With May being when our annual “Women” issue comes out, we thought it would be fun to spotlight and introduce our community to a few female movers and shakers in our area: Lauren M. Underwood of Bingham Legal Group PC, Trish Crowder of Exelnt Designs and Liz Snoblen of Monster Tree Service of West Bloomfield.
Lauren M. Underwood
Owner/Managing Partner of Bingham Legal Group PC
WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED? Solving problems for clients. My work is multifaceted: I deal with human, emotional issues and apply the law and procedure to help people navigate them. This work calls on technical expertise and knowledge but applies to people in the real world. That makes it all worthwhile.
WHAT ARE SOME POSITIVE THOUGHTS YOU KEEP IN MIND DURING DIFFICULT TIMES? That life is really very simple, and it is important to find joy in small things. Right now, the daffodils are coming up— a sure sign of spring! I appreciate the abundance that we have in our lives, and I have faith that there is always good in life and in us— even during difficult times.
WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION/MOTIVATOR? Wow, that’s a long list! I have many colleagues who motivate me. I am also inspired by innovators including Amelia Earhart, Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the women who inspired “Hidden Figures” with their groundbreaking work at NASA, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jane Goodall and many more!
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING AS THE WEATHER WARMS UP? Getting outside more often and spending time outside with friends and family! I hope to see a Tiger’s game in-person! I will be enjoying the Farmington Farmers Market, an open-air concert or two, hikes in some of our wonderful parks and especially the Detroit Jazz Festival over Labor Day Weekend!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF? Trust your instincts!
Trish Crowder
President, Designer, Fit Expert and Sales at Custom Swimwear by Exelnt Designs
HOW DO YOU RECHARGE AFTER A BUSY DAY/SEASON? I love to kite surf and snowboard.
WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED? My customers! They love our suits and how our suits make them feel, and they keep coming back every year!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF? Save money and enjoy your youth!
WHAT ARE SOME POSITIVE THOUGHTS YOU KEEP IN MIND DURING DIFFICULT TIMES? God only will give you what you can handle. Life is a journey, and I need to remind myself to enjoy the ride.
WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATOR? Sidney Powell.
Liz Snoblen
President/Owner of Monster Tree Service of West Bloomfield
HOW DO YOU RECHARGE AFTER A BUSY DAY/SEASON? I play with my three corgis or spend time in the barn listening to our horses munch hay.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A SUCCESSFUL WORK-LIFE BALANCE? I try to keep my priorities in this order: God, family, work. I make everything I do intentional. I’m a morning person, so I make time for myself in the mornings while it's quiet and everyone is asleep. I maintain a calendar that my family shares. We all know what each other is doing, and this allows myself and others in my family to ensure we make ourselves available for each other. I make an effort to carve out time (including date nights) for my family each week. If I keep this focus, everything falls into place each day.
WHAT ARE SOME POSITIVE THOUGHTS YOU KEEP IN MIND DURING DIFFICULT TIMES? There is nothing I cannot overcome with the help of God through prayer and thanksgiving; difficult times are just blips in the cycle of life with the good/easy times just around the corner; learn from it and then move on; don’t dwell on the negative.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING AS THE WEATHER WARMS UP? Getting outside more and camping/trail riding with my husband. We love to camp with our horses.