The Blog for Professional Development

Level Up

Learnings, reflections, and tips & tricks picked up from life’s many adventures.

A Culture of Innovation: Are you relying on individual or collective intelligence?

Collective intelligence is characterized by how well members of a group work together across a wide range of tasks. What’s the greatest predictor of collective intelligence? It is linked to the average emotional intelligence of group members, demonstration of conversational turn-taking rather than interrupting, and the proportion of females in the group.

Read More

Psychedelic and Mental Wellness: Microdosing as a workplace benefit?

Have you heard about employers supporting microdosing protocols for their employees as part of their benefits package? Or of leadership teams working with psychedelics during company offsites?

If not, that’s okay. But might want to understand why psychedelics will continue to insert themselves in the discussion around mental wellbeing.

Read More

Healthcare Reimagined: Who Knew Going to the Dentist Could be Fun?!

The healthcare landscape is shifting from centralized hospital systems to more decentralized, patient-centric models like ambulatory surgery centers and standalone primary care facilities. Companies like Tend, which emphasize personalized patient experiences and technological innovation, are leading the way in this revolution. Tend’s significant strides despite the disruptive effects of the pandemic point to the enormous potential for continued growth and transformation in the healthcare sector.

Read More
Startups, Longevity, Regulatory Victoria Lauren Startups, Longevity, Regulatory Victoria Lauren

Science-based Supplements: How a new wave of dietary supplements are taking a page from big pharma

While supplements used to be the wild west, we are seeing evidence of new institutions and structures that improve peoples’ health outcomes and product trust.

Companies like Mimio who go above and beyond to scientifically assess their formulation using human clinical trials are setting a new precedent for supplements.

Read More

The Power of Vulnerability: How a Culture Shift Revolutionized Safety & Productivity

Did you know that in 2021, a worker died every 101 minutes from a work-related injury? So, how did Shell manage to reduce its accident rate by 84% while improving productivity and efficiency? 🤔

💡 Discover the surprising role vulnerability played in transforming the company's culture and impacted everything from worker safety to the bottom line.

Read More

Burnout, Boundaries & Boardrooms: The Unique Struggle of Female Founders

Did you know that companies founded solely by women received just 2.1% of the total VC capital in 2022? And what happens when female CEOs face the pressure of delivering results while managing aggressive board members?

Discover the paradox of success, learn about Janine's battle with a boardroom bully, and uncover 5 essential tips for setting boundaries to prevent burnout.

Read More

Apply dating rules to co-founder relationships for startup success

Startups fail because they don’t have the right people, but could it be that they didn’t invest in the health of their work relationships? We know that motivation amplifies talent, so as the leader, it’s important that you remain fired up about the work. Let’s dive into research-based approaches to relationships from the Gottman Institute to see how their dating rules for couples can help you and your co-founder succeed.

Read More

Life After Layoff: Finding Resilience & Separating your Worth from your Work

We all understand the concept of reducing risk by diversifying our financial investments, but how many of us take the time to create a well balanced portfolio in life?

Part of what makes losing a job such an uncomfortable transition is that we tend to tie a great deal of our identity to our jobs. The danger is: What happens to your sense of self-worth when you aren’t working?

Read More

From Awkward to Awesome: 4 proven tactics to increase your charisma virtually

A series of studies from Princeton University found that as much as 82% of people’s impression of you is based on how charismatic you are and that this impression is formed in less than the first second of engagement!

These 4 things - sufficient space, hand gestures, a real smile, and removing upward inflections - are crucial tactics to create the right balance of warmth and competence that make up charisma.

Read More

How to Lead a Team Meeting like a Boss

Perhaps you worry that you aren’t adding enough value, or maybe you’re battling with imposter syndrome, but your monologue does not support your team’s performance. Sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the best move.

If you want to uplevel your leadership skills, then try asking more questions in meetings. Insightful questions promote valuable conversation - and make you look thoughtful, strategic, and intelligent all at once!

Read More

Being Authentic is not an Excuse to be an Asshole

Being authentic and truthful is not an excuse to be an asshole.

You may have a colleague who brushes off their controversial behavior with a shrug saying, “That’s just who I am!” Personally, I’m tired of people hiding behind their self-assigned labels to justify not acting like a team player.

Read More
Victoria Lauren Victoria Lauren

What 10 Days of Silence Taught me About Leadership

In a world of constant connectivity, leaders are continuously in communication with their cohort. But what if I told you that 10 days of silence and solitude taught me more about leadership than all of my training to date?

Read More

Navigating change can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone.