THE STORY ABOUT LO.
The mission.
Lauren’s original goal in creating LBC was to provide professional & technical writing expertise to companies nation-wide who need knowledge management services. And that’s still one of the things she does. But through the course of only a year, the firm’s purpose has evolved into so much more.
Now, LBC’s mission is to support & uplift small businesses and other local organizations in Southeastern Wisconsin. Through collaboration and a wide range of innovative operating solutions, we can work together to create community.
The overview.
Started by a fun (self-labeled), young professional local to downtown Milwaukee, LBC is Lauren’s brain child, passion project, & favorite way to spend her free time. Established in December 2023, she’s already had the pleasure of working with a variety of people across Wisconsin.
Lauren’s industry experience can help transform the way your business runs. Combining a fresh perspective & proven methods, she can help you envision & create a brand from scratch or simply reimagine an existing one. The services she offers through LBC benefit both internal operations & consumer-facing needs, so you can be confident that your business will run as smoothly for your customers as it does for you.
The founding.
For the people closest to her, Lauren’s nickname since high school has been Lo. So when she brainstormed the elements of her brand, it seemed obvious that the name had to incorporate that somehow.
Lauren comes from a family whose last name is incredibly German, and therefore pretty long. Throughout their childhoods, her dad (the original), her brothers, and herself all became known by the same nickname, Brandy. It was short, easy, and distinguishable — and no one had a problem spelling it.
And so, Lo Brand was born: a perfect, succinct label to encapsulate her past as she makes strides towards her future.
Hi, I’m Lauren.
The writer, editor, & creator.
and I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. In school, I hand wrote all of my papers because I believed in the power of the physical act of writing. My bookshelves and desk are strewn with piles of drafts of my work. It’s organized chaos, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
That’s what I thought to myself every time someone asked me,
“What are you gonna do with an English degree?”
Of course, I gave them an answer that would make my mom proud (because usually, it was my mom who was asking).
This is my story (it’s kind of a long one).
I knew what I was good at, and I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how that would all translate into a career. I didn’t figure it out until my first semester of grad school, where I decided I wanted more than to sit at a desk and write poetry for the rest of my life (yeah, I was in an MFA program specializing in poetry).
For the second time in my life, I realized that sometimes it’s good to follow your passion, but sometimes it’s also good to just let a passion be a passion.
I’d been told writing was my calling. In college, one of my professors pulled me aside and said, “If you don’t become a writer, it’ll kill you.” How dramatic, I thought. Hyperbole. It must’ve been. But now, my ikigai is writing. Actually, it’s producing really good writing, because I’m passionate about getting as close to perfection as humanly possible.
ikigai: a Japanese concept meaning a motivating force; a sense of purpose or a reason for living
Oxford English Dictionary
Tech comm focuses on specialized topics (engineering, science, etc.) and usually provides instructions on how to do something.
I pivoted into a technical communication program — a field I’d only known about a couple of weeks before I made the switch. Audacious? Yes. But it was life-changing for me.
I discovered that I really liked technical writing (a field within tech comm) and that it was something I could actually make a career out of. So I did. Now, I work full time as a tech writer with a specialization in the healthcare and insurance industries.
A couple years into my tech writing career, I started wondering if I could do more. I thought about how cool it would be to work a more diverse range of people. And then I wondered if Milwaukee could use a firm that offers a bunch of different types of writing.
You see, almost all of my work revolves around identifying and fulfilling needs. In my market research, I noticed that no other firms in the greater Milwaukee area really focused on supporting smaller organizations or people trying to start their own business. With LBC’s new mission of focusing on small, local businesses, I knew I could fill that gap.
And it’s been a fun, phenomenal ride ever since. I’ve already gotten to meet and work with so many cool people and businesses, and I’m so excited to see what more the future holds.
And in case you were wondering, I do still write poetry, but I love it even more now that it’s not paying my bills.
What I do.
My style.
I believe proactive communication is one of the keys to collaborative success, so I give my clients regular progress updates, usually about 2-3 times per week for the duration of the contract.
Technology is prone to periodic bumps, so I’ll be there for you in case a glitch happens. On website & social media launch days, I offer mobile support & troubleshooting for the majority of the day.
I love connecting with people face-to-face, so if you’re in the Milwaukee area, let’s get together. Otherwise, I’ll look forward to meeting you via Google Meet.
I hate when my time is wasted, so you can trust I won’t waste yours. I work quickly & efficiently and I’ll deliver on the turnaround times I promise.
My work.
I like to learn, so I’ve supported a diverse range of projects over the past 6 years. I’ve written for nonprofits, local government, healthcare companies, & universities. Some of the work I’ve done includes grant proposals, instructional documentation, marketing copy, & creative writing projects.
The work I do through LBC is less technical and much more creative. My biggest projects so far have consisted of designing websites and doing branding work for small businesses.
My clients.
Right now, I’m working primarily with engineering firms & small business owners. Previously, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with information technology professionals, scientists, & independent authors.
You can check out more about my past clients and other work I do here.
My rates.
These are dependent on who my potential client is, what their goals are, & what the project is. I usually work on an hourly basis, but for longterm contracts, I may switch to a per-project basis.
I’m currently accepting pro bono requests. If you’re a local nonprofit who needs help with grant writing, rebranding, web design, or anything else writing-related, reach out to me. I’d love to learn more about your organization and how I can help you make Milwaukee a better place.