Rachel Dunford Consulting

Rachel Dunford Consulting Specialist support to the education sector: research, evaluation, business planning, problem solving, writing. Hi, I’m Rachel. I am the Impact Specialist.

My passion lies in helping my clients to capture the difference they make to the lives of the people they serve - especially when that difference is something that might feel intangible or unmeasurable. I work with small businesses, charities, large global membership bodies and everyone in between: so long as you want to make a positive impact somewhere, I want to help you achieve that! I began my

career as a management consultant, specialising in complex change programmes and transformed into a solo business founder after having my first child, and I now have 12 years of successful self-employment under my belt. I have built an award-winning evaluation and impact measurement business, successfully helping countless clients to get to the heart of understanding their impact and finding ways to maximise it. I support my clients to focus their efforts on the things that deliver the greatest value and impact and help them make important decisions to stop doing the things that are no longer serving them or their audiences.

Want to know what your clients think about you and your services just like .insta did?Let me find out for you.My Rapid I...
15/08/2025

Want to know what your clients think about you and your services just like .insta did?

Let me find out for you.

My Rapid Impact Review allows me to explore so many things on your behalf.

⭐️Why they chose you

⭐️What makes you stand out in your field

⭐️What you are best at

⭐️How your work has had an impact on them and their business

⭐️ How they would describe you to their network

⭐️ What is different for them as a result of your help

⭐️What your values look like in action

⭐️ Where you have blind spots in your business or glitches that need fixing

And SO much more.

You’re left with MOUNTAINS of insights that will help you to:

🔥overhaul your marketing messaging

🔥speak directly to your ideal client

🔥enhance your services

🔥 find new opportunities

🔥 stop leaving money on the table

Sounds good?

Check out the full details at the link below or in my stories or my bio and do feel free to book a no-obligation call to discuss whether it’s right for you!

https://go.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/rapid-impact-review

Tomorrow (Tuesday 12th Aug at 11am UK time) will be our final FREE Impactful Community session, before it formally trans...
11/08/2025

Tomorrow (Tuesday 12th Aug at 11am UK time) will be our final FREE Impactful Community session, before it formally transitions into a membership.

(If you don’t know what the Impactful Community is - WHERE have you been?! Read on...!

❤️ It’s a space for brilliant, bold, ambitious, values-driven women who want to be known for making a difference.

❤️ It’s somewhere we come together to have thought-provoking, uplifting, conversations with likeminded people, making lasting connections and leaving all ego and pitching and competition at the door.

❤️ It’s a chance to think about business differently...with absolutely no talk of turnover or cringe-worthy sales techniques.)

Anyway, I’ve worked hard to build The Impactful Community into something very special, and it’s been a total joy.

But clearly, to be able to do this and to keep it going, comes at a price.

And I am determined to make sure that this important, beautiful, international community is here to stay 🌍 ❤️.

So, anyone who’d like to come and join us from September onwards will need to be a paying member (though there will still be the chance to try it once for free before you make up your mind - no pushy sales over here!!).

Membership costs just £20/month for founding members and, once those spots are filled, it increases to £25/month (both prices are VAT-inclusive).

There are genuinely just a handful of Founding Member spots left.

And I am confident that come midday UK time on Tuesday when August’s session finishes, there won’t be any left at the £20/month price point.

So, if you’ve been waiting until the last minute to grab your membership, I strongly recommend that you move quickly!

I’d love to invite you to jump in before the session and grab your membership by using this link https://go.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/impactful-community-membership (or if it’s quicker find the link in my bio)

OR, if you’ve not been before and would like to try a session for free, you can get the zoom link for Tuesday using this second link https://go.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/impactful-community

See you online very soon for our summer celebration of impact! 😎 ☀️🎉

WHO HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON ME THIS WEEK? //The Lionesses. No question.If you watched their semi-final on Wednesday, you’ll...
25/07/2025

WHO HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON ME THIS WEEK? //

The Lionesses. No question.

If you watched their semi-final on Wednesday, you’ll know it was HARD to watch.

They went behind early, and nothing seemed to be going to plan, and every effort felt blocked.

The pressure was relentless and the frustration was starting to show. But they didn’t give up.

They kept pushing, stayed in the game, and showed real determination to keep going, even when surely their energy was dipping and the odds weren’t in their favour.

And then Michelle Agyemang came on. (Sidenote: isn’t she AWESOME?!!)

She brought something new: confidence, composure, and a sense of possibility. Her equaliser changed the tone of the match.

But it wasn’t over. The team still had to dig deep, hold their nerve, and believe the win was coming.

It finally did, thanks to Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal.

But that victory was built on everything that came before...grit, resilience, and that refusal to fold under pressure.

It reminded me so much of what it’s like running a business.

The way you can keep showing up, keep doing the work, even when it feels like progress is slow or invisible.

Sometimes it takes a small spark - a new idea, a shift in energy, or a piece of feedback that changes your thinking.

But more often, it’s sheer bloody-mindedness, quiet, unassuming consistency and self-belief that carries you through.

So this week, it’s the Lionesses who’ve had the biggest impact on me.

Not just because they won, but because they showed exactly what perseverance really looks like.

I want to channel more Lioness in my life. What about you?!

And, will you be watching the final on Sunday? Or is the pressure just too much to bear?!

Me? I can’t wait.

AN AWARD-NOMINATED BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR BRILLIANT WOMEN…//Not something I ever imagined I’d be saying—but here we are ...
22/07/2025

AN AWARD-NOMINATED BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR BRILLIANT WOMEN…//

Not something I ever imagined I’d be saying—but here we are 💛

The Impactful Community has just been named a finalist for Best Networking Group in the , and I couldn’t be prouder or more delighted.

This community began as an idea. A hope that there were other women out there who wanted meaningful, thought-provoking, inspiring conversations about the real impact we’re creating in our businesses.

Now, over 200 women are registered. Every month we meet online. We talk, we share, we challenge, we connect.

And it doesn’t end there.

The conversations continue offline.
Connections deepen.
Friendships form.
Partnerships take shape.
The ripple effect of our impact spreads far and wide.

✨ In just a few weeks, we’ll gather for our very first in-person event—a beautiful lunch in a stunning London venue (ladies, check your inbox today...when I’ll be revealing where we’re going!)

✨ And from September, we’re moving into a membership model that will take the experience to a whole new level.

So if you’ve been watching from the sidelines, wondering if this is for you—take this as your sign.

Don’t get FOMO. Join us. It’s genuinely a special, unique space.

Sign up here for our August celebration of impact: https://go.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/impactful-community












JUST 2 SPACES LEFT FOR SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER... // 💡 Impact measurement support that’s thoughtful, strategic and easy to ...
14/07/2025

JUST 2 SPACES LEFT FOR SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER... //

💡 Impact measurement support that’s thoughtful, strategic and easy to put into action – to help your business grow with confidence 💡

I’ve been genuinely delighted by the number of fascinating businesses and charities asking for support to measure their impact this summer.

From financial strategists to training providers, there’s such appetite to understand and articulate the difference they make.

I’m tying things up before a much-needed break with my family in August, and I wanted to let you know that just TWO spaces remain for bespoke impact support between September and December.

So, if you’d like help to:

🔥 Articulate the true value of what you do for your clients or customers

🔥 Build simple tools and systems to capture, measure or prove your impact

🔥 Use impact evidence to strengthen messaging, delivery or strategy to drive growth

…then I’d love to invite you to book in a no-obligation discovery call now and let’s explore what we can do together!

Simply comment below this post or DM me and I’ll pop you a link to book a call, or check my bio or stories too! 😍

I DIDN’T DO ANY WORK THIS WEEKEND... //And that’s a first for a VERY long time. It’s not really because I’ve HAD to work...
14/07/2025

I DIDN’T DO ANY WORK THIS WEEKEND... //

And that’s a first for a VERY long time.

It’s not really because I’ve HAD to work, but I’ve felt a weird guilt if I DIDN’T spend some time on my computer lately.

But this weekend I made the conscious decision to take time away from my laptop and really rest. And boy, do I wish I did this more often!

Saturday morning I took my gorgeous girl shopping and to have her nails done.

Saturday night all four of us went to watch Supergrass in our local park (how cool is it that this is just 5 mins from our front door?!)

Sunday I watched all manner of live sport, had the best home-made pizzas my husband has ever made, and then finished the weekend off with the amazing Mcfly, with my son on my shoulders the whole time (!!) again in our local park.

Simply glorious.

And now I’m back, raring to go, with lots to share with you this week.

Turns out, the weekend off is a VERY good invention after all. I’m going to do more of those!

How about you? What did you get up to this weekend?

I’m a double finalist!!!This warrants a post on the grid - good news should be celebrated and marked, shouldn’t it!So I’...
09/07/2025

I’m a double finalist!!!

This warrants a post on the grid - good news should be celebrated and marked, shouldn’t it!

So I’m very excited to share that I’m a finalist in not one, but TWO categories for the National Business Awards.

I’ve been shortlisted in the Business Woman of the Year category AND The Positive Impact Award category.

Working alone, with no colleagues to check things with or to put me right or to celebrate the wins, means that when you get news like this - external, independent validation that what you’re doing IS worthy of praise, means a huge amount.

So, roll on November and the award ceremony! I can’t wait to meet all of the other shortlisted businesses and to see my wonderful friend who is also a finalist for Service Excellence (she is BRILLIANT btw).

Sometimes life gets in the way of business.And I guess, the beauty of self employment is that when that happens, you get...
30/06/2025

Sometimes life gets in the way of business.

And I guess, the beauty of self employment is that when that happens, you get to choose what you do.

So I will be a little quieter on here for a bit.

And hopefully that won’t be for long, and I’ll definitely be back, but that’s where we are.

So please, take it gently, and be kind to one another - remember, you never know what someone else is dealing with ❤️

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY... //So, in a change to the usual schedule, I’m going to give myself permission to skip my us...
13/06/2025

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY... //

So, in a change to the usual schedule, I’m going to give myself permission to skip my usual “who’s had an impact on me this week” post and share my birthday list instead 😜

I’m not going to be asking you all for presents, don’t worry.

But these are the things I would really, really like:

❤️ Less division in the world, and more kindness

❤️ More listening, more empathy, more trying to understand each other

❤️ Fewer walls and more bridges – between people, perspectives and communities

❤️ Generosity over judgement

❤️ Support that’s offered without conditions

❤️ Connection that feels real, not performative

❤️ Space for all of us to belong – without needing to prove, pitch, or posture

And if that’s the kind of world (and business space) you want to see too…

Then I will allow you to get me something after all!

There are still a few founding member spaces left in The Impactful Community – the space I’m building to hold exactly that.

Because business can be different.

And together, we can make sure it is.

Show the world that you too care about making a difference through your work and grab your founding member place before they’re gone.

Follow the link in the comments or my stories to grab yours!

We are ONE week away from Impactful Community day.We’re coming together next on Tuesday June 10th, at 11am UK time.On Tu...
03/06/2025

We are ONE week away from Impactful Community day.

We’re coming together next on Tuesday June 10th, at 11am UK time.

On Tuesday, we are going to talk about why it’s so hard to see the impact WE create for ourselves...

It’s going to be brilliant.

A safe, inclusive, welcoming space, where you are guaranteed to meet some absolute powerhouse women who share the same values as you, and who may go on to become friends, collaborators or even clients.

If you’ve not signed up yet - what are you waiting for?!

Next week’s session is free to attend, so hurry up and grab your spot by sending me a DM and I’ll ping you the booking link!

It’s a special space. Come and try it for yourself!

(photo taken by the AMAZING and super lovely Louise Adolphsen )

I’M A FINALIST!!!Yesterday I got a very exciting email from Startups MagazineI’ve only managed to be shortlisted as a fi...
28/05/2025

I’M A FINALIST!!!

Yesterday I got a very exciting email from Startups Magazine

I’ve only managed to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Social Impact Hero category of their Hustle Awards 2025!!!!

(Yes, I am using too many exclamation marks, but I am really delighted, so you can forgive me!!🤣)

I’ll be heading to a fancy awards ceremony in Shoreditch in July to see if I’ve won, but the competition is FIERCE so we shall see...

But I also discovered something else too - that, because I’m a finalist, I’m automatically also entered into the Readers’ Choice Category, which is voted for by the public.

So, I wonder if you could spare me 5 seconds or so, and head on over to the awards website to give me your vote, please?

Find the link in my bio or in my stories (and tell all your friends to do the same too 🤣)

It would mean the world!

Thank you SO much.

🎉 Belated birthday reflections from a teenage business owner 🎈//Technically, my business birthday was last month.Did I r...
27/05/2025

🎉 Belated birthday reflections from a teenage business owner 🎈//

Technically, my business birthday was last month.

Did I remember? NOPE! (Actually, I was away on my solo business retreat at the time, so perhaps I was celebrating it, even if I hadn’t realised!)

Would I ever forget my child’s birthday? Absolutely not.

But my business? Oops. (A symptom, perhaps, of just how full life has been lately.)

Still, here we are – officially 13. A teenager.

And what a ride it’s been.

Thirteen years of highs, lows, and everything in between.

Moments that made me feel on top of the world, and others that have been truly challenging.

But through it all, I’ve never fallen out of love with what I’ve built:

❤️ A business that reflects who I am.

❤️ That aligns with my values.

❤️ That works with people I genuinely admire, on projects that matter, in ways that feel sustainable, meaningful, and true.

My business has brought me opportunities I never imagined would be possible:

✨ Running my own thriving community

✨ Becoming patron of a charity I deeply admire

✨ Speaking on stages at national events

✨ Being featured in the press

But the biggest win of all?

It’s allowed me to grow a business I’m proud of without sacrificing my ability to be present with my family. It isn’t always TOTALLY balanced, but I’m working on it!

So – how do I want to mark this milestone? I’m not asking for presents...of course not... but the biggest gift you could give me this year is to come join the thing I’m proudest of:

🌟 My Impactful Community 🌟

It’s where thoughtful, purpose-driven businesswomen gather every month to reflect, connect, and grow.

No competition. No performance. Just genuine conversations about building impactful businesses that last.

If that sounds like something you want to be part of – I’d love to welcome you in. 🎁

Here’s to the next chapter!

Join us using the link in my bio - there are just a few founding member spots remaining!

Address

Bedford

Website

https://www.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/course

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