We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lauren Clark a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t start my creative career any sooner or later—I’d start exactly when I did. And I say that with love for every version of myself who was stumbling forward, unsure but hopeful.

I started seriously pursuing acting when I moved from the Midwest to New York in 2012. What I didn’t expect was how much failure and redirection would shape me between then and now.

I was often told I was funny, so I leaned into comedy, but trying to be good at something that once came naturally really messed with my confidence. I became desperate to prove myself, and that desperation actually dulled my gift. I learned the hard way that chasing “perfection” was just me trying to be anyone but myself.

It took years of bombing on stage, second-guessing myself, working survival jobs, and constantly questioning if I was enough—but those moments built a different kind of confidence. The kind that isn’t loud, flashy or instagrammable. The kind that whispers, “you’ve been through worse, and you’re still here.’

Starting my creative career when I did gave me the lessons I needed at the exact right time. I don’t think confidence comes from getting it right—I think it comes from surviving what felt like the worst and realizing you’re still worthy, still full of potential, and maybe even stronger because of it.

So no, I wouldn’t change the timing. I trust the journey. Every detour gave me depth. Every failure gave me truth. And that’s what I bring to my work now—as a storyteller, coach, and creative leader. Not just a resume, but a soul that’s been shaped!

Lauren, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Lauren Clark—a storyteller, creativity coach, performer, and producer!

What I believe for myself and everyone is that your story is sacred, and your creativity is powerful medicine—not just for you, but for the world. I help people, especially Black women and creatives of color, reconnect to that truth.

I got into this work because I had to. I spent years hustling in New York’s comedy scene, taking on jobs I hated, and constantly trying to prove I was “enough” in rooms that didn’t always see me.

I was trained in improv, sketch, and comedic acting, and while performing brought me joy, it also forced me to confront my insecurities—my perfectionism, my people-pleasing, my fear of being seen for who I am. Over time, I realized the real work wasn’t just learning to be funny or charismatic—it was learning to be me! That personal transformation became the root of my business.

Now, I coach other creatives through the exact process I went through: reclaiming their voice, rewriting their narrative, and building a life that honors their gifts, joy, and capacity. I help people remember that they’re not too much or too late or too scattered—they’re brilliant, multi-faceted creators with stories that deserve to be told.

My coaching services include one-on-one support, creative breakthroughs in a group settings, storytelling workshops, and intentional business development for artists and solopreneurs.

The problems I solve for my clients are deep, personal, and often spiritual. I help creatives get out of their heads and back into their hearts. I support folks who feel stuck in perfectionism, fear, or comparison. I teach them how to own their story, find their people, and build lives that feel like home. And I do it all through storytelling—because stories connect us. They remind us we’re not alone.

What sets me apart is the way I blend coaching, artistry, spirituality, and humor. I don’t believe in surface-level motivation or cookie-cutter paths. I believe in TRANSFORMATION—in helping people feel powerful again by returning to their truth. I bring honesty, play, and sacred space into everything I do.

What I’m most proud of? The community that’s formed around this work. I’ve seen my clients take leaps, change careers, heal old wounds, and finally start calling themselves ARTISTS out loud. That’s the magic. That’s why I do this and why I am so very proud and inspired every single day!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What non-creatives often miss is that the creative journey isn’t just about making things—it’s about becoming.

Every piece of work is a mirror, every failure is a teacher. I’ve learned more about myself through rejection, starting over, and doubt than I ever did through success. Creativity forces you to build an honest relationship with your inner world—your fears, your desires, your voice. That’s why emotional intelligence and vulnerability are at the heart of everything I do. Because the work only gets deeper and more meaningful when you have the courage to show up as your whole self. That’s the real art.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society needs to stop treating creativity like a luxury and start honoring it as a necessity.

Artists are often the first to imagine new futures, to give language to collective pain, to hold up a mirror when society would rather look away. Whether we want to fully admit it or not—we need art, and we need artists. Not just when it’s convenient. Not just when it’s profitable. But as an ongoing, sacred part of how we process, grow, and connect.

The reality is: so many of us could create even more expansive, beautiful work if we weren’t constantly having to fight for our basic needs—like access to healthcare, affordable housing, mental health support, or simply time to rest. Creativity can’t thrive in a survival state. When artists are burned out, overworked, and under-resourced, we all lose something. Because art is how culture evolves. It’s how healing happens. It’s how truth gets told.

A thriving creative ecosystem isn’t just about who’s making what or going viral. It’s about how safe and supported people feel while making it. Are they being paid fairly? Do they have space to experiment without fear of punishment or erasure? Do they have emotional and spiritual care? When artists feel seen, supported, and resourced—not just materially, but emotionally—their work doesn’t just entertain. It expands us. It deepens us. It changes us.

That’s the kind of world I’m interested in building. One where art is treated as essential, and where artists don’t just survive—they get to live fully, too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laurenclarkisrad.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/llcoolclark/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-clark-013759304/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@llcoolclark
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@llcoolclark