Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Serrato.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
While I am a part of this story, this story is not about me. It’s about a company, Bridgehead IT, that gave a person a chance. A chance to take the final transformative step along a path toward success.
Life does not setup everyone up for success. There are some of us who begin from humble means. More than just the absence of financial stability, there are other factors at play. Social skills, digital connectivity, and economic mobility are some of the other gaps.
Breaching the barriers to a different life requires determination, the willingness to fail, and the nimbleness to grow forward. Ironically, these are some of the same principles that Bridgehead IT operates by.
To share my entire journey would undoubtedly be too much for a single interview. I will try to succinctly offer a glimpse into how I got here. More importantly, why San Antonio needs more businesses like Bridgehead IT. Not just the technology services, ethics, or expertise they offer, but the ability to extend opportunities to those with talent and initiative.
When I was accepted to the Art Institute of Chicago as a 17-year-old high-school drop-out, I was overjoyed. Leaving my entire life behind to start again in a different city, away from all the negative influences of the past, was no easy choice. However, as I had not anticipated, was that the actual journey there was not the end. After seeing the cost of tuition, I sought cheaper alternatives.
The hurdles of studying, learning how to live on my own, and growing up all at the same time often overwhelmed me.
Tools to navigate the social system of college alongside the professional in the post-college phase were something I was not taught. Ultimately, I did graduate, attaining the degree I could afford – associates in Graphic Design and Multimedia. Several years into the bitter cold winters of Chicago, I came back home to start again.
Over the next 20 years, I would work at minimum age jobs, slowly working my way up through the printing, pre-press, design, and marketing fields. Each stepping stone slides against the other in a progressive path forward. The executives around me often touted degrees from Universities I would have never been able to afford.
What was never said out loud was the unspoken exclusion, ‘you don’t fit in’. We cannot offer you that promotion or position; although you work hard, there’s just someone else that’s “better”. This was code for “you’re not one of us”. Having the experience and talent was not enough for most companies.
So I spent years, biding my time and honing my skills at every opportunity. As a lone parent, I stretched pennies and held tight to the goal of one day being given that opportunity. As it turned out, that opportunity would come in the form of a job offer from Wes Bunch, CEO at Bridgehead IT.
More than a fair financial opportunity to provide for my small family, it was the ability to put my skills to use to uplift a company that needed them. The ability to build a department with a company that embraces thought leaders is tremendous. It is an example of how business leaders can make a difference through opportunities.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The struggles along the way were many. Knowing there were others out there who sought to achieve success for their family, I kept to the path. Over the years, I built a freelance practice to make ends meet. I attended networking events. Stayed up late many nights formulating marketing strategies and conducting industry research.
I’d worked my whole life for the chance to achieve the stability I never experienced previously. What I did not know at the time was there was a small start-up out there, not yet called Bridgehead IT, that was slowly growing using the same grit I had. Wes Bunch and co-owner Chris Brandvik were 2 businessmen looking to build a different kind of company.
The small, unappealing building they planted their roots in was the hub. Over time, they’d invest in team members from unlikely backgrounds and support their growth. From all walks of life, they could spot talent amongst those who joined Bridgehead IT.
I wasn’t from a University, nor did I have an illustrious career adorned with accolades. What I did have was tenacity and intellect to compliment the team of technology experts at Bridgehead IT. All of whom refined their skills through certification programs and the mentorship of fellow team members. It was refreshing and exciting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
From the drop-down list above, I could select any one of the options and they would all be true. In the beginning, I said it was not about me, but I am part of the story and that is still true.
What I’m hoping to convey is that I’m not the only professional/creative/representative of a firm that has struggled. As a single parent, raising a child alone, I’m not unique in that either. What is unique is that I was offered the chance at a career, to build a department, and be a leader among leaders.
Bridgehead IT was the one that offered me that. If other organizations operated as they do, nimbly and investing equally in people, perhaps we would see more professionals/creatives/representatives of firms be able to offer the life for their families that dream of.
Are there imperfections? Sure. As with any business, however, the differentiator is that those at the top are asking the question, “How can we do better for our people?” If there is anything that we’ve learned from “The Great Resignation” it is that taking care of people is good for business.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Mentors are all around us, even the people who we might have a distaste for. The truth is that along the way there were guideposts of people who helped me from one step to the next. Sometimes that help came in the form of grocery money or a ride to work.
Other times it was counseled to move away from a dangerous neighborhood in order to seek something better and the money to pay for movers. I asked questions from everyone and fearlessly shared my story. When you’re willing to share, so are others in return. Moreover, I listened. I listened to lessons learned, advice on successes, and strategies for growth.
My best friend did not come into my life until well into adulthood, but that person is my shining star. However, if there is one bit of advice I would offer it is this. Look for the treasure in each person rather than only the single golden star.
In a world of opportunities, the connections we make with others are arguably the most important.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bridgeheadit.com/bridgeheadcares/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgeheaditsa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgeheadit/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bridgeheadit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC20oPXqj9uKGo5_J5jHK6Sg
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridgeheadit/
