Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Pan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lauren, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I’ve always been someone who believes in leaning into discomfort, and that’s a philosophy that has guided my entire career. I always knew I wanted to have my own business, especially one that could make a difference in the housing industry. The biggest risk I took—and the one that really shaped me—was a series of calculated career moves, all with the goal of acquiring the skills I knew I’d need to become an entrepreneur.

My journey really started when I was 22, as the Program Director for an after-school program. I was an introvert and recognized a key skill I was missing: the ability to speak with and connect with a wide range of people. To force myself out of my comfort zone, I left a full-time, salaried job for a 100% commission sales position. My goal was simple: talk to at least 50 new people every single day. This wasn’t just a risk; it was a deliberate action to gain a crucial skill. I became the top salesperson, then the top recruiter, and that success validated my belief that you have to do the hard thing to grow.

This theme of seeking out new challenges continued. I would take jobs and, once I realized I had hit the ceiling—that there was no longer an opportunity to learn something new—I would move on. I was always willing to do the tasks nobody else wanted because I knew that’s where the most valuable experience was hiding. For instance, I moved from working at the District Attorney’s office to a temp job as a corporate recruiter at MJHS, which was an unconventional move, but it exposed me to different systems and environments. It was all about being cross-functional and willing to take on responsibilities beyond my job description.

Eventually, this led me to become the Head of HR at a tech startup, where I built the entire HR system from the ground up. This was the final step in my professional training—it gave me the direct experience of building a business’s internal infrastructure from scratch. Each risk I took, each job I left, and each uncomfortable task I embraced was a conscious step toward building Houstory. It was never just about a single leap of faith, but a long-term, strategic plan to acquire the skills and courage to do something that truly challenged me.

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?

My story begins in Queens, New York, in a home defined by nuance. With a Catholic mother and a Muslim father, I learned early on that there is a contradiction to everything and that surface beliefs often mask a complex reality. My parents, retired from their jobs in New York City, instilled a strong work ethic, but their experiences with housing discrimination in the ‘90s showed me that even in a great neighborhood, things weren’t always fair. This early awareness of systemic unfairness and the disparity in access to resources shaped my belief that transparency is a critical component of a more equitable world.

This dedication to clarity and challenging the status quo has been a constant throughout my career. For over a decade, I worked in Human Resources, building and scaling teams and HR systems from the ground up. In HR, my focus was always on people, on building trust, and on creating a transparent, authentic environment. I learned that leading with your whole self—your strengths, your weaknesses, your unique story—is the most effective way to build genuine engagement and strong communities.

The link between HR and Houstory is deeply personal. Years ago, after moving to Brooklyn, I found myself in a rental with roaches, bedbugs, ticks, and a landlord who was completely unresponsive to my needs. It was an incredibly stressful and frustrating experience that showed me firsthand the “information black hole” that exists for renters. I realized that a lack of transparency puts tenants at a significant disadvantage, and that my professional background in HR—which is all about diligence, trust, and empowering people—was the perfect foundation to create a solution.

Houstory is a platform designed to provide a comprehensive and transparent rental history for prospective tenants. We are building an app and web platform that pulls together crucial information that is otherwise incredibly difficult to find, such as landlord history, eviction records, and building violation data. But what truly sets us apart is our focus on the lived experiences of previous tenants. We believe that the full story of a rental isn’t just about the building—it’s about the real-world experiences of the people who lived there.

Houstory solves a fundamental problem in the rental market: the information asymmetry between landlords and tenants. Finding a new rental shouldn’t feel like stepping into the unknown. Our goal is to empower renters with the knowledge they need to make confident and informed decisions, avoiding costly and stressful surprises.

What sets Houstory apart is our mission to foster community and transparency. We are not just a review site; we are a community-driven resource built on the belief that a well-informed renter creates a more equitable housing ecosystem.

I am most proud of the journey itself—from my early days as an introvert in Queens to taking a series of calculated risks in my career to learn the skills I needed to become an entrepreneur. I was always willing to do the hard thing, to take on the tasks nobody else wanted, because I knew that every uncomfortable experience was a step toward building something that would truly challenge me and allow me to make a meaningful impact.

I want people to know that Houstory is built on a foundation of authenticity. We lead with our story and our values, and we are committed to building a brand that is transparent, people-centered, and dedicated to creating a more trustworthy rental market for everyone.

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

The concept of resilience is deeply personal to me. It’s not just about bouncing back from a setback; it’s about finding purpose in moments of profound difficulty. A few years ago, I endured a period of systemic bullying and harassment at a previous job, which was rooted in racial bias and professional jealousy. It was a relentless experience, defined by isolation, denied opportunities, and targeted attacks that questioned my worth, my credentials, and even my cultural identity. I was forced to confront the insidious nature of power dynamics and the reality that people in leadership can leverage their position to create a hostile environment with no accountability.

This experience, while incredibly painful, taught me a powerful lesson about the importance of resilience. I had to learn to lead with myself—to trust my own voice and vision even when others tried to silence me. It also underscored a theme I’ve seen throughout my career: that systemic unfairness and a lack of transparency create an environment where people are vulnerable. Whether it’s in the workplace or the housing market, when the rules are not fair or clear, it’s the people who are already at a disadvantage who suffer the most.

That’s why Houstory is so important to me. This isn’t just a business; it’s a mission. My resilience was forged in the fire of these experiences, and it’s what gives me the conviction to challenge the status quo. I am determined to build a platform that provides transparency and equity so that no one has to step into the “information black hole” that I experienced—not in a workplace and not when finding a home. It’s a testament to the idea that even in the most difficult circumstances, you can find the strength to build something that creates positive change.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

That’s a great question, and I’d say my management and entrepreneurial thinking has been significantly shaped by a few key resources, all of which align with my core belief in authenticity and intentionality.

The first is Simon Sinek’s ‘Start with Why.’ This book fundamentally changed how I approach everything. It reinforced the idea that people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. For Houstory, this isn’t just a marketing concept; it’s our North Star. We’re not just providing data; we’re empowering people to make confident choices and build stronger communities. This ‘why’ is what motivates me and what I believe will connect with our users on a much deeper level.

Another incredibly impactful book is ‘The First, the Few, the Only: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America’ by Deepa Purushothaman. This book resonated with my own experiences and solidified my understanding of how important it is to be a trailblazer and lead with your whole self. It addresses the unique challenges that women of color face in professional spaces and validates the idea that our personal stories, our vulnerabilities, and our unique perspectives are not weaknesses—they are our greatest strengths. This aligns perfectly with my philosophy that authenticity is the way to lead both yourself and others.

Finally, while it may seem a bit unconventional, I’ve always been inspired by the poet and artist Shel Silverstein and the science fiction author Ray Bradbury. What I love about Silverstein’s work is his ability to embrace silliness and simple truths. As a leader and an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in the seriousness of the mission. Silverstein’s work reminds me to always find moments of joy and creativity, and to not take myself so seriously that I lose touch with the human side of the work.

In a similar vein, I’m a huge fan of Ray Bradbury’s use of futuristic environments to explore the human condition. Books like Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles resonated with me as a child because they used sci-fi to explore timeless themes about people, society, and universal human truths. This idea—that you can use a new or imagined world to shine a light on real-world issues—is something I gravitate toward. It’s what we’re doing with Houstory. We’re using technology to explore a new way of approaching the rental market and in doing so, we’re revealing a more transparent and equitable reality for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://houstoryapp.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/houstoryapp
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/houstory