In this episode of Rooted & Relentless, Steph sits down with Rachael Perry, founder of Chateau Marigold and one of the founding members of the Clarity Coven inside the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind.

What starts as a conversation about content creation quickly turns into something much deeper: grief as a catalyst, motherhood as a driver, boundaries as a business skill, and why relationships—not hacks—are the real growth strategy.

Rachael shares how losing her father sparked her passion for documentation and storytelling, eventually leading her to build a business that helps founders create content that feels good and performs—while saving clients an average of 60 hours a month. (Yes, sixty. Go ahead and mentally spend that time however you want. Reading fantasy novels is encouraged.)

Together, Steph and Rachael unpack:

1. Why most people struggle with content (and it’s not because they’re “bad at it”)
2. The mindset shift that instantly quiets comparison and imposter syndrome
3. Why connection > conversion in today’s marketing landscape
4. How interest-based media is changing the way we build audiences
5. What it actually looks like to edit your business when growth starts to feel heavy
6. The rarely-talked-about loneliness of entrepreneurship—and why safe rooms matter
7. How Rachel made hard decisions, cut misaligned clients, and landed more aligned ones
8. Why relationships will take your business farther than any funnel, giveaway, or gimmick

Connect with Rachael

Follow Rachael and keep up with her brilliance on Instagram

👉 @chateaumarigold

Hang with Steph

Want the same kind of clarity, confidence, and grounded decision-making you heard in this episode? Join me and Rachael inside of the Rooted & Relentless mastermind. Where breakthroughs happen on any given Tuesday: https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

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In this episode of Rooted & Relentless, Steph kicks off the Stakeholder Experience Series by breaking down why your clients are more than just the people currently paying you and why past clients and even your clients’ clients are part of your business ecosystem too.

This conversation reframes client experience as a leadership responsibility, not a customer service task.

Because when you truly lead your client relationships, the ripple effect shows up everywhere: retention, referrals, reputation, revenue — and the kind of impact your business has beyond you.

In this episode, Steph covers:

1. Why client experience is a strategic ripple effect, not a “nice to have”
2. How dazzling your clients fuels retention, referrals, and easier marketing
3. The real difference between managing clients and leading the relationship
4. Four practical ways to elevate your client experience without overgiving:
5. Clear communication & expectation setting
6. Proactive leadership (anticipating needs, not waiting for direction)
7. Being EXTRA on purpose (without burning out)
8. Evolving alongside your clients as they grow
9. Why silence creates stories — and how unspoken expectations quietly erode trust
10. How to normalize feedback early and often (and turn it into better offers)
11. The overlooked power of re-engaging past clients
12. Why your work enables your clients’ impact — and how that responsibility compounds

This episode is about more than client satisfaction.

It’s about building a reputation that carries you into rooms you’re not in.

Because when people feel held, guided, and genuinely cared for — they stay, they buy again, and they tell everyone.

🔗 Want to step deeper into my world?

If this episode had you nodding along, you’ll love these next steps:

Join the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind Waitlist. High-touch coaching for service-based business owners ready to stabilize, scale, and lead with clarity
https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

Book a Decision Intensive to Nail Your Client Experience Strategy. A 90-minute intensive to make Client Experience a priority, design your path to doing so, walk away with a clear, actionable plan to make it happen
https://www.stephrubio.com/small-business-consulting

Connect with me on Instagram → @virtually_stephrubio: https://www.instagram.com/virtually_stephrubio
Come tell me how you’re being EXTRA for your clients.

In this Clarity Coven feature, Steph sits down with Alissa Bellantoni — The Golden OBM. Alissa is an Online Business Manager, an Online Business Mentor, and the woman business owners call when the backend is on fire and burnout is knocking at the door.

Alissa is one of the founding members of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind, and in this conversation, we dig into what it actually looks like to build a sustainable virtual support business — both as an OBM serving established clients and as a mentor helping women step into the their own virtual support business with confidence.

This episode is a candid, practical conversation about operations, hiring, boundaries, authenticity, and avoiding the comparison spiral that derails so many capable entrepreneurs.

What We Cover in This Episode

1. What an Online Business Manager really does (and doesn’t do)
2. The biggest misconception about OBMs and virtual support roles
3. Why hiring “one person to do everything” isn't the move
4. Why being honest about budget and expectations matters
5. Alissa’s biggest recent shift: stepping into authentic, unfiltered messaging
6. How comparison quietly stalls progress in service-based businesses
7. Curating your social media feed to support your growth, not sabotage it

Key Takeaways

1. Clarity in hiring starts with clarity in roles. Know what you’re hiring for before you post the job.
2. OBMs are ops specialists, not marketing unicorns. Different roles exist for a reason.
3. Burnout is often a systems problem, not a motivation problem.
4. Authenticity converts better than perfectly polished content.
5. Following competitors too closely fuels self-doubt & setbacks, not confidence.
6. You don’t need to manage everyone — you need the right leadership structure.

Connect with Alissa

Want backend brilliance and top-tier OBM wisdom? Or thinking of starting your own Virtual Support Business?

1. Instagram: @thegoldenobm
2. Newsletter: https://thegoldenobm.myflodesk.com/newsletter

This episode is part of the Clarity Coven series — spotlighting the founding members of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind and what stakeholder experience looks like when done right.

Want the same kind of clarity, confidence, and grounded decision-making you heard in this episode? Join me and Alissa inside of the Rooted & Relentless mastermind. Where breakthroughs happen on any given Tuesday: https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist