Laura Naaykens: From Identity Crisis to "Accidental" Founder

What if you don't need a "5-year plan" to be successful? We're all pressured to find our one "passion" and follow a perfect, linear path. But what if that's not how the most interesting careers are built? Laura Naaykens is a former NCAA athlete who, after an injury, found herself in a complete identity crisis. She didn't have a grand plan; she just started... figuring it out. Her journey is a playbook for "accidental" success, showing how she pivoted from sports to "accidentally" founding a data science firm, not by following a passion, but by saying "yes" to problems she didn't know how to solve and then getting good at them. It’s a conversation about the power of self-awareness, why competence is more valuable than passion, and how to build a life on your own terms. Connect with our guest,Laura Naaykens: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Linkedin ⁠Instagram Follow Jeff Humphreys ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Podcast Location & Production: ⁠Off Set Studios