Like many women entrepreneurs, Laura didn’t spring into starting her own company. She grew into it. But not before she looked around.
First, she earned degrees in Physical Chemistry from Princeton University. Then, in Comparative Culture from Jochi (Sophia) University in Japan. She checked in with Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, where she worked her way up managing business units–not in one country, but in Japan, China, Israel, Poland and in the US.
On the way, she picked up an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a lot of insights into what drives culture across language and borders. As she invested in understanding what drives business and culture, she learned language, too. 
Laura speaks Japanese fluently and has a good knowledge of French and a smattering of other languages. Her “aha” moment came when she identified the one foundational thing that holds us back across cultures. It’s our fear.
Fearlessly, she decided she could do something about it.
Laura began to talk with leaders about how to overcome organizational fear one team at a time. That passion became a revenue stream. She quit the day job, so to speak. Today, she is president and co-founder of Transcend, a fearlessness consulting organization.
“I love getting to serve clients in the ways I think really move them forward. It isn’t really about balance anymore, the conversation is about integrating work into life, and that requires that you understand your personal values and bring them into your work, says Laura.
“My ‘go to’ superpower is bottom-lining complicated issues into clear strategic conclusions, and then translating that into action. I also have an intuitive feel for people and issues, and when I trust that, I can often move a project or relationship along more quickly.”
“The worst thing about being a female entrepreneur is the assumptions people sometimes make about the business because you are a woman entrepreneur.”
In the early days, some people assumed it was a hobby, or not a serious business.
Do you think male entrepreneurs are “different” from female entrepreneurs?
How can people connect with you or support what you’re all about?
“Our mission is to create joy and fulfillment at work by eliminating fear. I am active on social media, speak at public events and love to hear stories about people and organizations becoming fearless. Find me on Twitter @LeadFearlessly. I post a leadership blog on our website and would love to hear your comments and questions.”
