Anyway: On being different, and doing it anyway

Laurence Paquette
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Anyway is about being different, and doing it anyway. I spent 15 years at Vestas, across six roles, the last as VP Marketing and Brand, never quite fitting the corporate mold. Along the way I built content for neurodivergent people, introverts, and anyone who feels different at work. Now I've left corporate to be my own boss. This show is all of that: working in corporate, not fitting the mold, and leaving a career to build something new.

  1. 2d ago

    Most leadership advice was written for extroverts

    Every leadership book describes the same person. Commands the room, projects authority through their voice, takes up space without thinking about it. And the message underneath is that this person is a great leader and everyone else isn't. In this short episode I talk about why introverted and neurodivergent leaders have capabilities that stay invisible in cultures where confidence gets measured by volume, and why the companies fixing this aren't being kind, they're solving a talent problem their competitors haven't noticed yet.

  2. 4d ago

    Creativity vs. Efficiency: How to Survive in a Rigid Company

    Learn how to maintain creativity in a conformist corporate culture that prioritizes efficiency over innovation. Stop letting fear of mistakes hold back your professional growth.Corporate structures often demand consistency, which can stifle creativity and prevent teams from taking necessary risks. This video explores why professional settings frequently punish standing out and how this culture of compliance acts as a barrier to innovation. Whether you are an individual contributor or a leader, understanding these dynamics is the first step toward building a more adaptable environment.By actively encouraging diverse perspectives, you can help shift the internal narrative away from fear and toward progress. We look at actionable strategies for nurturing new ideas, even when the broader organization seems resistant to change. Implementing these shifts helps teams break free from rigid corporate norms and fosters a more creative workplace.Subscribe for weekly career strategy breakdowns, and comment below on how you handle creative friction at your office.

  3. 5d ago

    How to Build Authority When You're Younger Than Your Team

    Managing people older than you can be a challenge for new managers. Learn how to build respect and foster collaboration effectively.Stepping into a leadership role where you supervise team members with more life and career experience requires a shift in perspective. This video explores practical strategies to help you navigate this dynamic, ensuring you create a positive work environment where everyone feels valued. Whether you are leading a seasoned veteran or a peer, the goal is to bridge the experience gap.We focus on the importance of active listening to gain valuable lessons from your team. By showing genuine appreciation for their contributions, you can build a stronger, more cohesive unit. Implementing these management techniques helps you establish authority through collaboration rather than just hierarchy, making the transition into a new management role much smoother.Subscribe for weekly leadership breakdowns, and comment below on the biggest challenge you have faced while managing a team.

  4. 6d ago

    When Certainty Fails: The Hidden Skill Every Leader Needs

    Learn the essentials of leading with ambiguity to maintain clarity and direction for your team during times of crisis.Effective leaders know that uncertainty is an inevitable part of the professional landscape. This video breaks down actionable strategies for navigating organizational change by shifting your perspective when challenges feel overwhelming. Instead of reacting to every shift, you will learn how to step back, assess the situation objectively, and focus on concrete solutions that move your team forward.Developing strong leadership skills requires the ability to remain composed when the path ahead is unclear. By embracing uncertainty rather than fighting it, you can turn disruptive situations into opportunities for growth and stability. This approach helps you reduce anxiety within your team while maintaining focus on core objectives.Subscribe for weekly management breakdowns, and share in the comments: what is the biggest challenge you currently face when leading your team through change?

  5. Sep 5

    Why Your Boss Isn't Promoting You (It's Not Your Work)

    Improving your managing upwards skills might be the only way to fix your stagnant career trajectory.You might be working hard, but your career trajectory often depends more on how you interact with leadership than on your output alone. Many employees assume that excellent performance speaks for itself, ignoring the reality that their superiors need active support and clarity to advocate for them. Without intentional workplace communication, even your best efforts can go unnoticed by those making promotion decisions.Managing upwards is about becoming a partner to your manager rather than just a task-executor. This involves being proactive when solving issues, seeking feedback, and accepting constructive criticism to improve your output. When you align your professional growth with the needs of your superiors, you stop waiting for recognition and start creating the conditions for your own advancement.Subscribe for weekly professional growth breakdowns, and comment below if you have struggled to build a strong relationship with your manager.

  6. Sep 4

    The underrated benefit of corporate life

    I love working for myself, but I massively underestimated one thing: how much structure corporate life gives you without you having to create it. Now I decide what to work on, what matters most, who to follow up with and what happens next. Freedom is great. Constant decision making is a lot.

  7. Aug 31

    I Left Corporate and Discovered I Actually Like Selling Myself

    Before leaving corporate, I assumed finding clients would be one of the parts of working independently that I would hate. Cold outreach. Following up. Talking about myself. Selling what I can do. Except that isn't really what it has felt like. In this short reflection, I talk about one of the most unexpected things I have discovered since leaving a 15 year corporate career: I genuinely enjoy the commercial side of working for myself. Maybe selling feels very different when what you are really doing is meeting interesting people, asking questions and finding out whether you can help. Part of my ongoing series about leaving corporate and figuring out what comes next.

  8. Aug 22

    So what happened after I left corporate?

    Almost three months ago, I left a corporate career that had shaped most of my working life. Since then, quite a few people have asked me some version of the same question: what do you actually do now? The answer is a bit less simple than the old one. Now, I work with different companies, I write, I speak, I’m building PAQ Anyway, and I’m still figuring out what this new working life looks like as I go. So I made a short video explaining it properly. It is also the start of a little series about the reality of leaving corporate after 15 years, including the parts I love, the parts that stress me out, and the things I really did not expect.

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About

Anyway is about being different, and doing it anyway. I spent 15 years at Vestas, across six roles, the last as VP Marketing and Brand, never quite fitting the corporate mold. Along the way I built content for neurodivergent people, introverts, and anyone who feels different at work. Now I've left corporate to be my own boss. This show is all of that: working in corporate, not fitting the mold, and leaving a career to build something new.

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