Building Foundations, Breaking Cycles Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussions around mental health and suicidal ideation. Please take care while listening.In this episode, Kelly Kirk sits down with Lauren Duke, founder of Core Ops Collective, a powerhouse in operations leadership and real estate systems strategy. From hairstylist and military spouse to multi-business entrepreneur, Lauren’s story is one of grit, grace, and real growth.Lauren shares her winding journey—from doing hair in Alaska and Italy, to launching a virtual assistant company supported by family, and then an unexpected leap into real estate. After working within a high-powered expansion team that did over 3,000 transactions a year, Lauren saw the cracks in the foundation of hustle culture—burnout, blurred boundaries, and reactive systems. Instead of patching holes, she set out to build something different.Peaks & Valleys of Her Journey:Burnout and Breakthrough: While juggling a high-pressure role and motherhood, Lauren found herself losing presence—especially during pivotal moments like childbirth. A wake-up call came when she realized she couldn’t remember the birth of her second son because she was mentally absent.Postpartum Darkness: During her third pregnancy, Lauren faced deep depression, weight gain, and near-hospitalization. It wasn’t until after giving birth that she felt the “clouds lifted,” attributing healing to a mix of support, medication, and faith.Mental Health and Boundaries: Lauren now relies on a mix of medication, deep self-awareness, and values-based decision-making to stay grounded. Her mantra: “Core values are the North Star.”From Chaos to Clarity: Core Ops Collective was born in May 2023 after a business pivot. She now guides agents in building businesses with a foundation—prioritizing systems, sustainability, and soul.Powerful Reflections:“Someone else’s urgency is not your emergency.”“Ask yourself: Do you want comfort or do you want solutions?”“If the best-case scenario is better than the worst-case, go for it.”Lauren is rewriting what it means to thrive in business and life. Her story is a masterclass in resilience, redemption, and rising with purpose.Connect with Lauren:IG: @coreopscollectiveWebsite: www.coreopscollective.comResources Mentioned:The Ruthless ElimiContact the Host, Kelly Kirk: Email: [email protected] Get Connected/Follow: The Hue Drop Newsletter: Subscribe Here IG: @ryh_pod & @thekelly.tanke.kirk Facebook: Reclaiming Your Hue Facebook Page CAKES Affiliate Link: KELLYKIRK Credits: Editor: Joseph Kirk Music: Kristofer Tanke Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue!

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