Raw, unapologetically no-BS Rach-rants. Unfiltered reflections from the Taylor-trenches.
Firstly, thanks for being here to those of you already following the Rach Rants blog at rachtaylorcoaching.com and to those already on my email list. For everyone else, HERE WE GO! I’m finally launching Rach Against the Machine – my regular Rach-Rant-Substack-newsletter. Rock on!
So Rach, what’s with the freakin name you ask? C’mon, seriously, what? … if you’ve already missed the reference as a throwback to one of my all-time favourite 90s bands then this might be the first sign you need to hit Unsubscribe already (jokes, please don’t).
Back when I was a 20-something-90s-moshpit-ratbag-metal-head with Doc Martins and an eyebrow ring, Rage Against the Machine felt like a reflection of who I truly am at the core: a bit of a rebel, a born agitator, someone who questions the norm. The band were known for fusing rock, rap and metal with politically charged, revolutionary lyrics that confronted corporate power, systemic injustice, and governmental oppression.
Yeah, so, I like to think my newsletter channels some of the same spirit (keep dreamin’ big kid). Just like the band, I’m here to fully speak my truth; a lot of which feels opposed to the modern-day systems that don’t serve us.
Much of my thinking feels counterculture and subversive. I call BS on hustle culture. I call BS on modern-day capitalism’s obsession with output at all costs. I call BS on sporting systems that discard athletes overnight with no regard for their physical, mental or emotional health when it’s all said and done. I could go on, but the “I call BS” list gets quite long. You get the idea.
At the end of the day, what lights me up is seeing people thrive when they disrupt and reframe their own status quo- when they realise their own agency – when they stop following someone else’s script and start designing life on their own terms. These days I’m all about inspiring, guiding, coaching, and mentoring others as they rewrite the rules, reclaim their story, and blaze their own fu*king trail – without selling their soul or sacrificing themselves in the process.
Most of you know I’m not a fan of social media (LinkedIn is the only one I keep on life support, and that’s deliberately minimal). I prefer raw, real, long-form writing – the same way I prefer real conversations with thought and depth. Substack feels like the right place to put down my most unapologetic truth – vulnerably, honestly, and without filters.
That’s why I’m here. And if this resonates with you, then you’re exactly where you need to be.
If you’re new here, I’ve lived a pretty epic adventure: competing at the Olympics, reinventing myself after sport, studying as a mature-age student, and building a career in senior HR leadership roles – all while raising a family and having a crack at financial independence. Along the way, I’ve also lived the trauma of betrayal, loss, and family breakdown. I’ve been stuck in the quicksand more times than I care to admit – numbing with wine and overwork, dodging the hard truths, and living a life completely out of sync with my values.
But I’ve also clawed my way back every-single-time. I’ve evolved, rebuilt, grown, and kept choosing alignment. I’ve navigated all the mess that’s come at me and eventually jogged on… coming out the other side shining my light brighter than ever.
Today, as well as being a mother of two very cool teenage sons and a woman hitting her absolute fu*king prime in life, I wear many hats:
⚡ Olympic medallist (*not really a hat, but apparently important nevertheless)
⚡ Performance, career & life coach. Life after sport and athlete transition coach
⚡ Speaker on athlete transition, leadership, and human-centred performance
⚡ Accredited DISC & AthleteDISC practitioner
⚡ Strategic advisor & early-stage investor in AI HR tech (Mindora)
⚡ Entrepreneur and property investor (*self-proclaimed Airbnb-queen)
Which means this Substack isn’t just about sport, or HR or leadership, or career – it’s about all of it. You’ll hear me ranting on the lot:
- Athlete transition & reinvention: identity, purpose, and the real story of retirement from sport.
- Career, leadership & human optimisation: lessons from high-performance sport applied to career and the workplace.
- The future of work & human potential: why current systems are broken and what comes next.
- Wellbeing, health & performance: managing energy, pace, and priorities for the long haul, without burning out.
You’ll be hearing from me whenever a truth bomb strikes. Thanks for being here, sharing my work and supporting what I do.
Rach x
