Rachel Kolisi opens up about Falling Forward, starting again and empowering women

Rachel Kolisi has spoken openly about what it means to rebuild, move through difficult seasons and keep going when life does not unfold the way you expected.

In a conversation with Danny Guselli on East Coast Radio, she reflected on the deeply personal experiences behind Falling Forward and why creating honest spaces for women has become such an important part of her journey.

Rachel Kolisi on navigating hard seasons

Rachel explained that Falling Forward comes from a very real understanding that life can be difficult.

She said people often go through seasons shaped by divorce, loss, career changes, retirement and other major transitions, but those experiences can feel isolating in a world where people are constantly presenting their best lives.

For Rachel, the point is not to pretend those difficult moments do not exist.

Instead, it is about acknowledging them and finding a way to keep moving forward.

Why vulnerability matters

Rachel also spoke about the pressure of living in a world where social media can make it seem as though everyone else is thriving all the time.

She described how difficult that can be when you are in what she called a “stormy season”, particularly when parts of your own life are unfolding publicly.

That is part of what shaped her desire to create spaces where people can be more honest about what they are carrying.

Rather than offering a picture-perfect version of resilience, her message is rooted in the idea that pain, grief and change are part of life — and that moving forward can still happen alongside them.

Starting again and choosing yourself

One of the strongest themes in Rachel’s conversation with Danny was the idea of rebuilding.

She spoke about women who have had to restart parts of their lives, leave corporate careers, begin businesses and throw themselves into something new after major change.

It is a theme that sits at the heart of Falling Forward: starting again does not have to mean starting from nothing.

Sometimes it means taking everything you have learned and using it to build differently.

Balancing motherhood and purpose

Rachel also reflected on the realities of being a single mom while still pursuing work that feels meaningful to her.

She spoke about juggling parent-teacher meetings, sporting events, school commitments and work, while trying to remain present for her children wherever possible.

For her, there is value in children seeing their parents live out their purpose, even when that balance is imperfect.

That idea adds another layer to the conversation around starting again: finding yourself does not necessarily mean stepping away from responsibility, but learning how to carry purpose and responsibility together.

Rachel Kolisi on what comes next

When Danny asked Rachel about her long-term goals, she admitted that her personal future may one day become more private and less front-facing.

But her bigger purpose remains closely tied to empowering women.

Rachel said she wants to see more women thriving in leadership, whether that is in business, politics, at home or in whichever spaces they choose for themselves.

She also spoke about wanting to support women who feel called into leadership and help create opportunities for them to grow.

For Rachel, Falling Forward is ultimately about more than one difficult chapter.

It is about what happens after it.

It is about finding yourself again, choosing to rebuild and learning that moving forward does not always have to look perfect.

Listen to Danny Guselli’s full conversation with Rachel Kolisi