Meet Lauren Tankersley | CEO & Mom of 3

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Tankersley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I first started my career, balance was about strict boundaries: work hard, play hard, and keep them separate. Then, kids (three of them!) came along, and that model just went out the window. Suddenly, flexibility became the cornerstone. It wasn’t about perfectly allocating 8 hours to work, 8 to family, and 8 to sleep (well, I have never been good about getting to that sleep number). It was about being present where I needed to be, when I needed to be there. And now it is really less about work-life balance and more about work-life integration. Instead of seeing work and family as competing forces, I started to view them as interconnected parts of my life. Here’s how I think about making them work together:

– Prioritize ruthlessly: Not everything can be a top priority. I’ve learned to identify what truly matters at work and what truly matters to my family, and then make decisions based on those priorities. This often means saying “no” to things that don’t align.
– Embrace flexibility (both ways): This isn’t just about my job being flexible, it’s about me being flexible too. Sometimes, this means adjusting my personal schedule, and other times it means being upfront with my team about my family commitments.
– Communicate, communicate, communicate: With my husband, my kids (as they have gotten older), and my team. Creating a clear plan on who is doing what, when, and how for my kids, what my availability is, and what I need, helps manage expectations and reduce stress.
– Leverage technology: Technology can be a double-edged sword. It can blur lines, but it can also enable flexibility and productivity. I use it to know what I have to get done on any given day for both my home life and work life, so that I can prioritize the most important things across my full life, not just one facet.
– Focus on presence, not just time: This one can be the hardest for me and one I am constantly reminding myself about — and now that my kids are older, they are helping to remind me too! It’s not always about the quantity of time, but the quality. When I’m with my kids, I try to be fully present, putting away distractions and focusing on the moment. Just this morning, I got home from the gym, and I could tell that my youngest needed some snuggles. I knew there were emails waiting for me, but I spent five minutes with him on the stairs, his mood changed, and so did mine! I felt more ready to dive into work and be effective by spending that quality time with him.

Ultimately, it’s about finding a rhythm that works for you and your family, recognizing that this rhythm will change as your kids grow and your career evolves. It’s an ongoing conversation and adjustment, not a one-time solution.

What should our readers know about your business?
828 Venue Management Company was founded out of the personal understanding that the events industry needed a little shaking up. That there was a better way to do things. We own and operate private event venues across the nation, and also provide full-service venue management services for venue owners who would like to retire, take a step back or need support with their venue dreams.

I joined 828 in the fall of 2019. It’s hard to articulate the unique challenge of stepping into the events industry just five months before the entire world, and by extension, our industry, came to a screeching halt due to the pandemic. There was an initial surge of excitement, a feeling of finally finding my stride in such a dynamic and new industry to me. I was finding my footing, building relationships, and starting to see the potential for growth and impact. Then, almost overnight, the landscape changed. The whispers of a virus turned into a global shutdown, and the vibrant world of events and weddings simply evaporated. It wasn’t a slow decline; it was an abrupt, almost surreal cancellation of all activity. The very foundation of the industry—gathering people—became a public health risk.

The challenge wasn’t just about losing work; it was about the profound uncertainty. Would the industry ever bounce back? How long would this last? How do you pivot when your core service is no longer viable? It forced an immediate and intense period of flexibility, learning, and balance of empathy and business.

Looking back, it was a trial by fire, but it was also an incredibly critical time for our business. We focused on the business’s core health so that we could emerge from the pandemic even stronger.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We tend to escape to the mountains whenever we have a moment, with Winter Park being our home away from the city. If I had two days, the first would be spent stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Granby, bringing a picnic to enjoy on shore. And then the next would be spent mountain biking, ending at Fraser Valley Hot Dogs (trust me on this – and you have to try the Jalapeno Elk Braut!), enjoying some well-deserved beers at Hideaway Brewery, and watching the kids happily get ice cream across the street while we play a long game of Uno.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A huge shoutout to my three amazing kids! You guys are my everything. Thank you for consistently keeping me motivated to be my best, for being patient with me, for filling our home with laughter, for being by my side on all of our outdoor adventures, and for always, always keeping me focused on what truly matters.

Website: https://828venues.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/828.venuesandevents/

Image Credits
Kaitlyn Marie Photography
Larsen Photo Co
The Siners Photography
Kelly Marcelo Photography
Astray Photo
Lavender and Light Photography
Rachel Birkhofer Photography
Jill Caren Photo