I’ve been following Lauren Howard on LinkedIn for quite some time, and she is just as passionate and powerful as she is humble and kind.
As the founder of two businesses (yes, TWO), Lauren has cultivated her Great Work to help amplify the voices of others, advocating for digital healthcare and encouraging courage and strength in the workplace.
Cultivating her following on LinkedIn, Lauren began to share the stories of her own difficulties in the workplace. She was surprised how this prompted others to share their stories. Out of this came new communities and opportunities.
Listen in as Lauren reminds all of us, especially us women, that we don’t need a skirt, suit, or high heels to make an impact…a pair of “soft pants” will do just fine.
Lauren is passionate about solving systemic problems.
Those that affect her, yes (like how no one is talking honestly about what it means to be a working mother, even before the pandemic), but she is also passionate about elevating the voices of people whose problems are not her own.
One of my favorite moments in the episode is when Lauren got very real about how hard it is to do that right.
She talks about how she’s overstepped, been reined in, and has had to apologize.
AND she reiterated that the discomfort of doing it “wrong” was worth it because it’s the only way to figure out how to do it right.
Another one of my favorite ideas shared by Lauren in our interview is her defense of soft pants.
COVID taught us all that we can accomplish as much (If not more) in our soft pants and convenient hair as we can accomplish in our fancy clothes and high heels.
She has “team soft pants” gear available on her website, which I feel like we all need.
Join us as we discuss:
02:18 Virtual health – the digital health and telehealth consulting firm.
08:02 The majority of barriers that we have to healthcare are access issues.
08:26 How Telehealth bridges the gaps between somebody getting absolutely no care to somebody getting some care.
09:50 The huge care disparities, systemic racism and abuse in our healthcare system.
12:23 There is a misalignment between what actually is professional and what women are taught they have to be to be professional.
15:30 Lauren’s new site that she’s launching, which is the home of L2.
21:25 Why Lauren’s face is nowhere to be found on her new site.
22:11 A lot of isolation comes from this idea of “it’s just me.”
25:02 Lauren’s backstory of feeling “ it was just me because no one else was talking about.”
29:19 The surprise, the joy, the comfort, and the camaraderie Lauren experienced.
30:18 There is no shame in being a digital-first communicator.
32:39 The biggest challenge in advocating for somebody that’s not yourself.
