ABOUT LAURA LILLIE · LEADERSHIP COACH
Hi, I’m Laura Lillie. I’m the person managers call when it all feels like too much, and the person leaders & founders call when they’re tired of being pulled into decisions, conversations and peopley things they shouldn’t be involved in anymore.
I’ve spent 15 years in HR & people development inside startups and scaling companies, sitting beside managers in their hardest moments. Humanship is everything I learned about building managers who operate without needing a script for every situation.
THE STORY BEHIND IT
Startups and scaling companies run lean. I’d seen it again and again: managers don’t need to arrive ready, but they do need to get there fast, with the right support.
When I joined a fast-growing startup to lead its people team, I knew exactly what I needed to build: a high-performing, highly operational team of managers. I built fundamental training and coached them through real situations. I taught the human skills nobody is taught when moving into management, challenged the way they thought about their role, and held them accountable to the job they’d taken on.
When the company later went through a merger, the investment showed. They handled the hard conversations, balanced their team’s emotions and their own, kept the team focused on productivity and owned their results without needing to be walked through every step.
That didn’t come from writing them a script for every conversation. It came from learning the foundations of management and having permission to practise, receive coaching and build confidence. This became the foundation of Humanship.
Laura strikes a perfect balance between professionalism and approachability, setting a tone where we all feel safe to tackle difficult topics, resulting in richer, more impactful conversations.
Alana Marks, VP of People
HOW I WORK
I name the elephant in the room.
I spot patterns and read between the lines, and I’d rather face the uncomfortable thing now than let it fester.
Nothing generic.
Every workshop and coaching session is built around your people and what they’re really facing. Clients tell me it never feels off the shelf.
I’m comfortable with silence.
I’ll ask the question, then wait. The pause is usually where people find their own answer.
I won’t let you off the hook.
If you made a promise to yourself, I’ll ask about it next time. It’s not a nice chat; it’s progress.
I keep it human.
I bring light to hard moments, because we’re all human. Sometimes the honest starting point is “oh shit.” My job is getting you to “I’ve got this.”
FROM ONE FOUNDER TO ANOTHER
Everything falls to you, if you let it
Building Humanship taught me the real power is in the community around you. Know your strengths, let others complement you, delegate and build trust.
GIVING BACK
Helping founders build the company of their dreams
Giving back to that community is what I always want to do: helping founders and leaders feel confident in what they’re building, and in life while they build it.
15+
years in HR and organizational development
300+
people leaders coached and trained
6
industries: accessibility, automotive, marketing, logistics, insurance & recruitment