"I Was Unemployable": Lauren McKenzie on Getting Fired, Burnout, and Building Ren Creative

Is your business logo hurting you? Lauren McKenzie, the founder of Ren Creativ, joins us to discuss why she saves startups from "cookie-cutter" branding and why she refuses to let businesses just "put a mountain on it".Lauren shares her journey from being a "starving artist" with a darkroom in high school to becoming a powerhouse entrepreneur. She opens up about the dark side of hustle culture, revealing the moment her therapist told her to slow down before she made herself physically sick.We Discuss:The Origin: Getting fired from corporate jobs and realizing she was meant to be her own boss.The Trap: Why working 24/7 isn't sustainable and how to find balance.The Mistake: Why hiring a "friend’s kid" to design your brand is a bad investment.The Pivot: How she is expanding into mortgage lending to chase stability.Quote of the Episode: "I would have told myself to shut the f*** up. You don't know what you're talking about... don't let your ego take over." — Lauren McKenzie.Links & Resources:Check out Ren Creative: https://www.rencreativ.com/Follow the COS Business Podcast:Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes.Follow us on Instagram for clips and updates.