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Describe your family. Significant other? Children? I grew up with my parents and older sister. I met my significant other, Kaiwen, when I moved to DC.

Do you have a license or degree? If so, in what, from where? I have my bachelor’s degree in biology from Purdue University, and I hold my Master of Public Health in Health Policy from Yale University.

Describe your professional background / history? I started as a researcher in a behavioral neuroscience lab studying how diet and stress impact the body using rodent models. I loved the research and the process of discovery, and I have always thought that I would pursue a career in research. The aspect of my research I was most passionate about was actually public health. During my graduate studies I conducted research at the Health Law and Policy Center at the Law School, interned at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and advocated for Asian American and Pacific Islander issues as a fellow for a commission in the Connecticut General Assembly. These experiences helped get me to my current role, where I focus on improving how healthcare is paid for and delivered. It’s been a bit of a nonlinear journey, but one that’s helped me connect science, policy, and real-world change in a way that feels meaningful.

How did you discover your passion? I discovered my passion for health policy through a mix of personal experience and the health of my loved ones. I started to realize that health isn’t just about going to the doctor, it is shaped by income, education, environment, and other social determinants of health. Our healthcare system is highly complex and difficult to navigate. I wanted to learn more and I wanted to help others.

What mark do you hope to leave on your industry? I want to be part of the reason others have access to quality health care and are treated equitably by the systems put in place to help them. I hope to continue having a career that allows me to advocate in innovative and transformative ways to rethink how public health issues are considered in contemporary politics, and fix systems that process and perpetuate health injustices.

What are you most proud of in your life personally and/or professionally? I’m proud to be able to do work I believe in and personally connect with. I’m also proud and privileged to have parents who supported my academic pursuits from the start. I’m proud of the personal growth I've made over the years, especially moving across the country, twice, to start over in places where I did not know anyone.

What advice would you give your younger self? Another woman on the path to finding her calling? I would say that there is no need to put so much pressure on yourself to succeed or have it all figured out right away.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing? Outside of work I enjoy exploring new restaurants and playing pickleball, usually with my partner. I regularly send postcards to friends and family who live far away as a fun way to stay in touch. I also lead the DC Events Committee for the Chinese Adoptee Alliance where I create spaces for adoptees to find community and connection.

Over the course of three purpose-filled days, a select group of ambitious women gathered for Lauren Najar Coaching’s “Growth and Connect” retreat, an intimate experience designed to fuel strategy, spark connection, and shift perspectives for female entrepreneurs at every stage of business ownership. With participants ranging from interior designers to photographers, this wasn’t just another networking event. It was a container for clarity, community, and meaningful momentum.

Set in a relaxed, inspiring environment, the retreat kicked off with a welcome meet-and-greet that immediately set the tone. Rather than the usual surface-level introductions, attendees were invited to share their biggest business dream, the one they’d chase if no limitations stood in their way. This exercise not only broke the ice, but opened the floor to boldness, vulnerability, and possibility. It was a reminder that ambition is welcome here.

The retreat’s second day, its core programming block, was a deep dive into being strategic in both thought and action. With a lineup of expert-led sessions, the focus wasn’t on doing all the things, but rather doing what works for you a mantra echoed throughout the event.

First up was branding and marketing strategist Erika Maram of Erika Maram Design Studio who urged participants to get clear on what’s moving the needle in their own businesses rather than following every trend. Her session was a wake-up call to shed the pressure of social media “shoulds” and instead hone in on aligned action. Whether that meant scaling back on social media platforms, refining messaging, or simplifying offers, the goal was intentionality over busywork.

Next, Rachel Medlen, business and sales mentor, challenged the group to flip the typical hustle narrative on its head. “Your business should be a tool to build the life you want not a burden that robs you of it,” she said. Her workshop centered on values-led decision-making and designing business models that support freedom, not burnout. Attendees found themselves reflecting on their schedules, pricing structures, and long-term goals with fresh eyes.

The final session of the day came from a social media marketing and business strategist Zhanna Blazej who introduced her proprietary system for leveraging artificial intelligence in small business operations. From content creation to customer experience, she demonstrated how AI isn’t something to fear, but a powerful tool to embrace. Her practical examples and transparent walk-throughs helped demystify what AI can look like when wielded strategically by a solo founder or small team.

What made these sessions even more impactful, however, was the group dialogue that followed. This wasn’t a passive learning environment. Attendees chimed in with their own experiences, asked thoughtful questions, and generously offered resources and support to one another. It was clear: this retreat was not about competition, it was about shared growth.

Tying it all together was the retreat’s overarching theme: be strategic with everything you do and surround yourself with those in the trenches with you. That ethos came to life not only in the programming but in the energy of the group itself. The curated guest list ensured that every woman in the room brought something unique to the table, but also a common understanding of the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship.

By the time the retreat wrapped up, participants left not only with notebooks full of ideas but also renewed confidence, clarity, and a sense of true community. It was a reminder that while the entrepreneurial journey can feel isolating at times, spaces like these, intentional, strategic, and heart-led can be game-changers.

Najar’s retreat wasn’t about giving attendees more to do. It was about giving them the space to remember why they started, redefine what success looks like, and reimagine what’s possible when women support one another with strategy and soul.

Just weeks after the retreat wrapped, Najar joined forces with Jessica Enriquez to launch their newest venture: Social Savvy Societe. Billed as a modern-day business school, the program builds on the same principles that made the retreat so impactful: clarity, connection, and actionable strategy. But this time, the focus expands beyond a single retreat and into an ongoing container for growth.

Social Savvy Societe invites entrepreneurs to uncover and embody the 2.0 version of their business and themselves. Through guided curriculum, live mentorship, and a vibrant peer community, the program helps women strip away outdated strategies and instead align with their bigger vision. Whether attendees are pivoting, scaling, or refining, Najar and Enriquez are challenging them to stop playing small and instead take bold, intentional action toward the dreams they voiced at the retreat. With a blend of mindset coaching, marketing strategy, and modern tools like AI and automation, Social Savvy Societe is fast becoming the next evolution of how female founders grow: together, with purpose, and on their own terms.

Moral of the story? Whether you’re running a six-figure company or just dreaming up your first offer from the corner of your kitchen table, there’s power in stepping away from the daily grind to reconnect with your vision and to surround yourself with others who get it. What Lauren Najar Coaching’s retreat and the launch of Social Saavy Societe prove is that when women gather with intention, strategy, and a willingness to grow, the possibilities multiply.

No matter where you live or what stage of business you’re in, the lesson is universal: You don’t need to do it all, and you definitely don’t need to do it alone. Seek out rooms virtual or in-person that challenge you to think bigger. Find mentors and communities that remind you that your dream is valid, possible, and worthy of strategic execution. Because the moment you give yourself permission to operate from your 2.0 self, everything begins to change.

I’m studying for my bachelor's in art education/psychology with hopes to take this all the way to a master's in art therapy. I love art and helping people and consider myself a lifelong learner.

I’m a professional artist. I have been an artist my whole life in some capacity and have been working toward growing my art business into a full-time business. I paint on canvases, murals, and even on skin for face/body arts. I love being creative and exploring many mediums, and often use a lot of nature and recycled materials in my work. Having struggled with mental health during my life, art became my outlet and passion. I have used art as a tool to help me grow a more positive mental health, and connect to the world around me. I hope my art, in all of its forms (paintings, murals, face painting) can inspire others and one day hope to create a non-profit that helps others for free in a way that art has helped me because I think art and mental healthcare should be accessible to all.

The painting I chose is actually a piece of art I made for a show currently ongoing at Tiny's Coffee Bar in Miller Beach, Ind. I have diagnosed clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder. When I created this regal purple flower I was in a cycle of depression and anxiety that started to downturn. Flowers and nature greatly inspire me to create beauty from the chaos, and I wanted others in our area and the world to know if they struggle they are also not alone in that battle. Beauty can come out of the struggle. It's okay to feel the darkness, and come out of it flourishing like this flower is seeing the light.

Instagram/Threads • Facebook • Tiktok

If I could sit and talk with my 20-year-old self and tell her we’re a full time photographer, I truly think her jaw would be on the floor. You see, I’ve always had multiple passions and never knew where life would take me. I for sure never pictured the possibility of my “job” being my passion.

Before I get into my journey of going full-time with photography and building my business, I want to touch on what made me so passionate about it. It started when I was a child. My Granny was my best friend. We’d do everything together. If I close my eyes, I can picture her house and how we’d sit in her living room eating our TV dinners watching The Wheel of Fortune. She passed away when I was 6. I’m forever grateful to have a dad that photographed and videoed all of the little moments growing up. Otherwise, I’d only have memories. I can look at photos of us together and instantly remember what her house smelled like, her laugh and her presence. My dad’s love for capturing all the special moments is really what stuck in my head and has changed how I approach each session/wedding I photograph.

One year for Christmas, I really wanted a Nikon Coolpix camera and my wonderful parents gifted me one. I took that to every friend gathering and concert. Then when I got my first job, I upgraded to a Canon t7i. I continued to take photos of concerts, friends and family at gatherings and nature. Once I got into college, I rarely touched it. One day in August of 2018, I remember switching jobs and wanted a creative outlet after taking a break from being in a band. I posted on Facebook asking if any friends would let me use them as models. Back then, I didn’t even know that cameras had settings you could change. I knew basically nothing about my camera. Some friends ended up modeling for me and that’s where everything started.

I created a business Facebook and Instagram and posted all of my work on there and also shared it on my personal socials so friends and family could follow along. In 2019, I wanted to jump into the wedding industry although I had only been to one wedding ever. I posted on my personal Facebook asking if anyone needed a wedding photographer and a friend I went to high school with took her chance on me. To this day, I think about that wedding all the time. I worked for 12 hours and I think I asked for like $500 which I was grateful for because she was taking the biggest chance on me. Once I photographed one wedding, I was hooked. I loved everything about them. I posted those photos and was able to get a few more weddings that year. I also had a friend who wanted to do a session with me and she had a pretty decent social media following. When she posted her photos and tagged me, I gained many followers. Still to this day, I have people saying they found me through her.

When my photography business started taking off in 2019, I set the goal to become a full-time photographer because it truly became my livelihood. I finally felt like I was doing what I was meant to do in life. I was working four to five days at my retail job and I would book weddings and sessions on my off days or even after I'd get off of work. I was easily working 60 hours or more a week between my retail job and photography. During that time, I really hustled. I kept thinking to myself "this will all be worth it." I was aiming for 2020 to be the year I would go full-time, but due to life changes and COVID, I would have to wait a little longer. When 2020 happened, I honestly was starting to lose hope. Given the circumstances, business was slower, but I was still booking sessions and weddings. I switched to a different retail job in 2021. This really limited my availability because they weren't as flexible with my schedule. I only had Tuesdays and Saturdays off and I was booking up every Tuesday and Saturday. I had to turn away a lot of clients. This is when I knew in my heart I was ready to make the leap. I sat with my boyfriend (now husband and business partner) and we came up with a plan. There was an intense fire inside me; I was ready to fall even deeper in love with my passion. I quit my job in June of 2021 and never looked back. Now, it wasn't a piece of cake; there were a lot of tears, worries and imposter syndrome.

I had to learn so much and so fast. I relied on podcasts, education courses and YouTube to further my growth. It was tough. With a normal job, you know when you'll be paid and approximately how much. It's totally different. There were times I didn't know when my next payment would happen, especially in the winter months. The winter of 2021 into spring of 2022, I struggled. I felt defeated. It was such a tough time. But it was quite different the next year. Soon, I was booking things for all seasons of the year. Winter is hard to enjoy sessions outside; you have to get creative with it. In 2023, my hairstylist and I opened up a studio for hair and photography. In 2024, I branched out and moved into my own studio. My husband and I spent a lot of time putting in some new floors, painting, fixing things and decorating. Every time I step into my studio or arrive at a session or wedding, I'm reminded of how the risk was so worth it.

This is my seventh year in business and in those seven years I’ve photographed over 100 weddings, over 1000 sessions and have traveled to California, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois to photograph weddings and sessions. This year alone, I have/will be traveling to Oregon, Washington, Montana, Nevada and Arizona to photograph weddings and sessions. Most of the traveling gigs I have booked have come from strangers on social media/friends traveling to those areas.

Throughout the years, client experience has become my main focus. Because of my clients, I get to live out my passion. I treat my clients as if they are my own family and friends, cheering them on when new milestones happen. I have had many clients where the first time we meet is at their wedding consultation and we do their engagement session and wedding and months later they message me asking to photograph their pregnancy announcement, maternity, newborn and family sessions. This aspect of my job is my livelihood. It melts my heart getting to see love and families grow. When I photograph weddings, I’m always on my a-game focusing on all of the in-between moments that the couple may not see. I’m always looking for those moments because in the past, I’ve had couples say that some of the photos I’ve taken are the last ones they have with their loved ones. It brings me back to where my passion for capturing special moments began.

In a way, photography has given me a beautiful, new outlook on life. My clients have such a soft spot in my heart. I am so truly blessed to have such an amazing supportive system. I can’t wait to see what’s to come.

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