Mar 7, 2018
Jennifer and Laurie have been friends for years, traveling the world together. But Laurie is more than just a friend. She made an incredible impact on Jennifer’s life and set her on the path to where she is today. Are you stuck or unsure of what to do? Then Laurie will make an impact on YOUR life as well. Will it change the course of your career like it did Jennifer’s? We certainly hope so!
- One thing that Laurie learned early was that ‘family’ and ‘home’ aren’t necessarily a permanent location. Her childhood was turbulent until they moved in with her grandmother, an opinionated, working class woman. Laurie’s grandmother shaped who Laurie would become, and she shares the lessons from her pragmatic grandmother that she carries with her today.
- It was Michael Jackson who began Laurie’s writing career. From that point on, Laurie was a writing machine: poetry, stories, term papers. Writing became central to who Laurie was, and she bloomed when blogging became a thing. You might be shocked to learn that Laurie started blogging out of spite when an ex-boyfriend emailed her and told her to look at his blog. From there, she went on to violate multiple terms and conditions of her HR job and not only got away with it but built a living on it.
- Laurie used to shave her head and wear Doc Martins. Oh, and she had facial piercings. Laurie shares the funny story of trying to get her first job in HR in all her 90’s wild child glory. She had to remove her piercings and her co-workers talked about her behind her back. So it was a natural step for her to create Punk Rock HR.
- Not everyone would have the guts to kill something at the height of its success, but that’s exactly what Laurie did with Punk Rock HR. Find out why she did it, what happened as a result, and why she chose Cynical Girl as her next brand identity. Laurie wasn’t finished there, either. She created what she calls a career ladder. Find out how she did it!
- Laurie writes every day. Every. Single. Day. She shares some of the tools that she finds most helpful. First, Grammerly is an app that makes bad grammar a thing of the past. Do you abuse commas and semi-colons? What about your and you’re, or there and their? This SaaS app will fix it. The second tool she uses is Pro Writing Aid. This little wizard focuses on style and flow. You still have to do the work, but these tools make it easier.
- It’s not easy to put yourself out there when you have a contrarian view, and Laurie is no stranger to this. She tackles the difficult topics like #metoo, LGBT rights, and more, and she initiated the conversation long before it truly garnered public attention. She doesn’t just share the struggles of being a woman online with contrarian views; she shares how she overcomes it at every turn.
- Should you write? Laurie has some strong opinions on whether or not you should. She has a few questions she asks herself before she ever hits publish on her blog. You should ask yourself the same questions and know that you might not always get it right, but that’s okay.
- Laurie wanted to be a weather girl when she grew up. Now, she sometimes sees herself as a ‘failed HR lady.’ In fact, it wasn’t until recently that she saw herself as an entrepreneur. But over the years, she realized that group isn’t limited to 27-year-old white guys in hoodies who drink beer and play ping pong. Laurie shares what really defines an entrepreneur and why you might need to take stock of what you’re doing and redefine your own life.
- Laurie wraps up the conversation today with some of the lessons she’s learned along the way. It’s okay to be first; it’s not going to kill you. Break the taboo and be willing to demystify failure. Relationships are tough but worthwhile, and Laurie has a tough message on gaining them, OR turning them down.
Catch up with Laurie here:
HR Book Club: