Lauren Sorgaard, North Country Essentuals

Name: Lauren Sorgaard

Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota

Current Residence (City, State): Red Wing, Minnesota

Education: AAS Degree as Legal/Medical Admin. Assist.

Professional Background (brief, please): Worked for 12 years as a legal secretary/legal assistant in various types of law. Worked for 5 years as office administrator.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: The owner of a coffee shop/bookstore and a veterinarian

What you are: A business owner of an online gourmet food store, an online candle shop and a virtual assistant business.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Well, the North Country Esscentuals was born partially out of trying to find products that my sensitive skin could tolerate and out of frustration from buying candles that didn’t smell. Boomerang Admin was born from my need to work at home. It’s my way to replace my out of home work income. Two Girls Gourmet is a new collaboration with my 12 year old daughter. We will be opening later this spring and will feature gourmet food mixes that you can make at home. Trying to bring gourmet eating and convenience together to promote family meal time.

Company Website? www.northcountryesscentuals.com; www.boomerangadmin.com; www.twogirlsgourmet.com

What inspired you? Oprah and my husband.

How long have you been in business? I have been working on this for 2 years and officially opened the doors this year.

How did you fund it? Belt-tightening and savings.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? No

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? I do belong to a couple of forums that are business related.

Current Business Challenge? Getting visitors to the new sites

What are you doing about it? Trying to word on SEO and link exchanges

Favorite motivational quote:
We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.
Maya Angelou

Family? My wonderful husband, my sons: Nick, Matt and Zach and my daughter, Sierra.

If so, how do you balance family and business? It’s hard. Being able to stay at home now helps tremendously but my family respects my “work space”. The kids help me package stuff and it’s a team effort. There are nights I work late, but it frees me up to be available for them too.

Favorite book? I don’t know that I have a favorite book. I love to read so much that I can’t pick just one. I really like the books by Nicholas Sparks.

What do you do to relax? Lock myself in the bathroom with a book, some bath salts and candles.

What do you want to change most about your world? Boy, I wish I could make some big changes, but in “my world”, I try to teach my children to be fair, to try hard and that they can do anything they put their mind to. I try to raise them up natural and with good values. If I had to change anything I would say that I wish I could stop the bullying and sassiness that I see at their schools.

What are you most proud of? My kids. Definitely.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? To not give up…even if it takes longer than you want…keep at it.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? I am a member of a couple of forums that have been a wonderful resource to me in terms of products and motivation.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Sapphires. I love them they are so pretty and they are known as the stone of destiny.

Would you be interested in being a Fairy Godmother to another woman entrepreneur? (I am working on a secure system to do this, any ideas?) I would!!!

What business subjects would you feel comfortable mentoring in? What are my options to choose from?

Would you be interested in going to lunch with other women entrepreneurs for a “networking tea party”? I would absolutely love to do this!

If you are out of Utah County, would you be willing to be a facilitator of such an event? Absolutely!!!!