Meet Lauren Golden | Speaker, Author and Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Golden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I accidentally started a business, because I had a huge problem in my life. About 7 years ago, I was an overwhelmed mom of 2 working full-time outside the home. I resented my husband because he was pursuing his passions and I was the “stable” one with the consistent paycheck and health insurance. I loved working, but having a job wasn’t allowing me to show up as the mom or wife I wanted to be. I first started freelancing as a social media manager as a way to bring in more money to support my family, but within a year I had matched my salary. I was not working part-time hours, earning more money than before, and experiencing time freedom to be a more present mom to my baby and toddler. I felt different. After a few years, I had this huge calling in my heart that I was supposed to teach other working moms how to create a sustainable, virtual business around their lives and families, as well. I’ve helped over 7,000 students generate over $22 million for their families and change the way women work.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For the last 5 years through my work at The Free Mama, I have helped women start and run a successful freelancing business so that they don’t have to choose between family and financial stability. What I discovered, and what I’m most proud of, is that what I really do is help women take consistent, courageous steps so they can make big, bold shifts toward their best life possible. This looks like transforming self-doubt into self-trust through grit, courage, and unconditional love. Lives change for the better inside of our community, which makes ripple effects out in the world.

I do things differently than a lot of “internet marketers” or “gurus” in the online space. For starters, I really care about my students and this is evident through my transparent and relatable personal content. I have a great life, but I still struggle. And I help people feel seen and heard by reminding them they are never alone. I have also created frameworks that anyone can follow to take calculated risks to step out of their comfort zones and pursue their goals.

We have impressive stats, like millions in revenue (profitably), thousands of success stories, a best-selling book, and awards, but I show up day after day because of the people. Relationships are fulfilling, not bank accounts.

Has this been easy for me?

Definitely not. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a smooth road to success, mostly because we typically don’t get the clarity of seeing the entire road when we get started. Instead, the path gets clearer with each step – and misstep – we take.

But here’s the deal, we make things way harder than they have to be – both in business and in life.

I’ve faced external challenges – like the time my Facebook ads account was disabled for a month and it felt like the world was ended. Of course, it was not, and it gave me the opportunity to diversify my traffic sources for my business, something I wasn’t previously doing. I’ve had to shut down programs, fire employees, and make difficult decisions. These external challenges are tough, but they happen and are often outside of our control. Instead of letting them break you down, try to figure out the lesson and keep moving.

There are also internal challenges – we like to call this mindset. Unlike external challenges, internal challenges come from the noise in between the ears. The stories we tell ourselves, like “I’m not good enough” or “no one would pay me that much” or “people are going to think you’re nuts.” If you’re struggling with negative self-talk or allowing fear or imposter syndrome to hold you back, invest in tools and resources to help you blast past them. I work with coaches and therapists and take care of myself. I surround myself with positive people and positive messages. Unlike external challenges, our internal dialogue is something we have the power to control given the right tools.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have had countless mentors in my life. From dance teachers to my college counselors, from a mentor who helped me see my potential in the workplace to my very first business coach. If I had to give one shout-out, however, it would be to my husband. I heard someone say that you can only shine as bright as your spouse allows you to, and this is so true. My husband has always believed in me, held down the fort at home when I needed to travel, and encouraged me to step into the biggest, boldest version of myself. There are a lot of sacrifices in the journey of entrepreneurship, and having a strong, supportive partner means the world to me.

Website: https://thefreemama.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurengoldenfreemama/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurengoldenfreemama/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenGoldenFreeMama/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LaurenGoldenfreemama