Her Story
About Laurie
I am a civil engineer by degree and owned a consulting firm in the Minneapolis area for over 25 years, where I served as principal owner for 25 years and majority owner for 18 years. While working on succession planning for my business and trying to figure out who would take over when I retired, I realized there were limited resources available to help people decide if they want to be a business owner. There are a lot of books out there about how to run a business or how to start a business, but there's limited information about the personal aspects of business ownership - what it takes and what it is like to own a business. So after I sold my business in 2023, I decided to share my knowledge and experience in a new way. I started interviewing business owners from different industries, and I discovered that the challenges and requirements of successful business ownership were quite universal across industries - it takes the same things no matter what industry you're in. I put this together in my first book, 'Is Small Business Ownership for You?' which was published in November 2025. The book was written to help those thinking about business ownership determine if they're a good fit. Considering that almost 50% of new small businesses fail within the first five years, this initial question of "Should I become a business owner?" is an important one.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Laurie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a solid foundation from my parents. I also have a spouse that gave me encouragement and was very understanding. Beyond that foundation and support system, it comes down to hard work and dedication - not taking the easy way out. And continuous learning has been crucial. You have to continually adapt to your environment. I added up all the experience that helped me succeed as a business owner, and that's what went into my book 'Is Small Business Ownership for You?'.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice goes back to the foundation my parents gave me - belief in yourself, and that you can do whatever you set your mind to. Because it takes courage, and without that, it is difficult to move forward. If you have belief in yourself , determination, and are willing to learn and adapt, you can do it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First of all, you can do whatever you set your mind to. If you want to be a business owner, I would suggest reading my book, 'Is Small Business Ownership for You?'. It walks you through what it takes and what it's like to own a business. If you can go into it with your eyes open and understand what it takes, I think you'll have a better chance of success. This applies to any industry, even male-dominated industries like engineering. When I interviewed other business owners from different industries, it was quite universal - there aren't a lot of differences between the industries. To run a business and to own a business, it takes the same things no matter what industry you're in. You need to know what you're doing, you need to do your research and understand what it will take before you take the leap into business ownership.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are a lot of opportunities for women opening businesses today. However, when you look at the statistics, almost 50% of new small businesses fail within the first five years, which is very scary. So you need to know what you're doing, you need to do your research and understand what it will take before you take the leap. That's actually why I wrote my book - to help others that are thinking about business ownership determine if they're a good fit, because not everyone is cut out to be a business owner.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and honesty are most important to me - being honest both to myself and to other people. I believe in doing what I say I'm going to do and not over-promising. It's about accountability. These values have guided me throughout my career and continue to be central to how I operate in both my work and personal life.
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