Career Learning from Taking the Path Less Chosen

In an interview with Women's Wear Daily, former Steve Madden executive and digital consultant Lauren Johnson shares her career path from school to founding her own agency.

Lauren Johnson is the founder and chief executive officer of The Hyacinth Group, and has over 10 years of experience in the digital space, which began as an assistant internet merchant at Victoria’s Secret. Seeking to propel her career forward, she went on to receive an MBA from LIM College, with a focus on entrepreneurship. After earning an advanced degree, Johnson was recruited to work as an internet manager at Steve Madden, where she focused on customer retention and website engagement and launched the company’s social media integration program.

Soon after, Lauren began consulting for brands such as SK-II and Aerosoles, bringing their digital programs to the next level with the creation of responsive sites and comprehensive marketing campaigns. Now, Lauren uses her digital expertise to help companies grow and engage online consumers through her own agency, The Hyacinth Group. In this interview with Women's Wear Daily, she shares her career path and insights learned along the way. A particularly poignant answer to the question as to what she would share with her younger self, Lauren shares this advice:

"I would also say to never give up. After a hundred “no”s”, there could be that one “yes.” Even if you have to create it yourself. There isn’t one path set in stone that everyone must follow. A single corporate job may not have been my path, but it’s about the journey, not just the destination."

To read the entire interview, please go to:

https://wwd.com/business-news/human-resources/lauren-johnson-lim-qa-1234816848/