Lauren Burgess

Hi there, wonderful folks of Sky Oro! If you don’t know me yet, I hope we have the chance to meet soon. My name is Lauren Burgess. I’m the founder of First Light Writing, which I run together with my wonderful, witty, right-brained-to-perfectly-balance-me-out husband / biz partner Logan. I’m a dog mom, ultrarunner, beginner mandolinist, whitewater rafter, skier, and marginal ice climber. Formerly, a Montessori teacher, first chair violist in the MSU Symphony, and baker at the Western Cafe. I’m a chronic dabbler. I find inspiration everywhere — from the stories and achievements of family members and friends, to seeing the next generation creating the better world they want to live in. But the more I experience firsthand, heart wide open, the better human I am, and the better writer I can be.

I serve my people as a metaphorical cheerleader (I was a varsity cheerleader back in the day — ha, go Broncs! Although I quit the team — too much drama — my friends would tell you I’ve never quit cheering). That passion for empowering others, and love for trying new things, translate beautifully into my work. My diverse background allows me to resonate with stories from personal experience, and from a mindset of curiosity. With all that plus an English degree in my back pocket, I’m uniquely able to hear, understand, and tell brand stories.

My work isn’t to create a brand from thin air. I help illuminate the identity that already exists... and then bring it to life. Partnering with marketing agencies and designers, I help good people and forward-thinking businesses expand their influence through brand messaging, strategy, and copywriting — call it “marketing strategy meets poetry.”

Whether or not someone likes to write, it’s different when you’re doing it with marketing in mind. Working with me let folks overcome that challenge. I take what I’m hearing from someone and give it new life in fresh words. And my clients tell me that they feel their identity, their voice, authentically represented in what I write. I’ve heard, “This is all the thoughts and feelings we’ve had over the years put into eloquent verse. This is a message I can get behind, I am behind, and I want to share.”

I’m not here to help people simply sell something. Yes, that’s part of it, but it’s deeper than that. Together, we can empower real connection. Build community. Inspire positive action. If you believe in your work, if you know that your company or your nonprofit can make the world a better place — I want to work with you. I want to help you spread that message.

A challenge I’m facing right now — which feels both thrilling and scary — I’m exploring the idea of creating a course (!!!) designed to help more people access the magic of brand messaging. I would love any course-creation tips, resources, advice, or connections the brilliant might be willing to share my way.

Whether you’d like to talk business, share notes on the entrepreneurship hustle, or nerd out over maps, mountains, rivers, and ideas for year-round adventures, I’m your chica. If you feel the same, please send me an email! In a less wild world, I’m a coffee shop or brewery kinda girl, but these days, I’ve grown to appreciate video chats and socially-distance walks as well. I can’t wait to connect.