Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhonda Lauritzen.
Hi Rhonda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Back in 2007, I had this nudge to start writing without having a particular goal in mind, just that I wanted to sit down and see if anything would show up. So I set a date on my calendar a few weeks ahead.
At the appointed time, all this stuff poured onto the page about my parents and growing up in a family business. In the middle of that writing session, I got the call that my dad had passed away.
A few days later, I realized that my mom and I could write their life story together. It would honor him and give us an outlet to process our grief. We ended up publishing a whole book, and people loved it.
It turned out that the day I picked up a pen changed my whole trajectory. After my first book, people began asking if I would help with theirs, so I started taking on some side-hustle projects. Soon, I had so much work coming in (and some savings) that I decided to quit my day job and start Evalogue.Life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Is entrepreneurship ever a smooth road? It’s not easy to consistently cobble together a full-time living as a writer.
One nail-biting moment came not long after starting my business, a buyer serendipitously bought our historic home without it being on the market. It was the right time for our family to move, and we had amassed plenty of sweat equity, so we had a nice down payment toward another home. But then, my biggest client had to suddenly stop our project after losing money to a terrible Ponzi scheme. It threw our plans into turmoil. One of the worst days of my life was telling my family we wouldn’t qualify for another home loan, all because I had followed my passion.
Then, after that “dark night of the soul moment,” something else unexpectedly came through. We got the loan and landed in our home.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I help people tell their stories through oral history, videos, or writing full books. My business, Evalogue.Life has been hired to write the histories of buildings, capture family business sagas, and tell the story of nonprofits. Each project brings me endless wonder, and I do it with love.
I am also passionate about teaching students how to write their own life stories and family histories. In that way, I can help many more people.
I believe that when you tell your story, it changes the ending.
What matters most to you? Why?
Storytelling has a singular power to bring families together, inspire young people, and foster a sense of place in communities. When we hear stories of courage and overcoming adversity, it strengthens those qualities in us. Stories are how we pass on our values and how we honor those who have come before us. I believe we can each intentionally curate a repertoire of personal stories to add light in this mixed-up world.
Pricing:
- $39/mo. membership gives people tools & confidence to finish their life story
- Custom writing projects vary.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://evalogue.life
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evalogue.life/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvalogueLife/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-lauritzen-a8869bb/lear
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YQ2LEWB-jiCReKeMufevg?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: https://learning.evalogue.life
