Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Nolan.
Lauren, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started Lake Shore Lady in 2012 when I moved back to Chicago. After studying musical theatre at Syracuse University and pursing an acting career in New York, I woke up one day and realized I was 25 and unhappy, and something needed to change. So, I packed my bags and moved into a studio apartment on Lake Shore Drive in Lakeview (hence Lake Shore Lady!). Since I like to be productive, I decided that I needed a project – something to help me feel less lonely as I adjusted to a new city, but also something to help me channel my creative energy. While working at a boutique in NYC, I loved learning about new up-and-coming designers, and whenever the store was slow, I’d read the original blogs that started it all. Cupcakes & Cashmere, Damsel in Dior, Smitten Kitchen – I became obsessed with what these women were accomplishing, and I thought “Why couldn’t I do that?”
When I first started, I really knew nothing about photography, SEO, social media strategy – I didn’t even really know what my voice was! But I dove right in and learned everything I could. I went to events to meet other bloggers in Chicago, I attended webinars and educational sessions in the city, I googled something to do with blogging every. Single. Day. And slowly but surely, Lake Shore Lady turned into what it is today.
Since I started at a time when I definitely didn’t have everything “together” (still don’t!), my goal has always been to create approachable and honest content. The thing is – everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. I think a lot of us tend to think that health and happiness is reserved for those who have the most money or the perfect body or the best set of circumstances. When in reality, little things can affect the way we think about ourselves and others. I want to show people that they can feel good about what they wear even if they don’t think they are “stylish.” You can feel good about your bodies even if you don’t look like a model. You can get STRONG even if you aren’t traditionally athletic. You can cook nourishing meals even if you’re afraid of the kitchen. We are all constantly evolving, and while some of these things might seem superficial, they can be incredibly empowering. We shouldn’t underestimate how much self-care and gratitude can do for our well-being and growth!
Has it been a smooth road?
Honestly, blogging has been tough in a lot of ways!! I recently decided to go full time with Lake Shore Lady, but for the past 5 years, I’ve been juggling LSL’s growth with a job in Marketing. There were MANY days where I was literally working from 7:00am to 11:30pm without stopping once. It was extremely difficult to juggle a stressful job (it’s hard not to stress when you’re planning/executing events!) along with growing and maintaining a blog. There was a level of hustle that was required – but I learned a lot through that hustle. I feel as though I have a greater appreciation for the times when I am able to slow down and enjoy life a little more. I also understand what my readers are going through when they are busy and stressed. It’s so easy to look at the curated feeds of bloggers and assume that they have perfect shiny lives. That busy season of my life, while a struggle, has connected me to my readers in a very real way. I think I’ll always be appreciative for that… even though I’m pretty excited to sleep more 😉
I think the other difficult part of blogging is explaining to people that what I do is legitimate. People won’t necessarily overtly judge you, but they will make little comments like “Ooh, so are you insta famous??” or “That sounds so fun – maybe I’ll quit my job and start one!” or “Can you really make any money that way?” And don’t get me wrong, these people mean well… but it can be hard to figure out how to respond to everyone. First, no I’m not insta-famous. I don’t do this to be “famous” – I do it because I love creating content and connecting with people.
Second, yes its fun, but it’s a lot of work, especially if you want to create something more substantial and long lasting. You have to learn photography, SEO, at least a bit of web design/coding, social media, google analytics, how to pitch yourself, how to negotiate with brands, how to manage an editorial calendar, how to write… it’s a lot! And lastly, yes you can make money. I’ll usually elaborate depending on HOW the person asked that question, if you know what I mean. Curiosity vs judgment makes all the difference!
We’d love to hear more about your blog.
Lake Shore Lady covers a variety of lifestyle topics, but the main goal will always be to encourage women to feel good about themselves. Nowadays, there is a lot of content out there than can be intimidating, hard to connect with, or brings out that “comparison game” most women know so well. I aim to create helpful (and pretty!) content that also maintains my relatability and vulnerability – and I think the way to do that is to share what you are passionate about.
I love creating recipes, because it makes me so happy when people realize that they CAN make themselves a beautiful dinner! I love posting about style, because shopping can be frustrating for a lot of people (hey petites!) – But we all deserve to feel good in our clothes. I love posting about fitness because I was never athletic growing up, and if I can become a super active person, so can anyone! And most recently, I’ve realized that both my readers and I are craving more talk about wellness, body image, self-care – the things that are always on our mind in some capacity.
I get a lot of messages/emails from readers telling me that they feel like I’m a friend. It’s one of my favorite things to hear, because while blogging means my life isn’t always “normal” – they know that I’m literally just like them in most ways! This connection is what really drives me. It isn’t about the absence of obstacles, it’s about how we deal with them! How can we all encourage each other to add more positivity into the world? How can we support each other more? How can we be nicer to ourselves? It is so easy to beat ourselves up because we want the perfect body or the perfect life, but being healthy and living with mindfulness, gratitude and JOY is far more important.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes! I have such a love for the city of Chicago, and a lot of that has to do with the incredible blogging community here. Even beyond that, the PR companies based here are also full of lovely, hardworking employees who are a joy to see at events or work with on collaborations.
Beyond the people, the city itself is endlessly inspiring. There is always something to do, people to meet, beautiful views to take photos of, cute neighborhoods to shoot outfits in, delicious restaurants to try out… I’ve been here for six years and I’m constantly excited and inspired by this city.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.LakeShoreLady.com/
- Email: lakeshoreladyblog@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakeshorelady/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakeshoreladyblog/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lakeshore_lady
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/lakeshore_lady/
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
