How Lamar Creative Co. Came to Be
“This business wasn't just built; it was crafted with the same care and dedication I pour into serving you.”
- Beth Anne Johnson, Owner
The universe sent me a wake-up call, and I decided to answer.
I’m not sure if you know this, but time stands still after you drive home from work and before you leave your car. You sit in the driver’s seat, scroll through Instagram, and ta-da, for a brief moment, your responsibilities and, dare I say it, woes briefly fall away to the pitter-patter of life’s drum beat. This is where I caught the beauty of Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Emmy’s acceptance speech for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She shared, “To anyone who has ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true. I am here to tell you this is what believing looks like.” Ralph then gave a testament to what believing and striving look like, listing folks in her corner, including Quinta Brunson, her husband, children, and friends. Y’all, I had tears in my eyes. I, too, had all those things (minus Quinta Brunson, but Quinta, you are happily invited anytime). Her speech struck me to answer this question: which journey was I currently walking on? The road of believing and striving or being stuck in thinking my dreams couldn’t come true? An inspiration struck my heart so much that I wrote Ralph a letter of thanks.
Three truths existed: first, I wanted to have another baby. Second, life, at its current pace, would be unmanageable with two under two. Third, I hustled hard to make others’ dreams come true, not mine. I wanted to take down harmful, oppressive systems that withheld equity from all those in the diversity spectrum. I attempted to do this from the inside, yet I would hit a roadblock at every turn: games, politics, you name it, but I didn’t want to play the long game. I want solutions and freedom for folks now, especially when such liberties are under scrutiny and demonized.
To aid in the matter, six months before the launch of Lamar Creative Co. I hit a burnout wall so hard from a temporary project that I am not sure I have emotionally recovered. Therefore, a new game plan was in order. After one too many sleepless nights, I texted my best friend, Emily Lalone Ianuario, at 2 a.m. to say, “Okay, so how do I do what you do?” And as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.
In 2022, my bestie Emily, a fellow small business owner of Lalone Marketing and Events, embarked on maternity leave and sought someone trustworthy to care for her clients. This was the universe nudging me towards my next big adventure. The timing was serendipitous. I was ready to step into the role she needed, and there, I bloomed.
Emily shared, “Beth Anne. I cannot say enough about this vibrant, smart, level-headed woman who swept in to take over complete client project management for me. She didn’t hesitate to help me when I reached out to her. For three full months she served as the conductor of my client’s marketing orchestra, allowing us to not miss a beat. She was a huge stress reliever for me, and I wholeheartedly recommend her.”
It turns out that I wasn’t half bad at this leadership thing. To add to this self-efficacy, I became the President of the Board of Directors for the Women In Engineering Proactive Network (WEPAN). Folks in my corner surrounded me and created workplace values that allowed staff and board members to thrive. I started our first strategic plan and oversaw stewardship planning and creative endeavors. I sought women I wanted to embody, asking them to mentor and sponsor me. I did some homework, I dug deep, I dreamed big. I asked big, hard questions. Even this executive coach got coached. Then, I set out to work with my new skills.
Here is what I knew for sure – I craved more autonomy and more balance, so in September 2022, pregnant with my second son, Lamar Creative Co. was born. It wasn't just about building a business but crafting a life aligned with my values and aspirations. With utmost certainty, I would lead and live my efforts to be a solution. I would continue the lifelong journey of decolonizing my experiences, continuously learning, practicing, and being corrected on anti-racist practices; I would uphold love and its spectrum entirely and ask myself how I disempower ableism.
My vision was clear and included – walking my boys to school, achieving high standards, and finding equilibrium between work, energy, and love. Lamar Creative Co. became the vessel for this vision, a space where I could recognize all the facets that make me whole: an athlete, a creative, a businesswoman, a partner, and a mom, all with equity at the heart of what I do.
This business wasn't just built; it was crafted with the same care and dedication I pour into serving you. Lamar Creative Co. is more than a service; it's a team, a support system, and a partner in your journey to the life or business you desire.
Recently, I changed my Instagram slogan to, “I help small business owners and women avoid burnout” because that is what I do. Equilibrium is about balance, and that comes from boundaries and priorities. If you are a coaching client, together, we determine them. If you are a consulting client, we set out your needs in achievable chunks that you implement, and if you choose our creative services, we take things off your plate so that you have room to enjoy what you really like on the job. We accelerate your success because we are our most powerful when we know what we want and need. Be empowered today.
As I often say, you need the right teammates to play the game of life and win. So please put me in, coach! Let's win together. 🏆💖
Oh and to Mrs. Ralph, if you’re reading this, this is me believing. This is me striving. I’ve got so many in my corner, including myself.
#LamarCreativeCo #EntrepreneurJourney #FromBurnoutToBliss #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #PutMeInCoach 🚀✨
