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

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I didn’t create The Upgrade with L because I had it all figured out. I created it because I was in the middle of rebuilding everything—my identity, my confidence, and my belief that something greater could still be possible for me.

The mission behind The Upgrade with L is simple but deeply personal: to help people break cycles, reclaim their identity, and step into the version of themselves they were always meant to be. And that mission is meaningful to me because for a long time, I was doing the opposite. I was overachieving to feel worthy, shrinking to be chosen, and surviving in spaces that were never meant to hold all of me.

After navigating years of personal adversity—including career transitions, single motherhood, and relationship experiences that left me feeling completely unrecognizable to myself—I realized I didn’t just want to feel better. I wanted to feel whole. Journaling became my lifeline. It was the one place I could tell the truth—the unfiltered, sometimes messy truth—about what I was feeling and who I was becoming.

But eventually, I didn’t just want a safe space to reflect. I needed a bold space to grow forward. I needed to hear someone say, “You’re not behind. You’re just becoming.”

So I became that voice. First through a podcast. Then through digital products. And now, through a movement that invites people to upgrade their mindset, their environment, and their lives—one intentional decision at a time.

This mission matters because there are so many people like me—people who have done everything “right” on paper, but are still searching for peace, clarity, and alignment. I want The Upgrade with L to be a lighthouse for those people. Not just a source of motivation, but a source of language, strategy, and truth. Because we’re not just here to heal—we’re here to lead, to build, and to live like the fullest version of ourselves was always the plan.

Lauren, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Lauren Hayes, the creator and host of The Upgrade with L—a personal growth platform and podcast designed to help people break cycles, reclaim their identity, and step into their power through honest conversation, mindset work, and guided reflection.

I come from a background in corporate leadership and real estate, but my passion has always lived at the intersection of identity, healing, and personal transformation. I launched The Upgrade with L as a response to my own lived experiences—navigating motherhood, career pivots, heartbreak, and the deep desire to live a life that reflects who I truly am, not just what I’ve survived.

Today, I provide podcast episodes, digital products, and voice-led tools that help people reset their mindset and reimagine their potential. One of my most impactful offerings is The 7 Day Upgrade, a guided journal and voice note experience that’s helped women navigate seasons of burnout, emotional clarity, and self-trust.

What sets my brand apart is that I don’t sell quick-fix motivation—I create content that meets people where they are and moves with them through the process. I’m proud of the authenticity in my voice, the trust I’ve built with my community, and the fact that The Upgrade with L is reaching listeners across 6 countries and over 100 cities in just one season.

My mission is simple: you don’t have to be fully healed to start building. You just have to be honest enough to begin.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience, for me, didn’t come from one dramatic moment—it came from a series of quiet decisions to keep rebuilding, even when no one was clapping.

There was a season of my life where everything I had used to define myself was shifting. I was navigating co-parenting, healing from relationship pain, rethinking my career path, and trying to rediscover who I was outside of being “high achieving” or “low maintenance” or “the strong one.” I didn’t feel powerful—I felt like I was unraveling. And yet, deep down, I also knew I couldn’t go back to who I used to be.

That’s where the seed for The Upgrade with L was planted. I didn’t start it because I felt healed or polished—I started it because I needed a space to speak truth while I was still in the middle of becoming. I needed to remind myself (and others) that the messy middle of transformation is still sacred. That rebuilding your identity—quietly, intentionally—is an act of power.

Launching the podcast during that vulnerable season was an act of resilience. So was showing up on social media without pretending to have all the answers. So was creating The 7 Day Upgrade, a guided reset that came from years of journaling and inner work that nobody saw.

Resilience for me has looked like choosing alignment over approval. Rest over performance. Purpose over perfection. And The Upgrade with L has become the space where I can help others do the same.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I first started sharing my story, I didn’t have a big audience—I had a bold voice and a decision to stop waiting. I launched The Upgrade with L from a place of honesty, not polish. That authenticity is what began to resonate.

I didn’t try to go viral. I tried to be valuable. Every post, every reel, every caption became a moment to say what I wish someone had told me while I was still in the process. I leaned into the themes that were raw and real: identity loss, resilience, softening, emotional clarity, and how hard it can be to choose yourself when no one else understands why you’re doing it.

I also made a decision early on to show up consistently—even when the views were low. Even when it felt like no one was watching. I posted bold affirmations, repurposed podcast clips, and created voice-over content that gave my audience permission to feel and reflect. I studied what was working and kept refining my tone and visual identity until it felt cohesive.

Now, my podcast has reached over 100 cities and 7 countries in under one season, and my Instagram and TikTok communities continue to grow through organic shares and saves. My biggest advice? Show up like the right people are already watching—even if it’s just five of them. Don’t build for virality—build for impact. Your audience will find you when your message is undeniable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theupgradewithl.com
• Instagram: @theupgradwithl and @thisislaurenhayes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-h-8b831059/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theupgradewithl
• Other: theupgradewithl.substack.com
  TikTok: @theupgradewithl
  Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, & iHeart Radio: The Upgrade with L