When I first met Laura Bartlett, I was blown away, this woman is the definition of a determined soul and a force of nature. Strong, confident, successful – by the age of 30 she was deemed one of the 100 most influential British women of her generation.
But most of all she had PASSION and that is what turned her into an entrepreneur extraordinaire. As travel was her passion she decided – with no editorial or publishing experience that she would launch a travel mag. Why not?
She garnered her thoughts, dreams, business plan, advertisers and hit Dragon’s Den looking for an investor. Oh boy! She was decimated…but undaunted. Picking herself up, soothing her scars she decided to launch her magazine anyway – which she did, simultaneously in 16 countries. Naturally it sold out…but the demand was too quick, too soon, and before long bankruptcy beckoned.
Picking herself up became a habit and in less than two years, at the age of 27, la Bartlett launched House of Coco, a travel and lifestyle magazine for the millenials into such august establishments and stores as Harrods, Selfridges and of course the occasional airport shop. Now she is going global – not just House of Coco but Laura, herself. Just a few weeks ago she announced she was selling her base in her beloved Leeds – house, belongings, furniture (but hopefully, not frocks) – and heading West. All that energy is heading for Los Angeles and her next adventure.
Having spent Covid still travelling in her dreamscape and soulspace she produced her wanderlust title digitally but cannot wait to see it in print again. “In a world where people say print is dead, I am expanding our reach because I believe that with all the noise in the world, the non-stop notifications, the addictions to our phones that we need to have more ME time. And what better way than with a copy of our magazine, a cup of tea and a self care moment away from the non-stop chatter of the internet, ” she says.
And who would doubt the gut instincts of a woman who has gathered accolades for being an outstanding entrepreneur, a positive influencer to young people and a creative industries leader, not to mention just missing out on the shortlist for Forbes’ 30 under 30 leaders of the future, by a day, which made her 31!
She will take with her, her devoted #TeamCoco, now numbering more than thirty travellers and adventurers dotted around the planet, whom she will support, direct and rally as she has always done – remotely. “We’ve always been laptop travellers, I’ve never had an office because we are always on the go, looking, exploring and reporting. I check in with everyone regularly.”
Sharing, Engaging, Collaborating and Inspiring could be her motto…which is why she has such a strong platform to support her team and which has attracted partnerships with such brands as Range Rover, Bentley and Shangri La hotels.
Covid has given many of us time to reflect and consider ourselves and our lives and many of us have made changes and adjustments but Laura, of course, went one stage further. While she loved the life she had created and enjoyed she thought that perhaps it was no longer just enough…which is why she is selling up, cutting out and heading West. Whoever thought that one career, one huge success, one luxury homestead in her beloved Leeds was ever going to be enough for the energy and dreams of this woman.
Once a trailblazer, always a trailblazer, Laura knows that the life we all lived is never going to be the same again…and she is heading off to discover a different modus operandi, a different way of living for the future.
If only more of us had her courage
#houseofcoco #LauraBartlett #TeamCoco #Leeds #LosAngeles #RangeRover #ShangriLa #Bentley #Harrods #Selfridges
** Laura Bartlett says she hasn’t been everywhere yet…but it’s on her list