Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This episode of the Lori Taktarski Morning show is produced by CMJW Entertainment. This episode is brought to you in part by MHA of Dutchess county and Angels of the Andes.
Mental Health America of Dutchess county and Reviver Entertainment Group presents the Sound of Nashville in the Hudson Valley's Queen City featuring headliner Grand Ole Opry member and CMT Award nominee Craig Morgan.
With supporting acts two time Grammy nominee Maggie Rose, Finalist of season 19 of the Voice in Hudson Valley, native Ian Flanagan, Viral sensation Jake Banfield and special guest Broadway to country star Brooke Moribro.
The Sound of Nashville one night only Tuesday, October 6th at the Bartvon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York. Visit bartabond.org for ticket information.
[00:01:04] Speaker B: We at Angels of the Andes are proud to partner and support the Lori Talk Tarski Morning Show. Our mission is to create brighter futures for children living in Peru's highest peaks of the Andes Mountains by supporting families and schools with essential resources and reminding them that there is always hope for tomorrow. Each year we also bring the gift of Christmas. Rooting children enjoy faith and the love of Jesus while reminding them that they are deeply cared for behind their mountains. For more information and to donate, please scan the QR code code on the screen and visit the Link in the description. 100% of your gift goes directly to the mission, helping families where they need it most. Together we can continue reaching the highest peaks.
[00:01:53] Speaker C: Here we are. Good morning.
Rise and shine to the iconic light, the bright light, the beautiful bright light that is with us, within us and with us every day and certainly during these spring and summer months. And coffee in one hand, confidence in the other. And today I have a new mug. It's from a dear friend of mine. It says a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. And that's a Bible verse. And yes it certainly does. And I'm not only this was not only received from a dear friend, but I'm with a dear friend today. Lauren Espoho. She is in the social media world does has accomplished many things. She is a high end graphic artist, a creator, pharmaceutical, social media and so much more. So Lauren, what does your particular mug say?
[00:02:54] Speaker D: Thank you for having me. Mine says this is from you actually. So love from you. It says Saturdays are for girls.
[00:03:00] Speaker C: I think every day for girls. But Saturdays, yeah, we do many special things.
Anyway, you know we've been on quite the journey collectively and also separately.
But today we're going to talk about collectively how we came to know one another.
We met about 10 years ago.
I can't believe we should have a celebration. I can't believe it's been 10 years.
Yeah. Wow. An anniversary. Yes. A beautiful friendship we established. I remember it clear as day. 2016 was a very beginning of a very difficult time, at least in my life.
I was living prior to that in Westchester County, New York, going through a lot of different things. I'm working in the advertising industry, dealing with a very chronic mental health challenge, such as bipolar.
And although my career was thriving and exhilarating, compelling.
There were a lot of ups and downs, a lot of pressures, a lot of stress.
And I remember my last episode, it completely wiped me out financially, emotionally, spiritually.
And my mom so graciously took me in. She was living in Bayside, Queens. Teens, and you were living. Why don't you tell me a little bit about where you were at that time in your life?
[00:04:18] Speaker D: 2016 was tough for me too. I had just started living on my own. I was working full time as a graphic designer and just, like, trying to figure out life as a young adult on my own and navigating all of those things. I was diagnosed with bipolar when I was 19, so it was still pretty new to me. Still navigating the acceptance of it and, like, going through things like therapy, med management, and all those things were all pretty new. And just going through all of that while living in, you know, New York City and just trying to live life, you know. So that's where I was at. I was. I had a pretty stressful job. I was working in the city and commuting three hours a day.
[00:05:02] Speaker C: Oh, wow.
[00:05:03] Speaker D: One and a half hours one way and back. So that was pretty tough to just, like, juggle everything and have a social life, you know, stay on top of everything with my family, my friends. So it was just like an overwhelming new, fun, but also, like, stressful time.
[00:05:19] Speaker C: How did you educate yourself? Because I know when they diagnosed me with bipolar at age 21, as the years have gone on, I've looked to you very much like a daughter, because I'm much older than you. You know, you were when things were going on with me. I just turned 40, and it was a whole new decade.
And you were primarily, I believe, in your early 20s, right?
[00:05:40] Speaker D: You're right.
[00:05:43] Speaker C: Would you be comfortable talking about how your first episode came on or how you got diagnosed?
[00:05:48] Speaker D: Yeah. So I was around 19. I had just started college. I just wasn't sleeping a ton. There would be, like. It was, like, days that I wasn't sleeping. I was having racing thoughts. I was also talking a lot, not Making sense to my loved ones and the ones around me. My family mostly just like running a million miles a minute. And anyone who knows me, that's not my baseline. That's not the norm for me. I'm usually pretty laid back, pretty calm. And so my family knew something was wrong and brought me to the hospital here in New Hyde Park. And so they brought me in, described my symptoms and I was in an inpatient program for a while. It was the first time that I was like away from home and what
[00:06:30] Speaker C: a place to be away from home. That must have been terrifying.
[00:06:33] Speaker D: Whenever I tell someone the story for the first time, it's like I just say that it was like the most alone I've ever felt because I felt like no one understood what I was going through. I didn't understand it. My family couldn't help me. They felt helpless.
So it was just like a very scary and isolating place to be.
[00:06:51] Speaker C: I think that's one of the most desperate times and spots we feel with the mental illness is that so many people feel alone. If only we could all be there for each other, right?
[00:07:03] Speaker D: And I think that's the time when I met you, is when I was more open to learning other people's stories and like seeing how I could like learn from other people's backgrounds and where they came from and you know, how they deal with things now. And I think that's why we resonated with each other is because we're dealing with similar things but just like different circumstances, right? At the end of the day we have the same, not the same, but, you know, similar diagnosis and like struggles from day to day, it's easy to remember, like we're all human and dealing with all these same things that at the end of the day, like if we just open up to each other a little more or come more compassionate, kind understanding that we can get on the same page. And like I feel the same way
[00:07:47] Speaker C: if we're only just, you know, we have so many more commonalities.
Even though we are, you know, in our own right. We're different and we're unique. You know, as humans, as spiritual beings having a human experience, we have so much we can bond with and help one another with and love one another with, right? Bring, always say, you know, bring the light forth, light minded people, you know, come out of the dark, into the light. I think because we went through these experiences, it's made us more compassionate, made us more, you know, having God's grace and it's given us more love to Give to others.
[00:08:30] Speaker D: That's true.
I think when I used to see someone having a hard time, I would judge more and without having much information. And I feel like now, having had my own struggles, I give people more grace, I give people more understanding and, you know, more credit for wherever they stand. Because you don't know what someone's going through.
[00:08:47] Speaker C: Right. We never know. We never. And we never know how we're going to affect somebody. Like, you know, a lot of times I just smile. I don't know how that's. They must. They may be having the worst day they ever had. They just. Who knows, they may have just gotten fired. They may have gotten a fight with their spouse, their parents, their siblings. They may have, you know, who knows, got a flat tire. And maybe I could just offer a smile and that would turn the whole direction of their day around.
[00:09:12] Speaker D: It's so true. It's. When we show each other kindness, it just, like, validates the other person's experience. You know what I mean? It validates their existence.
And so I think that's a beautiful thing that you said. Like, even just smiling at each other, like, I see you, like you exist, is. Is a nice thing to remember as we, like, go through this life that's so. Like, everyone's sucked into their phones and doesn't like, oh, my God, no.
[00:09:38] Speaker C: Even when people go together.
[00:09:40] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:09:40] Speaker C: You know, they're just so much on their phone. And it was so funny. I had gone to meet up with a bunch of friends this past weekend, and I was talking to this woman that I don't generally see that often, and she's not really a close friend of mine, but somebody I've met in the past. We got into a very heavy conversation, and she was telling me that her daughter, who was in college, a young girl, because I think it's been affecting more and more of the. So many people, but especially in the younger population.
She was experiencing, for the first time in her life, a terrible anxiety.
Terrible. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat. She couldn't focus on her schoolwork. She thought she was being judged for every little thing.
And they started her on medication. The mother was telling me how she made a decision to go back to church and to go back to a sense of spirituality and a sense of believing that there was hope. Hope. And there was a higher power and there was faith, and she could get through this. And I think that's what we need to give as a message.
[00:10:43] Speaker D: Right. I think everybody has their way of going through something, but I Think when you realize you have a sense of community, whether that's through church or through, you know, community service and giving to other people, I think it's a beautiful thing to. To realize that you're not alone. You know, like we were saying earlier, you can be. We are, you know, humans, but we're not the only ones. We're not. We don't live on an island.
I mean, some might, some might, but we are not an island. And we need to just be more vulnerable with each other and show each other that, hey, I see what you're going through, because I went through the same thing. When you get that sense of community through someplace like church or religious or anything. Just anything.
Yeah. Any kind of group is, like, through a common interest. It's a beautiful thing, and I think that's why we're all here, you know?
Mm.
[00:11:35] Speaker C: So let me ask you something. What has helped in. I know when you had first gotten diagnosed, like, just when I had gotten diagnosed at a young age. That's such a difficult age to begin with because you're trying to find that identity. You're trying to find your likes, your dislikes, what you may want to pursue in your life, and then on top of it, you're diagnosed with this horrific, at times horrific illness that what I want to mention, we know in our society, no matter how far we've come, has a stigma attached to it like everything else. Like, if you're a different ethnicity, if you have a challenge, if you have a handicap, I think everything to some degree, has a stigma. So how have you dealt with that, and how do you continue to deal with that?
[00:12:26] Speaker D: I think at first, when I was diagnosed, there was definitely a lot of, like, in denial moments.
And I think it just. Honestly, with me, it came with time and just commitment to my mental health. So staying consistent with therapy, staying consistent with seeing my psychiatrist, consistent with opening up to people, like, more and more. Like, the more I could, the more I did, you know, knowing who those safe spaces are, I think is really important. I knew my family had my back from day one, so that was no question. But, you know, friends, you know, come and go. Love. Interesting.
[00:13:01] Speaker C: I always say it's a reason, a season and for treason.
[00:13:04] Speaker D: Yeah. So you have to really know who has your back, who really is your support system. And I've learned that, you know, the hard way in some aspects. But, like, some people make it really easy to. To say, like, okay, you're not really. For me. You know what I mean? So I think time. Time is the Number one teacher for me, at least, because, like we were saying, like, we met 10 years ago, and I have. I feel like I'm so different from that person.
[00:13:28] Speaker C: Oh, yes. How you've grown, how you just. So much courage, so much bravery, even so much more humor. How you allow yourself to lighten up and just really have fun. Like, there's so many times when we just will laugh and just really enjoy the moment.
[00:13:43] Speaker D: It's true. It's true. And it's like there are going to be those. Those moments of, like, levity when it comes to your mental health, and you just have to cherish it along with the moments that are tough and, like, hard to get through, you know, because you don't appreciate the good unless you've been through the, like, the worst. I've, like, tried to remind myself that of, like, okay, I might be going through it right now, but, you know, there are times I've gone through this and I am resilient. I've gone through way worse.
So this is nothing. You know what I mean?
[00:14:12] Speaker C: Right.
And you almost become. You. You get an enormous sense of gratitude.
[00:14:18] Speaker D: Yeah, totally.
[00:14:19] Speaker C: And I think gratitude is one of the most.
Something that's such an epitome of growth and graciousness.
[00:14:27] Speaker D: I definitely think being grateful for everything you have, instead of, like, thinking about where you could be or where you should be or where you would be if things were different, is a big thing. Like being grateful for the little things, like having food in the fridge, having a roof over your head, a bed to sleep at night. You know what I mean? Like, taking it back to that, I think is really important.
[00:14:48] Speaker C: Because the rest is just gravy.
[00:14:51] Speaker D: Exactly. The rest is just icing on the cake.
[00:14:54] Speaker C: It seems like you're in the mood for the. The sweet stuff. I'm in the mood for the salty stuff.
[00:15:00] Speaker D: Exactly. Yeah.
[00:15:01] Speaker C: Also, what I wanted to kind of mention with you is a little bit about. In the workplace, you've been in many different.
Would you say your jobs have mainly been. Even though they're in the artistic, creative realm, have they primarily been in the corporate setting?
[00:15:16] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:15:17] Speaker C: Okay. Because I know for a long time, many years, I was in the corporate setting. And. But it was. It was at a different, almost like, era. Like, it was so long ago that I think things were treated, you know, less. Like, for instance, if I had a very bad episode, as they call it, a very bad depression, or very bad, as we call it, a mania, where I was having those racing thoughts or, you know, not making sense when I spoke or not sleeping, insomnia. You know, I could very well. My job was jeopardized. I think in today's world, it's a little more.
It's not as easy. Wouldn't be as easy to lose your job because of those things.
There's more of, so to speak. An insurance policy.
[00:16:04] Speaker D: Right? Yeah, I do believe that. I do still think that there is a stigma to an extent to like, revealing at your workplace that you do have a mental disorder or mental illness. And it just really. It really depends on each other person, you know, like, what they're comfortable sharing. But I do, I do agree with you that it has gotten better over the. Over the years that you can say that you have a mental disorder and, hey, I need to take this time off.
And if I use like a paid leave or an unpaid leave, my job is secure. You know what I mean? Like, that those things weren't as common as they should have been. And so I definitely would say to someone who is struggling at work and not able to, like, juggle everything the way that they want to definitely take advantage of those types of things. And the more you open up, the more you're. I can't say for every place, but the more that they can help you, the more they know, you know? Right.
[00:17:00] Speaker C: And I think that's getting to the point that education is essential.
One, to be educated on different things in our world is so important, even so much with the families, because I know as I was going through, through my mental. I call it dis ease or disease, the more my family learned about it, the better equipped they were to help me. So I think as corporations learn more about not only mental illness, but all different, you know, disabilities or all different challenges we all have.
[00:17:32] Speaker D: I think it's true. And I think there's more of a discourse nowadays being neurodivergent, having, like you said, different disabilities, different things, that. That might be harder for you than other people. So I think there's more people talking about it and there's more people opening up about their own experiences. And so I think things like this, things like this podcast can really open up the conversation even further for people to have that place where they can say, yeah, I go through the same thing, like, what should I do? Like, I am stressed at work and I am dealing with xyz. How do I navigate that? Like, can I take off work? You know, asking the real questions, I think, and like, doing your due diligence, asking other people who have been through it, researching on your own.
[00:18:16] Speaker C: Right. Like Learning from each other and loving and growing from each other.
[00:18:20] Speaker D: Right, right.
[00:18:21] Speaker C: And, Lauren, let me ask you if you're comfortable answering this.
What is your ethnic background?
[00:18:27] Speaker D: So my parents are from the Philippines.
[00:18:29] Speaker C: Lovely.
[00:18:30] Speaker D: Yeah. They grew up there, and they came here when they were pretty young. They both immigrated to New York, and this is where they met.
[00:18:40] Speaker C: New York, New York. It's a hell of a town.
[00:18:43] Speaker D: Which is kind of funny because it's like they grew up there, but they met here. I. I always think that. I always think that's hilarious.
[00:18:49] Speaker C: I think it's kind of like, you know, it was even meant to happen.
[00:18:52] Speaker D: Yeah. They met at a mutual friend's house party, I guess.
[00:18:56] Speaker C: Nice.
[00:18:57] Speaker D: And the rest is sort of history.
[00:19:00] Speaker C: Okay, so how have you felt about your background? Like, just, you know, have you felt it's been accepted in America? Have you felt it's more.
It's been more. Everybody's culture and background has been more accepted.
How has it played out in the workplace for you and social settings, things like that?
[00:19:21] Speaker D: I think I'm pretty lucky, but I've also experienced, like, microaggressions and things like that in the workplace. But I feel like I'm lucky in the sense that I grew up in a very diverse area. Queens, New York, is like a melting pot of all different backgrounds, you know, flavors. Everything that you can name under the sun is here. So I grew up around a lot of different people and cultures. I had that knowledge going into, you know. You know, being an adult and, like, being out in the world, but being in spaces that were not that colorful, I'll say has been tough because I work in the corporate world. There have been places that, you know, I'm just gonna say, like, our majority, you know, white people working there.
You are the minority. And it has been comments.
[00:20:06] Speaker C: Have there ever been comments made to you?
[00:20:08] Speaker D: Yes, but it's. It's like I. It's like I say, like, it's microaggressions. It's. It's more like making assumptions about my culture without having much information or.
[00:20:20] Speaker B: Right.
[00:20:20] Speaker D: Education, whatever that might be. Right. For example, the one thing I can think of was someone assuming that I spoke Spanish when it's like, that's not even my culture. I mean, that's awesome to be. To assume that. That it's a great culture. But someone asked me to translate something, and I was like, I took that in college. Yeah. But I am not, you know, a fluent person where I can translate this, like, scientific thing for you.
Little things like that where it's like okay, you didn't do enough digging, but you did, you made an assumption about like who, who I was.
[00:20:58] Speaker C: You say that happens in many different scenarios, not just your ethnicity. Even with the ment. This sometimes people do things like that as well.
[00:21:07] Speaker D: You mean like make assumptions? Oh yeah, sure.
[00:21:09] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:21:09] Speaker D: Okay. I think people have an idea in their head of like what a bipolar person looks like.
[00:21:15] Speaker C: Oh yeah, they make comments all the time.
[00:21:17] Speaker D: Comments on it. They'll even use it in like everyday language.
[00:21:19] Speaker C: Like oh, I know somebody said the weather. So bipolar.
[00:21:22] Speaker D: Exactly right. Like, or, or they'll describe someone who is but like acting erratic. I'd say. But instead they'll say oh, they're bipolar. Right. And they'll do it with any, they'll do it with any like mental disord. But yeah, I've seen that a bunch and that's hurt, you know, because people who might not know that you have been diagnosed with it and you're like, oh, that's how you view that? Okay, cool. Like noted. You know what I mean?
[00:21:46] Speaker C: Exactly. And once again it's just, it's unfortunate. I don't know if it's a, It's a unintentional ignorance almost the way I
[00:21:55] Speaker D: see it is if you, you have access to the same information everybody else does. So if you. So if you're ignorant about a certain topic, it's because you chose to be. You know what I mean?
[00:22:04] Speaker C: Like yes, brilliant choice. Freedom of choice.
[00:22:07] Speaker D: It's a privilege, it's honestly a privilege to be that ignorant because not everybody has that chance to be like that's their whole world, you know what I mean? We live day in and day out with our mental health and like dealing with it head on, you know what I mean? Or like for example, I deal with like the microaggressions on a regular basis. But it's like that's what I'll say is like it's a choice.
You choose to not be as well versed. You choose to, to. To not ask the questions, you know, even if you might sound stupid.
[00:22:38] Speaker C: Well, you're not open minded. And if you're not open minded, then generally speaking you're not going to be open hearted and you're not gonna. And your, your spirit won't ultimately flourish either.
[00:22:47] Speaker D: Yeah, I think, I think there's room these days to grow and learn more about like, I'm not even gonna say like I know everything about everybody, you know what I mean? There's no way. But as soon as you accept that instead of like assuming things about people. I think it's. It. It leaves a lot of room for growth and understanding.
[00:23:05] Speaker C: Bravo. Bravo. Wonderful president.
[00:23:10] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:23:12] Speaker C: I also wanted to kind of talk about a. A ha. A really happy kind of thing. What would you say dealing with just things that kind of. Nor at your soul, like dealing every day with the challenges of overcoming a mental challenge or disease or disorder, however you want to phrase it, you know, aggressions, perhaps in the workplace, different things. What are some of your happy places? What are some things that really make Lauren just kind of be with the butterflies, so to speak?
[00:23:45] Speaker D: I think I really love spending time with my loved ones. I also really love unplugging and, like, being in nature. That's a really big thing for me. Even if nature to a New Yorker is like going to a park, you know what I mean?
I still. I still love hiking. I like, learned to love it over the pandemic and had the privilege of like, being able to be in. In nature and outdoors and just exploring those things recently. So those are things that I think help ground me and help make me remember. Like, I am so small in this huge, like, cosmos of things.
And maybe the thing I'm yet your grand.
[00:24:27] Speaker C: We're also small, but yet we're grand.
[00:24:30] Speaker D: Exactly. Like, maybe the thing I'm worrying about is not as big as I think it is, you know, but yeah, definite. Definitely. Just cracking up and laughing with my loved ones at, like, stupid things is. Is the best to me. I'm pretty. I'm pretty boring when it comes to what makes me happy.
Or it's just. It's just a simple equation to me, you know, just. Just having.
[00:24:50] Speaker C: Sometimes the simplest things aren't boring, they're just beautiful.
[00:24:54] Speaker D: Like, they might be boring to other people, but that's fine to me, you know?
[00:24:57] Speaker C: Right, Exactly. And how would you say you've come to almost navigate as we use that word so much these days, your mental health chall challenges, do you. Are you into holistic at all, or is it mainly just the therapy and medicine? Are you more open to meditation or sound baths or, you know, different things they're using out there today? Because I kind of do a combination I believe in.
[00:25:23] Speaker D: Yeah, I do too. I feel like a good balance of both is important. I love talk therapy, but I also love meditation. I also love just being in group settings where you can, like, just talk about your feelings, you know? Know.
[00:25:34] Speaker C: Right.
[00:25:35] Speaker D: That's also important. Yeah. Meditation is a big thing for me. I've done some sound baths before. Yeah.
[00:25:41] Speaker C: Awesome.
[00:25:42] Speaker D: Reiki healing things like that.
[00:25:43] Speaker C: Reiki is amazing.
[00:25:46] Speaker D: I think finding the right balance for you is important, but for me, it's been staying consistent on my meds and staying consistent with my therapy, but then also, like, trying what else resonates with me and works, you know, Right.
[00:25:59] Speaker C: To have a whole kind of picture. A whole beautiful picture. Picture.
[00:26:02] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:26:02] Speaker C: A colorful picture of all different remedies.
[00:26:05] Speaker D: Yes. A rainbow.
[00:26:06] Speaker C: And exploring it. A rainbow. Yes. My favorite. A rainbow. Now, I wanted to kind of really. Kind of wrap things up a little bit with some really fun stuff that we've been through collectively in the last 10 years. Initially, when I had met you, we were kind of really down at really dark places, as we mentioned, but through it, we. We established an amazing friendship that has a lot of creativity to it. I was initially working on a book that's now on the market market many years later, and I was working on the first volume called redeem the dream 33.
And redeem the dream is just getting back to that. That place of happiness and pureness and joy and love. And I always call it 33 because for me, 33 is when Jesus Christ had initially died, but then rose again. And I always say it's the Jesus Christ consciousness. We all kind of have numbers and things of that nature.
And I was working on this project, and you stepped in so graciously and said, I would love to do some artwork.
And we talked about different visions that I would get. And it was amazing how you just brought it to. You know, you brought it to life. Many years later, I added some volumes to the book, and it's out on the market now. It's called I dare you to walk in my shoes.
And you've been a huge part of that, and you've been an amazing part of all the projects that I've been so blessed to want to work on. And you've always given me great feedback. So tell me a little bit about how you got involved in your creative spark, and what continues in your mind is where you want to eventually be.
[00:27:50] Speaker D: Well, thank you. It's been an amazing journey working with you and an adventure, for sure.
I feel like we've created so many cool things together and continue to grow from there. So it's been really awesome working with you. I think where my creative spark started is from my dad. He's a very artistic person. Wanted to pursue it growing up, but, you know, had to put it aside to, like, have me and, you know, start a family and all those things. So I. He would always, like, draw with me and, like, show Me, show me his stuff from like college and like, like things that he's done.
So I've always been around it. So I kind of like that's where it started for me and I think where it's going is just like how can I use like these skills to help people? Because those are two things I love doing. You know what I mean?
[00:28:39] Speaker C: Right. Most definitely.
[00:28:41] Speaker D: I really love getting into the nitty gritty with fonts, colors, this, that, you know what I mean? I'm real nerd about that stuff. I'm also really passionate about helping others and seeing how it can, it can, how I can really give back with it.
[00:28:57] Speaker C: Right. And you're always so willing to help me. You've, you've been so generous throughout the years.
[00:29:03] Speaker D: Thank you. It's easy to work with people who are like minded and know what they want and that's definitely you.
[00:29:10] Speaker C: Thank you. I'll take that as the highest compliment.
[00:29:13] Speaker D: It is because there, because there are people that I worked with or clients, I, I could say that like just, just make it edgy, just make it pretty, just make it this. They just have no clue what they want. And you have always had a vision and that I, and that I've always respected about working with you.
[00:29:31] Speaker C: Thank you. Now who's going to be the one to cry?
[00:29:34] Speaker D: You know, get the tissues.
[00:29:36] Speaker C: Yeah. And just to kind of wrap things up, where are you presently right now? I know you're working with a big company. How do you see yourself within that? Do you enjoy it? What are some things maybe you could tell the audience a little bit about what it entails with the pharmaceutical and then the creative end of it.
[00:29:56] Speaker D: Yeah. So I work in pharma marketing. Basically all the commercials that you see listing all those million side effects of drugs, I, I work on that side of the business. So since I'm in social media now, I work on the, the profiles of those drugs but then also the, the disease education that comes with launching those drugs.
We, where I work, we mostly work on rare disease and oncology so.
[00:30:23] Speaker C: Oh wow.
[00:30:24] Speaker D: So these are very, it's a patient population that needs a lot and oh yeah answers, especially the rare disease side of things. It's just about educating those people by giving them the tools that they need that you know, my clients have, you know, the science that will back it up but then we bring the creativity to it. It's been, it's been pretty great. I kind of fel this field by starting as a.
What's it called, presentation specialist. You know, worked on new business pitches and things like that. And all in PowerPoint, all in Keynote, Google Slides. I lived in those programs. But then, yeah, I pivoted to social about three years ago and haven't looked back and love it. It's been great. It's really cool to see something from start to finish, you know what I mean? Where it, like, can help, help potentially help someone who really needs answers.
[00:31:16] Speaker C: It's the whole process. And I always say that to live in the process and trust the process, that everything you are doing is not only going to be helpful, but it's going to be on some level going to be groundbreaking to someone or yourself.
[00:31:30] Speaker D: Right, Exactly. Even if one person gets helped through all of my work, I feel like that's plenty.
[00:31:36] Speaker C: Exactly. Yeah. One person. Just one person.
So anyway, Lauren, it has been beyond delightful to have you on the show. You did an incredible job and I knew you would because you're an incredible soul and I'm blessed to know you and call you my dear friend and my co collaborator.
[00:31:58] Speaker D: Partner in crime.
[00:31:59] Speaker C: Yeah. So that's a wrap. So remember, coffee in one hand, confidence in the other.
Have a good day, everyone.
[00:32:09] Speaker D: Thank you.
