Meet Laurie Sigillito | Entreprenuer that does not give up!

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

Hi Laurie, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Most people have no idea how gutted local news really is. They think, “Didn’t newspapers just move online?” No. They didn’t move—they fell off a cliff. And no one was waiting at the bottom with a parachute.

Behind the scenes, it’s chaos: decades of consolidation, newsroom layoffs, hedge fund buyouts, and tech giants siphoning off ad revenue. What’s left in most small towns is either a ghost-paper running wire stories or nothing at all. Local journalists? Overworked, underpaid, or gone entirely. And here’s the real kicker: there’s no plan to fix it from the inside. Big Media isn’t coming to save rural America. They’ve already written us off.

So the gap keeps growing. Limited reliable places to get local news. Limited context on what’s happening at city hall. No way for small businesses to reach actual neighbors without paying Silicon Valley for ads that don’t land. It’s like trying to hold a community together with duct tape and Facebook rants.

At Local NEWS Network, we said screw that. We built a new system from the ground up—one that’s free to the public, video-first, locally produced, and actually sustainable. We’re training new journalists, giving small businesses powerful storytelling tools, and creating modern-day town squares through digital displays, apps, and community hubs.

So yeah—people think local news is just going through “a rough patch.” But from inside the industry? It’s been a five-alarm fire for years. We’re just one of the few for profit teams actually running toward the flames.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career has taken me from Texas to Silicon Valley, New York City, and eventually to the mountains of Durango, Colorado. Along the way, I’ve worked for billion-dollar tech giants, boutique software companies, and—eventually—myself. Each chapter came with its own curveballs, but the common thread has been this: keep learning, keep adapting, and keep going—even when the easy button is nowhere in sight.

I started out at EDS, back when it was still a powerhouse. It’s where I learned about leadership at a young age—and where I got my first crash course in technology and structure. Then I jumped into the fire of Silicon Valley at Amdahl, where I was surrounded by brilliant engineers and realized: wow, smart people are really cool. But also—if you can’t translate between the developers and the salespeople, between corporate and the field—you’re not much help to anyone. That’s where I became a bridge.

Next came ETI, a boutique software firm with big ambitions. I served as VP of Business Development, and my job was basically to dance with elephants—working alongside Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, and other data giants. That role taught me how to be nimble, strategic, and how to hold my ground in rooms where you’re the smallest voice at the biggest table.

Then came the biggest leap—literally and figuratively. I left the corporate world and moved to Durango, Colorado to start a business from scratch. I traded boardrooms and airports for a storefront and payroll—and let me tell you, that’s when I really learned how hard running a business can be. Especially in rural America. There are fewer resources, fewer safety nets, and everything you do matters more—because it’s your name on the door.

And that’s where Local NEWS Network was born. I took the leadership training from EDS, the innovation mindset from Silicon Valley, the strategic hustle from ETI, and the small-town reality check from running a local business—and built a model that reflects all of it. It’s not a legacy media company trying to survive in a digital world. It’s a ground-up reinvention of what local news can be when you mix community storytelling with smart technology and a deep respect for how people actually live.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned?

Be resilient, but don’t be reckless.

Learn fast, move forward, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Keep your ego in check and your sense of humor intact.

And always listen more than you talk—especially when you think you already know the answer. I have to work on this everyday!

What I want the world to know is this: I didn’t build LNN because I missed newspapers. I built it because communities need real information, real connection, and real ways to thrive. And everyone else was focused on survival and rebuilding the past, I figured I should get a few good people together and try something new.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend’s coming to Durango for the week, they better be ready to move their body, fill their soul, and soak in some hot water—because we’re doing this the outdoor way.

Day 1 – Home Base & Hometown Vibes
We’d kick things off easy with a walk along the Animas River Trail. It’s the heartbeat of Durango—peaceful, social, and the best place to “accidentally” bump into half the town. After that, we’d grab coffee and baked goods from Bread (you have to try the cinnamon roll if it’s in the case), then head back to my deck to unwind and soak in some Colorado sun while I whip up a healthy dinner. It’s my happy place—backyard views, good food, and no rush to be anywhere else.

Day 2 – Animas Mountain Escape
We’d hit one of my favorite trails—Animas Mountain, right out my back door. I could hike that mountain every day for a week and still get a new experience—sunrise views, deer crossings, the whole “Colorado postcard” moment. Post-hike, we’d swing by the Durango Hot Springs for a well-earned soak. Nothing beats relaxing in those mineral waters, whether it’s snowing or sunny.

Day 3 – Bikes, Beauty, and Balance
If my guests are game, we’re saddling up for my go-to cycling loop—from Bread to the Hot Springs via County Roads 250 and 203. It’s the kind of ride that clears your head and reminds you why you live here. Hills, ranchland, shady trees, and the occasional surprise elk. Trust me, it’s a ride worth the burn.

Day 4 – Local Legends & Ragtime Revival
We’d spend the afternoon strolling Main Avenue, maybe pop into Maria’s Bookshop or snag a bite at El Moro. Then we’d head to the Strater Hotel’s Diamond Belle Saloon for some seriously world-class Ragtime piano from the incredible Adam Swanson. He’s not just good—he’s jaw-droppingly talented. The vibe is part wild west, part saloon, part “did-we-just-time-travel?” And it’s a must-see.

Day 5 – Mesa Magic or Mountain Wandering
Time for a little road trip! Depending on the season, we’d either venture out to Mesa Verde to explore the cliff dwellings and ancient stories carved into stone—or head up to Silverton or the San Juan backcountry for a hike that takes your breath away (and not just because of the altitude).

Day 6 – Chill, Sip, Repeat
Sleep in. Grab coffee from Durango Joes. Maybe wander into the Farmers Market if it’s open. And then… back to the Hot Springs. Yes, again. Because once is never enough. Dinner would be back on my deck, where the conversation and wine flows, and the meal is whatever makes us feel good that day. That’s the beauty of home cooking—it feeds more than just the stomach.

Day 7 – Sunrise Sendoff
On their last morning, wed head to Lake Nighthorse for a couple hours of Stand Up Paddle Boarding and reflection. One last breath of mountain air. And hopefully, a promise to come back soon.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
No one builds something like Local NEWS Network alone. It might look like entrepreneurship is all grit and vision, but honestly? It’s also long talks at kitchen tables, people who see the dream before it’s real, and teams willing to chase big ideas with you when the map hasn’t even been drawn yet.

First, my family—especially my husband and my kids. They’ve ridden this rollercoaster with me, through every startup sprint, late-night brainstorm, and pivot. And they still believe in the mission, even when the path gets wild.

Second, my core team. We’re small but fierce. These are people who care deeply about their communities and could’ve taken easier jobs—but chose to help build something that matters. I’ve also learned so much from the small business owners, college students, and community leaders who helped shape this model. LNN wasn’t created in a vacuum—it was shaped by real feedback, real skepticism, and real belief from the ground up.

But one of the biggest influences in my life was Katherine Hammer, the trailblazing CEO of Evolutionary Technologies—and the first woman in tech to land on the cover of Forbes. Katherine didn’t just break ceilings—she taught you how to dance while the glass was still falling. She used to say, “You have to dance with a knife in your teeth.” It wasn’t about being ruthless. It was about leading with grace and kindness while staying sharp, alert, and unshakably aware. That wisdom shaped how I navigate business, leadership, and life. I’ve been a bit lost since her passing a couple of years ago, but her voice is still in my ear when the stakes are high.

Lastly, a quiet nod to the mentors who didn’t even know they were mentoring me—to the authors, the podcasters, and the old friends who dropped the right insight at the right time. You never forget the people who lit the match when your fire was burning low.

Website: https://lnn.news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/durangolocalnews/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriesigillito/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/durangolocalnews

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DurangoLocalNews

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