Lauren Denham

We sat down with Lauren Denham to learn about her background, inspirations and what it’s like to run a brand new socially responsible business.

Irina Liakh: Can you tell us about your upbringing. When did you discover your passion for creative arts?

Lauren Denham: Sure! I grew up in Florida. My parents separated when I was young, so my mom raised my sister and I by herself. I’m still amazed by my mom; I have no idea how she did it. My dad was a huge disappointment, but she made up for it in so many ways. I consider myself very lucky.

Since my mom had to work long hours, I had tons of free time. I came home from school and did whatever I wanted. I didn’t have much supervision (only my older, way-too-cool-for-me, sister who was usually ignoring me). Some kids wouldn’t do well with that freedom but I loved it. That’s when I could dream, explore and create. I pretended the brick wall in my backyard was a balance beam. I created lesson plans and played teacher with my dolls as the students. I wrote songs and performed them for my mom when she got home (my poor mom). I got to be myself and that allowed me to explore my creativity.

As an actress who comes from a background in journalism, what/who inspired you to use your experiences to make a difference?

I knew very early that I wanted to make a difference. I’m not sure why I felt like that. Maybe I watched too much Oprah during my free time [laughs]. But the feeling that I needed to use my voice for good has always been there.

When I was a kid, I remember thinking, “Wow. You only get ONE life. I want to spend mine doing something great. Something that matters.” But my guess is that it came from my mom. Even though we had a simple life, she taught me to dream big. She was far more concerned with my character and how I treated others than anything else. And she worked so, so hard. Everything I do, I do it for her.

Where did the idea for Every Ella stem from and how long did it take for it to evolve from just an idea to an existing business? Has the vision you initially had changed in the process?

I was at a pretty low place when I started Every Ella. I felt like I needed to do more with my life. I loved acting but it’s an industry that doesn’t give you much control. The downtime between gigs made me feel like I was wasting time, so I decided to do something about it. I made a list of everything I would like to do.

The list was:

– be creative
– write
– charity work
– empower girls
– build something I believe in

And then the idea of Every Ella just clicked.

Starting something from scratch is scary though. It’s a risk. It could fail. But the greater risk was me not doing anything — living an unhappy life wishing I was doing more. I couldn’t live with that.

The process of actually making it happen was very long. I loved every minute of it, but it was a challenge. First, I had to save up money since I self-financed it. For over a year, I worked random jobs day and night. Throughout that time, I brainstormed, edited, reedited, ordered samples, etc. There’s a million little details, which can be overwhelming. I’m a perfectionist so I never feel like it’s ready. But at some point, I HAD to launch. And I’m happy I did!

The overall vision of Every Ella didn’t change. I knew I wanted to create a brand centered around empowering girls through fashion and raising money for charity. More than a brand, I wanted to create a sense of community and support. A place where girls could have a voice and make a difference. It’s the little details that changed throughout. I’m still changing things. But that’s just the perfectionist in me.

Tell us more about the creative process you have when designing new pieces.

I always start with the message. I have so much I want to say! I keep a notes page in my phone full of ideas. They come to me at the most random times and I stop everything to write them down. Sometimes I’m inspired by a certain word or feeling or idea. I want to write something that makes people feel something – whether it’s empowerment or confidence or laughter. I love a message that makes people think too.

There are a lot of issues that women face. I hope to explore those and create an outlet for discussion.

The design process is usually harder for me. But overall, I’m a minimalist. I like the words to speak for themselves and not be overpowered by anything else. I love muted tones and a distressed/vintage style. All of our clothes are so soft and comfortable. I don’t wear any other shirts… my laundry is a revolving cycle of Every Ella.

What charity organizations Every Ella partners with and why?

Our current charity partner is Safi Life. For every item purchased, we donate $3 to them. They are a small nonprofit that sends girls to university in Rwanda. 100% of all donations they receive are put towards their education.

Statistics prove that when a girl in a developing world receives an education, she paves the way for a future less likely to entail domestic abuse, medical complications, and poverty. But one girl’s education goes far beyond just her. Once her education is complete, she shares that knowledge with her entire village and continues to be mentored by Safi Life.

I love that this nonprofit is ran by a girl, Devon Ogden, who was deeply impacted by a trip to Rwanda. She left wanting to do something. And she did!

Safi Life is a perfect example of the nonprofits I want to support — those ran by girls who want to make a difference and are doing it.

We are going to rotate charities every few months. That way we can support a variety of causes and bring awareness to the resources available. We want to encourage girls everywhere to get involved and be active in their community.

What made you so passionate about this specific cause (empowering girls and women)?

It’s something that grew stronger and stronger as I got older. Obviously, being raised by a single mom and having a sister, it was always “girl power” in my house. Even if the lights got shut off because we couldn’t afford the electric bill or we had to wear the same clothes day after day… we just kept going. My sister and I stayed focused, did well in school and got college degrees. I’m proud of what we accomplished. All of us girls!

My dad is a drug addict, drug dealer and in and out of prison. Gosh, that sounds horrible when I say it [Laughs], but it’s the truth. I am fully aware that my life could have gone another way, but because of my mom’s love, attention and guidance, I was able to come out of it a very different person than my father.

My passion for empowering women became even stronger after moving to Los Angeles and entering the entertainment industry. I was told multiple times by managers to lose weight. I’m a size 2, every once in a while a 4. The pressure put on girls is ridiculous. Luckily, I have a strong sense of self and inner confidence. I know the problem isn’t me. It’s them.

Then I realized how over-sexualized the media is. So many of my auditions are for “hot girl #2” , “slutty girl” , “dumb blonde” – clearly female character development takes a back seat to male. I see improvements happening, but there’s still a way to go. I’m ready for a “smart blonde” audition.

It goes far beyond the entertainment industry though. In general, when you look at number of female CEOs versus male, pay equality, women’s rights, lack of education and living conditions in poor and oppressed countries — there are so many issues that need to be resolved. I want to do my part.

I want girls to find their self worth from the inside. I want them to dream. To be bold and speak up. To care about what’s going on in the world and have the courage to change it. Girls are capable of greatness – it’s time to show it!

What has been the most inspiring or affirming moment so far, since you launched Every Ella?

It happened today, actually. This morning I woke up to a Facebook message from a girl I went to school with. She said she was on the Every Ella website and felt so inspired by it. She has her own dreams of making a difference. It got her thinking about how she can do that. She thanked me for being so open and honest about my struggles of feeling lost before starting Every Ella and my desire to find my passion. I thought it was really, really sweet of her to reach out.

I’ve had several friends text or message me out of the blue saying they love what I’m doing and to keep it up. Or even the friends who simply bought a shirt [Laughs]. It makes me so happy! It keeps me going.

What do you personally think are the biggest struggles young entrepreneurs have to deal with and what advice do you have for women pursuing social entrepreneurship?

First, social entrepreneurship is a wonderful thing and I see why women naturally gravitate towards it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat around with my girlfriends and we all feel like we want to do something that matters. But it’s easier said than done.

I think the biggest struggle for most start-ups is a lack of resources. I had to work constantly for a year and a half until I had the resources in place to launch, and it’s still not easy. To start, I could only have sizes Small, Medium and Large. Currently, I’m in the process of adding bigger sizes. It’s a slower process than I would like it to be, but I have to make sure I’m managing the money properly and taking baby steps.

Spreading the word and growing the company is also not easy. It’s essential to have a strong marketing plan in place. You can have a great product or idea, but if no one knows about it, you’ve got a problem. Luckily, social media is a fantastic way to connect with people and build fans.

My advice is to be relentless. If you have a passion and decide to turn it into a social enterprise, DO NOT GIVE UP. Very rarely does anything take off overnight. It takes years of pounding the pavement. If you know that going in, chances are you won’t get as discouraged. You’ll have ups, you’ll have downs… but stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.

From promoting education to challenging stereotypes, social media has became a huge platform for the campaigns and projects driving awareness on women and girls’ issues. A lot of female artists have been using social media to lend their voices to empower women around the world.. If you could choose any inspiring female to be a spokesperson for Every Ella, who would it be?

Oh my gosh, I want Gina Rodriguez SO BAD. I actually reached out to her on Twitter, so I think/hope Every Ella is on her radar. She is such a wonderful role model, and I genuinely believe she wants to make a difference. Her catch phrase is “I can and I will” … it’s short and sweet but so powerful. That’s also what I keep telling myself about getting her in Every Ella shirts. I CAN AND I WILL! [Laughs]

What would you say has been your biggest lesson on this journey?

My biggest lesson is to know when you need help and don’t be afraid to ask for it. There are so many little decisions that go into starting a company and it can be overwhelming. I had a friend that loved what I was doing — her name is Randi — and she was eager to be involved. I admired her tenacity and thought she was really special. After almost a year of working on Every Ella, I decided I needed help. I asked Randi if she would come on board and things got a lot easier. It was refreshing to have another opinion and set of eyes. We were able to work with each other and bounce ideas back and forth. Also, I think having another person close to you in a start up (as long as they are the right person) is crucial to keeping the morale up. You can push each other and be there for support.

Thinking of yourself as a soul on Earth, what is your mission?

I’m the kind of person that likes to keep growing and reaching, so I think my mission will evolve with time. But the core of that mission will probably remain the same. I want to know that I did everything in my power to make the world a better place.

I feature people like yourself- making a difference empowering, inspiring and making a change. Please name one person that you consider a real “warrior”?

When I was in graduate school, I went to South Africa to do a documentary on AIDS orphans. I met incredible people there but one stood out. Her name is Loreto. Her and her husband, Sam, worked hard their entire lives and are now at retirement age. But instead of relaxing, they decided to spend their free time doing something much different.

They adopt AIDS orphans. I don’t remember the exact count, but I believe they had over 20 children when I was there. Several of the children have health problems and not much time left. Loreto said she couldn’t stand to see these children pass away without a home, family or mother. She brings them in and gives them love and attention, something many of them have never experienced. All of the children call her mom.

She keeps a wall at the house dedicated to all of the children she’s lost. I remember staring at it for several minutes thinking how grateful I am for people like Loreto — people willing to sacrifice their lives for others.