People from all over the world call CapNY home. In this segment of CapNY Transplants, we highlight Rachel Malik, entrepreneur, who recently moved to CapNY to East Greenbush from overseas.
Why did you relocate, Rachel?
I relocated to the region in April 2022 to join my husband who has been living here for a couple of years. I’m originally from Leeds in the north of England. We live East Greenbush – we wanted the space, but still being close enough to Albany center.
Tell us about your business.
While waiting for my Green Card to be processed I began to research local industries and trends. There wasn’t a clear voice advocating for the development of young professionals and I saw a gap for a unique solution (coaching) to the retention challenges businesses were facing. Rachel Malik International (RMI) was formed as a result of my experience as a new hire at PepsiCo.
For most of my peers, our desire to authentically impact the business far-outweighed the promised rewards of climbing the corporate ladder. I found this to be true Stateside as traditional training programs have not evolved to meet Gen Z generation expectations. I took my experience (being the individual attempting to be retained) and now partner with employees in a thought-provoking process that inspires?them to maximize their personal and professional potential – Coaching!
How do you feel about CapNY, only having been here for over a year?
I’m a northerner and the people from my region are known to be friendly and down to earth. I feel the people in the Capital Region are also open and it’s why I was able to transition to life here so easily. So many people I know have relocated because of the area’s affordability, variety of things to do and location to other major cities. Thinking about lifestyle and what we both wanted in the future made this region an easy choice – it’s why I was the one to relocate rather than my husband! I’m big into being outdoors, so any chance I can get to get outside is a win (I’ve loved hiking in the summer around Lake George / Skiing in the winter).
How has the CapNY community impacted your success?
Last year I knew no one apart from my husband and in less than a year I have been able to develop a strong network of mentors, advocates and peers who have helped me navigate the ‘smallbany’ landscape and truly want to see my succeed. I set my marker last year that ‘success’ would look like having a better idea of what I want to ‘do’ and 12 months later I have crystalized that idea into a ‘purpose’ rather than a job alone. I award a lot of that mindset shift to being in an area where people want to connect, get to know you and see the wider impact you can have.
Why is CapNY a great place for young professionals and entrepreneurs?
It’s a great place to make your mark. I have interviewed 40+ young professionals over the past few months and it’s clear that Gen Z want to make an impact in their local region. From cutting edge industries (tech/wind/solar) to a robust non-profit sector, the chance to make a difference here is real and actively encouraged. I attended an event hosted by business leaders and educators highlighting the talent pipeline / investment outlook and it is really something to be proud of … there are many formal grants, entrepreneur programs and mentors who want to help you in your career. My advice is take the leap and reach out – you never know the impact you can have until you ask.