From creating Super Bowl commercials and connecting global brands to entertainers and artists for her flourishing FlyteVu creative agency to paying it forward with Triumph Over Tragedy, Laura is one of our city’s true visionaries.
Work & Life
TNE: An influential woman is…
LH: A woman whose life is measured by the lives she has impacted and the love she has freely given.
TNE: My passion for work came from…
LH: My mom. As an art teacher, she inspired and encouraged my love of creativity, which allowed me to develop that talent and ability. If we couldn’t afford toys, she would encourage us to draw a picture of the toy on paper and imagine it was real. I drew a lot of paper dolls, paper food for my kitchen set, and drew and wrote my own books. I learned I could use my imagination to solve problems and that skill set now allows me to create innovative campaigns for my clients.
TNE: Mindset starting each day…
LH: I can’t wait to see how God is going to show up. He always does.
TNE: Life lesson you wish you had learned sooner…
LH: Don’t listen to feedback from people who aren’t in the arena also getting their ass kicked.
TNE: Creative vision and inspiration…
LH: I’m intentionally curious about life. I’m constantly and intentionally filling the tank with new information and experiences, I have a deep well to draw from.
TNE: Traits you seek in the FlyteVu team…
LH: Resiliency. Tenacity. Positivity. Curiosity. High-performance. Growth-mindset.
TNE: Dream client…
LH: SmileDirectClub. Smiling boosts your health! Everyone deserves a confident smile. I love the brand and product; what’s better than marketing confident smiles? They are based in Nashville so hopefully, someone will read this and take my call.
TNE: Favorite Vacation Spots…
LH: The North Shore of Hawaii has my heart. Anywhere with a wave and a surfboard!
TNE: Favorite quote or mantra that has meaning in your life…
LH: “Your crown has been bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.” – Maya Angelou
TNE: What meaningful lesson have you learned through quarantine and how do you plan to incorporate that mindset or lesson into your life moving forward?
LH: I’ve learned that leading with transparent optimism during crisis inspires better and more productive work than leading with fear or a scarcity mentality. It is easier said than done, especially during a pandemic, when we are all in unchartered territory and needing to plan for “worse case scenarios”. Optimism is the key to inspiring achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
TNE: Due to the pandemic, many people are now working from home. What are your best tips, tricks, and advice for a productive at-home workspace?
LH: A consistent routine is key: wake up, workout, get dressed, and head “into the office”, which is now at my home. I’ve actually been more productive in this setting where I am focused and uninterrupted. I am naturally an introvert so the transition has not been difficult. I stay organized, get creative with team “zooms”, send thoughtful gifts to clients instead of in-person dinners or social hours, make playlists for friends, and find other ways to create meaningful connections.
My Routine
TNE: An ideal day starts with…
LH: Coffee, prayer, run, and a blowout (this doesn’t happen every day but you said “ideal’). Then, the day begins!
TNE: Best practices for energy and health…
LH: I take vitamin D and vitamin C. I also avoid eating dairy and gluten.
TNE: How many hours a week do you work…
LH: If you include my philanthropic “work”, then 80.
TNE: I wind down by…
LH: Taking a bubble bath with candles and music.
TNE: I never leave home without…
LH: My cell phone, hand sanitizer, and a mask!
TNE: Most random thing in your handbag…
LH: Narcan. I lost a loved one to an overdose, and I believe every office, home, and person should keep it on hand and know how to use it. The Opioid epidemic affects every family, community, and workplace. We should all be educated and prepared, and we can save lives.
TNE: Good hair days…
LH: Ali Ryan at the DryHouse makes my hair look like Cindy Crawford’s.
TNE: Facing the public…
LH: Maegan Griffin at Skin Pharm restored my confidence in my skin.
TNE: Just for fun…
LH: I love playing old school board games. There’s nothing better than an old-fashioned game of Battleship or Chutes and Ladders, or a 4-hour Monopoly game. You better believe I’m going to snag Boardwalk and Park Place.
My City
TNE: Your neighborhood…
LH: Cheekwood/Belle Meade
TNE: Nashville Date Nights…
LH: I love the arts – the ballet, TPAC, the symphony, or just a night in cooking dinner and sitting on the porch.
TNE: Business lunch spot…
LH: Del Frisco’s because I can walk from my office!
TNE: Finding the perfect outfit…
LH: Nordstrom.
TNE: Best place to get exercise…
LH: I love running the trails at Percy Warner Park.
TNE: The perfect day off in town…
LH: Hiking at Percy Warner while listening to Super Soul Sunday podcast, juice at Juice Bar, Hot Stone Massage at Mokara Spa at the Omni, a professional sporting event, a steak at Kayne Prime.
TNE: Work outside work…
LH: After losing my significant other, Austin Eubanks, to addiction as a result of the trauma of a mass shooting, I joined the Board of The Onsite Foundation, an organization focused on providing trauma-informed tools and resources to underserved communities. We launched a first-of-its-kind program called ‘Triumph Over Tragedy’ for survivors of mass shootings and hosted the first workshop in March for 45 survivors from around the country. In the past few months, we have quickly expanded to help local tornado survivors, frontline health workers affected by COVID, and the African American therapist communities in addition to Life After Loss, a program to support parents who have lost children. We are collectively walking through the trauma of COVID and emotional wellness and mental health resources are more important than ever before. I am passionate about shedding light on a topic that many have struggled with in isolation. There is hope and there is healing in the community.
