Meet Victoria Lauren | Psychedelic Leadership Coach

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

Hi Victoria, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
“I’m too _____ to change now.” It’s never too late to make a change! It’s your responsibility to align your personal evolution with your life path. I was taught to follow a specific life path: finish high school, go to college, earn a degree, start a career, find a partner, buy a house, and have kids. I started down this path, believing it was the formula for success. But everything changed when my Stepdad passed away – I quit my job, bought a sailboat, and embarked on a five-year sailing adventure. You can make up your own rules and you get to define success for yourself.

I also reject the notion that you must work yourself to the bone to be successful. True productivity and creativity require balance. Devoting every ounce of energy to a single mission is unsustainable. We need variety in our pursuits and community in our lives. Burnout is on the rise, and it’s time to move away from our obsession with more—more work, more materials, more everything. Why not prioritize fun, play, and creative expression?

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?
Growing up in a family focused on corporate jobs, financial stability, and risk mitigation, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit but never knew where to begin. Thankfully, my friends had already started their own brands and consulting companies, which provided a great support network as I launched Victoria Coaches. My goal was to create a job I was passionate about, giving me the flexibility to operate on my own terms. For anyone else considering starting a business, the best advice I received was, “Just begin!” Any step, however small, will help you build momentum and confidence.

How do you think about risk, and what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

This question is funny because I see myself as cautious and risk-averse, yet my friends view me as a huge risk-taker who thrives on thrill and adrenaline. Perhaps I’m a calculated risk-taker.

Spending my childhood in Alaska and extensive time in Indonesia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Panama, and Ecuador exposed me to diverse cultures, fostering a sense of fearlessness. But that doesn’t mean I don’t experience fear – some Caribbean storms were absolutely terrifying!

The key is I’ve always moved towards my fears. When things feel scary, I feel emboldened to take risks and step out of my comfort zone. This has served me well in both my life and career. Transitioning from technical engineering roles to sales, marketing, and product management in healthcare technology, I’ve learned that taking risks builds confidence and resilience.

What habits do you feel helped you succeed?

My grit, determination, and discipline have been crucial. When I set my mind to something, I have an intrinsic drive to show up and do the work. While I do experience exhaustion and self-doubt, my ability to wake up each day and see it as a limitless possibility keeps me going. Some may call this naive optimism, but to me, it’s about hope and deep faith.

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?

The most important factors behind my success are my closest friends and my husband. They believe in me when I struggle to believe in myself and help with strategy, content creation, operations, and other day-to-day business needs. Beyond that, my ability to connect with people on a deep and personal level is vital. I treat every conversation as the most important one, creating an invitation for vulnerability. Leadership coaching is about relationships, and those are my priority.

What’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?

The most important lesson my business has taught me is not to fear how I measure up to others. In coaching, I am the product, and promoting myself publicly can be challenging. Expressing myself authentically without fear of rejection or dismissal has been key. And I’m sure it will be a lifelong practice.

How has your balance changed over time? How do you think about balance?

My Stepfather was a classic overachiever and workaholic, which created tension in the family. When I started my first job as an environmental engineer, I would clock in at the expected hour and head home after nine hours. My dad once called to express concern about my lack of enthusiasm, suggesting I should work a minimum of 14 hours a day to prove my dedication. I told him I wanted a life outside of work. Before he died from an inoperable brain tumor, he told me he had been wrong and that work should not be the most important thing in life.

Owning my own business makes it easy to both overwork or underwork. I prioritize my most productive hours in the morning for creative work and allow myself time to decompress before bed. If a day involves a lot of social interaction, I block out my calendar in the evening to rest and recuperate. I aim to be fully present, whether in work mode or vacation mode.

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I initially intended to start a consulting business for digital health, medical device, and health tech companies, given my background and expertise. While working as a senior product manager in orthopedics, an experience with LSD gave me a new perspective, revealing that the most important thing to me was helping others see their incredible possibilities and dissolve barriers to living fully. This led to my focus on leadership coaching.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

I believe we are all creative beings, co-creating our reality from moment to moment. Pursuing a creative career aligned with my core values of connection and creativity. My years in corporate America provided financial stability, allowing me the freedom to follow my passions. Studying biomedical engineering was about seeking approval from my father and stepfather, both petrochemical engineers, but my true interest was in psychology. Giving myself permission to pursue what truly excites and inspires me has been transformative.

What are you inspired by?

My spirituality is what keeps me coming back to a place of inspiration. I’m inspired by a gorgeous sunrise, by mist floating over a river, by rainbows and butterflies, a well-made cappuccino, the rushing sound of water, doing things I didn’t think I could, seeing other women achieve and lead, plant medicine and entheogens, music, movement, and dance. In short, I’m inspired by the human experience.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I will share a little itinerary for a trip to the gorge in Washington. I would stay at The Society Hotel in Bingen with their gorgeous sauna, soaking tubs and cold plunge. I’d sip wine at AniChe in White Salmon, looking over the gorge and Mount Hood. I’d mountain bike in Post Canyon, take a kite boarding lesson in Hood River, and hike through the wildflowers to the top of Dog Mountain. The best spot to conclude the day is with pizza at Double Mountain Brewery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my sister tribe 🙂 They are the ones who have loved me and guided me throughout all of life’s challenges.

Website: https://www.victoriacoaches.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriacoaches/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-lauren/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepsychedelicmindscape

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nZCA2r8Kamf57ZLgD2IlC

Image Credits
Arthur Etchells