Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Cooper.
Laura, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always been a hard worker. Regardless of the type of job, I always found myself in top performing positions. That seems awesome, right? Not really… at least, not for me. It wasn’t what I wanted. I felt destined to do greater things besides generate riches for other people. The struggle was trying to figure out what I was meant to do! I was great at doing a lot of things, but I didn’t really have a trade. My soul told me that I was meant to be different than the person I was, living the ordinary life I lived. My destiny soon met me in 2018 when I was seven months pregnant hiking with my 7-month-old son (seven is supposed to be a lucky number right, lol) I had an epiphany! “Start a marketing company, Laura,” the voice in my heart said. “No way! That is absolutely insane!” I thought. My heart responded and told me to find a partner that works as hard as I do. So, I called the hardest working woman I know, Justine Tallariti. Our conversation went something like “girl you’re amazing at what you do, I’m amazing at what I do, let’s join forces and boss this bish up!” The rest is pretty much “HERstory.”
Has it been an easy road? Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Great question! I feel that roads for me have not necessarily been smooth. Look, I started my “career” after starting my family. I was literally working two hours before I had my youngest child. Seriously, there are pictures of me on my laptop in between contractions. How boss is that? I take the strengths that I’ve been given as a woman and apply it to how I work. As a woman, you’re able to add a uniquely beautiful perspective on just about everything; so, I think I’m honestly at an advantage when it comes to handling business and life challenges.
My advice to young women starting their journey is to listen to that voice inside of you and listen hard. I never quite ignored that voice within, but I wish I had focused on it much earlier. Things happen for a reason so your destiny will certainly throw you some clues here and there. You must keep your eyes open for them. Have a full sense of awareness.
About your work
I’m a Millennial woman: wife, mother, daughter, friend, business owner – my existence is divided into so many areas. God, family and BLCK MRKT is my mantra. I am a BEAST when it comes to BLCK MRKT! I am responsible for growing our business while simultaneously growing other people’s businesses. I make our clients’ dreams and goals come true by making sure their brand is seen at the highest level, this optimization enables them to gain more clients, leads, sales and opportunities. I utilize multiple platforms to acquire new business and position our agency as a pioneer in the industry. My secret specialty is my ability to connect with people; it makes having difficult conversations much easier and allows me to build lasting relationships with both my team and clients.
Our growth has left me in awe! I think that is what I am most proud of. As one of the founders, I am deeply grateful for our success. I always believed that this agency was going to crush the industry; never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would happen so quickly! We are embracing our growth and seeking innovative ways on how to continue our expansion. I think our ability to have been able to attain our long-term goals so quickly is just an indication of our capability as a Marketing Agency and confirms that we are truly in the right business. We’re clearly doing something right! This growing milestone and success have poured over to our satisfied partners and clients. Our determination to provide excellence is a quality which works for us and sets us apart from the others. We’re innovative, adaptive, consistent and authentic…we’re as unique as our name!
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I’m not fortunate to say that I had a mentor through my career and path in life. But I am fortunate enough to be a testimony that hard work, dedication, not settling for less and being your own biggest fan pays off. I know the challenges of having endless responsibilities when you’re not prepared for it; I had to take care of my parents at a very young age. So, I know what it looks like to push through hard times and be optimistic when you don’t know what your next steps are. I’ve seen success and knew that it was attainable.
Though I did not have a mentor, I think that guidance from anyone you admire or who are crushing it in any industry is a gift. I share my story, to empower anyone reading this, especially the boss babes out there fighting to make their mark and leave a legacy. I live my life now in a way that is very fulfilling because as a wife and mother, I owe that to my loved ones. They are the reason I get up every morning and boss-up to get things done. I want to continue to deliver on all my promises, turn my ideas and dreams into tangibles and most importantly lead by example for my children. I am a natural born leader, always finessin’ my way through situations, and as a matter of fact… ALWAYS embracing my femininity as armor to fuel my business. I learned that we women are so powerful, we harness a natural desire to nurture, grow and love. I think those are essential ingredients for a strong foundation in life and business and this is what makes me Laura Effin’ Cooper of BLCK MRKT.
Pricing:
- Social media packages $200-$2,000
- Branding & Logos $250-$800
- Leads $500-$5,000
- Graphic Design $100-$800
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blckmrktlife.com
- Phone: 619-770-7730
- Email: laura@blckmrktlife.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/laura_blckmrkt?igshid=1bwag4eippfb1
Image Credit:
laura@blckmrktlife.com
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Seth
May 21, 2019 at 3:09 am
Wow Love this so much.
Viviana
May 21, 2019 at 3:22 am
I absolutely love this article! Laura you are a boss babe !!!!
Audra
May 21, 2019 at 3:24 am
Laura is truly an inspiration! An amazing mother, partner, friend, and BOSS lady! ❤️
Sean
May 21, 2019 at 3:34 am
I love working with BlckMrkt! Such an amazing team!
Sarah DeSantis
May 21, 2019 at 3:44 am
The ladies at black market are always spot on! Quick to reply to emails, quick to produce! You wouldn’t want to go anywhere else
Julia Matthews
May 21, 2019 at 4:19 am
If you know Laura, this article couldn’t possibly ring more true! She is the definition of hard work and dedication. She is a woman with a strong moral compass. She is proud, kind, strong and aspiring. I honestly can’t imagine her before this journey began. Laura. Is. BLCK MRKT. This company and their dedication to hard work and success truly just fits the mold of who this woman is. It’s wonderful that her and Justine have had so much success. This is only just the beginning! Cheers to these two incredible women!!
Abbie
May 21, 2019 at 4:22 am
So inspirational Laura! As a young woman I often feel lost without knowing where my path in life is gunna take me or what I should do in my career. It’s great to see a strong female example of someone that figured it out and became a BOSS! Keep workin hard. We’ll keep watching it happen for you.
Monica Rosas
May 21, 2019 at 4:29 am
What a wonderful article!!! Laura (and her team) is INCREDIBLE. Not only is she one of the most intelligent and hard working women I know, she does it with such character and poise. Thank you for championing for women in your city and ALWAYS uplifting others. You make your family and loved ones very proud.
Sanja
May 21, 2019 at 4:41 am
I love this article. Laura and I have had very similar business stories, both being pregnant while starting our businesses. That is why I admire her that much more, because I know what it takes. She is definitely an inspiration and should be a motivation to other female entrepreneurs.
What I admire about her the most is how she makes her hard work seem so effortless, when in reality, we all know how much effort it takes to raise a family and start and grow your own business at the same time.
In summary, she is a rockstar!
We did a business collaboration together and I’m more than pleased with her dependability and business approach.
I highly recommend hiring her agency for any marketing work you may need, you won’t be disappointed.
Tammy Perez
May 21, 2019 at 4:51 am
Yesss Congrats ! I knew you were amazing the day we met 9 years ago and found out we share the same birthday. So proud of you and happy for you my friend ❤️ So many more years of success to come your way and you deserve it !!!
Andrea Stanley
May 21, 2019 at 5:14 am
In love with this article!! It’s amazing to see a strong, confident, hard working Mom balance it all & become a BOSS! So inspirational!
Kelly Marie Davies
May 21, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Great article! These girls rock. I’ve seen their work around and they definitely are amazing at what they do! Keep up the amazing work BLCK MRKT!
Nicole
May 21, 2019 at 3:45 pm
Laura you are such an role model to all us mama’s out here, showing us it’s definitely possible to have our cake and eat it too! Starting a business is a task and being a mama to 2 babies; well we know that’s exhausting. Laura you make it look simply effortless. BLCK MRKT has been such a success because of the powerful and determined women running it.
Sabrina Nyswonger
May 21, 2019 at 5:38 pm
Love this! No one is more deserving of recognition as Laura. She is such a hard working woman, not to mention an amazing mother, no clue how she balances everything. She really is a super human. Anyone looking to market their business better should reach out to Laura. Congrats beautiful friend.
Courtney
May 23, 2019 at 4:49 pm
YES!! You are simply a BOSS. It is truly inspiring to see you take BLCK MRKT and motherhood to the TOP. Sky is the limit for you and those around you. Grateful to be able to work alongside such a powerhouse, and a strong, beautiful woman at that. Boom!! Congrats on the article. Spot on! Xo
Omar
May 30, 2019 at 3:44 am
Laura is our modern time Wonder Woman! I’m a freelance photographer and I had the pleasure of working alongside of her. Laura is committed and driven and as a business that’s a quality you can’t put a price on! Kudos!