I’m a brand designer & creative mentor and have run my own design studio, Rachilli, for the past decade. I’m an award-winning designer & photographer, have published two books (one self-published & one with a publisher!) and had several logos featured by some of the biggest publishing houses in the world.
I created Beyond Ink as a way of doing more of what I love - helping people realise their inner magic and grow roots for their business that give them the confidence & clarity to not only grow their business in a way that not only feels 100%-amundo right to them, but to also share more of their magic with the people that need it.
I’ll spare you all the details, but I’d been running my design business for just over 3 years when I landed myself in hospital due to overworking and extreme burnout. I had been so intent on creating a business that served others, that I completely forgot about what I wanted from my business and my work.
All of this led me to learn more about brand values and I realised how much of my life decisions had been value-driven - from leaving college at age 17 with no qualifications, to starting my own business, to focusing on networking over chasing work... At this point, where I was in the midst of burnout and struggling to manage my chronic illness alongside running my business, I realised that values held the key to everything I needed to grow my business in a more intentional and sustainable way.
Slowly but surely, I refined the path I had been messily working my way along into a solid brand strategy process - that I’ve used within my own business as well as alongside the most incredible clients for the last 7+ years - to grow with more ease & confidence, both as humans and as businesses.
My passion for spreading the power of values - and intentional, authentic brand strategy - has led me here to creating Beyond Ink. All of the offeres I’ve created have grown organically out of honing my branding process during this past decade of business. It’s my hope that by helping you find the best way to follow this process for yourself, you’ll be able to find that one little seed that you can nurture and, in time, grow into a mighty forest.
🐶 My two dogs (they're 7 now - but couldn't resist a puppy pic!) are named after one of my fave female comic-book superheroes (Storm, from X-Men) and my favourite male Twilight character (Jasper - if you read the books, you’d know why).
Yep, I went there! 🤣 They’re the most ridiculous two dogs you could ever meet. They’re always at one extreme between wanting cuddles on the sofa, or running around the house with their favourite toys (currently: pine cones and wool dryer balls).
RIP Storm - 6/3/15 - 25/1/23
🌱 I’m OBSESSED with house plants (and nature in general). At my lockdown height, I had 60 plants in my teeny tiny home office! (I’ve pared that down a little now, but I don’t feel entirely myself if I’m not surrounded by flowers and plants, indoors and out. I dream of the days when I can live near the sea & on the edge of some woods sometime in the future.
🥰 I’m disabled & live with multiple chronic illnesses. I was diagnosed with my first chronic illness at age 20, and more since. I live with daily chronic pain & fatigue as my main symptoms, with a few other choice things thrown in to the mix as well! I truly believe my disability & chronic illnesses are my superpowers, because I’ve learned so much through living not only as a disabled, chronically ill human - but as a disabled, chronically ill business owner.
It would be kinda silly of me to talk about the power of value-driven branding & businesses if I didn’t let you know about my values too! My values are what I use to power every decision I make in business, and have become a guiding sign-post for me in every walk of life too. They may change or evolve over time, but here are my current few:
I've seen for myself and for my clients what can happen when you choose to root yourself & your business in the things that really matter. And I hope that the courses & resources I've created here can help you to do that too.
But more than anything, I want you to be able to develop the kind of self-trust & intuition in your business that I've managed to grow too. I want you to see the magic that you hold inside, to plant the seeds of the business you've so longed to grow, and that's just waiting to burst into blossom.