Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Lape.
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was 30 weeks pregnant with our first child when we moved to Fort Worth. I knew two people and while I had visited Fort Worth when I was young, I knew practically nothing about the city. Having a degree in Marketing Management and having an interest in a career within that field, I started researching Fort Worth on social media. As an off-the-chart extrovert, I struggled with the isolation of being a new mom in a new city. I leaned into social media as both a tool to connect with Fort Worth and as a creative outlet of my own. Simply put, as I found something worth sharing, I shared it. I eventually started consistently blogging as well, not necessarily about Fort Worth, but about my life. However, Fort Worth is a part of my life. Discovering my city, small businesses, and the people behind them are a part of my life. Having children is a part of my life. Designing our new home is a part of my life. Navigating political tension is a part of my life. Technically, I fall under a “lifestyle” blogger and influencer but I’m proud of the mishmash that makes up my content. That mishmash is me.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
One of the struggles of being an influencer (and a personal hurdle of my own) has been understanding my own worth. The word “influencer” tends to make most people cringe and I understand why. There are many reasons why influencer marketing is discounted, but that discounting often creates an environment where it’s easy to be taken advantage of. Learning how to price services according to my analytics, pitch to brands, and create content take time and skill. If that skill is being discounted by a brand or business, it can crash a campaign (on both the brand and influencer side). Learning how to take myself and my job seriously enough to handle those that don’t is an obstacle I consistently have to work on. I am an influencer part-time and often, I have to remind myself of my value. I deeply admire my friends who have made social media into their full-time career.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When I think about what I do, I think about making connections. Whether it be connections between individuals or the Fort Worth business community, at the root of all of this is authentic connection. Influencers often are known for trying to influence purchases, but I want to be someone who influences perspectives. Part of making that choice is also choosing to be intentionally willing to discuss (what are considered) hot topics. I’m open about local/statewide politics, about faith, and the complicated journey our family has been on. I’m open about how weight gain & loss affects my daily life and my understanding of fatphobia. I don’t have an issue saying no to local businesses or individuals who I don’t feel comfortable giving a platform to. I’m open about why I shop where I shop and why I support what I support. All that to say, because my bottom line isn’t the focus, I’m able to be transparent in a way that builds trust and harnesses deeper connections. What started as a creative outlet for myself has over time, blossomed into something really beautiful – not because of blog posts, cute photos, ad revenue, or even the pink hair, but because of the North Texas digital community and the desire to connect with others.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
As a child, I had a couple of nights where I remember being woken up by my parents for a late-night cinnamon toast feast. It felt so special and fun. Without warning, we’d wake up in the middle of the night and have a fun snack and cup of milk together while watching the rain. It was the kind of night where I’d show up to school the next day bragging how I essentially partied all night with mom and dad with cinnamon toast in hand. It wasn’t until much later that I realized our cinnamon toast parties were actually cover-ups for tornado warnings. My parents didn’t want to alarm me and my sister so we would be handed a cozy, sugary treat while our parents likely scrambled to figure out if & when we needed to shelter in place. As a parent now, when we find ourselves needing to maintain our cool around our children in similar situations, cinnamon toast is on the menu!
Contact Info:
- Website: lauralape.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/laura_lape
- Facebook: facebook.com/lauralape
- Twitter: twitter.com/laura_lape
- Other: tiktok.com/@laura_lape
