Lauren Welgush
The most #oddlyhuman person you’ll ever know, the passionate and charismatic leader, Lauren Welgush.
Finalist for:
Emerging Leader of the Year
What brought you to Victoria?
Lauren grew up in small-town Manitoba and visited Victoria while in University. It was love at first sight. A few degrees and a short stint as an HR Coordinator later, Lauren decided she wanted to see the world. Lauren embarked on a 13 month trip around the world where she saw some of the most amazing sites. Even after visiting some of the most coveted sights in the world, Victoria still stood out. To her, nothing compares to getting off a plane, breathing in the fresh island air, and thinking “I am so happy to be home!”
Where did you go to school and what did you take?
University of Manitoba: a B.A. in Psychology/English and a B.Com. in HR and Marketing, as well as her CHPR.
What was the biggest obstacle to getting where you are now, and how did you overcome it?
A trip around the world was fantastic for Lauren. But not working for 13 months and then moving to a new place where no one knows your name did not make it easy to get into the job market in Victoria. Especially as she was determined to have such a focused career in HR. Perseverance and taking risks were key in overcoming this. She learned about how a business works as a whole by taking on HR roles within smaller companies as opposed to jumping into government or a similar type of industry in Victoria. It meant Lauren switched jobs a few times, but it really benefited her with well-rounded business knowledge, not just HR experience. All the wisdom she acquired helped her to get to where she is now at Bambora.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Lauren is from a town of 900 people, so she didn’t even know HR was a career until she fell into it. Lauren is also quite the adventurer. She has been to over 50 countries and ran the Berlin marathon in 3 hours and 27 minutes. For a race that is 42.2km long, that time is very impressive! Although Lauren is passionate about running, the Berlin marathon will probably be the only marathon she will ever run. That is of course unless her dreams of becoming a track star in her 70’s come true!
What are you most proud of in your career?
DisruptHR was huge for Lauren. This was the perfect opportunity for her to talk about how to disrupt the typical HR mindset. Winning Employer of the Year last year with Bambora was also a top accomplishment for her. To be recognized for the culture her and the Bambora team created left Lauren feeling terrific. Coaching HR teams make Lauren proud too. She really enjoys helping people develop so that they can pursue the career they want. Lastly, Lauren is very proud of being nominated for Emerging Leader this Year.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
So many people had an impact on Lauren’s life. Her parents of course, as they keep her grounded. Lauren’s mentor, Catherine, taught her not to doubt herself, how to strive high and do more than you think you can do, and most importantly to be a girlboss! Although she may falter at times and self-doubt creeps up, she tries her best to keep positive. As Kurt Vonnegut once said- ‘we are human beings, not human doings.’ This resonated with Lauren even before she started at Bambora, where the idea of being “oddly human” at work has made her love this quotation even more. She comes to work as no one else but Lauren, every day. And her goal is for everyone else to feel they can do the same. Lauren believes people perform the best when they are their true selves. As a leader, she is able to create an atmosphere that allows this to be true for everyone.
For a Colleague or Client to answer: What do you admire most about this finalist?
“There are so many things I admire about Lauren! She’s a wonderful listener; someone who makes people feel truly heard, which is vital for a strong leader. She cares deeply about our organization and works as a collaborative business partner who always has new and insightful opinions and ideas. She works tirelessly, often with a full plate. She is always willing to take a moment and debrief about something, find opportunities for coaching, or help our employees solve any issue they may be having. Lauren is open to giving and receiving feedback and is a very encouraging leader. She is an active mentor in our organization; someone who our employees respect and look to for trusted advice. I admire that she has so much positivity, tenacity, and courage. She’s someone that is always trying new ideas, and who isn’t afraid to Be Bold in the workplace.”