As owner of the Monticello Group, Rachel Phillips Wyckoff provides business operations, strategic planning and training consulting services for companies across the United States.  

But Wyckoff is into more than just business.

“Work is really rewarding, but what makes me tick are my volunteering projects,” she said.

Her most significant causes include volunteering as a wish granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Reach for the Stars fashion show.

“They are absolutely the most rewarding things I’ve done,” she said.

Wyckoff explained her drive to help others.

“Volunteering is always something we have done in my family,” she said.

“I don’t know how not to.”

What three people would you most like to have dinner with?

My grandmother; Sara McAbeer, Thomas Jefferson and Audrey Hepburn.

What job would you like to try/not like to try?

Try: Executive director of St. Jude Medical Foundation or Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Not try: Actor.

What was your first job?  

Office clerk, Coombs & Dunlap, Attorneys at Law.

How did you get into this business?

I had been an instructor, trainer and facilitator at UC Santa Barbara for a couple of years and then a project manager at Levi Strauss & Co. In 1994, I left my corporate job to attend a language school in Barcelona, Spain and upon returning to the U.S., I was approached by several contacts to work on projects either in customer care, training, project management and/or process design system integration work … and the rest is history.  

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

Several years ago, I made the decision to move most of my consulting projects to the West Coast from the East Coast where I had been commuting for several years every week. Letting go of long-standing contracts was a risk but it paid off in the end and I never had a gap in work.

What is your most treasured possession?

A hatbox in my room filled with special things that belonged to my grandmother, Sara McAbeer. She was the Dean of Girls at Napa High School from 1953 to 1973. She was an English teacher and one of the first women leaders in education in Napa. She passed away four years ago.

Who do you most admire in the business world?

My father, Armond Phillips. My father’s career was at Solano College where he retired as president, overseeing more than 500 staff. I have learned by observing him the effectiveness of diplomacy, the skill it takes to be a successful facilitator, the need for strategic planning and building a solid business foundation focusing on process and structure and the necessity of developing an environment for collaborative teamwork to function.  

Which three Web sites do you have bookmarked or visit regularly?

Yahoo, Google, and Webkinz for my kids.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?  

I would have the ability to wave a magic wand and influence people to give unconditionally.

What other business person would you like to see featured in “10 Questions for…”

John Cordeiro, Waddell & Reed Investments and Planning.  

More from Rachel Phillips Wyckoff

What’s on your to-do list?

Work: Getting out some proposals.

Home: Hugging my boys, going for a walk, taking time to read a book, cleaning the house, watering the plants.

What is the most significant project you’ve worked on in your career?

I’m a wish granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That and working the Reach for the Stars fashion show. (Both) are absolutely the most rewarding things I’ve done.  What is one necessary extravagance in your life?

Traveling to other countries.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?

I quit a great corporate job to move to Spain in order to become bilingual.

What is your favorite charity foundation?

Nationally: Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Locally: Hospice of Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Education Foundation.

What is your motto in life?

The only thing in life you can control is how you choose to react. There is no reason to worry about the “what if” or stress about what has happened. What matters is how you react to situations and treat others.

What’s your favorite weekend retreat?

It doesn’t matter where, but I like to be with my sons, Charlie and Michael. What is one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime that you haven’t yet?

I hope that I am able to inspire someone to take the road less traveled, that they take the time to learn what makes them tick, (and) follow their passions in life.

What was your first car?

A white 1988 Honda CRX hatchback.

To suggest a candidate for “10 Questions” e-mail: jhuffman@napanews.com