Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren.
Hi Lauren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Well hello there! I’m Lauren; I moved to Austin over 14 years ago from Tucson, Arizona, and I, like many others, love to eat. And yes…take pictures of my food. I was in the service industry for a decade back home, and found my love and respect for food at a very young age (every one of my diary entries as a kid was about food).
My friends have told me that the way I describe food is Bourdain-esque (I could NEVER, but what a compliment) and encouraged me to share my favorite spots with others for years. When I lived back home, I kept my own list in a Word doc (I was born in the 1900s) that I would print out and share with people. It’s been hard to maintain a list here in Austin because we are truly so blessed to have so many great spots, but I try my best.
I have never thought of myself as any kind of blogger or influencer; I just enjoy knowledge sharing and bringing new business to my favorite spots. The last few years have been challenging for me, like many others. I have about 3,000 pictures on my phone that I haven’t uploaded or shared because the state of the world has felt very heavy, and it feels almost dystopian or gluttonous to share. But lately I try to remember that these small businesses rely on word of mouth, and I want to do anything I can to help keep my favorite places alive and busy.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have been nothing but blessed with my experience ever since starting my eatinginaustin Instagram page about 11 years ago. I’ve been invited to soft openings and have been offered free food and drinks, and I am forever grateful for those memories. I have met the most wonderful people along the way and have been able to appreciate the behind-the-scenes even more by being curious and asking questions.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a Strategic Talent Advisor in Talent Acquisition for about a decade now. I pivoted into this industry in February 2018 from Retail Banking and Mortgage Lending, where I worked at UFCU for about 6 years. I was never able to finish college at The University of Arizona (Bear Down!) because I have supported myself financially since I was 17, and it just wasn’t sustainable to afford a 4-year degree and work 3 jobs to support myself. I have worked really hard to move from the service industry, where I relied on tips for my income, into Retail Banking and then Mortgage Lending, and then into Talent Acquisition.
I love helping people and am most proud of my journey, work ethic, and natural curiosity.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I took a major risk in my own career in February 2018, when I accepted a temporary/contract role for a job that paid less, working at Google. I left a full-time job with benefits, paid time off, and security, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
Being a contractor has a lot of challenges, but it has continued to become the way many corporations hire. But the plus side is that you get your foot in the door, learn new things, and build new relationships with people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: EatingInAustin
