We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Holmes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Believing in myself. Once I started my business, I had to self motivate more than ever before so taking the time to intentionally build myself up every day has been huge. Not every day can be amazing so it’s been great practice to learn how to realign yourself for success when you don’t feel your best.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Corl West is a UI/UX Design Agency that helps businesses create immersive experiences to book, explore, sign up, and purchase goods online. So many businesses can benefit from great user experience design and I’m excited to help more businesses cater to their user’s needs (plus so much more!). The most difficult part of getting to where I am now was moving away from being a sole designer into an agency style business. I love being a Creative Director & Designer and being involved in all parts of the business, but in order to grow, I had to provide opportunities for others to thrive in their zone of genius. I love seeing people succeed in what they do, but there was definitely an adjustment period of wanting to do everything. My favorite part of what I do is providing healthy empathy for all parties – helping businesses think from the mind of the user, designers learn about the benefits of the business we’re working with, and designers & developers understand each other even more has been a huge contributor to Corl West’s success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would probably start the week off with some beautiful scenery – a hike through the hills or a day trip to Leo Carrillo State beach. Then mid-way through the week, I would need to take them to Koreatown to get breakfast at California donuts, lunch at Bun Shop, dinner at Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong (Korean BBQ restaurant), and a night out at Break Room 86. Then we’d finish out the week with some Diablo Taco in Silver Lake and a visit to O’Briens Irish Pub in Santa Monica with some tourist excursions along the way.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people! To my mentors, Leon, my Grandpa, Maggie, and Gaurav – thank you for pushing me to go after what I want and learn the much-needed tools of business. To my support system James, my Mom, and my family & friends – thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams and the unknown.

Website: http://corlwest.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corlwest/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corl-west
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CorlWestLLC

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