Life Event Staffing is Changing the Auction Game. Here’s how:

What about your growing up shaped you as the founder you are today?

Lauren describes her younger self as timid, shy, and afraid of everything—a stark contrast to the confident leader she is today.

“I was a real crybaby kid, hated leaving my mom, and didn’t want to go to school. But as soon as I got to high school, something switched. It was like I had something to prove, and from then on, nothing was stopping me.”

Born and raised in a small village, she always felt the need to break out and experience more. At 18, she left for London, driven by an insatiable curiosity for new people, new experiences, and new challenges. That relentless desire to push beyond her comfort zone has been a defining trait in her entrepreneurial journey.

What inspired you to start Life Event Staffing?

Lauren’s path to entrepreneurship was driven by a moment of necessity.

After COVID shut down in-person events, the staff she managed were suddenly out of work. “I felt so sorry for them, and I didn’t know how to help,” she recalls. When a tech platform reached out looking for workers, Lauren started making connections. “I realized, ‘Wait, I can do this.’ What started as a favor for a friend turned into a business almost overnight.”

But it wasn’t just about filling a need—it was about creating something sustainable. “It wasn’t just like, ‘Here’s a gig for today.’ I wanted to build a system where talented event professionals had a reliable way to do what they love, long-term.”

Did the business model change from when you started?

Operationally, Lauren knew exactly how to execute. “I built it fast to mimic what I had done before,” she explains. The challenge wasn’t in running events but in building a business from scratch. “Scaling was on my mind from day one, but if I hadn’t structured it properly early on, it wouldn’t have worked. We went from 40 staff in 2021 to 400 in 2022, and from 100 events to 800 events in a single year.”

Her motto is this, “Keep everything simple. Stay in your lane. Do what you do best.”

She also emphasizes the importance of adaptability. “As we grew, we had to refine our internal operations. It’s not just about hiring more people—it’s about making sure those people are properly trained, aligned with our values, and set up for success.”

What have been the toughest scaling challenges?

“The hardest part has been learning everything I didn’t know,” Lauren admits.

Running a staffing agency meant navigating complex legal structures—employment classifications, workers’ compensation, and liability laws. “Honestly, it’s boring, but you have to get it right,” she says.

Managing people at scale also brought unexpected challenges. “I love my team, but when you grow this fast, you realize people need different things to stay engaged. Full-time employees want career growth, gig workers want flexibility, and clients want reliability. Balancing those expectations is a constant learning process.”

Despite these challenges, the biggest reward has been knowing she’s built something that provides stability for others. “Some of my staff are supporting entire families. If I leave the planet tomorrow, knowing that gives me peace.”

If we look five years ahead, what does success look like for Life Event Staffing?

Lauren’s vision isn’t about an exit or a luxury retirement. It’s about creating a solid, sustainable company that evolves with the industry. “The last six months have been about refining our internal systems, making sure my team is happy, and solidifying our culture,” she says. “Success is not just about growth—it’s about staying relevant, making sure we’re still delivering what our nonprofits need.” 

One long-term goal? Establishing a foundation. “I want to build something our staff can contribute to—where they can give back in a way that aligns with their values. Maybe it’s scholarships, maybe it’s direct community support—I don’t know the exact format yet, but I want to build something that lasts beyond the business itself.”

She adds to this by saying, “Honestly… I feel like true success to me is inspiring others. If I left this planet and accomplished this? I’d be happy.”

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Don’t work with people you don’t like,” Lauren says without hesitation. “You don’t have to power through. If you sense negativity, either fight it or change course—but don’t let bad blood get into your team.”

She adds another lesson that has shaped her journey: “If your business isn’t working, run. Sometimes, persistence is overrated. If something is fundamentally flawed, don’t sink with it—pivot.”

What keeps you up at night as a founder?

“Making sure there’s enough money in the bank. Like having an unhappy client? We can handle that. But if there isn’t enough money, that’s on me. I did something wrong. My whole goal was to pay people for work they love doing—if that crumbles, I don’t know what I’d do.”

She also worries about maintaining the right company culture as they grow. “When you’re small, culture happens naturally. When you scale, you have to be intentional about it, or it slips away.”

If you had to start over, what would you do differently?

She mentions she wished she had hired a bookkeeper way earlier. Lauren initially managed finances on her own, only to realize later how much cleanup was needed. “I thought I was tracking everything, but when my bookkeeper came in, she had months of mess to sort through. You need professionals in professional roles.”

She also emphasizes the importance of having systems in place from the start. “When you scale fast, weak foundations crack. I would have invested more in structured operations early on.”

Favorite productivity hack?

“ChatGPT. All the time.” She also swears by AI-powered tools like Gmail’s ‘polish’ button for quick email refinement. “I don’t need to sound super formal, but I do need proper punctuation. One click, done.”

One book, podcast, or mentor that has profoundly shaped your thinking?

“How I Built This.” Lauren finds inspiration in hearing the ups and downs of other founders. “It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly, and it’s real. Someone told me early on that entrepreneurship comes with huge highs and huge lows. That has been 100% true.”

She also credits her late cousin, Sara, for inspiring her entrepreneurial journey. Sara was a seed-funding expert who encouraged Lauren to step into business, even offering her a free course on fundraising. “She made me feel like I could do anything. When she passed away, the community she built reached out to me, offering advice, connections, and mentorship. She left behind something bigger than herself, and that’s what I want to do too.”

Lauren’s story isn’t just about building a business—it’s about proving to herself that she could do it, creating opportunities for others, and redefining success on her own terms.

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