We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Walker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.

Laura, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

I’d love to see an education system that leaves more room for the whole child—their pace, their personality, their emotional world—not just their test performance or ability to sit still and follow directions.

Growing up, I attended a prestigious all-girls private school. On paper, it checked all the boxes. My parents valued education deeply, and I think they hoped a smaller school would protect my quiet nature.

I learned how to write well, how to navigate complicated social circles, and how to perform. But deep down, I always knew I didn’t quite fit the mold. I felt like an outsider—keenly aware of my “ill fit”—and that shaped me more than any textbook ever did.

When I became a parent, I found myself on the other side of that equation. My oldest was a summer baby—bright, eager, and emotionally tender.

Full-day kindergarten with no rest time didn’t feel developmentally right, and I had studied early childhood education, so I trusted that instinct.

I leaned into a more hands-on parenting approach during those early years—not out of fear, but out of deep respect for their readiness and rhythm.

Home education wasn’t originally the plan, but it became the best option in our area. My oldest never met a box they could fit in—honestly, I’m not sure they even noticed boxes existed.

When they were six, we were at the optometrist, and instead of reading the chart, they squinted, tilted their head, and said, “Mama, that doesn’t make a word!”

They were trying to blend the letters like phonics. That moment cracked me up—and it also reminded me: this is how they see the world.

Why rush them into a system that might ask them to shrink or twist to fit?

I don’t think there’s one perfect model for every child.

But I do believe we need to design education with more flexibility, more emotional attunement, and a lot more trust in kids’ natural brilliance—even when it shows up in unexpected ways.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started Laura Shepherd Creative Copy in 2020, but my love of words started long before that. I’m a former educator turned content writer and marketing strategist. Over the years I’ve written everything from full websites to social media campaigns. That said, email’s my sweet spot.

There’s something so underrated about email—done right, it keeps your brand top of mind, creates connection, and drives results without being pushy or polished within an inch of its life.

I specialize in consent-based, personality-filled messaging that’s actually fun to read. No corporate voice. No stuffy intros. Just real communication that works.

My dream clients are toy brands and neurodivergent-owned small businesses—people building playful, purposeful, beautifully offbeat things.

That’s part of what inspired my side project: Wild Minds at Mudhollow. It started as a Substack and has grown into a bigger vision for a community space for neurodivergent kids and their families.

And name comes from our farm—Mudhollow—which became a running joke after we bought the property during the driest summer in years.

We built the chicken coop under one of the only trees… in the lowest spot on the land. When the rains came, we suddenly had puddles full of confused chickens. Lesson learned, with mud to prove it.

This summer, I’m offering Wild Summers Ahead—a practical, flexible pathway for creating a summer rhythm that fits your kids, your brain, and your energy, without overthinking every day or defaulting to “just go to the pool again?” Summer should feel good, not forced.

What sets me apart? I listen like a teacher, write like a friend, and strategize like someone who really, really gets what it’s like to be running a business.

I’m proud of building work that makes space for creativity, connection, and a little bit of chaos.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

At this point in my life, everything I create is rooted in making space for people who move through the world differently—especially folks like me who were diagnosed with ADHD or autism later in life. That late-diagnosis moment is both a relief and a reckoning. For me, it explained so much—my learning style, my energy crashes, how I’ve always seen the world a little sideways.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in college, and it made school make sense for the first time. College was unlocked learning—I got to follow what I was curious about. It’s what drew me to education and child development. But the autism piece didn’t come until this year, and it hit deeper. Everything clicked. All the things I’d worked around or masked just… made sense.

So now, I just try to build things, and write things—that leave room. That feel a little gentler, a little more honest. It’s saying, “Yeah, me too. And here’s something that might help.”

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.

I think what’s hard to explain is that creativity doesn’t always look productive-on-a-spreadsheet. It doesn’t always have a neat timeline or show its progress in a way others can see. Sometimes it’s 3am and quiet and weird, but that’s when things finally start to click.

I work best at odd hours. My brain has a delayed rhythm that’s never matched the traditional 9 to 5—and after years of trying to force it, I finally stopped. Now I lean into it. I settle in with noise-canceling headphones, a cup of something warm, Studio Jubilee soundtracks on loop, and just… start where I am.

It doesn’t always look impressive. But it works. And I’ve learned to trust that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laurashepherdcopy.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/Lshepherdcreative
• Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/wildminds.at.mudhollow
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-shepherd-walker-8632a673?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Other: Wild Mind’s Substack
  https://substack.com/@laurawildmind?r=1yyhz9&utm_medium=ios

Image Credits

Brooke Dutton