Member Stories: Lauren Warkentine
After many years climbing the corporate ladder, Lauren Warkentine recently quit her job at Computer-RX and pursued her passion of opening her own business. Read on to see what she’s learned about entrepreneurship.
Tell us in a few sentences what you do and what led you to it.
William & Lauren provides affordable, custom suits for men (and women coming soon). What we do always comes back to empowering people. We know that when people feel confident, they will present the best versions of themselves to whatever it is that they’re doing. We are all about taking risks, pushing fear aside and stepping into what’s next. We’re here to encourage people to show up and we believe that custom shouldn’t be exclusive.
I personally have always had a tug on my heart to create a business that does things different. In my time at Computer-Rx, I saw a gap in the men’s market as well as the women’s market and decided to give it a try. As I moved through the journey developing this idea, I begin to see that William & Lauren could be that platform to do things different. I took the leap of faith leaving my job to build W&L, I am trying to be a living example of what I want W&L to inspire in others- show up and go all in because the world needs our gifts.
What practices do you put into place to be most productive?
The thing that has had the biggest impact on my productivity was implementing a morning routine. For me, that includes exercise, podcasts (typically together) and taking time to document my daily gratitudes. Starting my day with intention and discipline carried over into the rest of my day.
What tools in your work (digital or otherwise) do you find the most useful?
Calendly has been a big tool for me to streamline scheduling. I also lean a lot on Canva and Moo to help with graphic/content creation.
A tool that is not necessarily technology, but has helped me a lot is networking/support groups, such as Good Company. Starting a business can feel extremely lonely and scary a lot of days. Having a support system to encourage you but also remind you that you aren’t alone has really helped me push forward when I hit those dark days.
Can you think of a failure you've experienced and what you learned from it?
I have too many to document! I won’t necessarily call out a specific failure, but high level I feel I have learned that failure is necessary. Each one big or small I have always learned something and it’s molded me into who I am today personally and professionally. While I still battle the fear of failure, I am so much less scared to fail today because it’s never been the end of the world like I tell myself it will be.
What is your favorite book and/or podcast at the moment?
I am always reading and looking for new books, but a few recent ones I would consider my favorites are: Shoe Dog, Multipliers, Leaders Eat Last, Daring Greatly, The Best Game, Crucial Conversations, Girl Wash Your Face .
Podcasts are also a staple in my life, typically before bed and during my morning run, I am listening to a podcast. Currently the main ones I am listening to are How I Built This, Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations and Rise with Rachel Hollis.
What's the top problem a female-only workspace could solve for you?
The Treasury and the women I have met during my time here have been such a gift. Going back to the question above, it has served as such a tool to keep me going. I can’t say enough about the power of a support system and cheerleaders helping you push through. While the workspace is nice and increases my productivity, space can be found. What can’t be replicated is the community of women learning, growing and celebrating each other daily.