Ep. 44 with Lauren Duke | Owner & Founder, CoreOps Collective Artwork

Reclaiming Your Hue

About:

At Reclaiming Your Hue, I am dedicated to empowering women to embrace and amplify their inherent brilliance. My mission is to inspire mothers and entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential and radiate their true selves.

I believe in nurturing both the entrepreneurial spirit and the nurturing essence of motherhood, recognizing that our light is not just for us but for the community we build and inspire. I am committed to providing support, resources, and a platform for women to not only reclaim their vibrancy but to also illuminate the paths for others.

My goal is to foster an environment where diminishing oneself is unnecessary, and where every woman is encouraged to shine boldly and without reservation, as we are all born to manifest the greatness within us. By liberating ourselves from our doubts, we collectively empower each other to live fearlessly and vibrantly!

Core Values of RYH:

Faith: Believing in the power of faith to guide and sustain us, trusting in our journey, and finding strength and resilience through spiritual connection and conviction.
Empowerment: Dedicated to empowering women to embrace and amplify their inherent brilliance, inspiring mothers and entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential and radiate their true selves.

Community and Support: Committed to nurturing both the entrepreneurial spirit and the nurturing essence of motherhood, recognizing that our light is for the community we build and inspire. Providing support, resources, and a platform for women to reclaim their vibrancy and illuminate paths for others.

Encouragement and Boldness: Fostering an environment where diminishing oneself is unnecessary, encouraging every woman to shine boldly and without reservation, manifesting the greatness within.

Fearlessness and Vibrancy: Liberating ourselves from doubts to collectively empower each other to live fearlessly and vibrantly, embracing and celebrating our inherent brilliance.

All Episodes

Reclaiming Your Hue

Ep. 44 with Lauren Duke | Owner & Founder, CoreOps Collective

April 15, 2025 • Kelly Kirk • Season 1 • Episode 44

Building Foundations, Breaking Cycles

Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussions around mental health and suicidal ideation. Please take care while listening.

In this episode, Kelly Kirk sits down with Lauren Duke, founder of Core Ops Collective, a powerhouse in operations leadership and real estate systems strategy. From hairstylist and military spouse to multi-business entrepreneur, Lauren’s story is one of grit, grace, and real growth.

Lauren shares her winding journey—from doing hair in Alaska and Italy, to launching a virtual assistant company supported by family, and then an unexpected leap into real estate. After working within a high-powered expansion team that did over 3,000 transactions a year, Lauren saw the cracks in the foundation of hustle culture—burnout, blurred boundaries, and reactive systems. Instead of patching holes, she set out to build something different.

Peaks & Valleys of Her Journey:

Burnout and Breakthrough: While juggling a high-pressure role and motherhood, Lauren found herself losing presence—especially during pivotal moments like childbirth. A wake-up call came when she realized she couldn’t remember the birth of her second son because she was mentally absent.
Postpartum Darkness: During her third pregnancy, Lauren faced deep depression, weight gain, and near-hospitalization. It wasn’t until after giving birth that she felt the “clouds lifted,” attributing healing to a mix of support, medication, and faith.
Mental Health and Boundaries: Lauren now relies on a mix of medication, deep self-awareness, and values-based decision-making to stay grounded. Her mantra: “Core values are the North Star.”
From Chaos to Clarity: Core Ops Collective was born in May 2023 after a business pivot. She now guides agents in building businesses with a foundation—prioritizing systems, sustainability, and soul.

Powerful Reflections: