the leap from employee to employer and started Wedicity. Yet, what she, and others in the industry, could never anticipate would be the pandemic that’d forever change the face of events globally. 

Tune in to hear how Tionna found a way to not only throw the largest, in-person event in the midwest, during the pandemic; but also created an entirely new business out of it.