Meet Rachel Loui | Putting Money (And Time) in Your Pocket

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Loui and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, what is the most important factor behind your success?
On paper, I’m a professional optimizer. I’m a consultant serving small and mid-sized B2B companies to help them become more effective. How? I help business leaders save time and make more money with the resources they already have.

But here’s what I really do: I motivate people to set and achieve their goals. The secret sauce behind my two consulting businesses, StrategicGrowthFactor.com and HackingFears.com, is pushing people to do the things they know they should…but absolutely don’t want to. That might mean finally raising their prices, speaking at a conference that could change their career, or learning how to use GenAI to stop wasting time and start making money.

Because let’s be honest: most people don’t need another “thought partner.” These days, information is readily available, and often free. Smart go-getters need someone to hold them accountable, poke their soft spots, and push them through the things they keep putting off. I’m that person.

So how do you turn desire into action? It’s not that different from how personal trainers turn couch potatoes into marathoners. I figured, what if you could do that in business? What if the same mix of pressure, support, and momentum could turn a hesitant entrepreneur or team into a confident, money-making machine?

Strategic Growth Factor serves businesses, and Hacking Fears serves individuals. But both share one core value: I like making companies and people more money. Some people say I’m life-changing. I say I just kick people in the butt to take action.

At the end of the day, the most important factor in my success—and in my clients’ success— is simple: a four-step framework:

1. Set a goal.
2. Take action.
3. Create accountability.
4. Keep increasing the difficulty until you’re in top shape.

That’s it. That’s the formula. It works on fears, revenue, and even public speaking. Think of it as a gym for your business brain.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I heavily borrow neuropsychology to help my clients better engage with their customers. And, we know stories stick in our minds better than facts. That’s why a 5-year-old can remember the full storyline of a movie before they can properly read. So, let’s try an experiment. Can I tell you what I do in the form of a story?

Problem 1: You don’t have enough time.
Solution: Use tools like AI.

Once upon a time, Business Owner Bob used Google when his competitors were still at the library. He had the world’s information at his fingertips and time to close deals while others fumbled with the Dewey Decimal System.

Today, Bob uses GenAI for out-of-the-box marketing ideas, custom sales objection scripts, and strategic brainstorming. His revenue doubled last year. He didn’t add headcount. He’s retiring early on a private island.

Bob’s a smart man. Be like Bob.

Problem 2: You’re not generating enough revenue.
Solution: Develop human soft skills to magnetize customers.

We’re already seeing AI-generated content in our inboxes. We’re also learning how to use AI to summarize and reply to messages. But what happens when your AI talks to their AI, and you never actually catch the attention of the human customer?

Here’s why human soft skills will win: Technology isn’t enough. Humans need other humans. If you don’t believe me, we did a worldwide experiment to prove this. It was called the pandemic quarantine. We know customers want to talk to a real human. When AI takes over, being human is your superpower.

So, how do you stand out in the noise by being, well, human? That’s the magic of human soft skills: listening, engaging, persuading. Above all, it’s building trust.

So, how do you get your team to adopt AI, become customer magnets, and grow revenue without burning out?

1. Find out why your business isn’t making more money. Ask Bob. Or take this 1-minute quiz: https://strategicgrowthfactor.com/resources

2. Go beyond “how-to” training. Give your team experiential learning rooted in neuroscience so new habits stick like muscle memory.

3. Build a growth mindset. Now your people embrace tech, customer needs, and fearless action—without more effort from you.

4. Add accountability. Like a personal trainer, you track progress so results compound consistently.

5. Re-evaluate yearly. Tech and customers change. You need someone like Bob to help you evolve. Or, if he’s relaxing on an island, you can call us.

For the ShoutOut readers, message me directly at Rachel@StrategicGrowthFactor.com, and I’ll make sure we give your company extra love.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m relatively new to the area, so I’m going to give a bit of a cop-out answer. I lived in New York City for over a decade and spent four years working in Shanghai. So, my default recommendation is this: get on a sidewalk, start walking, and see what serendipity shows up.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Hahaha. Well, an Asian American can’t answer this without stating the obvious (and only) option: my parents!

Before I was born, my parents immigrated to the States with nothing but brains, grit, and an extremely strong work ethic. They taught me that discomfort isn’t dangerous. In fact, it’s necessary.

For example, I was eight when I said I liked swimming. So they put me on a swim team. A year-round team. Outdoors. In below-freezing weather. Five days a week. (Weekends? Those were for weight training at the gym.) I did that for ten years until I escaped to college.

They taught me that discipline beats talent. And that if you have the chance to build something for yourself, you’d better go all in.

A lot of what I teach my clients about goal setting, overcoming fears that hinder achievement, taking action, and maintaining momentum comes straight from my parents’ playbook. I just package it in a way that’s digestible for CEOs and business owners who didn’t grow up with a tiger mom. (You’re welcome.)

Website: https://strategicgrowthfactor.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-loui/