Meet Rachael Cosgrove of Gift Bags By Rachael in West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Cosgrove.

Rachael, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I spent 12 years working at PEOPLE Magazine in New York doing event marketing. While there, I worked closely on all the biggest events PEOPLE sponsored including the Oscars, Grammys, SAG Awards, Country Music Awards and more. I also became the “go to” in-house gift bag expert for all these events. When I left PEOPLE to move to Los Angeles in 2014 for a job doing Global Partnerships & Sponsorships at SBE Entertainment (which was just about to open the SLS Hotel Las Vegas), I was very fortunate in that my old colleagues began to hire me on the side to work on the gift bags for all the awesome events I had worked on at my old job. Soon thereafter, their colleagues at sister companies owned by Time, Inc. began doing the same (e.g., Fortune, Essence, TIME, etc.). It all blossomed from there, and after adding several more new clients, I found myself doing what was originally a side-business full time just about a year after landing in Los Angeles!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a surprisingly smooth road, albeit with some growing pains. I think the greatest challenge for me has been learning to understand my own value and not being shy about asking others to understand that value as well. My business originally stemmed from being a small part of my job duties at a full time day job. While I was adding tremendous value by bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of brands into the events I was working on, it was all just in a day’s work. When I left and eventually began doing this full time, I really had to start putting a value on what I had been doing.

And of course, making the leap from doing a side hustle and then committing to doing it full time after spending 13+ years in the relative safety of corporate America was a mental challenge. But ultimately, it has proven to be one of the best decisions of my life.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
At its core, Gift Bags By Rachael is probably best known for being a gifting solution for high profile and celebrity events and award shows. I sit at the intersection of brand marketers and the events they would like to be associated with and I bring the two together. Over the years, the scope of what I do has also evolved with a shifting landscape. These days, there are so many different ways for brands to be involved in events – via the gift bag, gift lounge, event sponsorship, digital integration, etc. Whereas initially, I was always working for the event, these days I find myself working just as hard for the brands. Because I can often time be involved in multiple events around the same celebration (e.g., multiple events the week of an award show), I am often called upon by my brand clients to find multiple placements for them. This can be a one-off integration in a gifting suite and inclusion in gift bags at multiple events. It truly runs the gamut and for me, keeps my job interesting and growing. I think what sets me apart from others is my hands-on approach, my good nature, and competitive pricing. I want everyone to walk away feeling good after working with me so I strive to always deliver value far beyond what I’m compensated for. I’m always upfront with my clients about what they can expect as far as deliverables and then aim to over-deliver for them. And I’m very hands on and always available for my clients.

What were you like growing up?
I have always been incredibly outgoing and curious. I always had a large circle of friends and perhaps this is where I first learned to “network!” Also, I was raised in the home of a single mother who worked incredibly hard to provide for her two children. As a result, I think I learned the importance of being self-sufficient and self-supporting from a very early age which leads to an above-average degree of hustle. For decades, I’ve never had just one job – I’ve always had a side hustle and, ultimately, that’s what set me up to do what I’m doing now!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GiftBagsByRachael.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: GiftBagsByRachael
• Facebook: GiftBagsByRachael
• Twitter: GiftedByRachael

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