Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living Magazine. Today I have Rachel Eskin with me. Welcome.
Rachel Eskin: Hi, Toni.
Toni: How are you?
Rachel: I’m good, how are you?
Toni: I am great. So, Rachel, take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Rachel: Well, I am born and raised in Berks County. I went to Wilson High School. I spent most of my career in the beauty industry, up until recently; in the salon industry, specifically. I just made the leap to open The Salt Lounge, which is now open off of State Hill Road. We’re a salt therapy spa where you can come, breath in the salty air, relax. It helps with respiratory issues. We also have massage, reflexology, yoga, and it is the place to relax in Berks County.
Toni: Well, we all need a place to relax.
Rachel: Yes.
Toni: This sounds very intriguing. The location again?
Rachel: It’s 4 Wellington, which is right off of State Hill Road.
Toni: Okay. Fantastic. You ready to talk about inspiration?
Rachel: I am.
Toni: Good. So, what does inspiration mean to you?
Rachel: Well, lately inspiration means to me any person that is living their dharma, their truth, is inspiring to me. I’ve been fortunate to meet so many amazing people that have taken the leap to do that, and that’s what inspired me to make that leap.
Toni: So, you’re watching people that are going for it.
Rachel: They’re going for it. People decide, “This is what my life needs to be, and this is what’s going to bring meaning to the universe,” and they’ve lived that. That’s why I am inspired by.
Toni: That’s inspired you.
Rachel: Yes.
Toni: Awesome. Alright, so do you know when you’re inspired?
Rachel: I think I do know when I’m inspired.
Toni: What’s it feel like?
Rachel: I think you get that glowy feeling, or you just feel like, “Wow! I want that, too!”
Toni: That’s awesome. So, how did you take that inspiration and put it into practice?
Rachel: Well, for me, it was becoming an entrepreneur, and that’s how I put that into practice, but it’s also volunteering. I mean, anybody that is volunteering and getting involved in the community. I’ve been involved with Junior League for a long time, and Leadership Berks. There’s just so many amazing nonprofits here and ways to get involved in the community. I really try to do that as well, and make that part of my…
Toni: Getting it out there.
Rachel: Yeah. Getting it out there, exactly.
Toni: Becoming an entrepreneur takes courage, but then, what is it that translates into how you pick and choose where you serve? What inspires you about those organizations?
Rachel: Any organization for me that’s trying to inspire youth and empower youth is inspiring to me, so that’s why I particularly align with the Junior League, because it’s a group of women, and let me tell you, amazing inspirational women come out of the Junior League. They do a Young Women’s Summit that helps to empower young girls in the city, and lots of opportunities there. We did luncheons last year with girls in the city just talking about different topics on their lunch hour, and that gives me an opportunity to be involved and know people in the community.
Toni: Fantastic. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Rachel: A lot of these ladies that I’m talking about inspire me. I mean, the people that started Voice Up inspired me. They came from the Junior League. I mean, anyone who’s like, “We need this in the community, and let’s just go do it.” That’s super inspiring, and there’s so many women in the community that are doing that right now.
Toni: So really, it’s people who are just getting things done.
Rachel: Getting things done. Saying, “We need this in the community. Let’s do it. Let’s form a plan to do it.” They get it done. That’s super inspiring.
Toni: Which is what you did with your business.
Rachel: It’s what I’m trying to do.
Toni: Absolutely. That’s fantastic. Anybody else in Berks County other than the groups of women that inspire you that you want to give a particular shout out to?
Rachel: I would say there’s so many cool women. Toni Eckert, with Leadership Berks. She inspires me. I’ve made so many amazing connections through that organization. Super happy to know her. I’m also involved with the Jump Start Incubator, which is out of the Berks County Community Foundation. June that runs that, she’s just such another amazing woman in the community that helps people like me that want to start businesses and don’t really know where to start. She’s such a great resource. She’s amazing to me. There’s just so many.
Toni: That’s fantastic. So, Rachel, what would you like your legacy to be?
Rachel: My legacy is I really want to be someone who when they think, “Well, she knew what she wanted to do, and she went for it.”
Toni: You’re doing it.
Rachel: And I’m doing it.
Toni: Not only are you doing it as an entrepreneur, you’re being brave enough to do it, but you also do it when you’re inspired by others who are brave and serving, and you help them to serve.
Rachel: Yes.
Toni: What a wonderful legacy that is.
Rachel: I try.
Toni: Yeah.
Rachel: I’m going to try to live up to that.
Toni: Way to go, Rachel. Thank you for showing up for the Project.
Rachel: Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you, Toni.
Toni: Absolutely.
