Meet Rachel Arbuckle | Owner & Photo Manager

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

Hi Rachel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My motivation to start 2000 Paces Photo Organizing was alleviating the fear and anxiety I experienced during the Cocos fire in 2014. I had only minutes to grab a few items. My instinct was to gather all of our photos, but I panicked when I realized my precious memories were all over our home in boxes, picture frames, and albums. I grabbed what I could and our family headed to safety. After many days of worry, we were able to return home to the memories we had to leave behind. Thankfully, our home was spared, but others in our community were not as fortunate. This experience not only solidified my commitment to protect my family’s collection of photos but prompted me to found 2000 Paces Photo Organizing, encouraging you to organize and protect your important memories.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My professional work history can best be described as a complicated recipe with a little of this and a little of that, until I finally got it right and I’m exactly where I belong. I joined the Navy soon after high school and served almost 6 years. While in the Navy, I attended college and eventually received my bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I worked at SANDAG as an intern and then as a research assistant on a NASA project at SDSU, while working on my Master’s Degree in the same field. This led me to work for an environmental consulting firm as an analyst. I discovered, however, that although I had years of education in the field, I wasn’t happy. I hired a recruiter, who found me a position with a life insurance brokerage firm. That sounds less exciting, I know, but I was interacting with clients regularly helping them grow their business. I knew I was heading in the right direction, but was still experimenting with the ingredients. I moved to a corporate position for an accounting and finance company, traveling often to visit branches throughout the country. I loved that I was helping create something new, but again…it was missing something. My worry and utter sadness at the thought of losing our family photos and memories during the 2014 fires inspired me to do something about it and help others as well! Running a small business (particularly during a pandemic) is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done; however, I’ve also never been happier! I finally got the recipe right.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite parts of San Diego are the quieter spots where you can take a breath and truly appreciate the beauty of San Diego. I’d probably start with a morning hike at Torrey Pines enjoying the view at the top. Then, hiking down to the beach for lunch and enjoying our feet in the water while looking for shells. We would then head to Balboa Park. Although the museums can get crowded, there are actually many places to walk around and enjoy the architecture and vegetation. We would probably head to Carlsbad for dinner and live music (assuming no pandemic) and then back to the beach for a beautiful sunset.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first “shoutout”, without hesitation, is to my family. I left the comfort and stability of a corporate job to start a business in an industry that was just beginning to emerge. It was a risk (to say the least), but my family never once questioned my ability or motivation to make 2000 Paces into a reality. The support and encouragement I’ve received from both family and friends has been incredible. I also have to give a shoutout to the many incredible women with whom I have collaborated along the way, each striving to build her small business and big dreams. I am so thankful for my two masterclass groups: an international group of Photo Managers led by our phenomenal coach, Lisa Corrado, and a local small business group headed up by two brilliant business owners, Kristin Bradford and Alicia Giglio. Both groups are comprised of women who have a drive and dedication that is so inspiring! I believe working with these women, in these groups, has been a huge driving force to the growth of my business.

Website: https://www.2000Paces.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2000Paces/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelarbuckle/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2000PacesPhotoOrganizing/

Image Credits
Credit for photos to Kristin Bradford Photography @sandiegobrandingphotos