Rachel Eslick

Energizing, Empowering, and Educating You to Stop Living as Your Best Self and Start Living as Your Favorite Self.

Expert on

  • Inspirational
  • Workplace Culture
  • Happiness
  • Leadership
  • Motivation
  • Teambuilding

Fee Range

$4,500–$8,500

Travels from

IA, US

Biography

Rachel Mae Eslick is a high-energy keynote speaker and founder of Mae We All: Growth & Development, where she helps people and teams reconnect with who they are so they can show up powerfully—in work and in life. Her message is simple but transformational: stop striving to be your “best” self, and start living as your favorite self—the version of you that’s authentic, aligned, and energized.

Raised on a dairy farm as one of seven kids, Rachel learned early the value of community, hard work, and bold dreams. After college, she found herself stuck in the “shoulds” of life—until a mindset shift (and a literal near-death experience at mile 25.7 of a marathon) woke her up. That moment sparked her mission to help others grow from the inside out.

Rachel went on to serve as Director of Growth, Development & Employee Engagement for a national organization, helping leaders build people-first cultures where growth is personal, not just professional. Today, she delivers engaging, interactive keynotes and workshops that leave audiences laughing, reflecting, and ready to take action.

Why audiences book Rachel:

  • Dynamic storytelling that makes you laugh, think, and take action.
  • Real tools and mindset shifts your audience can use immediately.
  • Interactive, high-energy sessions (no boring lectures here).
  • Expertise in leadership, resilience, and employee engagement from real-life experience.
  • Faith-driven and purpose-led, Rachel’s mission is to bless, not impress.

Whether she’s speaking to leaders, educators, young professionals, or entire teams, Rachel shows up to serve—and leaves audiences more energized, empowered, and equipped to live fully aligned lives, both at work and beyond.

Let’s make your next event one your audience won’t forget. Rachel’s ready—are you?

 

Testimonial: 

“Rachel Eslick was the perfect opening keynote for our Cedar Rapids conference! Her energy was contagious, immediately setting a positive and uplifting tone for the entire event. Rachel’s message about embracing your ‘favorite self’ rather than chasing perfection deeply resonated with our audience. She empowered and energized every person in the room to get out of their own way and step into their authentic potential. I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone looking for a dynamic, engaging, and inspiring speaker who will leave your attendees motivated and ready to take action.”

– Morgan Schmall,
Director of Operations for Women Lead Change 

Speaker Videos

Live as Your Favorite Self: Stop Striving, Start Aligning

Forget chasing your “best self” – it’s time to live as your favorite one. 

This keynote is a wake-up call to stop performing and start aligning. As a Growth & Development speaker, marathoner, and mom, Rachel blends raw stories, electric energy, and research-backed insights to spark something real inside every audience.

You’ll reconnect with the version of yourself that feels the most you – not the most polished or perfect, but the most powerful. And you’ll leave with a mantra that changes everything: “It’s not me first. It’s me too. I matter too.”

Key takeaways:

  • Identify what your “favorite self” looks and feels like in daily life.
  • Shift from external approval to authentic alignment.
  • Use small, practical actions to stay energized and consistent.
  • Leave inspired to show up as the most authentic, resilient version of you.

OWN IT: Who You Are and What You Bring to the Table - No Permission Slip Required

Why is it so hard to live confidently without needing approval? In this keynote, we’ll name the real culprits – societal pressure, self-doubt, and the endless chase for validation. And then, we’ll take them down.

Rachel guides audiences to fully own who they are – not just on paper, but out loud, in action, and with heart. Together, we’ll uncover how to lead with joy, use your strengths boldly, and stop waiting for a green light to be great.

Key takeaways:

  • Recognize and release the pressures that hold you back.
  • Embrace the “favorite you” who leads with clarity and confidence.
  • Turn self-awareness into bold, unapologetic action.
  • Step away from needing permission and into creating momentum.

No more permission slips. Just all gas, no brakes. You ready?

Lead Like Your Favorite Self: The Power of Authentic Leadership

The greatest way to influence is to lead by example. This keynote takes leadership beyond old-school tactics and into a modern approach: supporting people as a whole, not just in their role.

Instead of striving to be our “best selves,” we’ll learn to lead as our favorite selves—the version that shows up with authenticity, clarity, and impact. When we do, we align with our purpose and create space for others to do the same.

Leadership isn’t about one title or one area of life—it’s about consistency across every area of who we are. This session emphasizes:

  • Leading with authenticity and alignment, not performance.
  • Supporting people holistically for greater engagement and retention.
  • Practicing proactive problem-solving and adaptability as a team.
  • Modeling continuous growth—personally and professionally.

Audiences leave with a fresh perspective on leadership and practical tools to influence culture by showing up as their favorite selves.

One and RUN: Resilience, Change, and the Lobster Mentality

Change, obstacles, and plot twists hit us both personally and professionally. In those moments, we have two choices: shrink back or work powerfully through it.

This keynote introduces the Lobster Mentality—a mindset shift that proves real growth happens in discomfort, not in comfort zones. Resilience isn’t about “everything happens for a reason” or sugarcoated positivity. Sometimes life is hard. Period. But resilience is built by facing that truth and choosing to move forward anyway.

With raw storytelling, humor, and practical tools, Rachel equips audiences to face setbacks with strength, compassion, and momentum.

Key takeaways:

  • Reframe setbacks as setups for growth.
  • Apply the Lobster Mentality to embrace change and thrive through it.
  • Learn the 3 steps to resilience: feel it, own what’s yours, move one inch forward.
  • Build lasting momentum with small, consistent actions that compound over time.

Audiences leave not with clichés, but with a real, usable toolkit to bounce forward—not just back.