Anything is Possible if You Put Your Mind to It

by Annette Pinder

Rachel Aspland is quickly gaining recognition in Western New York. A native of the UK and a single mother, Rachel is working on a $2.5 million redevelopment project she calls North House, which features a 300+ capacity venue, a speakeasy lounge, and nine hotel suites. “Work is now underway, with the event space and 1920s-themed speakeasy with a bar and small plates at 60 Main Street in Tonawanda,” says Rachel. She aims to revitalize the area, saying, “I’ve always been a developer who invests in places needing regeneration. I see the City of Tonawanda as a place that will flourish over the next decade. I’m also excited to add a touch of my English style.” Rachel bought her first property in the U.S. in 2008, building a real estate portfolio of about 60 units across the region. She initially considered Poland and South Africa but found the Buffalo market more welcoming both professionally and socially, leading her to move to the U.S. ten years ago. 

Rachel never saw her life goal as a child growing up in the UK with her parents and younger brother. Her parents separated when she was 14. She attended school in Hampshire, England, and moved to London at 17, where she worked as a waitress. She recalls, “I didn’t really have much direction at the time. However, I was fortunate to excel at every job. A temporary agency hired me to work at Virgin Records when I was 19, and I stayed in the music industry for 13 years at a label with groups like the Rolling Stones and Lenny Kravitz working in the A&R department, where new bands are initially signed and their albums get produced. I loved working at Virgin Records.” But the decadent 1990s music industry and parties were not conducive to raising her young son, Zak. So, Rachel changed her career to interior design and property development, starting a business that could offer her the flexibility and lifestyle she and her son needed.  

Always seeking a better life in the U.S., she and Zak moved to L.A. when he was 12. Entering the U.S. as an investor, she aimed to grow her business in Buffalo. She flew between Buffalo and L.A. while developing her plan. Realizing that business opportunities in Buffalo were greater than those in L.A., Rachel founded RZ Real Estate, moved to Buffalo in 2021 to run her business, and left Zak in California while he finished his last year of high school. Zak now lives in Buffalo, where he is earning his BA in Business and Entrepreneurship at UB and plans to eventually run the company.

Reflecting on the obstacles she has faced, Rachel says, “I was in good health until I caught COVID in March 2020 while on a flight from London to Buffalo. When I arrived, we were under a lockdown, I couldn’t see doctors, and there weren’t any treatments. I suffered from COVID pneumonia and long COVID. I finally got help from Dr. Kalpana P. Patel at EHC Buffalo, who recommended various treatments. I eventually saw some improvement, but was still suffering.” Desperate, Rachel went to Guadalajara, Mexico, to receive stem cell IV therapy. “Since receiving the therapy, I haven’t been sick once,” Rachel says. 

Overall, Rachel states that Buffalo has been fantastic. She is proud to be the only woman-led project selected as part of a New York State Downtown revitalization initiative that the city of Tonawanda was awarded. She says, “Women bring a whole different perspective, and are good in business. It’s interesting to work in a male-dominated environment. It has made me stronger. I am very focused, and my employees are happy.” 

Rachel envisions North House as a destination for weddings, corporate retreats, galas, fundraisers, and community and cultural programming. The event space will open in Spring 2026, and the nine hotel suites to support the space will be finished in 2027. The Speakeasy lounge is opening somewhere in between, and Rachel is planning a monthly movie night, complete with English fish and chips. So, stay tuned. For information on planning a future event, visit www.mynorthhouse.com or call 716-908-1126. You can also email info@mynorthhouse.com

To people who ask what advice she has for younger individuals who haven’t yet found their path, she says, “Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I started with a $5,000 loan and didn’t stop. Conquering fear and breaking through boundaries have been the keys to my success. The moment I cross a boundary, I feel like anything is possible, and I grow from it.”