Meet Rachel Le | Senior Catering Sales & Event Manager

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

Hi Rachel, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I definitely think that my outlook on work life balance has changed a lot over the past few years especially after jumping back into the workforce after COVID. Most people would agree that once they had all that extra time to themselves during COVID it really allowed one to understand how much you may have placed on the back burner while you were focusing all your time & effort into your profession. Now that I’ve been back into the workforce, I still commit many hours into my profession because I absolutely love what I do but, I have also created more boundaries for myself so that I do not neglect my own self-care and well-being as I had before.

Another huge factor is that as I get older, certain aspects of my life have become more of a focus to me than they were when I was younger. My priorities have changed and starting a family is now very important to me. With that being said, I know that building a family is going to take time & effort away from what I usually dedicate towards my profession so slowly I’ve shifted my efforts towards creating a work life balance so that it would be an easy transition for myself along with the company when that time comes! This way I can also have the time to spend with my loved ones and be a part of all those important moments!

I think having a balance will really have a positive effect on your physical & mental health along with your relationships with loved ones and friends. Once that work life balance is achieved, I feel that the term “have your cake and eat it too” is actually possible as you can be successful & happy in many aspects of your life, not only in your profession.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Throughout my career, I’ve held diverse roles within the service & hospitality industry, each contributing to the development of my professional identity. Whether as a server, a hotel front desk agent, a wedding planner, and ultimately as a catering sales manager, the experiences & skill sets that I gained in each of these positions are in the end what sets me apart from others!

Getting to where I am today wasn’t easy, but I have consistently embraced a growth mindset. Even during the times when I wasn’t sure about my end goal, I made sure to use the experiences and skill sets I gained from prior positions to enhance my performance in each new role that I’ve taken.

Additionally, I’ve come to understand the importance of embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. Every setback that I have faced has provided me with an opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow stronger.

Another valuable lesson that I’ve learned is the importance of networking and building strong relationships. It’s not just about what you know but who you know and how you collaborate together. Also, through those networks, I have been able to build many amazing long lasting friendships throughout my career!

I want the world to recognize that perseverance, adaptability, networking, and teamwork have been pivotal in pushing my career forward. I hope that my story inspires others, instilling in them the belief in their capabilities to overcome any challenge on their professional journey! I also hope to make a positive impact in my industry, not only through my achievements but also by giving back and mentoring others.

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.
There are so many wonderful, exciting and interesting places to check out in San Diego! It’s hard to narrow them all down and there’s only new spots that are popping up each day!

Knowing that food & beverage is important to me, I would definitely make sure that my friends are getting the best! Some of my favorite food spots would be: Tacos El Gordo, Prince St. Pizza, Kingfisher, Ju-ichi, Barbusa, Animae, The Smoking Goat, and more! We would also visit the fun speakeasies and rooftop bars in San Diego such as Convoy Music Bar, Bar Kamon, The Nolen, Seneca Trattoria, Rustic Root, Birdseye Rooftop, Rooftop bar at Mission Pacific and more!

I always love checking out the popular attractions in San Diego like Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo and La Jolla Cove. I also love the smaller attractions like Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, Sandstone Slot Canyon in the San Elijo Lagoon, Sunset Cliffs Sea Cave and the La Jolla secret swings.

We also would take part in some beach/water activities like Paddle Boarding, Pedal Boating, Kayaking and riding a catamaran or cruise on the harbor!

Finally, I would definitely do a day trip out to Temecula to go wine tasting as that is a must do when visiting San Diego for the first time!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people in my life that I would love to dedicate a shout out to because I always say that it takes a team or a village but, there is one person specifically that I would like to recognize and that would be my mother.

My mother has always been the reason why I entered the service & hospitality industry and as a child, I would always watch my mother graciously take care of her clients with a smile on her face. All of her clients loved her and would always treat her like family, just as she would. She would always bake sweet treats and give them to her clients, just for fun!

I knew that I wanted to follow her footsteps and make my clients always feel special & cared for. This dedication is very dear to my heart as I lost my mother to cancer back in 2005 and though she hasn’t been physically here to encourage me through all these years, I know that she is doing so from above.

Website: www.coastcatering.com & www.crownrentalssd.com

Instagram: @leprachel

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-phuong-le

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastcateringsd/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/coast-catering-escondido

Image Credits
Bauman Photographers Jessica Rice Photography Ashley Bee Photography Miranda Tate Photography Justice Photography Ariel Min Photography Sposto Photography