With hindsight, my advice would be to go even harder. There was still too much trepidation … even though I’d taken that leap. Once I had exposure to what was going on overseas, seeing the way people start projects and drive things in places like New York City, or San Fransisco, London, Paris – the approach is much more risk taking. We’re still so risk averse here in Australia. We’re not really prepared to double down.
Lauren and Josh Capelin at the DO Lectures Australia in Tasmania 2015, where they co-presented on the important ingredients of great creative partnerships.
With the benefit of hindsight, we can look at trends and shifts in the world as obvious – co working, car sharing, location-independent working and tech businesses for example – but how should one act on the edge of these changes? How can people connect their passions to their livelihoods and grow into emerging markets?
According to Lauren Capelin, who built a global community out of collaborative consumption, the answer lies in doubling down on your convictions, preparing for leaner times, and trusting your gut.
Lauren is a community strategist and disruptive innovation specialist passionate about new and innovative ways of doing business.
She co-founded Collaborative Lab with author Rachel Botsman, and currently heads up community at Reinventure Fund, an Australian venture capital firm. She is also the cofounder of Yellow Balloon Ventures, a business that has started and run two co-working spaces in Sydney — Common Room and Homework.
On this episode of People of Purpose, Lauren Capelin talks about co-working and the sharing economy, her thoughts on living an integrated life, collaborating with her husband Josh and other close friends, as well as her passion for women and purpose leading the way in business.
Lauren is a community strategist and disruptive innovation specialist passionate about the development and application of new business models, corporate social innovation, impact investment and fostering entrepreneurial capacity, particularly in women. She is currently Head of Venture Community at Reinventure Fund, an Australian venture capital firm focused on investing in disruptive financial services startups, with Westpac as its largest investor.
Prior to this role, she co-founded Collaborative Lab with author Rachel Botsman, working alongside leading thinkers, entrepreneurs and community champions to play an instrumental role in growing collaborative consumption into a global economy and movement over the last five years.
She is also cofounder of Common Room coworking space with her husband Josh, and is Curator of the Sydney Global Shapers, a community of the World Economic Forum, as well as acting as an Ambassador for B Lab ANZ. She is also a registered yoga teacher, after completing her 200H certification in Costa Rica in May 2015.
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