Lauren “Lo” Harris on Why You Shouldn’t Wait for Other People to Permit You to Move Forward and How She’s Proactively Building Her Brand With Intention

LEAVE YOUR MARK: Freshly Brewed Career Advice with Aliza Licht

Lauren, aka “Lo” Harris, began her career in journalism. Early on, she was crushing whatever came her way and quickly became “too good.” Supervisors would suggest she slow down while she saw men around her moving up. Feeling like she was suffering from the “pet to threat” syndrome that many Black women experience, she felt stifled by the ceiling above her and decided that she had reached the limit of people-pleasing and trying to prove herself. As someone who had studied art in high school and loved art as a personal passion, Lo decided to explore her creativity. It wasn’t until 2020 that her work became more than just a hobby.

After creating her personal illustration, Justice, reacting to COVID, the election, George Floyd, and the ongoing cause for BLM, the partnership inquiries started coming in. Suddenly, Lo was an in-demand artist. For someone who had never considered starting her own company, she faced the reality that one was beginning around her. Today, Lo is an NYC-based artist, educator, and children’s book illustrator, who uses bright colors, strong figures, and relational compositions to create celebratory work that promotes visions of a better world. The important themes incorporated into Lo’s work deal with social justice, female empowerment, and mental wellness. With an impressive client list including Amazon, Old Navy, Hulu, Warby Parker, Bombay Sapphire, and the United Nations, Lo Harris will inspire you to find a way to use your voice. She’s even been on The Ellen Show.

As someone who sincerely wants to abolish gatekeeping, Lo dedicates time to educating other artists on the business. She has created her business with intention, clarifying her own brand pillars and vision for a Lo Harris Universe, which will evolve into a future lifestyle brand.

In this episode, Lo takes us along her journey from the days when she had to fake it til she made it to today and how she structures her business and time. She shares why she is building a team around her instead of waiting to be chosen by an agency and why she’s not waiting for brands to call her. This episode will leave you motivated and inspired!