1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,520 Speaker 1: Welcome back to She Pivots. 2 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 2: I'm Lauren Harwell Godfrey. 3 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 3: Welcome back to She Pivots, the podcast where we talk 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 3: with women who dare to pivot out of one career 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 3: and into something new and explore how their personal lives 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 3: impacts these decisions. I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. I'm 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 3: so excited to welcome Lauren Harwell Godfree to the podcast. 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 3: I discovered Lauren's jewelry when I bought one of her 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 3: necklaces as a fortieth birthday gift to myself, and little 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 3: did I know she was a pivoter. Lauren began her 11 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 3: professional life in the fast paced world of advertising, dedicating 12 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 3: over fifteen years as an award winning art and creative director. 13 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 3: Her work in this arena honed her eye for design 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 3: and storytelling, skills that would later become in valuable in 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 3: her entrepreneurial ventures. After years of feeling the urge to 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 3: do something more creative, she took the leap and enrolled 17 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 3: in culinary school. Her passion for food led her to 18 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 3: work in some of San Francisco's esteemed kitchens and start 19 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 3: her own food blog. But something wasn't quite right, so 20 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 3: she followed her creative instinct and started to explore her 21 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,639 Speaker 3: next pivot. What started as a side project crafting unique 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 3: pieces for herself quickly evolved into a calling. Lauren channeled 23 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 3: her unique design into founding her fine jewelry company, Harwell Godfrey, 24 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 3: inspired by her father and her lineage. Her jewelry is 25 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 3: celebrated for its bold and geometric designs and rich symbolism. 26 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 3: Lauren Harwell Godfrey's journey from advertising to culinary arts, and 27 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 3: ultimately to jewelry design exemplifies the courage to pivot and 28 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,919 Speaker 3: the beauty of following one's evolving passions. 29 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: My name is Lauren Harwell Godfrey, and I am a 30 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: jewelry designer. 31 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 3: So we're gonna back up. I guess we'll start like 32 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 3: little Lauren. Tell us about Little Lauren. Tell us about 33 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 3: your family. Where are you from, Where are you in 34 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 3: the family order? Tell us about your family. 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: Sure, I am from southern California, so definitely a California girl, 36 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: although I did live here for a little while too, 37 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: and that was fun. But little Lauren was a jock. 38 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 2: Little Lauren loves sports, and I did so many sports. 39 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,239 Speaker 2: It was like track and field. I was an equestrian competitively. 40 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 2: I played soccer competitively and just loved all of it, 41 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 2: and then also had just an affection for art and thought, 42 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: you know, the chances of becoming a professional athlete are 43 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 2: probably pretty slim, but doing something professional with the art 44 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 2: is something that I was always interested in, so I 45 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: kind of pursued that path. But I was raised by 46 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,679 Speaker 2: a single mom, and I have a brother, and I'm 47 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: the oldest, so older sister. 48 00:02:58,919 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: To little brother. 49 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 3: And growing up with a single mom, what did your 50 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 3: mom do, Like, did you have to pitch in many ways? 51 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 3: Did you start working early? I did start working early. Actually, 52 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 3: my mom was a nurse. 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 2: After she and my dad split up, she'd put herself 54 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: through school to become a nurse so she could like 55 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: take care of us and support us, which was really amazing, 56 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: and she ended up working her way up to being 57 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 2: a nurse practitioner, so she as we were growing up, 58 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: she went back to school and just kept pursuing her 59 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: degree even further, which was really cool to see. But yes, 60 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: she was very interested in having us work because she 61 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 2: wanted us to understand like what a work ethic was, 62 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: and like she found it very character building. So my 63 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: first job was at a place in Redlands where I 64 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: grew up, and it was called the Crackerjack Gift Company, 65 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: and they sold like clear acrylic boxes and frames and things, 66 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: and I just drew art on them for people so 67 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: people could come in and say, you know, I want 68 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 2: this sort of a theme, and I would like do 69 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 2: hand lettering and art and things like that, which. 70 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: Was a lot of fun. 71 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 3: She was clearly drawn to art and creativity, yet like 72 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 3: so many eighteen year olds, she went the pragmatic route 73 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 3: and moved to Flagstaff Arizon for College to study advertising, and. 74 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 2: It wasn't a good ad program, so I was out 75 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: of there in two years. But that was my start 76 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: to college. And then I moved to San Francisco, back 77 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: to California and went to the University of San Francisco 78 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 2: and they had a partnership with the Academy of Art college, 79 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: so I studied art as my major. It was actually 80 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: very specific advertising design with an emphasis in art direction 81 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 2: do the Academy of Art and then took all my 82 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: liberal arts classes at USF. 83 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 3: Okay, So that was if you had a major that specific, 84 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: it feels like you had a pretty good vision of 85 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 3: where you were going. 86 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: I did I did. I think it was due to 87 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: be witched. 88 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 2: I was a very big TV watcher and I always 89 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: saw like people, Oh there's another one. I think, who's 90 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 2: the boss. Maybe she was an AD exec. AD execs 91 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,559 Speaker 2: just looked cool. I'm like, these people are riding around 92 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: a limos, They're going to fancy meals, they get to use, 93 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: you know, do things with art. It looks really exciting 94 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 2: to me. So I just like that was my tunnel vision, 95 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: which is pretty funny because I went directly for it. 96 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: And I took an internship while I was still in 97 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 2: college at an advertising each and see, And that's kind 98 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 2: of how that ball got rolling because I know it's 99 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 2: what I wanted to do, and I just kept applying 100 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: to places for internships because actually at that time, I 101 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 2: was working at Macy's in the spree department. If that 102 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 2: can age me pretty well. So I was desperate to 103 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 2: get out of there. Retail was also not my thing 104 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: at that point in time, and desperate to get out 105 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: of Macy's and so I put a lot of energy 106 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: into like getting this. 107 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: Internship to turn into a job. 108 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 2: So yeah, they hired me when I graduated, and I 109 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 2: worked there for seven years. And it was really formative, 110 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 2: Like truly, it's such an amazing experience. But I got 111 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: to work with incredible creative directors and go around these 112 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 2: shoots and just sort of learn how to take an 113 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 2: idea and make it into a reality and how to 114 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: like tell brand stories. So I find that still so 115 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 2: useful for everything I've done since. It's just like the 116 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 2: training that you get of repeatedly over and over again, 117 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: like conceptualizing ideas, coming up with ideas, and then communicating 118 00:05:58,360 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: those ideas to people so they make sense. 119 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: Learning how to be a storyteller visually. 120 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 3: And the advertising industry is not known for excellent camaraderie, 121 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 3: Like there's a lot of shows made about mainly how 122 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 3: bad the culture is. Did you find that, I mean, 123 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 3: you were in for so long and they were such 124 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: formative professional years for you, did you find that. 125 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 2: You know, it's a competitive culture for sure. You know 126 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 2: they picked the best work. So if you're not performing 127 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: well and if your work isn't getting selected and people 128 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: aren't responding to what you're doing, you'll get cut really easily. 129 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 2: A lot of ad agencies will beef up if they 130 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: have a big client, and if that client leaves, then 131 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: they like just lay everybody off, So, you know, it's 132 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 2: just this very competitive culture. 133 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: I found that there was camaraderie. But it's funny. 134 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 2: A lot of my favorite people were the project managers, 135 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 2: and I think there's just a doer in me that 136 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: respects hustle and so I always really liked the project 137 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 2: managers that I worked with and just like how much 138 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: they hustled and what they got done. 139 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: And the producers too. But yeah, I don't know. 140 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 2: I you know, it can be a bit cutthroat, but 141 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 2: I think there's also when you gain people's respects, it 142 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: can be a very interesting and like respectful culture too. 143 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 3: And you met your husband at work, right. 144 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: I did? How did that work? 145 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: I was a junior art director and he was a VP, 146 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: so it was definitely a little bit scandalous. Oh but 147 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: he I just, I don't know, there's always something about 148 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 2: him that I just loved. His desk was always kind 149 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 2: of like the hangout spot. He always was playing good music, 150 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: He had a little bar setup. 151 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: It was very madman. 152 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: We would all kind of congregate over at his office 153 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,119 Speaker 2: at the end of the day and hang out and chat, 154 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: and he was just he's a very He's the funniest 155 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: person I know. So he just I don't know immediately 156 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 2: I was like this guy, And that was a while ago. 157 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: We met in like ninety nine, so it has been 158 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: a long time. Yeah. 159 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 3: And so you were in advertising, you were doing well. 160 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 3: Did you feel like when you started to pivot out, 161 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: like what was that? I want to spend a little 162 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 3: time here because it seems like I think that people 163 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 3: when they pivot careers, it's either they're pivoting towards something 164 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: they wanted you or they're pivoting away from the thing 165 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 3: they're doing. And it seems like in your case, you 166 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 3: were pivoting away. I think it was a little bit 167 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 3: of both. But advertising, again, it's interesting. It's not super 168 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 3: friendly to women in my opinion, because the hours can 169 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 3: be so grueling, and if you want to start a family, 170 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 3: or you want, you know, things other than just pure advertising, 171 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 3: it gets really difficult. I think I was getting very 172 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: burnt out by. 173 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: The hours, and I ended up my last agency was 174 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: just not a culture fit for me, and so it 175 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: was just this combination of things where I was like, 176 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 2: I don't love being there. 177 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: I was dreading going to work every day. 178 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: I was exhausted, and I wanted bigger things, and I 179 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: felt like I had more in me than I was 180 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: being asked to give it that place, and I just, 181 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 2: I don't know, just kind of was a colder scene. 182 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 2: I had some really wonderful moments in the industry, and 183 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: the last spot just wasn't it. So it kind of 184 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:53,719 Speaker 2: pushed me out the door a little bit. But I'm 185 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: so grateful that it did. So can you talk us 186 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: through what those steps were? 187 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 3: Like, you turn in your notice, do you have an 188 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 3: idea that you're going to go to culinary school of 189 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 3: what you're going to do next? 190 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I what I figured out. 191 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 2: Again, advertising taught me so much, but I was realizing 192 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 2: that there's just more in me than purely making you know, 193 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 2: branded ads for people. That's a very specific form of 194 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: creative thought. That's interesting. But after a while, it just 195 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: it wasn't interesting to me anymore. And so I like 196 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 2: to manifest I would like to say that I'm a manifestor. 197 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 2: And I was like, what do I want more of 198 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 2: in my life? What am I enjoying right now? Like 199 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: what feels creatively fertile to me? And what can I 200 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 2: do to leverage what I already know? And so I 201 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: thought that the food industry was appealing because I was like, 202 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: I could be a food stylist, Like I'm you know, 203 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 2: I know how to do things visually. I could, you know, 204 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 2: write recipes, I could have a blog. And so that's 205 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 2: that's kind of the direction that I went in with food. 206 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 2: It wasn't so much like be a chef and you know, 207 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 2: run a restaurant, which I think is amazing and incredibly difficult, 208 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 2: and I don't know how they do it, the really 209 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: amazing ones. It's like completely insane to me. But yeah, 210 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 2: I just thought the idea of working creatatively with food 211 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 2: would be really compelling. So that's what got me going 212 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 2: down that path. And I love to cook, and I 213 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 2: still love to cook. 214 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 3: Like so many of us pivoters, Lauren had been craving 215 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 3: a change, letting herself daydream and browse for programs online. 216 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,719 Speaker 3: Then finally a new culinary school caught her eye, so 217 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 3: she took it as a sign and made the leap. 218 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 2: It was called the San Francisco Cooking School, and I 219 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 2: was actually there very first enrollly, which is kind of fun, 220 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 2: student number one because they were just opening. But they're 221 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 2: kind of the difference for them is it was a 222 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 2: faster path to graduation if fuels like a six month 223 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 2: culinary program, and then at the end they placed you 224 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 2: in an externship at a restaurant so you could actually 225 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: have some like boots on the ground experience, and that 226 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: was different from any other program that I saw. So 227 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 2: I was kind of looking into programs and thinking, I 228 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 2: think this is the path I want to take, and 229 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: I saw that one and it really propelled me to 230 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 2: make the jump leave the agency and go right into school. 231 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: I didn't really take downtime, and it's funny because I do. 232 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 2: You remember one of my girlfriends was like, really, you're 233 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 2: not taking any time off. You're just She's like, you 234 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 2: just go from job to job to job, like you 235 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 2: just are always working, takes some downtime. 236 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: I'm like, that's not me. 237 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 2: I like actually really like to work, and I really 238 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 2: like being creative and feeding that really feeds me. So 239 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 2: like it's important for me just as a human to 240 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 2: do that stuff and work as part of that. 241 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: For me. 242 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 3: Soon, Laurn started a food blog, diving headfirst into her pivot. 243 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: You know, it's funny because I think when you do 244 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 2: something like that and you really put it out there. 245 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: The path almost is given to you in a weird 246 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 2: way in my opinion, because people start seeing you as that. 247 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 2: But I think people definitely question that pivot. For me, 248 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: they were like, what is happening here? Who is this person? 249 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 2: I thought, I knew, what is she doing now? And yeah, 250 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 2: I just I mean putting something out there. People just 251 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: start to identify you with it. So it definitely became 252 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 2: a thing. And I had a lot of like media 253 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 2: outlets reaching out to me for recipes and things like that, 254 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: and it's actually part of the reason why I stopped 255 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 2: working in the culinary industry. I thought that I ended 256 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: up doing a really good job writing recipes. I helped 257 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 2: out on some cookbooks, I did this beautiful blog, and 258 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: I kept getting requests for free work. So they're like, well, 259 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: we'll run you on our magazine, but we won't pay 260 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 2: you for your time give us content. We will you know, 261 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 2: promote you this way. But I came from a space 262 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 2: where I was used to getting paid very well for 263 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 2: my work, and I was like, I don't like how 264 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 2: this feels. I don't love that I'm doing a ton 265 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: of work for these big magazines and other content providers, 266 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 2: and they weren't paying for it, so it actually it 267 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 2: kind of pushed me out of food because I thought 268 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 2: that that wasn't fair, and I thought my time was 269 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 2: valuable and my work was valuables. Another thing about the 270 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: food industry is that I feel like I never totally 271 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 2: got myself into a place where I thought I was 272 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 2: contributing something important or different or meaningful. I wasn't the 273 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 2: only vegan blogger out there, you know, I wasn't the 274 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 2: only person who could do some pretty food styling. It 275 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: just never well to me like I was contributing something 276 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 2: so profoundly different or interesting that it made sense because 277 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: that's important to me. And I think that's another thing 278 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 2: that got ingrained to me and the competitive agency world 279 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 2: is like you need to think differently than other people. 280 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 2: You need to stand out, you need to have a 281 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 2: point of view that's unique to you. And I feel 282 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 2: like I never really hit on that in food. 283 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 3: If you know Lauren's jewelry, you'll know there is no 284 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 3: question she has found that unique perspective. When we come back, 285 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 3: Lauren talks us through her second pivot, and later we'll 286 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 3: find out just how she honed in on that unique 287 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 3: point of view before the Break. We left off with 288 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 3: Lauren feeling unenthusiastic about her pivot into the culinary space, 289 00:13:58,559 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 3: knowing she had more to give. 290 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was helping on a culinary project that I 291 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: was frustrated on, and I was having a lot of 292 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 2: self doubt because I was like, who am I if? 293 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 2: I Like, am I about to pivot again? Like what 294 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 2: does this mean? I already felt like I was kind 295 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 2: of coming across flaky. I'm like, this is going to 296 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 2: get really ugly. But I just wasn't happy, and so 297 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 2: I was like, you know, what can I do today 298 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 2: that's creative but not making food? Like what else could 299 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 2: I make? And I actually made a belt, which is 300 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: totally strange, but. 301 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: I was like, I need a belt. 302 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 2: I'm going to go find some leather and I'm going 303 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: to like figure it out and make myself a belt. 304 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: I want to just do something completely off the wall. 305 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 2: And so I started working with the leather for the 306 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: belt and I kind of liked it. 307 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: I was like, this is fun, but like what if 308 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: I added some stones on the leather? What would that be? 309 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 2: And I started making these necklaces that I was wearing 310 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 2: around and I used to go to like a lot 311 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 2: of music festivals and I'd wear the necklace and people 312 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 2: started asking about them, so I started making them to sell. 313 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: And it was this very kind of accidental, I don't know, 314 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 2: just roll into jewelry in a very different ways than 315 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 2: what I'm doing right now even but it all kind 316 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 2: of you know, it's funny because it's like advertising fed 317 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 2: the food thing, and the food thing actually did kind 318 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 2: of feed into this, like leather tooling, and then the 319 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 2: leather tool jewelry is how I got to the fine jewelry. 320 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 2: But it was definitely, you know, a creative process to 321 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 2: get here. 322 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 3: Did you feel like if you had been running towards 323 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 3: food because it was feeding your creatively, but then you 324 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 3: found the actual industry dissatisfying. Did it no longer feed 325 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 3: that creative side of you? And then you were looking 326 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 3: for something that did. 327 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: Yes. 328 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 2: It Basically I had a few amazing places that I 329 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 2: worked with, and I worked on some cookbooks that I'm 330 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 2: super proud of, but yeah, I just I hit a 331 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 2: place where again where I was like, I don't feel like, 332 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 2: creatively I'm adding to the conversation in a meaningful way. 333 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 2: And so that kind of bummed me out, which is 334 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: why I stopped wanting to like do that creatively. And 335 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 2: I tried for a while. I was like, I'm going 336 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: to keep trying. I'm going to keep trying. Then finally 337 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: I'm like, I think I think I've hit a wall. 338 00:15:58,480 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 2: Like I think I've done trying. 339 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 3: So did that feel like, I mean, you will leave 340 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 3: into this a little bit? But like, did it feel 341 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 3: like a failure? 342 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: It did. It felt like a complete failure. 343 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 2: And as somebody who you know had this like big 344 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: career to like then leave it to do this thing 345 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: and have it not work out at all was very 346 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: challenging for me. My ego couldn't handle it very well either. 347 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: I don't think I think there was some ego in 348 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: there that made it really challenging for me. And again 349 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 2: where I was like, I'm not getting paid, I don't 350 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: have any respect. People just want everything for free. I 351 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 2: think my ego was bruised totally. 352 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 3: And why starting at essentially the bottom again, like why 353 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 3: did that feel better? 354 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 2: I think that it was another step away from having 355 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 2: to report to somebody or like have a kind of 356 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 2: a hierarchy there, Like for with the jewelry, I was 357 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 2: completely in charge with food. It was still that I 358 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 2: was like working for a pub or doing this to 359 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 2: you know whatever, and it was like there was definitely 360 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 2: higher layers involved. 361 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: And with the jewelry it was just like purely me. 362 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 2: It was the most entrepreneurial I've ever been, and that 363 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: felt completely different. So it was starting at the bottom, 364 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 2: and I had some moments in the industry that were 365 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 2: pretty hard because you know, no one knew who I was, 366 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 2: and here I am starting at the bottom again. But 367 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 2: I don't know, I just it said a part of 368 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: me that I didn't know existed, which was the entrepreneurial 369 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 2: side that I want to own a business side, because 370 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 2: the food thing never really was a fully fledged business. 371 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,679 Speaker 2: It was kind of more like attempts at things and 372 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: freelancing and that sort of stuff. But the jewelry thing 373 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: was like, oh, I'm starting a business. 374 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 3: Well, you went into an industry that is quite technical 375 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 3: and quite capital intensive, with not a lot of connections 376 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 3: or knowledge, So how did you overcome those steps? 377 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 2: So luckily, one of my best friends has a fine 378 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 2: jewelry showroom where she represents independent jewelry designers, and as 379 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 2: I started making these leather necklaces, I reached out to 380 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 2: her and I was like, hey, can you help me, 381 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 2: Like I need to get the word out there, like 382 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 2: I want to make this a real business. And she 383 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 2: was like, this isn't really what I do because it 384 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 2: wasn't fine jewelry. But she's like, I can try to 385 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 2: help you, and she tried. But then I was like 386 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 2: really watching what she did, and I'm like, oh, fine 387 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: jewelry is really interesting, Like there's something really beautiful there 388 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 2: and I would love to have more of that in 389 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 2: my life. 390 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: So I approached her again. 391 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 2: I was like, hey, what if I stopped making leather 392 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: jewelry and like started making fine jewelry And she was 393 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 2: like Patrick, my husband. She's like, he's going to kill you. 394 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 2: It is so expensive. It's like it takes so long 395 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 2: to break through. It's so saturated. Like do you really 396 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: want to do that to yourself? Because she was my friend, 397 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 2: and I was like, I absolutely do want to do 398 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: that to myself, Like you know, I don't know, it 399 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 2: was just funny. I'm like I don't. Looking back on it, 400 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 2: I'm like I can't believe I did that. And it 401 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 2: was taking another chance. But I started sketching and she 402 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 2: really helped me to understand how to put together a 403 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 2: collection and how to get it in front of retailers, 404 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 2: and she had connections, so I hired her, and just 405 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 2: you know, I think coming out of a place professionally 406 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 2: where I knew that you need to around yourself with 407 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 2: people who are really good at things that you might 408 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 2: not be good at, or people have connections that you 409 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 2: don't have, it just end up working out really well. 410 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 2: And I love working with her and we still work 411 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 2: together to this day. But I also I realize that creatively, 412 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: I like to go a little wild and not limit 413 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 2: myself based on like is this possible? 414 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: Is this not possible. 415 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 2: I kind of like to just think big, and then 416 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 2: I have a team of people who helped me produce 417 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 2: my jewelry, and we figure out how to make it possible, 418 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 2: rather than like saying, oh, let's not even go there 419 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 2: because like we haven't seen that before, we don't know 420 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 2: if this can be done. A lot of times I 421 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: come up with stuff and we're like, let's figure out 422 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,199 Speaker 2: how to make it. And sometimes there are some errors, 423 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 2: and it's expensive when you're buying gold and stones and 424 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 2: you know, things that are capital intensive. But I truly 425 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 2: believe that's part of what I love about what I do, 426 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 2: and what makes my work actually unique in the industry 427 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 2: is that I do try to just come up with 428 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 2: interesting ways of doing things and then figuring it out 429 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 2: as we're going. 430 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 3: Soon, her unique pieces took off, and celebrities were seen 431 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 3: sporting her fun and colorful designs. Even past she pivots 432 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 3: guest and former vice president Harris is a client. 433 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 2: She's amazing, and I'm so proud that she wears my jewelry, 434 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 2: and so it's just it's a thrill. I respect her 435 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 2: so much, and I love what she did and continues 436 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 2: to do, and I'm excited to see where she goes 437 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 2: next because I'm hoping she'll still be a part of our, 438 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 2: you know, public lives and continue doing the public service 439 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 2: that she does because she's really incredible. 440 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 3: Can you talk us through like the scaling the business piece? Now, 441 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 3: I know you've said that the bigger you got, actually 442 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 3: the more complicated your problems got, So tell us more 443 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 3: about that. 444 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the complication right now for me that 445 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 2: I'm trying to work through is how to run the 446 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 2: business but also be the sole creative that you know, 447 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 2: designs everything. Design takes time, and running a business takes time, 448 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: and I'm pretty I'm pretty controlling and things done the 449 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 2: way I like them done, so I have a hard 450 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 2: time delegating. I'm struggling with that a little bit right now, 451 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 2: and I think, you know, that's going to be the 452 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 2: next phase of the business. But again, I keep looking 453 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 2: at this business and going like, there's so many possibilities 454 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 2: for what can be done. 455 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: So adding a store was what I did last year. 456 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 2: Like I feel like every year, I'll do a little 457 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 2: something that like kind of pushes the boundaries of the 458 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 2: business a little bit further. So adding the retail component, 459 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 2: having like a flagship store was last year's kind of 460 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 2: big push and big challenge. 461 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 3: In twenty twenty four, Lord opened her first brick and 462 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 3: mortar store, slowly growing the business, but she wouldn't necessarily 463 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 3: say she had a plan going into it. 464 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 2: But I wouldn't say I'm so much like a planner 465 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 2: in the sense that I'm like, Okay, you know, I 466 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 2: want to open a store in the next three years 467 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 2: or whatever. The only reason why I opened this store 468 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,479 Speaker 2: is that I shop. It's at the Marine Countrymart. That's 469 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 2: where I shop, and I noticed their jewelry store had closed, 470 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 2: and I was like, Oh, look at that, there's a 471 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 2: store space. What it would be like if I took 472 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: that over and I went for it. And it's been great. 473 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 2: But that's kind of that's kind of how I roll, 474 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 2: And I think I'm starting to trust myself more on 475 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 2: making decisions like that. You know, I don't know that 476 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,479 Speaker 2: I should be teaching any courses to anybody on how 477 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 2: to run a business. It's definitely me doing things my way. 478 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 2: But I'm really happy with how it's been going. 479 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 3: Are you finding the challenge of the business of building 480 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 3: an actual business fulfilling in the way that the other 481 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 3: careers had not been? 482 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 2: Like? 483 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 3: Is it filling that gap for you? Like the creativity 484 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 3: clearly is coming through your work is so creative. 485 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. 486 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 2: I actually, I'll say I really love the entrepreneurial side 487 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 2: of it. Like part of what I love about this 488 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,679 Speaker 2: is that there are all these business challenges constantly, and 489 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,719 Speaker 2: it's I have to constantly be making decisions about like 490 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 2: where I'm dedicating money, what I'm making, how many pieces 491 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 2: I'm releasing. 492 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: There's just and then you know, taking care of my employees. 493 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 2: There's just there's a lot of kind of just pure 494 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 2: business that needs to be done, and I'm finding that 495 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 2: really enjoyable that I never thought I would And for 496 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: a long time, I feel like my narrative is like, well, 497 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 2: I'm a creative but I'm not a business person. But 498 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 2: I feel like I'm really living in both of those 499 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: worlds right now in a way that I like. 500 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 3: We're going to take a quick break and when we 501 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 3: come back, we'll hear more about the personal inspiration behind 502 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:34,679 Speaker 3: Lauren's jewelry design. I want to talk a little bit 503 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:39,239 Speaker 3: about the inspiration, like the actual design, it's so's you 504 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 3: can tell immediately that they're your pieces, Like you really 505 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 3: have a very strong perspective, And can you talk us 506 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 3: through how it has connected you to your father's family, 507 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 3: your heritage by part of your family. Can you talk 508 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 3: us through how it's made that connection for you. 509 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I mentioned earlier that my parents divorced when 510 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: I was young. I was four, so my mom's caucasion. 511 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: My dad was black. He actually passed away pretty recently, 512 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 2: but I wasn't as close to him as I was 513 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 2: with my mom because I didn't live with him. And 514 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 2: I've always, like I think, just emotionally sought a connection 515 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 2: to him, and that part of my family, the black 516 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 2: side of my family that I'm very proud to be 517 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 2: a Black American, and so it really kind of started 518 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 2: striking me in the work. I looked around me, and 519 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: I looked at the things that I love and the 520 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 2: things I've collected from the places I've been, and I 521 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 2: just felt like there's something in kind of African textiles 522 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 2: that really spoke to me. And that is something I've 523 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 2: always sort of looked at in my work and kind 524 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,639 Speaker 2: of trying to interpret that through the work, which is 525 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 2: a lot of geometry and the way that colors come 526 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 2: together and the way that shapes come together. And it's 527 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 2: not a literal interpretation, but I do feel like that's 528 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 2: where it comes from. 529 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: And it's been a really important part of the work 530 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: for me. 531 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 2: It's made me really kind of feel more connected to 532 00:24:58,320 --> 00:24:59,360 Speaker 2: that side of my family. 533 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, did you have this clear design perspective right from 534 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 3: the beginning or has it evolved? 535 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: You know, it's. 536 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 2: Evolved for sure. And it's funny because sometimes I'm like, 537 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: am I evolving too far? Am I not evolving enough? 538 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 2: Like that's that's a creative conversation that I have to 539 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 2: have with myself because I think it is important and 540 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,400 Speaker 2: I know this hav been coming from the world of branding, 541 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 2: that being identifiable matters, and so that's something that I've 542 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 2: always tried to infuse into the work. 543 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: But then I also like stretching my legs. 544 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,639 Speaker 2: So I talk about like, I feel like I've created 545 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 2: a design language that is our well, godfree, and how 546 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 2: far can I push it and keep myself creatively entertained, 547 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: but yet create pieces that are you know, that fit 548 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,919 Speaker 2: within this world that I've created, that are recognizable. So 549 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 2: that's definitely an ongoing thing that I think about. 550 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 3: Not only does Lauren make jewelry that is meaningful to her, 551 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 3: but she has made philanthropy core to her business through 552 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 3: her charity Hearts, which are custom design pendants where one 553 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 3: hundred percent of the profits benefit charities like Human Rights Campaign, 554 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 3: Futures Without Violence and more. 555 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 2: So, I've always thought that being philanthropic was very important, 556 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 2: Like I, as somebody who makes money through doing my work, 557 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 2: I like to give back as well. And so when 558 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 2: the pandemic started and it was becoming clear that families 559 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 2: had food insecurity, which just broke my heart because I 560 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 2: was like, if I couldn't feed my young son at 561 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 2: that time, I just it would be devastating. I wanted 562 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 2: to do something to help support the families that were 563 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 2: out there suffering, and so I launched my first charity, 564 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 2: Heart for World Central Kitchen. And the thing that was 565 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 2: kind of crazy about the launch of this was that 566 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 2: I launched it as a sketch. 567 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 1: It wasn't it didn't exist. 568 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 2: I drew something and asked people to buy it, and 569 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 2: then I made it later, which I've never done that 570 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 2: since I don't, it's kind of wild to me that 571 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 2: it actually had garnered some success and people actually bought 572 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: things based on a sketch that I made, and I 573 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 2: looked at that design. It was basically meant to look 574 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 2: like a heart that had been broken, using some of 575 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 2: my signature triangular details, and I thought it could actually 576 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 2: apply to other charities. So when George Floyd was murdered, 577 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:09,359 Speaker 2: I really wanted to do something to support all the 578 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: work that was being done for black justice. And I 579 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 2: like supporting people who do things legally to enact laws 580 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: that protect people. So I went with the NAACP for that, 581 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 2: and I did not ask permission. I've never asked permission. 582 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: I just sell them and then i'd send them money. 583 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,400 Speaker 2: So they were the second one, and then I did 584 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 2: some work with Every Mother Counts Futures Without Violence, which 585 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 2: is a Bay Area based organization every Town for Gun Safety. 586 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,119 Speaker 2: But yeah, so through the charity Heart Series, I've raised 587 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 2: over a quart of a million dollars and I see 588 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 2: it as evergreen. It's really important to me and it's 589 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 2: an important part of the business. I haven't launched one 590 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 2: in a while, so I'm kind of feeling some thoughts 591 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 2: percolating on that. But they are always available and they 592 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 2: always will be as long as I have the business. 593 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 3: How do you define success for yourself? 594 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 2: Now, that's a great question. I think the business being 595 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 2: helped and profitable. If I find that to be a 596 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,640 Speaker 2: big success. You know, I certainly appreciate when I get 597 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 2: good feedback from people, be it customers or a publication 598 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 2: or one of my retail partners. Positive feedback definitely feels 599 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 2: like a big success. Seeing it on people being surprised 600 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 2: where I see it feels like success. 601 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 3: What is something that in retrospect at the time you 602 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:27,880 Speaker 3: thought was like a total low and now looking back 603 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 3: on it, in retrospect, you see it as having really 604 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 3: launched to where you are now. 605 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think something that felt like a big loa 606 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 2: to me was when I left the culinary world, because 607 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:37,880 Speaker 2: I felt like I kind of went out on the low. 608 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: I left advertising on a high. 609 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 2: I went out having, you know, won awards and achieved 610 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 2: the position I wanted, and worked at great agencies with 611 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 2: great people, and in food. You know, I had some 612 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 2: good moments and some great experiences and some friendships still 613 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 2: through that industry, but there was never a big win, 614 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: if you will. So I just felt like a failure 615 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 2: and that was a really hard thing for me. But 616 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 2: I think what it showed me was that I have resilience, 617 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 2: and you know that I have kind of an interesting, 618 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: I guess menu of tools, if you will, because there's 619 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 2: a lot of things that I like to make and do, 620 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: and I don't know, just kind of it's ended up 621 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 2: feeling more like a positive than it did at that moment. 622 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 2: Do you think you'll pivot again? You know, I think 623 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 2: I'll make jewelry for a very long time. I think 624 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 2: one of the things I love about the industry is 625 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 2: I think that you can age into it, where some 626 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 2: industries you age out of. I think the more time 627 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 2: you spin and jewelry, the more respect you have people 628 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 2: you know, trust that you know what you're doing. And 629 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 2: I think there's so much to learn in jewelry that 630 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 2: I'm feeling very satisfied creatively, and I feel like I'm 631 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 2: continuing to add to my arsenal of what I know 632 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 2: about jewelry. But I love to make things, so there 633 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 2: I could see myself adding on to that. I think 634 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 2: jewelry is here to stay, but I could see, you know, 635 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 2: are there other things I could do or bring in 636 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: that support that, or that just you know, live next 637 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 2: to it. 638 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: I don't know, but never saying ever, Oh, I love that. 639 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Lauren, so great having you on. 640 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: Thank you. This has been so much fun. 641 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 3: Lauren is going from strength to strength with Harwell Godfrey, 642 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 3: putting out remarkably bold pieces every year. You can even 643 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 3: see them on the cover of this Vogue groundbreaking Met 644 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 3: Gala issue and at the gala. You can shop her 645 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 3: beautiful designs at Harwellgodfrey dot com or follow them on 646 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 3: Instagram at Harwell Goodfrey. Talk to you next week. Thanks 647 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 3: for listening to this episode of She Pivots. I hope 648 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 3: you enjoyed it, and if you did, leave us a 649 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 3: rating and tell your friends about us. To learn more 650 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 3: about our guests, follow us on Instagram at she pivots 651 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 3: the Podcast, or sign up for our newsletter, where you 652 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 3: can get exclusive behind the scenes content on our website 653 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 3: at she pivots thepodcast dot com. Special thanks to the 654 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 3: she pivots team, Executive producer Emily eda Velosik, Associate producer 655 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 3: and social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, Research director Christine Dickinson, 656 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 3: Events and logistics coordinator Madeline Snovac, and audio editor and 657 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 3: mixer Nina pollock I endorse t pivots