Rising Stars: Meet Laurinda Andujar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurinda Andujar.

Hi Laurinda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My origin story is a mystery—even to me.

If I’m honest, I have never liked being the center of attention. I would much rather be behind the scenes, watching someone else shine. There are countless people walking this earth who are more talented, more disciplined, and, in many ways, more gifted than I am.

So how did I become a serial entrepreneur, author, and advocate? I’ve asked myself that question more times than I can count.
When I peel back the layers, I can trace it back to three defining truths.

The first is my curiosity.

I have always been fascinated by people. I love to people-watch—not to judge, but to understand. Why do people think the way they do? Why do they respond so differently to the same situation? Why do some people choose compassion while others choose cruelty?

The truth is that I wasn’t just studying them. I was trying to understand myself.

I wanted to know why I connected so effortlessly with some personalities while constantly finding myself at odds with others. And if I’m being completely transparent, I learned a difficult lesson early in life.

When you lead with kindness, extend grace, and hold yourself accountable for the way you treat people, you naturally expect others to move through the world with the same integrity.

But they don’t.

That realization placed me in more than a few precarious situations because I assumed everyone’s motives reflected my own. They didn’t. Some people were operating from places I had never imagined, and those experiences changed me forever.

The second truth is that I have always been captivated by creativity.

I’ve never believed creativity belonged only to artists. I grew up believing every single person was born carrying something extraordinary inside of them.

A song.

A poem.

A painting.

A business.

A book.

A building.

A movement.

It didn’t matter what form it took.

What mattered was that people gave themselves permission to bring it into existence.

Nothing fills me with more joy than watching someone discover the beauty they couldn’t see in themselves and then transform an idea into something tangible.

I’ve always believed that if we were created by the greatest Creator, then creating isn’t optional—it’s part of our design.

The third truth is the one that shaped me the most.

I wanted people to become healthy, happy, and whole.

Not just physically.

Emotionally.

Mentally.

Spiritually.

That kind of healing doesn’t happen by accident.

It demands hard work.

Relentless accountability.

Painful self-awareness.

And the courage to journey inward.

If we’re honest, that’s the journey most people spend their lives avoiding.

Because healing requires honesty.

It requires taking off the mask you’ve perfected for everyone else.

It requires loving the broken, scarred, wounded, and imperfect parts of yourself that you’ve spent years trying to hide.

There is nothing glamorous about that process.

It is lonely.

It is uncomfortable.

It is exhausting.

But it is always necessary.

I had a complicated relationship with that season of my life.

Some days I wanted to run from it.

Other days I wanted to rush through it.

Instead, life demanded that I sit with it.

To feel it.

To confront it.

To heal it.

What I discovered on the other side surprised me.

The parts of myself I had buried so meticulously—the fears, insecurities, disappointments, and wounds I never wanted the world to see—were never meant to disqualify me. They were preparing me.

Because once I learned to face myself honestly, there was very little left in this world that could intimidate me. That journey didn’t just change my life. It gave me permission to become the woman I was always capable of being. And perhaps that’s the greatest mystery of all.

The person I spent my entire life searching for… was me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building the Brand: Beautiful Chaos

The road to becoming a better, more grounded, and more professional version of myself was about as smooth as pouring frozen cement onto an erupting volcano.

Yep…that smooth.

People often admire the finished product. They celebrate the polished brand, the successful business, the books, the accolades, and the accomplishments. What they don’t always see are the countless versions of you that had to die so the current version could exist.

The thing about building a brand is this: if you’re growing, you’re changing.

Your ideologies evolve as you mature. If you’re willing to receive new information, challenge your own beliefs, and remain teachable, your perspective will inevitably shift. Your relationships will shift too. The people you once couldn’t imagine doing life or business without may no longer align with where you’re headed.

That’s not always a bad thing.

Sometimes who gets a seat at your table changes because you’ve become more intentional about the value they bring. And sometimes…

You realize you’ve been uninvited from someone else’s table.

Now, that one stings.

At first, it feels like rejection. Then it feels personal. But if you’re paying attention, you’ll eventually realize it was an invitation to build your own table—one where collaboration outweighs competition and purpose matters more than popularity.

Along the way, mistakes will be made.

You’ll misjudge people.

You’ll mismanage opportunities.

You’ll lose money.

You’ll question your decisions.

Some partnerships will flourish beyond anything you imagined, while others will quietly dissolve without explanation.

And while you’re trying to figure all of that out…

Life is still happening.

Bills still have to be paid.

Families still need you.

Grief doesn’t pause because you’re building a business.

Neither does heartbreak, disappointment, or uncertainty.

Then, just to keep things interesting, you have to navigate the misinformation highway—filled with overnight experts, self-proclaimed gurus, and people selling shortcuts they’ve never actually taken themselves.

It can be exhausting.

Business is a lot like a romantic relationship.

It runs on trust.

One careless decision.

One broken promise.

One slip of the tongue.

One moment where your integrity is questioned…

…and years of credibility can disappear overnight.

People can be incredibly unforgiving, especially in business. We live in a world where everyone is searching for the next best thing, often forgetting the value of consistency, character, and authenticity.

So, what do you do?

You become the next best version of yourself.

Again.

And again.

And again.

You stay curious enough to evolve, yet grounded enough to remain true to who you are.

You stop asking, *”How do I become like everyone else?”* and start asking, *”What do I have that no one else can offer?”*

What gifts were placed inside of me that naturally solve a problem?

Who genuinely needs what I carry?

Who am I called to serve?

Once you know those answers, everything else becomes much clearer.

Find your people.

Serve them well.

Show up consistently.

Continue learning.

Continue growing.

Continue creating.

Because brands don’t become unforgettable by pretending to be perfect.

They become unforgettable because the people behind them never stop becoming.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
More Than a Job Title

During my eight-to-five, I work in the mental health and substance use space. Ironically, that’s also what I do outside of work—but with a twist.

So, what’s the twist?

I use creativity as a vehicle for healing.

Whether I’m writing poetry, crafting prose, or telling stories through one of my books, my mission remains the same: to transform pain into purpose and stories into triumph.

One season you might find me wrapping up my ninth book project. Another season, I may be hosting a community conversation about racism, inequality, equity, human trafficking, domestic violence, abuse, self-love, or any number of issues that continue to silence people who desperately need to be heard.

I’ve learned that healing doesn’t happen only in therapy offices.

Sometimes it happens in libraries.

Sometimes it happens on stages.

Sometimes it happens in a poem.

Sometimes it happens because someone finally feels seen.

I also hold certifications in Human Trafficking, Grief Recovery, Coaching and Leadership, Trauma-Informed Responses, Psychological First Aid, and several other disciplines—too many to list, honestly.

Not because I enjoy collecting credentials. I collect knowledge because people matter.

I am a lifelong learner because I never want to become the person who unintentionally reopens a wound that someone fought so hard to heal. That conviction didn’t come from a textbook. It came from experience.

I know what it’s like to try to heal from deeply traumatic experiences while simultaneously trying to figure out this thing we call life.

Healing is rarely graceful.

Most of us aren’t soaring—we’re stumbling.

We’re carrying invisible wounds while pretending we’re fine.

We’re clumsily putting one foot in front of the other, hoping that one day the pain won’t introduce itself before we do.

I’ve been there.

Maybe that’s why my work has never been about simply telling my story.

It’s about creating space for someone else to survive theirs.

Education has always been important to me, but transformation matters even more.

That’s why I intentionally surround myself with people who share that same vision. Therapists. Advocates. Artists. Community leaders. Survivors. Visionaries.

People committed to healing the world…

One person at a time.

People often tell me I wear a lot of hats.

They’re right.

But I don’t wear them because they look impressive.

I wear them because they’re necessary.

Every hat represents another opportunity to serve.

Another opportunity to connect.

Another opportunity to create change.

And if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s this:

Meaningful change has never been the result of one extraordinary person.

It’s always been the result of extraordinary people choosing to work together.

That’s why collaboration isn’t optional for me.

It’s essential.

One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received is that I have a gift for discovering and cultivating talent.

I don’t know if that’s true.

What I do know is that I love watching people become who they were always meant to be.

Nothing excites me more than introducing two people who unknowingly hold the missing pieces to each other’s vision.

People often measure wealth by what sits in a bank account.

I measure mine differently.

My greatest net worth has always been my network.

The relationships I’ve built.

The trust I’ve earned.

The people who continue to believe in me long after the meeting ends.

So, what sets me apart?

Without a shadow of a doubt…

I have never needed to be the smartest person in the room.

In fact, I hope I’m not.

Because if I’m the smartest person in every room I enter, then I’ve walked into the wrong room.

I would rather sit at a table surrounded by people who challenge me, sharpen me, stretch my thinking, and teach me something I didn’t know yesterday.

That’s how movements are built.

That’s how lives are changed.

That’s how legacies are created.

Not by knowing everything…

But by never believing you do.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Character Before Competence

When people ask me, what qualities have contributed most to my success, my answer is always the same.

Honesty.

Transparency.

Vulnerability.

And a deep respect for both my own boundaries and the boundaries of others.

Those aren’t just words I throw around because they sound good. They’re principles I try to live by every single day.

If I had to rank them, honesty would sit firmly at the top of the list. But I’m not simply talking about being honest with other people. I’m talking about being honest with yourself. That’s the harder conversation. It’s easy to point out someone else’s shortcomings.

It’s much more difficult to stand in front of the mirror and acknowledge your own.

One thing life has taught me is this:

We never stop growing up.

Age doesn’t automatically produce maturity.

I’ve met adults who possess the emotional intelligence of a child and children with wisdom far beyond their years.

Some of the most childish, insecure, immature, and mean-spirited people I’ve encountered have been adults.

Now imagine being led by someone like that.

Imagine waking up every morning dreading the environment they’ve created.

Imagine feeling unseen, unheard, or constantly criticized.

That’s exhausting.

It’s also why I make it a point to mirror-check myself every day.

Before I question someone else’s behavior, I ask myself:

**How did I show up today? **

Did I listen?

Did I assume?

Did I lead with empathy?

Did I make someone else’s burden heavier instead of lighter?

Because I never want to be the reason someone hates coming to work.

I never want to be the reason someone questions their worth.

And I certainly never want to contribute to someone’s breaking point.

We have no idea what battle the person sitting across from us is fighting.

Life is already difficult enough.

Why would I choose to make it harder?

The truth is many of the problems we blame on organizations are actually people problems.

Unhealed people.

Unchecked egos.

Poor communication.

A lack of self-awareness.

Sometimes we become such a bottleneck that we don’t even realize we’re standing in the way of someone else’s growth.

That’s why honesty has to begin with self.

The second characteristic I value is transparency.

Especially in leadership.

People don’t expect leaders to know everything.

They do expect honesty.

Tell people what’s changing.

Tell them what isn’t.

Explain why decisions are being made.

Help them understand how those decisions affect them.

People can usually adapt to change.

What they struggle with is confusion.

I’ve noticed that many leaders avoid transparency because it makes them feel vulnerable.

And vulnerability can be uncomfortable.

But here’s what I’ve learned.

People don’t lose respect for leaders because they admit they don’t know something.

They lose respect when leaders pretend they do.

There is incredible strength in saying,

*”I don’t have that answer yet.”*

Or…

*”I made a mistake.”*

Or…

*”You did an amazing job.”*

Giving someone their flowers has never taken anything away from your own garden.

Recognition isn’t a limited resource.

Neither is humility.

The final characteristic is one I believe protects every healthy relationship—personal or professional.

Boundaries.

Healthy boundaries aren’t walls designed to keep people out.

They’re guardrails that teach people how to love, respect, and interact with one another.

And those boundaries go both ways.

Respect your own.

Respect someone else’s.

Because people will disappoint you.

They’ll misunderstand you.

Sometimes they’ll even hurt you.

That’s part of being human.

But repeatedly ignoring someone’s boundaries doesn’t create connection.

It creates resentment.

It breeds frustration.

It destroys trust.

Healthy relationships—whether at home, in friendship, or in business—cannot survive where boundaries are constantly violated.

The older I get, the more I realize success has very little to do with titles, awards, or accomplishments.

Success is reflected in the way people feel after they’ve encountered you.

Did they leave feeling valued?

Respected?

Encouraged?

Safer than they were before they met you?

For me, that’s the real measure of leadership.

Not how many people follow you.

But how many people become healthier, stronger, and more whole because they crossed your path.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_am_laurinda_andujar
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurinda.andujar
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurinda-andujar-6ba12920