Laurie Pani shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Laurie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
After taking a Wilderness Basics Course from the Sierra Club this past winter, I am now officially obsessed with backpacking. Gaining the knowledge I needed to be safe in the desert, the mountains, and in the snow has been incredibly empowering. And many of my trips have been only with women in their 40s and 50s. It’s been a great way to unplug, get away from the crowds, and really connect with other women.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sure! I’m Laurie and I’m the owner of Bette, though not the founder. I acquired Bette about a year and a half ago. I was 7+ years into consulting work and honestly…kinda bored. I’d been doing the same thing for years and was getting complacement. I could feel myself wanting to do something that would push me outside my comfort zone but I was resisting. I realize now it was because I hadn’t found that “thing” that felt different… more personal, and I guess a little scary, too (in a good way). From a practical perspective, I had been trying to come up with something I could scale seeing as I was entering into college years for two kids.
It’s weird because Bette literally fell in my lap. It was the right size, it made sense financially, I loved the old owner, and I already owned a Bette piece so I knew the brand. What drew me in wasn’t just the beautiful resort wear (though I fell in love with that, too). It was the idea of building something where I could really connect with women. Clothes that make women feel good felt like a start. Pieces that make them feel special without costing an arm and a leg. Pieces that could turn errands into a mini escape. I see the evolution of this brand as one that embraces midlife as the beginning of something fun, not the end.
I’ve learned a lot over the last year and a half and am working on big changes for the brand, the collections, how I source products, and how I can continue to help empower women.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
We didn’t have a lot of money when I was very young. But my parents worked hard, were conservative in their spending, and eventually built themselves a very comfortable life. They are among the few Americans that don’t live outside their means. This has been a very powerful example for me and has served me for a long time. I don’t have credit card debt, drive cars into the ground, and am careful in my spending.
But that approach doesn’t always work for small businesses. You often have to take on debt, make decisions that could be risky, and invest up front for future gains. Leaving that old mentality behind as I grow my business has been surprisingly difficult, but Bette is at a point now where, in order to take it to the next level, I need to leave those conservative and limiting money views behind.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Success is comfortable, so why make changes? Suffering has taught me to take risks and dive into things head first that I never imagined myself doing.
Here’s just one of many examples: I was incredibly unhappy at the end in my time in my last corporate job. It started off great, with a great team, a great boss, and a work-from-home environment where all teams genuinely felt like they were working together towards common goals. Perfect for me as I was juggling raising kids and trying to build my career. But the company expanded quickly and brought in some toxic personalities and management styles that created a place that didn’t align with the collaborative environment I had historically thrived in.
I was suffering, to say the least. And then my brother died in the midst of all of it. I was broken. But the crazy thing was, instead of thinking, “I need to find another job in marketing” like I had in the past when I was unhappy in a job, I thought, “I am done with this. I’m gonna do something where my life and my work are on MY terms, not someone else’s.” Something I had never considered even possible for me since I just assumed I’d always work in a corporate job, get a predictable paycheck, and be covered by my employer’s insurance. Safe.
That struggle led me to quit my job and go off on my own as a marketing consultant for 7 years. If I hadn’t done that first, there is NO WAY I would’ve ever considered buying a company. I would not have had the confidence.
That all being said, I think suffering has forced me to see things differently. To see beyond what I think I’m capable of based on what I have known from my past.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I am not religious but I guess I consider myself spiritual. I believe I’m on a path that’s already been set out for me but I don’t know exactly where it’s going. I believe that even when things get messy and out of control, there’s a reason for it. I know I’m in the right place, even when I’m suffering and things get hard and I just want to throw my hands up and surrender. I often have these aha moments after something shitty happens where I look back and think, “ah…OK, I get why that happened.” Bette came into my life at the perfect time. It wasn’t an accident. And she has taught me SO MUCH about myself in the last year and a half. She’s preparing me for better version of myself, and a bigger and better version of Bette that will hopefully resonate deeply with women in the future.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What light inside you have you been dimming?
I think I have been fighting mid-life instead of embracing it. It’s really hard to grow older gracefully as a woman, especially in Southern California where so many people are trying to keep aging at bay. So I find myself at times just trying to blend in and not be seen with my wrinkles and changing features. But when I take the time to stop and reflect, I realize I have SO MUCH to share and give as I grow older. I have these moments of empowerment when I really don’t care what other people think. That is when I’m at my best, tapping into that empowered light that is strong, full of experiences, and focused more on the collective than the self.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopbette.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopbette/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriepani/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopbette
Image Credits
Chris Nelson for beach shots
