I am so excited to bring you a new edition of my Show Me Your Braves series! Today’s guest is Lauren Black, Founder of Legacy Loft & Co-Founder of Elevate & Cultivate Design Collaborative – a platform for design professionals to strengthen their skills, receive feedback on their work and make friendships stronger than Gotham Ultra!
I met Lauren when we both attended The Savvy Experience in Scottsdale, Arizona this past August. I remember meeting her and feeling like she lit up the room. Not just with her gorgeous blonde hair & big smile, but for the warmth that she carried into the room with her. She has such a genuine soul & carrying nature about her and I am sure everyone around her feels it when they are with her.
When Lauren sent me her answers to her interview, I was personally so moved by something she was brave enough to shed light on. Lauren shares with us the pain she has been left with by feeling burned & ditched by people whom she considered to be best friends. I personally can relate so much to this type of pain, and it is something we almost feel ashamed to discuss. Sometimes people choose to leave our lives and we may never get the answers as to why. Thank you so much Lauren for being brave enough to open up this discussion with us today. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about you and all of the goodness you are putting out into the world.
Tell me about a moment when you were brave, and stepped out into your business?
I had been growing my design business on the side for several years and finally reached the point where I was bringing in enough work to leave my day job. Before launching my business full time, 99% of my work had come from small design jobs like web banners and social media graphics. However, I knew I wanted to step up my game and go full-on with brand design, so I bravely cut out web banners and social media graphics from my portfolio, website and services page. It was scary to remove the single-most profitable part of my business to date, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to build the business of my dreams and do the work I was the most passionate about!
Why do you do what you do?
I’m passionate about leveraging women’s personalities in their branding, to create a look and feel that is authentic to them and will connect with their target audience in a genuine way.
What in your life has allowed you to give away what you give in your business?
I’ve had so many people invest their heart and soul into my life and want to do the same for others – really taking the time to listen and support!
What is the hardest thing you have ever went through in your life?
The hardest thing I’ve been through has been a compilation of a bunch of smaller things… the loss of friendships! I’ve been burned, ditched, hurt and left lonely time and time again from people I considered my “best friends.” This has impacted the way I approach relationships, making it hard to let people in, and hard to forgive friends who have hurt me. I’ve been realizing that a few amazing friends is so much better than a lot of shallow friends, so I’m grateful to have a couple of wonderful people in my life as my “best friends” now!
What do you wish you could tell the world more than anything else?
My relationship with Jesus Christ has shaped who I am today and brought me through all of the tough times. When I struggled with friendships and finding a place to belong, I found family in the church and felt loved by God! When I struggle with life decisions and don’t understand what’s going on, I have hope in heaven, which I can look forward to no matter what happens on earth! I’d love for all to know my Savior in the personal way I do!
What was the woman like that started her business, and who are you now?
When I first started my business, I was pretty naive! I felt I could do everything on my own and that I had it all together! I’m realizing more and more how important it is to hire, learn from, and be surrounded by those who have been there longer and can share the knowledge they’ve learned along the way!
Share your secret to success!
Community is key! Find accountability partners, encouragers, people to share your ideas with for critical feedback, experts to hire, and partners to collaborate with! You can’t do this alone, so find your support team NOW!
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With a heart for beautiful branding, a love for memorable graphics and 10+ years of design & marketing experience, Lauren Black helps small businesses shine through meaningful and intentional design. Her studio, Legacy Loft, is passionate about creating full brand suites – logos, websites, social media graphics and stationery – that are every bit as effective as they are beautiful. Lauren believes in bringing out the best of her clients by leveraging their personalities to build brands that authentically connect with their ideal clients. Lauren has embraced collaboration over competition to co-found the Elevate & Cultivate Design Collaborative, a community for graphic designers to strengthen their skills, receive feedback on their work and develop friendships stronger than Gotham Ultra. She is passionate about helping other designers elevate their skills and cultivate their businesses through mentorship, resources and community. Outside of the studio, Lauren loves being an aunt to four little ones, traveling with her husband, and volunteering at her church. Lauren also runs a blog and community for Christian business owners – Honey & Grace – which helps women go from busy-bee to breathing free by finding God’s grace in life & business.
You can connect with Lauren via her website or by finding her on social media:
www.facebook.com/groups/elevate.cultivate
www.instagram.com/elevate.cultivate
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If you love the Show Me Your Brave series, be sure to check out past interviews of some other fabulous entrepreneurs, such as Sasha Gray, Dannie Fountain, & Ashley Stork.
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Here are 5 simple, actionable ways that you can start being braver in your business in 2017!
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