Laura Long (2:24)

It'll be glowing.

Katie Lemieux (2:24)

No, it'll just say AZ cheat sheet. Download that and you'll get the five days of practice building emails with that. So I mean I think we don't think, Lord, Laura needs an introduction because she's Laura Long.

Laura Long (2:36)

Hello.

Dr. Kate Campbell (2:37)

No, badass.

Katie Lemieux (2:39)

The Laura Long.

Laura Long (2:40)

Like Cher forgot my crown, but I've got this, you know, doodad behind me. It kind of looks like one.

Dr. Kate Campbell (2:45)

It really does look like a queen's crown.

Katie Lemieux (2:48)

It's so funny because I think I thought you were wearing that, like, when we first.

Laura Long (2:51)

A tiara.

Dr. Kate Campbell (2:52)

Yes, it does look like a tiara. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

Laura Long (3:01)

What does your following want to know? So I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist and supervisor in Greenville, South Carolina. And I am the lead badass and business coach consultant behind your badasstherapypractice.com. so I help therapists in all stages of practice building. I tend to get a lot of newbies who are shaking in their boots, kind of terrified of how to even start their practices, all the way up to scaling and even some multiple income stream stuff. I help people with that too. So pretty much the whole gamut.

Katie Lemieux (3:33)

You are pretty awesome.

Laura Long (3:35)

Everything but paperwork. I send them all to you.

Katie Lemieux (3:37)

Why, thank you.

Laura Long (3:38)

Thank you.

Katie Lemieux (3:38)

So I think what would be a really great place to start is just.

Laura Long (3:41)

Like, Laura, tell us the story about you.

Katie Lemieux (3:43)

Like, where did you grow up? Who's in your family? What was growing up like for you?

Laura Long (3:49)

Oh, man, the good stuff. Thank God. I did my genogram in grad school, worked through all that with my therapist. Okay. So I was born in Baldwin, New York, which is on Long Island. Long Island, Long Island. I lived there for 11 years. So that's. That's pretty much where I get my attitude from. But then When I was 11, we moved down to Charleston. So that's where I get, you know, I can kind of balance the Southern belle with the middle finger. I guess that had to have been.

Dr. Kate Campbell (4:22)

Like, major culture shock coming from your edge into sweet southern South Carolina.

Laura Long (4:29)

I remember when we moved down to Charleston, when I would be driving through my subdivision, which they don't have up, at least on Long island, where I grew up, there aren't subdivisions. It's just what street do you live on? So to move into a subdivision was kind of strange. Just like a conglomerate of homes that have nothing in common. But somehow we're supposed to be a community of people.

Katie Lemieux (4:49)

And.

Laura Long (4:49)

And when we'd be driving down the road, these strangers, the neighbors would wave at you because that's what you do in the south is, you know, hey, even if you don't know someone. And I would be like, what? How do they know us? Why are they Waving at me. So that was like, a huge. People are way too nice down here.

Katie Lemieux (5:06)

That's so funny you say that, because I'm from Connecticut, and I remember when my mom went to bring me to my one semester that I did on college campus in North Carolina. I remember we're walking one way, and this guy was walking the other side. He's, like, waving feverishly at us. And I'm, like, looking behind, like, who is he waving at? Like, people in the Northeast are. I guess we're just a little rude. What can I say?

Laura Long (5:26)

I was like, I don't know you. Why are you waving at me? So it was a huge culture shock. So I grew up. I was the youngest of four by a lot. I was the whoops baby of my family, but I was also the only girl. So it was like, you know, whoops. Oh, thank God. Three boys is pretty intense.

Katie Lemieux (5:48)

So.

Laura Long (5:49)

So my youngest brother was six years older than me. So it was kind of like, for you Freudians or psychoanalysts, like a psychological only child growing up. Because by the time I was in the backyard playing Lion King or whatever back in the 80s and 90s, my brothers were, like, smoking cigars on the roof, and my parents were, like, had no idea. So they're, like, in a totally different. They're like 13, 14 by the time I even became aware of life.

Dr. Kate Campbell (6:20)

So tell us a little bit about what you were like as a teen.

Laura Long (6:25)

As a teen, yes. Oh, boy.

Dr. Kate Campbell (6:27)

I'm curious.

Laura Long (6:28)

Heinous. I was heinous. My God, this is so funny. We're having this conversation, too, because out of the blue, I found a box two nights ago of, like, pictures and old notes and things from my own childhood that I've, for some reason, saved. And my husband and I were going through it, and I was like, oh, my God, I was the worst teenager ever. Some of these things that I found.

Katie Lemieux (6:52)

Tell us how bad.

Laura Long (6:53)

So, I mean, I wasn't, like, the worst. I didn't shoplift, but I was. I was always hurt about something. I don't know. That's what teenagers do. Like, I was. I hated everyone. So. Okay, let me back up a little bit. There's some reasoning behind this. So when we moved down to Charleston, we moved down when I was in fifth grade, which in the south is still elementary school, and you're about to go into middle school. So it's the last year of elementary school, in fifth grade up in North New York, where I grew up, sixth grade was the last grade. So, like, when we moved, it was A weird transition because if I had stayed up north, I would have had a whole nother year. But we moved down and it was the very last year, the last semester or last nine week period of fifth grade in a very, like, small, clicky elementary school. So you picture this like yankee 11 year old moving away from all of her friends and ending up in a place where it's like, this is the last year. These are the big people at school, the big fifth graders before we go to middle school. And they were so mean to me. I remember one day getting off the school bus and these boys from the younger grades would like, chase me and throw rocks at me. My mom had to call the police. It was really, really clicky and bad. So when I got to sixth grade, I was like, that is not gonna fly anymore. And I became like the queen bee. I'm gonna be the mean girl because no one's gonna, like, throw rocks at me anymore.

Katie Lemieux (8:34)

So is this where, like, the Laura Long the badass was born out of?

Laura Long (8:38)

Probably like this probably was like, okay, rough exterior. Cause we're not playing that game. So all of middle school for most of us is survival. Yeah, yeah. So it was definitely that. But of course, it's also when you're like reaching puberty and you're like, what the heck is going on? And why do I feel like this all the time? So it was just like a really weird combination. So I was very angry as a teenager. But one thing that got me through it, which a lot of people don't know about, is I became really hardcore into soccer. So instead of channeling it into, like, you know, drugs and alcohol and shoplifting, I channeled it into just being a really badass soccer player. So I ended up playing soccer very, very seriously from. I mean, from the time I was a child. But I didn't get really good until probably 12 or 13. And so I practice all the time. I joined a competitive league, and when I hit, I think 16 or 17, 16. I was recruited to play for a team that was four hours away where I currently live in Greenville. So three times a week I would leave school just to drive four hours to practice, and then four hours back. Wow. Yeah. So I was a huge soccer player growing up. I was on an Olympic development team. I got to play with Brandi Chastain and Mia Hamm. If any of you older people know who those athletes are, careful throwing out that older word.

Katie Lemieux (10:07)

Just saying.

Laura Long (10:07)

Just saying. I know, I feel like such an old person, but yeah, so that was. That was a Huge part of my teenage years. So I was, I was really angry and hormonal and my mom probably didn't like me very much because I was like always angry about something and. But then I just channeled it into soccer. So I don't know, I feel like there was a decent balance. That's how I kind of like started to calm down, was just channeling my inner rage into playing soccer.

Katie Lemieux (10:33)

And so then what happened for you after high school?

Laura Long (10:36)

So I. I ended up getting a full ride to a small private school in Dallas, Texas called Southern Methodist University. I wanted to go as far away from home as possible, and that's where I landed. If any of you have never heard of that school, it's a really, really beautiful, probably the most beautiful college campus I've ever seen. What I didn't know at the time was that it's also pretty well known for being like an elitist school where like a lot of very, very wealthy people would go. And I don't come from a very wealthy family. So when I went there to play soccer, I was all excited because this school is like, we're straight out of a movie. But then the first week of classes, I would just be walking to class and realize there are people wearing Manolo Blahniks going to school. So I definitely felt like a fish out of water, like hummers everywhere. It's. It's a different culture. So I only lasted a semester there. I was like pretty much begging my parents to come home. I just felt so out of place there. So I went to Southern Methodist University for a semester and then transferred back home and I went to Clemson, which I think now everyone knows Clemson. But back in 2005 when I transferred, it was just some school up in South Carolina. So I went there pretty much because my boyfriend at the time was going there. And I was like, whatever, you're here and you're home, so let's go there. And I told my parents I didn't want to play soccer anymore. I just got burned out from playing in college. It's just a totally different experience. If anyone has ever played college sports like at a D1 school, it is. It's a 40 hour a week job on top of your classes. So I was really burned out, didn't want to play. But when I was at Clemson, after the first two weeks, I was approached by Todd Bramble, who was the head coach for Clemson's women's team. And he asked me to come on the team. So I did play for another year. And then at that point, I realized I truly was burned out. So I stopped playing at that point. And it's kind of a weird transition. But when I quit soccer, I started getting really into singing, and I joined a female acapella group, which. What. What are you about to say, Katie?

Katie Lemieux (12:53)

So we have. We have a question for you later.

Laura Long (12:55)

But I think it's a good time.

Katie Lemieux (12:56)

What is your favorite go to karaoke song?

Laura Long (13:00)

Alone by heart? I like the belty songs. Yeah, girl. If I ever. If I ever hang out with any of your listeners in real life, we need to go sing karaoke. Yeah.

Katie Lemieux (13:12)

Hey, maybe we could do it at the summit in May 2020.

Laura Long (13:14)

May 2020. Let's do it. You guys probably know all the good.

Dr. Kate Campbell (13:17)

Places you will find me in the.

Laura Long (13:19)

Back of the room.

Dr. Kate Campbell (13:20)

Definitely not on the stage. I have the worst singing ever.

Laura Long (13:24)

It's okay. I'm not the kind of karaoke person who makes people come on stage. I'm the one that's like, you stay back, because then I get to sing more.

Dr. Kate Campbell (13:30)

Perfect. We'll be great karaoke buddies then.

Laura Long (13:34)

Yes. I will not make you get up there.

Dr. Kate Campbell (13:37)

So.

Laura Long (13:37)

Yeah, so I'd always. I'd always loved to sing, but had crazy stage fright. So I would, like, sing Mariah Carey and Celine Dion in my room when I was in third grade, but didn't really sing in public.

Katie Lemieux (13:49)

So what did you sing into? Did you have, like, a toy microphone or was it a pen or your hairbrush?

Laura Long (13:56)

Anything I could get my hands on. I mean, whatever. I would sing as long as no one could hear me. So once I got my permit and started driving by myself, that was, like, the thing I was most excited about was getting to just belt, because when you're a young kid, you're never home alone, so I couldn't bust it out. Anyway, in college, it was just kind of a funny transition because here, my poor parents probably paid tens of thousands of dollars over the course of my college years getting me to practices and tournaments and all these special events I did. And after my sophomore year of college, I'm like, you know what? I'm just gonna sing in a college a cappella group. It was awesome. I loved it, so I did that. It's so funny talking about it because we thought we were, like, big shots. Just like the movie Pitch Perfect, it was just like that. But it was, like, seven years before that movie even came out, so no one had any reference. They were just like, who are these weirdos? Just, like, singing in the middle of a restaurant together. This is strange. We Were called Clemson. Take note. One word. They still exist. I was even the music director. I would arrange all of our music. I mean, I was hardcore. You guys.

Katie Lemieux (15:11)

I hear this.

Laura Long (15:12)

Mm. That was actually my first entrepreneurial adventure was in between college and grad school. Oh, I hear this, like, alarm in the back. Is that mine or yours? Hopefully it was on my end.

Dr. Kate Campbell (15:28)

I don't hear it on my end.

Laura Long (15:29)

There's, like, a car alarm. I'm like, oh, God. So when I graduated in between college and grad school, I decided that I was going to start my own business online, selling all of these arrangements that I had made. And I called it Elle's arrangements.

Dr. Kate Campbell (15:47)

And what kind?

Katie Lemieux (15:48)

Like, what kind of arrangements?

Laura Long (15:50)

These, like, singing arrangements for female a cappella groups. Because we all had to, like, read sheet music, and that's how we decided. Like, not decided, but that's how we sang our songs. We didn't just memorize them. Like, on Pitch Perfect, they make it sound like you just make up a part, but you have to actually read music as if you're in a band. So I would arrange, like, create all of the parts for each song. So I'm like, hey, you guys want to sing Spice Girls? Okay, let me arrange the song really quick. And it would take me a bunch of hours, and I'd make it. And so here I have this sheet music arrangement for, you know, four different female parts. So when I graduated, I was like, I have, you know, a hundred songs that I've arranged that people might want to buy. But, you know, I tried.

Dr. Kate Campbell (16:31)

But that was an entrepreneurial spirit in you.

Laura Long (16:34)

Yeah. I would spend, like, 40 hours arranging this music piece, and, you know, someone would buy it or a group would buy it for maybe $50. So that's when I started realizing not a good ROI. Yeah, not the best ROI. Granted, I could sell the arrangement to other groups, too, which I thought was, like, passive. But, no, it did not. I think I probably made, like, $300 on that whole venture, and $200 was probably spent on the logo.

Katie Lemieux (17:06)

Oh, I think we've all made that mistake.

Laura Long (17:08)

I know Kate has a. Yeah.

Dr. Kate Campbell (17:09)

When I first started, I dropped, like, 500 on a logo. That was terrible that I ended up, like, dissolving the brand and all of that stuff. So tell us from where this point in the story. How did you decide that you wanted to become a therapist?

Laura Long (17:24)

Yeah, so I think a lot of therapists decided it a lot. Like, when they were younger. It's just this weird. We were always. I don't know if you guys had the same experience, but being the one that people would come to when they had a problem. Like I remember watching Oprah, being like, you know, 12 years old and really like absorbing the stories of these people's lives. Or like when Dr. Phil came on, I'd be like, I could do it so much better than him. And I used to, I was just, I always had this like bleeding heart. I don't know, I mean, I've worked through that now, so I don't just like walk around with this exposed, like nerves just sitting out everywhere. But I was always pretty emotionally attuned to people, so it just seemed like a natural fit. I think at some point when, you know, when you're a teenager and you're starting to actually think about what you want to be when you grow up. I pictured myself being a marriage counselor. I like envisioned this probably where Kate practices, like this really big building, these floor to ceiling windows overlooking a city somewhere. I've got this fancy couch and this couple's there and listening to me and I'm actually helping them. So I don't know. That's what I always wanted to do. I can't remember a time where I thought I would do anything else.

Katie Lemieux (18:42)

That's really interesting.

Laura Long (18:43)

Yeah, that's just always what I wanted to do. So when. Now. I didn't know the difference between all the different license types. You know, I didn't know that there was a marriage and family therapy license or a licensed professional counselor or social worker. Like I didn't know that there were all these different things. So when I was looking into it, someone who I really admired had already graduated college and was at a program getting her PhD in marriage and family therapy. So I reached out to her and she allowed me to come visit her on campus. And I just, I fell in love with that whole license type. And so I knew I was going to do mft. Like that was the track. So when I was a junior in college, that's when I knew I was going to do mft. But there weren't a ton of schools in my area. I think there's only one accredited program, S.C. so I just applied to as many as were within like a day's drive. And I ended up getting accepted into Auburn's marriage and family therapy program, which is a really prestigious program. And I would. I remember getting the email. So my now husband and I were just dating when I got into Auburn. And the night I got my acceptance letter, it was in an email from the program director. We were like drinking beer and playing Super Mario Brothers in a handmade tent in our living room. Like 14 year old. I don't know, we were just being silly. We were like, let's have a night where we just do something stupid. So I'm like, I'm like tipsy eating this mozzarella cheese string and I get an email and it's from the program director and it's like this long email outlining the offer and I'm like trying to understand what it's saying. And he's like, babe, what's going on? I was like, I think I got into Auburn, but I don't know. Yeah, so I ended up going to Auburn and it was really, really hard the whole two years. Just very rigorous. But looking back, I'm super glad that I went there because it was just. The experience was amazing. They only take six people in each cohort, so pretty much every session I ever did had a supervisor behind the mirror. Terrifying at the time, but good for me now.

Katie Lemieux (20:52)

That's really amazing. And before we continue, let's just take a quick break.

Dr. Kate Campbell (20:55)

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Katie Lemieux (23:02)

To switch gears a little bit, because those people who do know you, Laura, they probably see you as pretty courageous, bold, a badass. But I'm gonna guess you have some fears and insecurities. What are some of the things that you fear or worry about?

Laura Long (23:15)

Duh, duh, duh.

Katie Lemieux (23:16)

I see you doing your fingers there.

Laura Long (23:18)

I was telling you guys before we recorded the call. I've recently gotten into the Enneagram, and I'm still figuring out what I am. I don't quite know yet, but I do know I'm having an identity crisis around it because I'm like, wait, how authentic am I? Or, like, do I tell people how I'm really feeling? Or do I. Am I a helper? It's like, I think I'm leaning towards a 3. I don't know if you guys know anything about the Enneagram, but everything I read about threes make them sound like jerk faces. Am I a jerk? Oh, God. So fears and insecurities, man. I'm trying to, like. Not that I don't have them. Don't worry. I'm sure I got them. I have a lot of fears about, like, people around me dying. So sometimes my head will, like, go to a really dark place, and then I get these images of, like, terrible things happening to people I love. But that's not really, like, a personal insecurity. That's more just like, I desire security, and I like. I'm a type A, so I'm planner and control. So anything that's outside of that makes me very anxious.

Katie Lemieux (24:29)

I totally. I totally. I think I could speak for Kabuki.

Dr. Kate Campbell (24:31)

And I. Yeah, we relate to that.

Laura Long (24:34)

Yeah. Secure control. I think imposter syndrome is just a thing that's always around for most of us. Right? Like, we have this group chat, and I think it's come up. So there's always that chance, especially when you're putting yourself out there and your knowledge out there into the world. There's, like, I was even talking to. I recently spoke at Killin it camp in Colorado. With Joe Sanock. And I did this presentation on copywriting, and. But when you talk about a specific topic enough times, there's that voice in your head that starts to wonder, does my audience already know all of this? And they're just trying to be nice, but really everything I'm saying is common knowledge. We get that as therapists, don't we? It's like, we know this stuff inside and out. So when we start to talk to our clients about these things, a part of us is like, clearly these people already understand how thoughts and feelings go together. So I do have that. That comes up sometimes when I'm, like, teaching or coaching someone. Like, okay, do they already know all this? And they're just. And I just am an idiot.

Katie Lemieux (25:38)

So I think some people listening would probably, like, be surprised to hear that you deal with imposter syndrome.

Dr. Kate Campbell (25:44)

So how do you.

Katie Lemieux (25:45)

How do you manage that?

Laura Long (25:48)

I personified mine. Oh, we know who it is. Wait, do we know who it is? I know one of them, especially Brenda, right? It's Bitchy Brenda.

Katie Lemieux (25:59)

So tell the audience about Bitchy Brenda.

Laura Long (26:03)

So Bitchy Brenda is a character that I made up. She's not based on anybody I know, but probably because I come from New York, I can hear her in my head. So Bitchy Brenda is this you? Ifs people are gonna like this. She's this part of me that's, you know, always there to tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about, and I'm a loser and I'm stupid and I'm a piece of. You know what? But I try to make it funny, because the way I've personified her is she's approximately 80 years old, she's been smoking her whole life, and she lives in New York.

Dr. Kate Campbell (26:42)

Wait, and what does she sound like?

Katie Lemieux (26:44)

Yeah, I want to hear her voice.

Laura Long (26:47)

So if I'm trying to figure out what my next offering should be, or if I'm trying to write an email, that's really helpful to my list, she'll make sure she's back there, and she'll just go, you don't know what you're talking about.

Katie Lemieux (27:02)

Oh, that's so great. Do more.

Laura Long (27:05)

You're a piece of shit and nobody likes you. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. So that helps, actually, because I can hear, you know, the voice that's basically being like, this is stupid, or you're stupid, or, everyone already knows this. And why would anyone buy this? I can just go, oh, Bitchy Brenda doing that. Awesome. So that Helps. And also just doing the things anyway, because the more I do the things, the more I get good feedback. So I'm just gonna keep doing it. And I feel like as long as I'm coming from a place of trying to be helpful, then even if something I'm teaching is something that someone already knows. Okay, well, it's always good to get a refresher. So clearly something I'm doing is novel or else I would not be here. Right. Same thing for you ladies. Like, clearly you guys are teaching something that not everybody knows, or else you wouldn't have such a successful business.

Katie Lemieux (28:05)

You know, it's interesting. Like, you talk about. For you, you really. It's imposter syndrome. Like, thinking like, does everyone know this? And I know Kate and I just did our paperwork webinar today, and we've been doing it like, three, four years, and obviously we're repeating the same stuff. And it's.

Laura Long (28:19)

I had that thought today.

Katie Lemieux (28:20)

And it's funny because I just talked with Ernesto on Friday about this. And, you know, one of the monumental things for me in regards to what we've created in our business is, you know, Russell Brunson talks about this, and I forget if it's expert secrets or dot com secrets, but there's this, like, in the last part of the book, he goes to hire an online business coach, and the coach says to him, you know, you online people are so dumb and so smart at the same time. And he's like, well, what do you mean? He's like, well, what you do is that you create a product, you sell it to your audience, and then they're like, crap, I gotta create something else. And then you create something else and you exhaust yourself and you keep doing this over and over. And really what you need to do is just take the same thing and sell to different audiences. And it's like the entrepreneurial add, Right? Because it's like, well, I've already done this. This is so easy, it's boring. But the reality is Elton John's been singing that damn same song for the last 40 plus years. Right. And when you see people who do well, they usually have a signature speech or a things that they talk about, and that's it. And they just keep sharing it with everyone. And I remember, like, hearing about it, and I'm like, it really, like, helps kind of quell that. That worry and that concern, and it actually makes entrepreneurship way more easy.

Laura Long (29:27)

Yeah. Because then you can just refine the few things that you really love doing that you're passionate about that you're really good at instead of. Yeah. Squirreling around, trying to accumulate as much knowledge as you can about various things.

Dr. Kate Campbell (29:41)

All right, so I've got another question for you here. You're really good at telling stories, and so I'm really curious to see what you're going to say to this, but tell us one of your craziest stories that's happened to you in life. Something that we never believed.

Laura Long (29:53)

Oh, my gosh, man, I should have been prepared for this, because what have I done?

Katie Lemieux (29:58)

No, no preparation.

Laura Long (30:01)

Crazy story. Oh, my gosh. All my memory is awful.

Katie Lemieux (30:06)

Crazy. I'll sing all you think.

Laura Long (30:08)

Yeah, sing something. Really.

Katie Lemieux (30:09)

No, no, I won't, because it'll be really bad.

Laura Long (30:16)

I sang for Barack Obama once. I don't know how crazy that is, really.

Katie Lemieux (30:20)

Tell us about that.

Laura Long (30:23)

So, well, my acapella group at Clemson.

Katie Lemieux (30:27)

Clemson, take note.

Laura Long (30:29)

Yes, Clemson, take note. We were asked to sing. He was gonna be giving a speech during the. The whole. Whatever election he was actually voted in for. Was it like 046? I don't know. So he was doing his, you know, going to different campuses, and we were asked to sing. And so we thought that we were just gonna be on stage to sing a few songs and then leave. Right. Like, and then Barack Obama comes on to do his speech. What we didn't know until we got there was that he was actually going to be there on the stage. And after we sang, he was going to hug us and take pictures, and then we were going to have to sit on the stage behind him while he gave his speech. So there was a lot more spotlight on us than we were led to believe. So we showed up. And I remember singing on the stage. I sang Signed Seal delivered by Stevie Wonder. And I look up. So we're at this, like, the amphitheater at Clemson is kind of down low, and then all the seats go up, and then there's these buildings. And so I'm singing sign seal delivered I'm your. And I look up and there are snipers on the building and their gun pointed at me. So I'm trying to have a good time. I'm like, wow, I have really big guns pointed at my head, like, a hundred yards away. So I got done singing. Didn't realize at the time, of course, that Barack Obama was going to stand up and, like, give us all hugs. He's really tall. Is he? He's so freaking tall. So I'm maybe 5, 3, 5, 4. Which always surprises people with you. Yeah. So when I met you guys, for the first time, I think it was in Asheville. You both were like, you're so short. So I'm like, five, three, five, four. And Barack Obama is maybe like, six, four, six, three. He's really. Yeah. I'll have to find a picture. You guys can share it with your peeps, because I do have a picture of me with Barack Obama. And so I'm sitting there trying to be all cool, because after we're done singing, we are supposed to, I think, announce him, but no one really told us what to do. So we're kind of standing there awkwardly, like, what do we do? Do we leave the stage? I don't want to get shot by a sniper. We're standing there, and suddenly I just take the mic and I'm like, let's hear it for Barack. Yes. Called him by his first name. There's like, a quick quiet because people are like, who? And then everyone realizes I was talking about Barack Obama because no one knew who he was yet. He wasn't president yet. So let's hear it for Barack standing there. And he comes up. So that was a pretty crazy story to get to meet Barack Obama in person. Granted, it was before he became president, but that was just really awesome. Yeah, Lots of snipers.

Dr. Kate Campbell (33:17)

And to introduce him while you have, like, tons of guns pointed at you.

Katie Lemieux (33:22)

How crazy.

Laura Long (33:23)

Yeah. Like, every building, you see them, and they're just kind of like, they're just waiting.

Katie Lemieux (33:28)

Waiting for you to make that one wrong move.

Laura Long (33:31)

Waiting for me to look at him and be like, I'm gonna get you.

Katie Lemieux (33:34)

So, Laura, share with us some of your pet peeves.

Laura Long (33:39)

I experienced a pet peeve today, and I called my husband and said, this is my pet peeve. So I. I'm okay at cooking in that I know how to read and can follow a recipe, but I don't enjoy cooking. It's not something that I'm like, I'll do a little sprinkle of this and a dash of this. And here's your. I'm like, I need structure, right? Like, I need it to be laid out. Exactly what ingredients I need and how many of each thing and how it goes. So he asked me to just throw some stuff in the crock pot today. Simple enough, but he didn't have all the ingredients laid out for me, and I had to go searching for them, and I couldn't find one of the ingredients, and it's like. It's obnoxious. The level of rage that builds up in me when I'm trying to cook something. And I either don't have one of the ingredients, even if it's a silly one that could easily be left out, or if I just can't find it if it's not where it's supposed to be. I mean, I feel my heart rate just going up if I don't have all of it. So I'm like, why I call him? You know, why did you not leave everything out exactly in the order it's supposed to go in? And I can't find the chicken broth. Now I have to go to the store. It was. We had it. It was just in the wrong spot. Still, a pet peeve, that's probably one of my biggest pet peeves is trying to cook something, and I can't find every single ingredient that I need, and it's not where it needs to go. That's, like, the easiest one I'm thinking of.

Katie Lemieux (35:00)

So a lot of people assume that we are addicted to our work, but do you have any secret addictions that. Yeah, I see you nodding your head around.

Laura Long (35:09)

Not so secret, not so secret. I find myself, I'm still living back behind the mic. I feel very exposed. Well, duh.

Katie Lemieux (35:18)

It's up close and personal.

Laura Long (35:19)

Up close and personal. A recent obsession, maybe, of mine is gardening. I saw you post about that because I'm 100.

Katie Lemieux (35:34)

Is that Vitti Brenda coming out on you?

Laura Long (35:36)

Does she garden? No. No. She's like, this is stupid. You don't know what you're doing. Like, you don't understand soil amendments. What are you doing? No, I love. I love gardening. Primarily outdoor, but I also have some indoor plants. I'm happy to do a tour sometime if people like it. Yeah, it's bad. I mean, when I work out, I watch YouTube videos on certain plants and I know about, like, companion plants and what things go together and what zones certain plants are good in and how to care for them. And, like, because every plant's a little different, you know, this one likes lots of water, and this one wants to be raised up, and this one prefers all shade. And this one, you better give it lots of sun. I have this weird, encyclopedic brain about all of these plants for my zone. And so I recently started a little fun. It's not like a side hustle thing, but it's just I like to design gardens. So I started an Instagram account, Lush Landscape Design. And so I have been designing landscapes for friends and family for the last, like, six months. And it's so much fun. I just, like, draw it on my little sketch Pad. And I have a legend for everything, like what plants go where, and I help you plant them. Yeah, that's a nice.

Katie Lemieux (36:53)

So you went from musical arrangements to plant foliage arrangements.

Laura Long (36:59)

Foliage. Yeah, foliage is good.

Katie Lemieux (37:00)

Foliage.

Laura Long (37:01)

I don't know.

Katie Lemieux (37:01)

I am not a plant person at all.

Laura Long (37:04)

I'm very aware of my nerd status here. But. And the thing is, when I talk about how much I love gardening, people immediately assume I'm talking about edible gardens, like vegetables and stuff. But that's the weird thing about it is I like the kind of gardening that serves no real purpose. I don't. I don't know how to grow a cucumber, but I can tell you all about sunshine ligustrum and, like, how to shape it and how beautiful we are. And I name my plants and I go out there every morning with my tea or my coffee and I'll. You know.

Katie Lemieux (37:37)

So what are some of your plants names?

Laura Long (37:40)

Sally. Sally. My. My sassy plant. She is. This is so embarrassing.

Katie Lemieux (37:47)

Perfect.

Laura Long (37:49)

So Sally is. Do I really have to go into all this, guys? This is really.

Katie Lemieux (37:56)

Yep.

Laura Long (37:57)

Because you let into it. Sassy is a mahonia.

Katie Lemieux (38:03)

Like my Homie, but a mahonia, sure.

Laura Long (38:07)

So Sally is sassy because mahonias have these beautiful, like, bright yellow flowers that come out in the wintertime. She's kind of sassy, and she likes to be really dry and in lots of shade. So she just can be kind of sassy. But she's like frilly and soft.

Dr. Kate Campbell (38:25)

So she's.

Laura Long (38:25)

And her. She's called a soft caress Mahonia, which I always think is a little like, oh, what are you doing back there? Soft caress. It's kind of a little floozy in the garden. Jane Magnolia. Obviously her name is Jane, but that's also her type, so it's easy to remember Jane because she's the Jane magnolia. She's beautiful. Do you guys live in zones 4, 4 to 8? Get a Jane magnolia because they're amazing and beautiful and they are the first things to bloom in the spring. And these beautiful lavender tulip flower things. I love her. I love. Well, I have lots of Lauras in my garden because loropetilums are these beautiful purple things. You can get them in all different sizes and they're called loropetalums. So I just call them Lora. So I'm in my garden. Do you have any males in your garden? Laura Juniors. I really don't know. They're all women. I'll name Kate and Katie at some point. Favorite thing, like the.

Katie Lemieux (39:28)

I Would say chrysanthemum. It kind of goes together.

Laura Long (39:30)

But I guess that I'm thinking my cone flowers. They're called echinacea, but they're really pretty. And so Kate and Katie, the cone flowers maybe.

Dr. Kate Campbell (39:38)

Perfect.

Laura Long (39:38)

Who knows, I'll send you guys a plant sometime. I mean, I can really nerd out for a long time, but I'm actually blushing by how much I nerded on the plant.

Dr. Kate Campbell (39:46)

Well, I know you were saying? This is embarrassing, but we also want to know what is an embarrassing story.

Katie Lemieux (39:52)

That your family would share about you.

Laura Long (39:54)

Ooh.

Katie Lemieux (39:54)

Oh, I like that one.

Laura Long (39:56)

Yeah, I know. Like the first thing that came to my head, I think this would be it. So remember when I told you how angry I was? Yeah. They tell you about a time I got really angry.

Dr. Kate Campbell (40:07)

And what would they say?

Laura Long (40:10)

So there was a Christmas believe I was 16 when they bought me my first. I think they bought me a tv. However, the way my family does Christmas. And I thought that every family did this until recently. And now I've learned that not every family does it this way. We would on Christmas Eve, give each other presents to and from one another. Not Santa, but we would get one single presentation from our parents. So like one present from our parents. And then we would each, you know, all the brothers and I would exchange gifts from each other. And then Christmas Day is all Santa. So everything you get from Santa is Christmas Day make sense? Okay. Capiche? So on Christmas Eve, okay, granted, I was getting my first tv. Did not know I was getting my first tv. Didn't have a TV in my room. Christmas Eve, I get a presentation. Can't remember which one it was from. I think my parents probably gave me this. They bought me a DVD player because the DVD player goes to the tv. But on Christmas Eve, I didn't have the TV yet. So I opened this present and it's a DVD player. And my first thought was, your family doesn't know you. They don't know anything about you. You don't even have a tv. How the heck are you going to watch a DVD if you don't have a tv? So I stand up, I throw the DVD player against the wall, break a mirror. I'm screaming like, you guys don't know me. I slam my door on Christmas Eve, like completely destroy the entire holiday. The day was ruined because of me. And they didn't. I guess they didn't think to tell me what was happening next. But then on Christmas Day, as you can imagine, Santa brought me a television, which now makes sense. Why I got a DVD player, but to get it as a 16 year old when you're really like hormonally angry at the world, like why did they just not give me the TV first and then give me the DVD player so I didn't have to like break an entire mirror on the wall and scream and do the dramatic slamming the door thing and then, and then parents.

Katie Lemieux (42:27)

Signed you up for therapy? Is that what happened?

Dr. Kate Campbell (42:32)

The full on meltdown?

Laura Long (42:34)

Meltdown, like, like what a three year old would do. Like I'm picturing my daughter might have a meltdown about that. But in my defense, if you're giving your daughter their first, her first tv, maybe you don't give them like the Blu Ray or the DVD player first. Because I'm like, what the am I supposed to do with a DVD player if I don't have a tv, you jerks.

Katie Lemieux (42:54)

But you didn't think like maybe it was coming.

Laura Long (42:57)

Yeah.

Katie Lemieux (42:57)

You think that they were just playing an evil trick on you.

Laura Long (43:00)

I thought maybe like they were evil or they just didn't. I thought they just didn't know me. Like you guys have no idea who I am and it's important for me to be known. Granted I'm the teenager who lives in my room the whole time. So even if they wanted to know me, they couldn't because I was like holed up in my room talking on the phone all the time, you know, like teenagers do. Yeah, typical, you know, open my room, I'm like, get out of my room. Was it all dark in there? Yeah. Yeah. This is probably why I only have one child. You know, my parents had four and I'm like, I was awful. So I think I can only handle the one.

Katie Lemieux (43:39)

So before we move into our 60 second lightning round, is there anything that you really want our audience to know about you in this up close and personal before we move on? Anything fun, anything random? Do tell.

Laura Long (43:52)

Well, I think I give off this Persona of being like really hard and thick skinned because a part of me does have that I am, that I am kind of abrasive and I like to be funny and crack jokes, usually self deprecating jokes. And I do have really thick skin and I don't give a crap about what 99% of people think about me. But I think it's important for people to know that I do have a soft middle, you know, like I'm a therapist, I have feelings. So even though I do give this like gruff and tough exterior Persona or whatever, I do have that like, you know, the Soft middle who has feelings. I have that.

Katie Lemieux (44:34)

It's there. Yeah. I remember having a conversation and I remember you telling us about a folder in your email box when haters send hateful things. And I remember you sharing, like, the entertainment folder.

Laura Long (44:45)

Yeah, I was going to let her.

Katie Lemieux (44:46)

Reveal that if she wanted to. So I remember you saying like, yeah, you really don't give a crap about whether it others say and. But the people closest to you, you do. And I know for me, I feel like the opposite. Right. Like, I get overwhelmed when people, like, have like awful things to say, but the people closest to me, they can say stuff. And I think it's because, like, I have a good relationship with them and it's like, oh, they're not gonna go anywhere, whatever. I don't give a shit about what you think is kind of like what I think. But you were talking about how it's kind of reverse for you.

Laura Long (45:13)

Yeah, see, and that probably comes from my own need for security in relationships. So I do care very much what what people close to me think and I value their opinion because if I lost them, I'd lose everything. Whereas, you know, stranger Internet trolls who want to say whatever. It really doesn't bother me. So, yes, I created a folder in my email inbox called Entertainment. So anytime I get hate mail, it goes into the entertainment folder. And sometimes I'll read it and sometimes I won't. Sometimes I'll respond and it's usually really hysterical because they respond back and I get into a fun, you know, try it. It's fun. No, don't. Because I get lots of emails. I don't want to deal with it. But yeah, usually I'll antagonize people who send me hate mail for fun, but I would never do that to a loved one. See, so there's like that dichotomy. I guess I'm not all rough. Gotcha. I'm done.

Katie Lemieux (46:11)

So let's move into the 60 second lightning round.

Dr. Kate Campbell (46:14)

I feel like 60 seconds isn't long enough for the lightning round. I think we need to do 90. Yeah. Because some good questions to throw your way.

Katie Lemieux (46:22)

So this, we're just gonna read them off and you're just gonna answer whatever comes to the top of your mind super fast.

Laura Long (46:27)

Can we tell people, like, there has been no preparation? I have no clue.

Katie Lemieux (46:30)

Yeah, no preparation, no nothing.

Dr. Kate Campbell (46:33)

This is like total surprise. You guys are hearing it for the first time and so is Laura.

Katie Lemieux (46:38)

So here we go. So what, did you splurge on yourself when you made it that you've Been wanting to get.

Laura Long (46:46)

Does student loans count? You pay off your student loans? Yes. My splurge was my dream house that I bought this April.

Katie Lemieux (46:56)

That's awesome.

Dr. Kate Campbell (46:57)

Nice.

Katie Lemieux (46:57)

And what is your spirit animal?

Laura Long (47:02)

My old cat. She was funny. Yeah, she lived to be like 19. I know a spirit animal is supposed to be like a generalized, like a unicorn or something.

Katie Lemieux (47:15)

We're putting you under pressure, so it's fine.

Laura Long (47:17)

That one cat I had growing up, she was my spirit animal. Maybe she's my bitchy Brenda, but I don't know. We'll talk about it later. I'll talk to my therapist about it.

Dr. Kate Campbell (47:24)

Here's another one. If you could ride any animal into battle, what would it be?

Laura Long (47:28)

A thoroughbred. Come on now, favorite drinker.

Katie Lemieux (47:31)

Cocktail?

Laura Long (47:35)

A Long island iced tea. All right.

Katie Lemieux (47:37)

And if you had to spend seven days alone in the woods, you're safety guaranteed from Bigfoot, spiders and serial killers. What personal item would you bring to give yourself comfort?

Laura Long (47:49)

I have a stuffed puppy that I.

Katie Lemieux (47:52)

Would bring with me.

Laura Long (47:55)

That I have had not since childhood, which makes it even funnier.

Dr. Kate Campbell (48:02)

Of all things, you would bring a stuffed animal, not like fire to light a fire or like a knife to protect yourself.

Laura Long (48:10)

Well, I figured my safety is guaranteed. I just need comfort, right?

Dr. Kate Campbell (48:14)

That's true. That's true. We kind of set you up for that one.

Laura Long (48:16)

Good point.

Katie Lemieux (48:17)

Last question. Let's see. Favorite movie of all time.

Laura Long (48:22)

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.

Katie Lemieux (48:25)

Awesome. Well, thanks for watching.

Laura Long (48:26)

It's a really weird, weird favorite movie though. Most people pick like something hysterical or this is just like an existential crisis movie. But I really, really like it.

Dr. Kate Campbell (48:37)

Was that already 90 seconds? Yep. Yeah, thank goodness we did 90 seconds. I gotta ask this one last one. Yes. If you could do Freaky Friday and switch places with anybody, who would it be?

Laura Long (48:47)

Oh, my gosh. Oh my gosh. I have no idea. Everyone I'm thinking of is deceased.

Katie Lemieux (48:59)

Can I say that?

Laura Long (49:01)

Yeah.

Katie Lemieux (49:02)

Switch with a deceased person, but you won't be dead.

Laura Long (49:04)

Robin Williams. I'd like to live. Yeah, he just seems like a really interesting person.

Dr. Kate Campbell (49:10)

Cool.

Laura Long (49:11)

I love it.

Katie Lemieux (49:11)

Well, we so appreciate you being here and we wanted to thank Startup Nation for participating in the up close and personal with your questions, your votes. We really hope that you guys join enjoyed as we just kind of sat back and just, you know, put the business chat to the side for a second and just get really up close and personal with Laura Long from your badass therapy practice. She's also a very dear friend to us. So we hope you guys enjoyed this part and then tomorrow you guys are going to be hearing from Ernesto. And I always have to say his name this way. Tegasmondo Ernesto. I just feel like I'm announcing like a WWF fight. Anyways, I gotta say that. So join us tomorrow as we get up close and personal with Ernesto.

Laura Long (49:55)

We'll catch you later.

Katie Lemieux (49:55)

Startup Nation. Thanks for always allowing us to inspire you from startup to mastery. Take care.

Dr. Kate Campbell (49:59)

See you next time. Thanks for joining us on the Private practice startup. Visit theprivatepracticestartup.com for awesome resources, free trainings, attorney approved private practice paperwork, and so much more.

Laura Long (50:15)

Sam.