In this unforgettable episode, I sit down with Lauren Baker, founder of Bakerette Beauty — and what began as a conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, and building a niche beauty brand took a powerful, life-altering turn. Lauren is the visionary behind a globally traveling hair and makeup company that caters specifically to the competitive ballroom dancing world. She’s built a small but mighty team, created a brand centered around her name, her values, and her standards, and now travels the world empowering dancers — all while staying rooted in her mission to uplift women and mothers. Her mantra is simple and fierce: “Absolutely not.” If it doesn’t serve her life, her children, or her purpose — it doesn’t get space. But midway through our conversation, Lauren shared something that stopped me cold. At just 22 years old, with a baby daughter, Lauren was homeless — a survivor of a multi-year, violently abusive relationship. She bravely opened up about the daily physical abuse, the fear, the isolation, and the heartbreaking reality of protecting her abuser from arrest because of how deeply victimized she had become. She told the story of the moment everything changed — when she gathered her baby, her cat, her dog, and nothing else, got into a car in Texas, and drove to Alabama to seek refuge with family she had been estranged from. That drive didn’t just take her to safety — it took her to her next chapter. From there, Lauren rebuilt. She found strength. She married again, had two more beautiful daughters, navigated another divorce, and continued to redefine what it means to keep going — even when life gives you every reason not to. She chose not to flow downward with the weight of her circumstances, but to push upward, defiantly and faithfully, even when the easier path was surrender. We also dive into her Ferocious Five, where Lauren shares: The art that shaped her soul: dance — tap, jazz, ballet, and ballroom since the age of nine A book that changed her forever: The Crushing by T.D. Jakes How she regains traction when life feels heavy: working out, cleaning, deep connection with friends, and long solo drives through the woods singing praise and worship music at the top of her lungs What she wants to be remembered for: being a good mom, strong, fearless, courageous, a loyal friend, defiant in the right way, and deeply grounded in her love for God And what “retirement” looks like to her: multiple streams of income she’s built intentionally, financial wisdom, and a beautiful, grounded life with her children This episode is about resilience. About adaptation. About refusing to let trauma define the ending. And about what’s possible when a woman decides — again and again — to keep choosing herself, her faith, and her future. If you’ve ever had to start over… this conversation is for you. 💥 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.kimbrell.5 https://www.instagram.com/lauren.baker.87/?hl=en https://www.bakerettebeauty.com/
