Community Corner

The Secret of My Success: Laura Shuler

Fresh Green Light's Laura Shuler shares how she took a leap of faith to open her own business at the height of a successful career in marketing.

Laura Shuler left the corporate world with her husband in 2008 to start Fresh Green Light, a revolutionary approach to driver training for teens. She had spent 20 years with Jack Morton Worldwide, most recently as President of the marketing agency's U.S. business. In this month's  "Secret of My Success," Shuler shares her tips for being both successful in life and in the professional world ( Hint: arrogance is not one of them).

What made you decide to open your own business?

Frustration, actually.  It was late 2008, the recession was beginning to unveil itself, and I couldn't imagine slogging through another round of radical downsizing that's inevitable in a publicly traded company.

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I had spent my career at an agency that had been privately held, then publicly owned. Over time, the conversation changed from the quality of the people and the work to the quality of the bottom line. Decisions became exclusively about short term economics. And the entrepreneurial spirit that had defined our culture was snuffed out.

It was hard to walk away from something I had poured my heart and soul into for so many years.  But I knew that I couldn't be effective if my passion was gone.

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If you could change one decision or action you've made in your career, what would it be? 

Now that I've dipped my toe into the entrepreneurial world of building a business from scratch, I wish I had taken the leap sooner. It's incredibly gratifying to see an idea become real, to create jobs for good people, to make customers happy.  It sounds so simple, but it's actually a pretty profound experience.

What's the hardest thing about running a business? 

Not yelling "hallelujah" every time I don't have to run something by a committee before making a decision.

What are some key lessons you've learned in your professional and personal life that you think everyone can learn from?

An idea is only as good as its execution. Its sexier to talk about a concept than it is to make it happen, but that's where the real artistry happens. 

Your customers know allot more about how to improve the business than you do, so ask them what they think every chance you get. 

After you have interviewed someone for a job, always ask the receptionist what he or she thinks. They got a far more accurate impression than you did. 

The softer the voice, the better the leader. Anyone who yells is insecure and ineffective. 

Culture is more important than compensation. It doesn't matter how big the paycheck is if you don't wake up every day feeling excited and proud of what you're doing, If you're spending your days working for people you wouldn't invite over for dinner, it's time to make a change.

What are the three most important things a person needs to be successful? Why?

1. Empathy - If you don't genuinely understand and respect other people,  you can't expect them to understand and respect you.

2. Curiosity – The guy who's got all the answers is the least visionary in the room.

3. Humility – When you're at the top, you probably aren't the person who has to do the really heavy lifting. So get over yourself.  Take the time to sincerely recognize and thank your employees for what they do every day.

What is your definition of success?

Hearing your parents and your children brag about you to their friends.

If you could give advice to a recent graduate or someone just beginning their career, what would you tell them?

 Put your life first and your career second.


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