Varsey Laurelle: ALC ChangeMakers Podcast Interview
===
[00:00:00] Hi everybody and welcome back to the A LC Changemakers Podcast where we highlight the stories of leaders who are building connection, culture, and community in a world that's constantly changing. I'm your host, Jennifer Scotts, and I'm so excited to bring you today's conversation with someone who brings clarity, joy, and a whole lot of wisdom to leadership work, Varsey Laurelle.
Varsey and I met through the Haven Collective Coworking community here in Columbus, Ohio. And from the moment we connected, it was clear. We shared a deep commitment to purpose-driven leadership and supporting people through change. Varsey is the founder of Varsey Laurelle Cultural Architecture. A firm focused on helping teams and leaders get unstuck, reconnect with their purpose, and build stronger, more aligned cultures.
In this episode, we talk candidly about what it means to lead through [00:01:00] uncertainty, especially in a time where DEI adjacent work is being challenged. Funding is shifting, and many purpose-driven leaders are being pushed to Pivot. Varsey shares her own journey of reinvention, including launching a new podcast, expanding her offerings nationally, and leaning into the power of community as a tool for resilience.
If you've ever wondered how to stay true to your values, communicate transparently through your with your team or get creative about what's next. This episode is for you. Let's dive into my conversation with the amazing Varsey Laurelle.
Audio Only - All Participants: Hi everybody. I'm Jennifer Sconyers and welcome to the ALC Changemakers Podcast. Today we have Varsey Laurel Varsey. Welcome to the podcast. So excited to have you. Oh my gosh, so excited to be here. Thank you so much for having me. I feel so honored. You're so welcome. So for our listeners, Varsey and I work [00:02:00] at the Coworking Space Haven Collective in Columbus, Ohio.
So I said before, I'm based in Columbus, the team is all over the country. Um, and so Varsey and I met, I wanna say a year ago-ish. Oh, year and a half ago maybe. Yeah, I was gonna say two, but time is. What is after Covid? Yeah. And we met because one of the co-owners here was naming. We do similar work and so it'd be important for us to connect.
So tell our listeners, Varsey, who you are and the work that you do. Yes. Hi. So hi everyone. My name is Varsey Laurelle. Um, I am also based here in Columbus, Ohio, and I have a cultural architecture firm called Varsey Laurelle. And essentially what we do is we really help leaders and teams kind of get out of their own way so they can be more effective and reach their goals.
So what that looks like is, um, it could be some leadership guidance. Slash coaching, um, some advising. 'cause sometimes it's really lonely at the [00:03:00] top and you don't have that person to bounce ideas off of and think through strategic plans. Um, it could be some team effectiveness. Maybe you have a high turnover.
Um, you're spending a lot of money in onboarding and recruiting. So helping with a, um, team alignment and sustainability and bringing joy into a environment and clarity. Mm-hmm. I love it. I love it. So what does your work look like now? I know that there's just been so many things happening externally that have impacted the work.
I mean, just for listeners, I know my clients have called us DEI consultants though, even though we do culture change, right. So I appreciate when the marketplace gives you a tag Yes. That you have and we uphold those values. But like, it's, it's such a strange time for anyone who is D-I-R-D-I adjacent, um, and like how to do.
Culture work in a time when there's kind of like anti-culture, like it's just, it's really hard when there's this external voices saying like, we don't need [00:04:00] culture or we don't need the culture that's being built. So just super curious how. How this has impacted you? Oh, it's so interesting, right? Because of the work that I do, which essentially is okay, you know, that people and processes that support people matter, but you maybe just don't know the how.
Right? But you know the why, and so insert Varsey, right? I can help you with how and what that looks like to get it done. So because of that, I end up working with a lot of nonprofits. Yes. Um, and a lot of woman leaders. Yeah. Right. I mean, that's just the facts. That's what, that's the, the biggest Yeah.
Demographic people that know that this matters. Um, and so that's been. Yeah, majority of where I sit. Um, and then in this recent pivot with mostly with like a lot of federal, federal funding being cut, the nonprofits were hit so much, right? And so now it's just, okay, we're just trying to keep sustain, right?
Yeah. [00:05:00] Administratively, or like serve, continue to serve the people that we're serving. And so a lot of those openings that I had to support closed off, right. You know, and you and I talked about this, I think I talked to you in the middle of my panic. Yeah. And you soothed me, so thank you. But, um, what is the pivot?
What does it look like to pivot? Right. Essentially is what does it look like to stand by what I know is necessary and what works, but to maybe do it differently and find the people that have the resources to invest? Yeah. And so for me, it's been a lot of. Getting in community. Hmm. And, and really just knowing like, oh, okay, it's not just me.
I didn't do anything wrong. This is what's happening in the world. Right? Yeah. And sparking ideas off of each other and hey, what works or what are your clients' pain points? Or what are you seeing out there? Right. Very similar to the conversation you and I had and really [00:06:00] just identifying, okay, what does this look like now?
So right now it looks like, it looks like throwing stuff on the wall and seeing what sticks. Jennifer. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It looks like a lot of, a lot more curiosity and openness and conversations. Yeah. Um, and honesty. Yeah. And talking to people. I'd say community is number one. So I've been doing, um, community workshops.
I have been thinking about, ooh, what does it look like to maybe support like venture capitalists in their portfolio of organizations, just really trying to just, mm-hmm. One, be in community. Two, be curious and open and listen and try new things. Yeah, I think what you're saying, you know, makes a lot of sense, right?
So the need for community, the need for conversations, um, the need for openness, trying new things and seeing what sticks it, it feels like that's Simone we're in, um. It [00:07:00] must have been maybe a month and a half ago I was in a webinar with some other entrepreneurs and they were, I'd say their values aligned to what we do here.
Um, B Corp community, people who support nonprofits. And it was a whole series that they were doing about like basically how to like pivot and work through the chaos and what do you do. And a big part of the conversation I was a part of had to do with like. Innovation and what it means. How do you communicate with a, a team during this time and how can you be, um, agile when there's so much change?
I'm wondering from your vantage point Varsey, what does that look like for you and for groups that you work with? Like how are, how are people navigating or what advice would you want to give people on how to manage right now? Yeah, I, it's, it's, it's a lot of. Don't stop doing what's working. Mm. Right.
'cause we can tell ourself, [00:08:00] well, I don't have time for the one-on-one meetings anymore. I need to go be out fundraising. I don't have time to get to know people or have a three step interview process anymore. Like, the first thing we wanna do is, is, is trim what we think the fat is. But the fat is the sustenance.
Right. The fat is actually what's getting us there. Mm-hmm. Um, so that's a big conversation. Mm-hmm. Uh, continue doing what you're doing. It matters to mm-hmm. Not make decisions out of fear. Yeah. Um, and to, uh, collaborate more. Mm-hmm. Right. Like more collaboration. It doesn't mean. As the leader, lots of conversations with CEOs and founders about it.
It, no one, it doesn't, you don't have the answers. You don't have all the answers, and that's okay. No one's expecting you to, yeah. Get in community, collaborate with people, talk to other founders and CEOs. What are they doing? Talk to your team. Mm-hmm. Right. Be more vulnerable with your [00:09:00] team. Mm-hmm. Because that they're, they're terrified too.
Right? Mm-hmm. And so when they see the vulnerability of you saying, you know what, these are rough times. This is how it's affecting me personally, professionally, it gives them more confidence and it, and it makes them believe in you and the mission even more so that you now don't have more issues, right?
Mm-hmm. With people resigning, layoffs, looking for new jobs, all of that. Yeah. Well, I'm hearing you say it sounds like there's gotta be a lot of just open communication during this time from leaders. Um, definitely align with that. I mean, I know. Even end of last year when I could tell the Tide was gonna turn again, there was our, so our team's remote, they're not actually in office together.
So communication for us looks like we use our, you know, communications portal to do so. It means like video recordings, that kind of thing outside of like Zoom calls like this. And I put together a video that I posted on our team channel. Mm-hmm. And was just like. [00:10:00] Just acknowledging where we are and acknowledging there's a lot of uncertainty coming.
Um, and like a CEO just saying, we've actually been here before because we have. The company was started in 2016, so there was a lot in that, that first couple years that was rocky that I, I learned a lot as a new CEO and being able just to name for the team like we actually we're, we're capable and able to navigate these, these waters.
It will look different. Yes. Um, and I will say as a result of that, I could tell a people were appreciative of the communication, right? Yes. Um, and BI think also wanna know how they could contribute, how they could help, what does that look like? And it looked different for everybody. That's right. But it, it was a conversation.
Then also part of it was me asking the support that they needed because it was, everyone was like, what do we, what do we do? So I think it's like, it speaks to, if you have [00:11:00] someone who's in senior leadership. Who's authentically speaking to their team. This is the inside the house. So internally that's supportive.
And then I think it's also necessary, depending on membership, client base, customer base, what's the messaging right that they have so that their customers and their clients feel like they're being taken care of. I'm just curious for you, like, is there any advice you have around that? 'cause it's, it's internally with your team and then it's also whomever you serve needs to feel like.
You're on top of it or you're acknowledging what's happening, but this, they're gonna move. I'm just super curious. Yeah. I, I feel like that's a continuation of the ripple, right? Like, yeah. What your leader gave you. Now you then go on, right? And give that same thing to, to others, right? Yeah. To whoever your clients are, that you're open in your communication, that you're honest, that you're vulnerable, that I love the reminder of, Hey, this isn't the first time we've done this before.
'cause the first time is [00:12:00] always the scariest. So now people's shoulders are a little bit relaxed, you know? Right. And then, and then off, and then bringing them into it. Yeah. Right. Like this is a, we're a team, right? It's not just me. Tell me what your thoughts are. That's where the collaboration piece comes in.
Mm-hmm. Like what's an issue for you right now? How can we best support you? What was working that we were doing that maybe isn't working? Like that's where you can go in and you can uncover, right? Mm-hmm. And explore more when you talk. Yeah, so I'm hearing these conversations. There's a lot that can happen.
There's the connection piece, there's a relationship piece. It's also, there's some feedback and learning. So it's a time to really learn, but the things are working and not working before how to pivot. Um, so it's also, it's generative in terms of information. That's what I'm hearing too. And it's in terms of like information and actions people can take.
100%. I think that's been the biggest outcome so far in this pivot is because I'm doing things [00:13:00] differently and I'm taking the time to ask more questions. 'cause I have the time to ask more questions. Yeah. Like, I'm like uncovering, right. That data is informing, like, Ooh, that service, I actually wasn't getting any money from that.
And oh, people didn't care that I did this thing. They want more of this. And it just, it helps me, right. Be better and tighter for the future. So like, seize this moment. Of and kind of reframe. Yes. Like stuff is rough and Yeah. You know, like, what is this, what is this presenting to me? Like what opportunity is this bringing forward for me?
Mm-hmm. And that kind of will shift the mind to be more open and curious about, Hmm. What else is out there that I need to know that'll help me. Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, pivot, curiosity, like these are the, the words right now. Innovation, like that's actually what's really important right now. Yes. Um, it doesn't serve as just to say the sky is falling.
Um, I think it's also about like, how do we innovate? How do we move, how do we navigate? Yeah. Um, all those are important. So talk to me [00:14:00] a bit, just based on what you're doing in pivoting, what are some things you're launching or doing right now? Ooh, good question. Okay. So, so many things. Um. I'm honing in more on my market, okay.
Trying to spread out nationally, just not just operate mostly in Columbus, Ohio. So with that, I have launched, uh, a new podcast. It's called Recorded Vulnerabilities. Anywhere you get your podcast, go check it out, hit subscribe, tell your friends and tell a friend. Uh, uh, so I have the, the podcast. I have, um, some newsletter newsletters going out to support the theme of those podcasts coming, um, monthly.
Mm-hmm. Um, so you can, uh, subscribe to that on my [email protected]. Um, I am goodness doing more community workshops. Hmm. Um, and I'm, and honestly, honestly, Jennifer, I'm just. I'm just getting out in community more. I'm saying yes to more coffee dates. Yeah. With no expectation of where it's gonna go.[00:15:00]
Yeah. Um, I'm taking more time to research and identify, you know, what else is happening out there in the world and how can I support, um. I'm thinking of, you know, the pivot looks like maybe different streams. Stretching the cur, the creativity. So one thing is like, I'm ridiculous and people keep saying I'm funny and that I have these like weird little quotes that I'll say.
So like, Ooh, what does that look like to make printables and download 'em from the website and throw 'em in a frame on the wall. Like just trying to just try all the things, see what sticks. Yeah, that's my marketing plan. Yeah. Well, I think this is true, and I think this is resonant for people who are entrepreneurs, small business owners in this marketplace who are just trying to figure it out because it's been so uncertain.
I think it's true for people who are in the B Corp space, the nonprofit space, like it's a, yeah. I think anyone who's doing work that is what I call social impact work like there is there, you're not making widgets, right? Yeah. What you are doing has an impact on community and people in a very [00:16:00] real way.
Um, what I'm noticing is we're kind of the front lines for feeling what's happening. It's not saying. That other industries or professions won't feel it later, but we are at the front lines of the experience. And so I do think it's um, yes. Well it's a challenge. It's also an opportunity for us to set the course for what is next.
Yes. Um, 'cause we do have to figure it out, right? Like I all figure this out. And there is something about though if you're doing work with community in community. Anything along those lines. Right now what I'm noticing is. Oh yeah, that's who's feeling it the hardest. But when we have shifts and things with tariffs and so forth, other people are gonna feel it, right?
Yes. When people who have like goods will feel it versus people, those of us who do services or whatever, there's gonna be a trickle effect. Absolutely. And I love that you brought that up. So here's the interesting thing that I've been toying around with in my like curiosity and trying to be a little bit [00:17:00] innovative is, um, okay, so I'm gonna speak specifically about nonprofits 'cause that's where most of my clients laid.
Mm-hmm. Most of their money is federal money. Money, right? Yeah. And so now that we know what can happen when most of our pot is coming from federal, well, what does it look like to think out of the box and say maybe there's angel investors, maybe there's other people locally or nationally that support and care about this particular work that we can be going to and that attach ourself to like someone's purpose.
Mm-hmm. Rather than someone saying they have to. Yeah. Right. And then, you know, and like, what does that look like to just be like, okay, so now that I know that this is a shit show, how, what does it look like to just think differently? Yes. It's weird. It's random. Yeah. No one's done it. You haven't heard of it before.
That's probably why you should try it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think it's, it does. This timeline does force us all to look at things differently, especially funding and funding streams, whatever that may be. Um, I will name this [00:18:00] person who also works in the nonprofit sector. There are some foundations who are really putting their stakes in the ground and really being supportive of organizations who are doing racial justice work, social justice work.
Um, they're, you know, they're running competitive RFP processes, but they're out there. Nathan Cummings just posted something today on online, on LinkedIn. So for people who are curious, like, what's out there, feel free to reach out to me. 'cause there's, there's different spaces that I'm in where people are at least talking about it.
That being said, you know, it's the, the landscape is changing, right? So just as there's foundations who are out there and funders who are like, we wanna be supportive in this moment. There are others who pulled back their wallets, right? So, so we're seeing these. You know, somewhat seismic shifts in these, in these spaces.
And so groups are really, um, yeah, they're no place. They're just trying to figure out, oh, the city of Columbus had an RFP, it ran for nonprofits here. So like there, there are entities who are stepping for the plate in this moment who are like, we wanna be there while there others who [00:19:00] retracted. Yep. Um, and we see that during change, so like.
We're in a sea change and change is, it's, it's scary. You know, it's rocky. You don't feel settled. So I think really getting grounded in what you're doing as an entity organization. Yeah. Getting, grounding your people and your mission. Yep. And then being able to get creative I think are absolutely, really ingredients for this moment.
And, and the other thing I wanna point out too is remember the people that leaned in and leaned back? Like, remember that. Don't forget that. And to focus your energy on the people that are leaning in. Find your people like wasted energy. Yes. They showed you who they were. Great. Thanks for the info. And now here's where my energy goes because you need that energy to, to on this path, right?
Yeah. This is rough. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, that's why I started this podcast. I think there's, I think we're at risk of being in isolation unless we know [00:20:00] who's out here in the world doing purpose-driven work. Yes. And it's so easy to get caught up in what's happening. You know, there's a daily executive order or something's happening.
Um, there's something in the news. That's happening all the time. That, um, can just really rock you. If, if you don't, if you're not grounded in, well, there are people who are out here who are doing actually really purpose-driven work and they're figuring it out and they're finding a way, and that, that's why it's hard, this podcast, the people that have a way to see, yes, there are people who are doing, they've not given up anything.
They've like put their stakes in the ground. Yes. Doubled down on the work. Yes. Much needed. Much needed. Well, great. Well, what's, what's the final part or wisdom, or do you have anything that you're starting right now or launching that you want people to know about as we begin to wrap up? Yeah, I would say follow me on LinkedIn Varsey Rell.
Um. And I am always doing some virtual community workshops. It's a great opportunity to, um, realign with my work [00:21:00] or align with, with my work. If you're thinking about bringing me into your organization, you'll get a bop of my personality and the effectiveness and impact of my workshops. Um, lots of things around, oh, building trust and identifying your values and, uh, what does it look like to self lead so that you can lead your teams more effectively.
And on and on and on. Um, and I would also say that I also do Clarity Sessions, which I'm loving right now. So the Clarity sessions are one and a half hour sessions where I can just help you kind of navigate this. Block in your head or a process that you're trying to do, or, oh, I'm wasting my time and I don't have, you know, time to do the things that I love or want to do.
Um, just kind of getting unstuck and getting some clarity. So I'm offering those as well. So you can, uh, reach out and book those. Or if you're just local and wanna coffee and see where things go, um, let me know. But I'm here for all of your team effectiveness, [00:22:00] uh, cultural strategy, um, and leadership development work.
Love it. Love it. Well, this has been awesome. Thank you for being on the podcast, Varsey. Thank you so much for having me, Jennifer. I appreciate you and this work you're doing is so necessary. So thank you for the energy and, and, um, intention that you're giving it. Awesome. Well, all those listing can always follow us at jennifersconyers.com for more information on the work we do in the world.
Until next time.
Thank you so much for joining us today on the ALC Changemakers Podcast. If you found today's conversation inspiring or helpful, we'd love it if you'd subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps other changemakers like you find our show at Abundance Leadership Consulting, we believe in building sustainable leadership and connected communities through justice, courage, and care.
If you wanna learn more about our work access leadership resources. Connect with our [00:23:00] community. Head over to jennifersconyers.com. Until next time, keep leading with purpose. Keep building relationships that matter and keep creating change one bold step at a time.
