Lauren Goodell shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Lauren, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work, I love doing things that feel a little more analog since I spend so much time in front of a screen. One of my favorites is making perfume with one of my best friends in his lab. It’s such a fun, creative outlet — experimenting with different notes, trying new combinations, and seeing what comes together. It’s become something that brings me a lot of joy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Lauren Goodell, founder and CEO of Zinnia, the first full-cycle copilot built for Account Executives. We help sales reps cut out the noise — slashing research time, surfacing the right accounts, and guiding the next best moves so deals actually move forward. What makes Zinnia special is that we’re building AI for people, not robots — human-first selling that gives reps clarity, confidence, and creativity. My story has always been about sales and relationships, and right now I’m focused on helping the best sales teams in the world sell smarter, faster, and more human.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
For a long time, I believed that I had to carry everything myself. That mindset helped me survive early stage startup challenges and personal struggles, and it gave me a kind of armor. But I’ve realized that armor doesn’t serve me anymore. Learning to trust, to lean on people I believe in, has actually propelled my life and my business forward in ways I couldn’t have imagined if I tried to do it all alone.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me resilience in a way success never could. Success can make you feel capable, but suffering shows you what you can survive, what you can carry, and how deeply you can grow. It gave me empathy, grit, and perspective… the kind of lessons that don’t show up on a resume but change how you lead and live.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is the real me. My entire ethos is that authenticity is the only way, the truth always comes out, so why pretend? I don’t put on a front or become someone I’m not. I’m the same goofy person in meetings, on LinkedIn, and with my friends, maybe a little more reined in at times, but what you see is what you get.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell is that I cared deeply for my people. That I showed up for them, fought for them, celebrated them, and made them feel seen. At the end of the day, the deals, the titles, the milestones will fade, but the impact you have on the people around you is what really lasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://getzinnia.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-goodell/
