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

Laura, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

On one hand, I wish I had quit my 9 to 5 to work for myself sooner. On the other hand, I don’t think I would have gained the same life and work experience or the motivation I got from years of gaslighting bosses that pushed me to succeed on my own and never look back.

I started three businesses in 2015 after hitting a glass ceiling in my 10-year government role and finally taking the leap to quit. At the time, I had been promoted to just under high-level management. I had strong relationships with my coworkers, and on paper, I had the best job in the world. I was leading habitat restoration, running the artificial reef program, and recognized as a seagrass and GIS expert. Still, despite the job title and its potential, government was not the right fit for me.

If I could go back and do something sooner, it wouldn’t just be quitting the job. It would be three things. First, I would have created a career plan based on my interests and natural gifts. Second, I would have stood up for myself more, both at work and in my personal life. And third, I would have found mentors who could help me reach my full potential.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

This one is tough to answer and it confuses many people the number of projects and businesses I am involved with.
I do wear a lot of hats, but I can see how they fit together and that is all that matters. I recently met a fellow multi-potentialite and described to her all the things I am doing and she replied, “You make me feel normal”.

At my core, I’m a multi-media entrepreneur. I use storytelling, publishing, film, coaching, and consulting to help people find their voice, share their stories, and succeed in meaningful work. I run several businesses including Wildebeest Publishing Co. LLC (hybrid service-based book publishing), Hey Alec Productions, LLC (video and social media), The Role Model Way™ (leadership and business consulting), and The Environmental Career Coach. I’m also the co-host of Environmental Professionals Radio (EPR) and co-founder of The Art of Movie Making Film Festival, which is shaping up to be a major creative force shining the spotlight behind-the-scenes of film, tv, and games.

Each brand reflects a different part of what I care most about: authenticity, the environment, creativity, and helping others leap into their power. I started three of these ventures in 2015 after leaving a 10-year government career in environmental restoration. I was doing important work on paper including artificial reef management, seagrass studies, GIS, and so many more things but I hit a glass ceiling and knew I was ready for something more aligned with who I really was. So I built it myself. These 3 baby businesses have evolved into the various projects I’m working today.

Wildebeest Publishing Company, LLC is where we help authors take bold leaps. Our tagline is “Be Yourself, Run Wild, Take Leaps.” It’s not just a slogan. It’s who we are. Our spirit animal, the wildebeest, represents the courage to move forward without certainty. We give our authors unheard-of support from idea to editing to post-launch strategy, and we do it without taking away their creative control.

The Role Model Way™ is my leadership and business coaching company. It was born out of my own experience growing up without traditional role models. The book is coming soon, but the work is already in motion. I help clients lead with authenticity, influence others through action, and build values-driven businesses that reflect who they are.

The Environmental Career Coach helps people seeking meaningful work fighting climate change and protecting resources to effectively go after the right jobs for them.

Hey Alec Productions, LLC is my creative house for media, storytelling, and film. We support and produce projects that challenge norms, elevate diverse voices, and push culture forward. Our film festival, The Art of Movie Making, is the next big leap. It’s a platform to build community and give recognition to the underdogs of movie magic.

What sets me apart is that I’ve lived every piece of this. I’ve worked over 20 jobs, navigated systems that didn’t work for me, and created space where others told me I didn’t belong. I’ve become the mentor I wish I had. Not someone giving generic advice, but someone who leads by doing.

What I’m most proud of is being a living example for my nieces, my mentees, and anyone who needs to see that there’s no single right path. People don’t need more people telling them what to do from their own perspectives. They need options provided by living guides who are doing things they would like to do and living how they would like to live.

Everything I build is rooted in helping people find the courage to do their own thing and then have the tools and resources to actually make it work. Whether you’re writing a book, starting a business, changing careers, or making a film, I’m here for the ones who are ready to take the leap and invest in themselves to put in the effort it takes to succeed.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Two weeks after I resigned from my 9-5 I found out that my then boyfriend had been cheating on me. The one person who was to support my transition was thus gone from my life immediately. I was hit pretty hard by this. Not that he was worthy of my remorse, but the realization that I had let this happen. I had a lot to grapple with after having been gaslit at work for years and now lied to as well. I needed to rebuild my shaken confidence fast because I knew that working for myself was going to be hard and I could not drag any emotional baggage with me. Finding myself without relationship or job attachments while happening to live in a 35 foot RV that I had been using to live and take weekend vacations to relieve me from the pain of my day job, I decided I was left with no choice but to head west.
n March of 2016, I left Tampa with my two cats and headed for California. Within 30 minutes of leaving home, a tire popped, and I could literally feel the force of the Universe asking me, “How badly do you want this?” It was a back tire with a dually tire as backup, so I kept going slowly to a campground about 45 minutes away. Once there, I called a mobile tire guy to come out and fix it. The next day, I was on my way again.
Long story short, I made it to Yosemite National Park weeks later, celebrated my success, and returned home. But, that’s not to say the saga ended there. Along the way I met some crazy characters, had some wild adventures, and had to problem-solve some sketchy situations on my own. I returned triumphant and reassured of my personal power.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Wildebeest Publishing Co. led a monthly non-fiction leadership book club for five years. I’ve read a lot of books on management, leadership, strategy, personal growth, and more. The three that easily rise to the top are all books that contained inspiration and practical tactics I could put into practice immediately.

The first is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This book is akin to my bible. I believe the principles in it are the key to a peaceful life and staying sane when owning a business. Someone once said your success in business is directly related to your ability to deal with people, and by referring to the Four Agreements, you can actually do that.

The second is Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. I’m in the midst of reading this for a third time. Before I even finished reading it the first time, I was seeing results in the conversations I was having. It’s not about manipulating, but the art of persuasion.

The third is The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Obviously, as a person with multiple businesses, film festivals, events, and book retreats, I work way more than four or even 40 hours a week, but I truly believe the principles in it are the reason I am able to get so much done, enabling me to have so many endeavors.

As far as influencers go, I’m a big fan of Darren Hardy. His down-to-earth approach and ability to tell relatable stories resonate with me more than some other success influencers who can feel a bit out of reach.

If you like these recommendations, you can find others in the lists from past book club years as well as a series of top-5 books to read available at www.wildebeestpublishing.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therolemodelway.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.thorne.me
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurajeanthorne/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wildebeestpublishingcompany
• Other: www.wildebeestpublishing.com
  www.heyalecproductions.com
  www.theenvironmentalcareercoach.com
  www.tammff.com
  www.laurathorne.me