“Every time you smile at someone, it's an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” – Mother Teresa

Rising Star Rachel Sudano takes those words to heart. “In real estate, we're dealing with all different types of people,” she says, “and sometimes the simplest things can help bring you back and center yourself.” 

Rachel has experienced a meteoric rise since joining the Johnston Lampert Group at Coldwell Banker Realty just under two years ago. Her sales volume has jumped more than 76 percent year over year—and 2025 is far from over. 

From Celebrations to Closings 

A native of San Gregorio, California, Rachel earned a degree in psychology and parks and recreation with a concentration in event planning from Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.

“I’ve been doing fundraisers and events with my grandma and mom at the local church in La Honda ever since I can remember. Once I learned event planning was actually a major, I thought, ‘Well, now it’s clear what I’m going to do,’” Rachel says with a laugh.

Rachel's first career was working for a corporate trade show company, where she traveled the U.S. attending large-scale events like the New York Auto Show and Comic Con. She also ran a part-time event business until COVID halted in-person gatherings.

Looking to supplement her income, Rachel joined longtime family friend Bob Johnston’s real estate business as a backend coordinator. Over the year, she realized real estate shared the same appeal as event planning. 

“I loved event planning because I was helping people during stressful times that involved large amounts of money, lots of family drama, and pressures. I started to love working with the team’s clients, helping people move into homes—some of the biggest transactions of their lives,” Rachel explains.

After a year as the team’s backend coordinator, Rachel studied for her real estate license, passed on the first try, and joined the team as a REALTOR® at the end of 2023. 

Fast Track to Success 

In her just over a year and a half in real estate, Rachel has enjoyed significant success. In 2024, she closed over $9.1 million in sales volume across six transactions, and in just the first three quarters of 2025, she has closed over $16 million. She credits her early success to her mentors and team leads Bob Johnston and Francesca Lampert.

“I've been so lucky to be on this team and learn from people who have been in the industry for so long,” she says. “I never got my ‘freshman year’ of real estate; I just jumped right in.”

Rachel joined the Johnston Lampert Group as it was building momentum. Since then, the team has earned numerous accolades, including Coldwell Banker’s International Diamond Society and the International Society of Excellence Award, the #1 Top Medium Team for San Francisco/Peninsula in 2024, and recognition in 2025 by RealTrends as among the top 1.5 percent of agents nationwide. 

People First, Always

Rachel attributes her early success to a commitment to helping clients achieve their goals. However, about six months in, she felt the work was becoming too sales-focused and reevaluated her approach.

“I asked myself what it was that I loved about all the jobs that I've done before, and it brought me back to the understanding that I am not selling anything; I'm trying to help people get what they want and what they need for their families and their investments. So my whole approach is, what can I do for you? And how can I help you get there?”

One way Rachel and the team help clients achieve their goals is through their private, in-house construction company, Cal West Builders, available exclusively to the team’s real estate clients. The company can purchase and renovate homes or handle partial and full remodels, and having worked on the construction side before becoming an agent, Rachel is uniquely positioned to guide clients through the process. 

Life Beyond Real Estate

Rachel and her husband share their home and hearth with their Queensland Heeler/Lab mix, who grew up on Rachel’s family property in San Gregorio. “She now has a very posh life compared to her guarding-dog days,” Rachel chuckles.

The couple makes time for travel when they can, aiming for a tropical getaway each winter and summer visits to family. They enjoy hiking with their dog and playing basketball at their community center. Inspired by her personal trainer mother, Rachel works out to stay fit and indulges her creative side, crafting custom key chains, shirts, and gifts for closings and celebrations. 

Looking Ahead

Rachel and her husband are preparing to update their own home, using Rachel’s skills and her team’s resources to enhance its value. Their ultimate goal is to move further down the Peninsula, find a property with more land for their dog, and create space for a future family.

Professionally, Rachel is excited to manage two major client remodels in Menlo Park and Portola Valley and continues to build her knowledge from some of the greatest in the industry, applying it to every client, new and returning alike.

For Rachel, the most rewarding part of her work is helping clients achieve goals they once thought out of reach. 

“The best part is seeing the smiles and joy when people move in,” she says. “That’s what it’s all about—making dreams come true.”