Today we’d like to introduce you to Dora Rankin
Hi Dora, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
On the outside I’ve always looked like I had it all together, but inwardly, I never quite felt that way. And even now, when my business, family, and relationships are thriving… I can still fall into my comfortable but not healthy overachievement mentality.
I grew up in a single parent home, my mother was a nurse and practically lived at the hospital. My sister went away to college when I turned 12-years-old, so I had a ton of freedom. For whatever reason, at the ripe age of 12 I began drinking and quickly became a teenage alcoholic.
Without learning any coping or life skills other than drink, party, and cultivating a ‘who cares’ attitude through my teen years, I fell sideways and backwards into my 20’s. During college I got pregnant, hurriedly got married (in 1998 mind you, not 1958) and over the course of three years had two baby girls and an ugly divorce. I did however get sober.
Being newly divorced with two small children I was determined to be self-sufficient. Since my background was finance, I began to climb the traditional banking corporate ladder, which meant ‘how quickly can I snag the Vice President title.’
I became the Vice President but it came at a price. A price of three to four panic attacks a day and what I like to call corporate trafficking. Then in 2017, when I thought I was walking into a boardroom for what my ego thought was another accolade, I got fired.
This was my biggest fear. From 1998-2017 I was the powerhouse. I climbed the ladder, I raised my daughters, I became a full-time caregiver to my mother who had multiple sclerosis. I had no idea how to let go of managing and controlling every single thing around me. Could I fall apart? Would I fall apart? Who am I when I’m not ‘the powerhouse?’ Will I know how to cope?
The answer was yes. I can cope with these changes and no I will not fall apart. Instead, I picked up a paint brush and started to paint and paint… and paint some more. I painted my whole house, all different colors – pink, yellow, green. I had no idea what else to do. It felt cathartic. Eventually, I decided to go back to school and get certified in empowering women’s leadership at Cornell University. From there I began consulting women leaders and uncovered a broken system – lack of funding for women and minorities. So I linked arms with a high growth start-up and built a nationwide crowdfunding platform for small businesses to access capital. This was a three-year mission that ended in late 2020.
This mission led me to truly see what’s been constant in my life – strong women and how we overcome hardship. Now as a globally successful business coach I show up for women and allow them to live their purpose and create their highest earnings potential; women who are willing to show up for themselves, leap into their genius zones, tap into their unlimited beliefs, and scale their businesses as powerful entrepreneurs. This is my life purpose.
My experience from teen drinking, to executive suite, to starting again has shown me that my legacy is to pave the way for women that are on the journey to living their purpose and creating wealth. But, the work continues for me to fully embrace the areas of my life that are thriving. And that is the true journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
According to Forbes, 30% of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women,
but here’s something you may not know about them—only 2% make $1
million in revenue and only 18% are earning more than $100,000 per year. Dora Rankin is on
a mission to change these statistics. With a lifetime of expertise developing
top performing sales leaders, creating complex road maps for businesses
and being certified in empowering women’s leadership from Cornell
University; she has claimed her title as business coach, globally advocating for women in business at all stages.
As a seasoned and certified business advisor, sales strategist and fractional CEO, Dora provides high level support for women who want to live their purpose and create wealth. Dora customizes her coaching for women in all stages of business, from high level corporate women starting consulting companies to venture backed startups. Her programs include The HEART Sell method, full suite strategic growth plans, money mindset, sales strategy, organizational capacity, capital planning and are delivered with genuine authenticity and a sincere desire to impact change.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
EOS Traction has been a fundamental as well as Discover your Strengths & Rising Strong, Brene Brown.
I was inspired by Rachel Rodgers, author of We Should All be Millionaires to write my book, The Heart Sell, A Women Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Freedom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dorarankin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dora.l.rankin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoraLRankin
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doralrankin/
Image Credits
Credit Chelsea Sanders, Blueline Productions
