hi friends!! today I'm sitting down with Rachel Hague, co-host at School of Hard Knocks (yes, THE 23 million-follower media company) and this episode made me want to fire my own excuses.
I've spent actual years being too intimidated to walk up to people I found impressive. meanwhile, this woman casually walks up to actual billionaires on the street with a camera and just... asks. no plan, no permission, no invite. gets a yes anyway.
oh, and she also beat out 950 other women for her job. so my "I'm not qualified enough" is officially retired.
she came on to share exactly how she builds credibility out of thin air, the framework, the mindset, all of it. no "just be yourself" fluff, no vague advice. the real framework.
grab a coffee, this one's a lot ☕️
📘 Career Cheat Codes - IT’S OUT!!!
My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.
Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/
02:53 Inside the street interviews: 100% unstaged, and here's how she handles getting rejected on camera
09:41 The neuroscientist quote that ruined "walking into a room" for me forever
20:12 "Authority hacking": steal credibility from anyone, legally
23:50 Credibility k*lls all bad attitudes
30:18 Why she'd rather own "a piece of the watermelon than the entire grape"
31:07 The job every company needs right now and doesn't know it yet
33:55 950 women applied for her role. here's how she got picked
44:11 The confidence quote that stuck with me long after we stopped recording
About Rachel
Rachell got her start filming funny videos with her little sister, who has disabilities, to encourage her through her health journey. That was the accidental beginning of her personal brand. From there, she built a following connecting female entrepreneurs, hosting 100+ in-person and virtual events across Austin and the U.S.
She's now a host at School of Hard Knocks, a 23-million-follower media company, where she runs a channel taking viewers behind the scenes of business owners' real day-to-day. Launched about 6 months ago with zero cross-promotion from the main channel, it's already crossed 100,000 followers. In her words: "I'm truly just being a student."
Connect with Rachel
💼 LinkedIn: Rachel Hague
👍 Instagram: @rachellhague
Stay connected with me
📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co
👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod
👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson
💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson
🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson