We recently had the chance to connect with Lauren DeLeary and have shared our conversation below.
Lauren, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of the personal resilience I’ve built over the past few years. From navigating miscarriages, to shifting careers unexpectedly, to finding my footing as a creative entrepreneur, I’ve had to cultivate a lot of inner strength and trust in myself. That doesn’t show up in an Instagram reel or a polished portfolio, but it’s the backbone of everything I create and share. I think that invisible work is what allows me to show up authentically and connect with people in a real way.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Lauren DeLeary — a Nashville-based creative, storyteller, and soon-to-be mom. My work lives at the intersection of photography, social media consulting, and content creation. I help brands, artists, and entrepreneurs bring their vision to life through compelling visuals, strategic storytelling, and authentic online presence.
What makes my work unique is that I approach everything with a deep commitment to authenticity. I believe people connect most when they feel seen, so whether I’m behind the camera shooting for a clothing brand, batching social content on a client’s phone, or sharing a slice of my own life online, my goal is always to create something that feels real and resonant.
Beyond my client work, I’m also a Cannes Lions award-winning screenwriter for Missing Matoaka, a project that retold the true story of Pocahontas. Storytelling — in all its forms — has always been at the heart of who I am, and that carries into my newest project: launching a podcast with my husband called La La La, where we share conversations that are equal parts curious, fun, and unfiltered.
I’m Indigenous (Ojibwe, Chippewa of the Thames First Nation), and I carry that heritage with me into the way I see and tell stories. I’ve also navigated challenges like pregnancy loss and career pivots, which have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of building community. Right now, I’m expecting my first baby — a new chapter that’s influencing how I create, how I connect, and how I show up for myself and others.
At the heart of everything I do is a love for people and their stories. My brand is less about polished perfection and more about capturing what’s true, beautiful, and human — because that’s what lasts.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a deeply curious and expressive kid. I was always singing, performing, writing stories, and observing people. I wasn’t worried about being ‘too much’ or fitting into a box — I was just fully myself. Somewhere along the way, I absorbed messages about how I was supposed to show up, especially around faith, culture, and even what a career ‘should’ look like. It’s taken years of peeling those layers back — through music, through deconstructing old beliefs, through my creative work — to return to that girl who was simply unafraid to create and be seen. In many ways, I feel like I’ve come full circle to her again.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me lessons that success never could. The hardest moments of my life haven’t been about careers or milestones — they’ve been about people. Losing friendships I thought would last forever, walking through miscarriage, and experiencing seasons of loneliness forced me to confront who I am without the safety net of community. Those seasons hurt deeply, but they also refined me. They taught me to be intentional about who I give my energy to, to celebrate the friendships that do show up, and to create spaces where people feel truly seen and valued. Success feels good, but suffering shaped my capacity for empathy and connection — and that’s something I carry into every part of my life and work.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe my worth was tied to how much I achieved, or how closely I followed the rules laid out for me by faith and culture. I thought being ‘good’ or ‘successful’ was the ticket to belonging. That belief was naïve because it kept me from experiencing the freedom of being fully myself. Now I know my worth isn’t something I earn — it’s inherent. And ironically, the moment I let go of trying to prove myself, my creativity and connection with others actually deepened.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I lived with authenticity, that I made them feel seen, and that I created beauty that outlived me. Whether it’s through my photography, my words, my screenwriting, or even my presence as a friend, sister, wife, and mother — I want my story to be that I carried light even through dark seasons, and I used my voice to encourage others to carry theirs too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurendeleary?igsh=MWpydzVmbjVndnAzZw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-deleary-56018520b/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19rCjNvoMk/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lauren_deleary?si=FmUgQkr_FcxF7u7C
- Other: My Work: https://laurendeleary.my.canva.site/
My Photography: https://www.laurendeleary.com/photography
My TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurendeleary?_t=ZP-8zTbJgQaHp0&_r=1
Image Credits
Photos of me shot by my husband – Adam Frost. All other photos shot by me – Lauren DeLeary.
