For our latest Meet a Mom, we spoke with Laurie Hirsch Schulz, owner of LHS Coaching in Sleepy Hollow. This mom of two raised her family in the Rivertowns while working in corporate marketing and strategy. In 2017 she left the corporate world looking for a “reboot.” She earned her certification in coaching and started her new business where she works with entrepreneurs and career explorers to harness change to drive growth. We spoke to Laurie about a wide range of topics including family and life in the Rivertowns, professional coaching, her involvement in the community through Broad River – a women’s networking organization she founded, and what she learned about coaching and networking during a pandemic.
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have two daughters, ages 18 and 21. My older daughter is a 2018 graduate of Sleepy Hollow High School and attends Binghamton University. My younger daughter just graduated and will be taking a gap year before entering Northeastern University in 2022.
What do you love about living in the Rivertowns?
Everything! I grew-up in Kingston, NY about 80 miles up the Hudson River and have lived in Sleepy Hollow for nearly 20 years so I feel like the River is my heart center. I spend a lot of time outdoors with my family and friends. I love the Hudson Riverwalk, Rockwood Hall, Rockefeller Preserve. I love the Rivertowns’ community – it’s diversity, it’s creativity and openness.
What is your favorite thing to do/place to shop and dine in the Rivertowns?
Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow (TaSH) farmer’s market is one of my favorites – I am there every Saturday that we are in town. I am in heaven at the moment with fresh tomatoes being in season. I am making all things tomato based these days – gazpacho, ratatouille, salsa. And I try to buy all the ingredients at the TaSH.
I also love Shames JCC – My family has had a relationship with the JCC for 15+ years. My youngest daughter attended pre-school there when it was based in just the original building. We are now members of the fitness center and both of my girls have worked as lifeguards there. The Shames JCC provided me with a fellowship grant to get Broad River, the women’s networking community I launched in January 2019, off the ground. It is also the physical home for Broad River when we are meeting in person.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m a sentimental saver! My mother just unearthed two overflowing file boxes of letters and scrapbooks from middle school through my mid-twenties. It has been so much fun to dig through and read all of that correspondence. It really brought me back to that time in my life!
Tell us about your career and background, how did it bring you to LHS Coaching?
I spent 20+ years working for two Fortune 500 corporations in marketing and strategy. I had a fulfilling career that enabled me to build many meaningful partnerships, lead teams, be challenged and even brought me to Zurich Switzerland for two years. I loved my work until, for a number of reasons, I didn’t. I left the corporate world in late 2017 and took some time to “reboot”. I spent that reboot being thoughtful about what my values are, what really sets me apart and what in my past career really engaged and motivated me. That is what brought me to coaching. I became a certified coach and launched LHS Coaching in the Fall of 2018. I work with clients to navigate transformation and focus on building effective action plans that reflect mission and values while identifying and working through roadblocks that may get in the way.
How has your job and company changed as a result of COVID?
You are also the founder of Broad River, can you tell us a little more about that?
I started Broad River with the hypothesis that there are many very interesting women up and down the Rivertowns who do not have a simple way of meeting each other. I thought a hyper-local networking group open to women of all ages, from all backgrounds and professions, and with diverse experiences would provide a great way for women to connect with other women whom they may not meet during the normal course of life.
We launched in January 2019 and now have a community of +400 women, a website and Facebook page. While we met in-person through February 2020, we have continued to meet via Zoom since Covid began. Our general sessions meet 5x a year and include networking and an interactive program led by a local guest speaker on topics relevant to any woman.
Rivertowns Moms is so excited to be a Partner Sponsor of your next event! Can you tell us more about it?
Our next general session is coming up on September 22 at the Shames JCC (in-person and outside!) The guest speaker will be personal stylist Kendra Porter who will share tips on how to tell your personal brand story through your fashion and style. It’s going to be a great evening, please join us by signing up HERE!
How do you balance your career and family life? Any favorite tips you’ve received from a mentor or fellow mom?
One of my favorite tips is to listen to and pay close attention to my energy levels and align my activities to them. I tackle activities that require the most brainpower and focus during those high energy times. As a small business owner, it is not necessary for me to work according to a 9 – 5 day. Not only can I be more productive if I spread my work in chunks across my waking hours, I also have the flexibility to be with my family when they need me and when they have time – and frequently that’s in the middle of the day!
What are you looking forward to as we move into fall and (hopefully!) past COVID?
It is so difficult to predict how the world will be in the upcoming months and years. My goal is to partner with my family, the community, my friends to become adept at adapting to what comes our way. So – I am looking forward to a Fall where we are more confident in our abilities to adjust and embrace what brings us happiness – even if COVID is still with us.
Where can we go to get more information about LHS Coaching?
You can go to our website here. For followers of Rivertowns Moms I am offering:
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Free 30 minute introductory call
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15% off a new job “Interview Prep Package” which includes personal branding, mock interviews and feedback
