Inspire, Spring 2009

Before opening her laptop and getting to work, Rachel Beach ’03 let herself enjoy the setting Moroccan sun. Her global business interest and degree in international business had taken her a long way from her hometown of Somerset, Kentucky. Now, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the city of Agdz, Morocco, Rachel’s assignment was to help local artisans — mainly makers of carpets and hammocks or purveyors of antiques — become more efficient and profitable in business. Nadia, her host sister, pulled up a chair to the small kitchen table. Earlier that day, Nadia had taught Rachel how to roll and steam couscous. Now it was Rachel’s turn to provide a lesson in business finance to Nadia, an accountant for a local girls dormitory and Rachel’s connection to countless Moroccan families who ran small businesses around the city. Nadia’s accounting work for the dormitory frustrated her because money was always in short supply. The financial problems resulted in the organization being forced to kick out students. Without funding, those girls would not be able to attend high school that year. To address this problem, Rachel helped Nadia create a financial tracking system for the dormitory. But funds were still slim, and Nadia needed another source of income. One day, Nadia’s brother-in-law showed up at her home with a van full of antique artifacts and carpets he was going to sell in France. This triggered something in Nadia’s mind. “Raja,” Nadia said, using Rachel’s Moroccan name, “I could sell these items, too. If he can do it, so could I.” This revelation led Nadia to explore a start-up business — the epitome of Rachel’s work in Morocco and the most meaningful part of her service. Success in Service Although Rachel’s influence on women like Nadia may have been the highlight of her time in Morocco, she didn’t stop there. She also oversaw a craft fair that was attended by the governor and the Moroccan Peace Corps director. In addition, she completed a six-month survey and presented her findings to the ministry headquarters. Impressed by her research, the ministry requested that her report be translated immediately and given to the head minister. On another occasion, Rachel was invited to participate in a panel with U.S. embassy workers advising more than 150 female artisans on marketing solutions. It was a highly popular event in those villages, and the embassy staff was full of praise for her work. However, Rachel says that none of these events seemed to create the lasting impression her interaction with Nadia did. “The longer I stayed in Morocco,” said Rachel, “the more I learned it was not so much about the activities I busied myself with, but rather the ideas I conveyed that could stir an individual to action.” She saw the birth of some of this in Nadia but left before much was realized. “However,” Rachel said, “Nadia witnessed that I — a girl about her age — was able to run my own business in America before coming to Morocco and could provide policy recommendations to a ministry. I think some of this rubbed off on her. It seemed to instill in her a sense that she could act on her own ideas if she planned and worked toward them.” First Steps Rachel’s knack for small business grew out of her involvement as vice financial officer and sustainability specialist for her family’s playground manufacturing business, Play Mart, Inc., based in Somerset, Kentucky. “During my four years at Cedarville,” Rachel said, “I functioned as Play Mart’s Ohio sales representative, making calls from my dorm room, traveling across the state to make site plans, and submitting bids between classes.” After graduating from Cedarville, she started The Play Connection, Inc., a Cincinnati-based independent distributorship of Play Mart playgrounds. She worked out of her apartment and handled all major aspects of running the business, such as accounting, advertising, securing a line of credit, and getting the product specified with architects. As she thought about her future career goals, Rachel began pursuing international business jobs and initially desired placement with the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service. This inspiration stemmed from Dr. Frank Jenista ’68, professor of international studies, who is now her friend and mentor. When she wasn’t accepted into the Foreign Service, she looked to the Peace Corps, a decision influenced by Dr. Mike López, professor of communication arts, who encouraged Rachel to consider mentoring the poor in developing countries. “The idea has stuck with me ever since,” she said. Small forª Business 24 spring 2009 by Mark Kakkuri ’93