Impact at LARA: Setting the Tone for 2026

Impact is more than a word at LARA. This episode sets the tone for Season Two, introducing LARA’s 2026 Word of the Year and sharing how storytelling will help highlight the real-life difference LARA’s work makes across Michigan.

Transcript

Anastasha Osborn: 0:20

Happy 2026 and welcome back to the LARA Living Room. I'm your host, Anastasha. Yes, I'm still here, and I'm so excited to officially kick off season two of our podcast. Now, if you've listened to the final episode of season one, you know that I did leave you a little bit on your toes anticipating if there would be a second season. So here we are. We do have a second season in store for you, and I'm so happy that you decided to come back and listen in today. For those of you, if this is your first time here, welcome. And I want to kind of tell you a little bit about our podcast so you kind of know what to expect. So the LARA Living Room truly is a space where we like to kind of slow things down just a little bit and talk about the work of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, also known as LARA. We'll use that a lot. And just like the name suggests, the goal really is for us to make it seem like you stepped into our living room for a little catch up. So there's not going to be all this heavy jargon, or at least we will do our best. We will try to make sure we break down anything that needs explaining. We do tend to use a lot of acronyms, which I will always make sure to repeat what those are, what they mean. But truly, this is just a chance for us to sit down, connect, and talk about what's happening and the work that we're doing in a way that just feels very human. And while this podcast is for our external stakeholders and partners, it is also very much for our LARA staff. And today's episode is going to feel a little bit different than season one. It's just going to be you and me, and we're going to be setting the tone for the year ahead. And because of that, I think that's a good segue into me doing a little introduction about myself as your host. So I was born and raised right here in Michigan's capital city of Lansing, and I've been with Team LARA for going on eight years. Um, and I've had the opportunity really to grow in a variety of roles along the way. I actually started as a customer service representative in the cannabis regulatory agency's customer service section. I then moved into a social equity representative role where I was actually one of two individuals who helped build really the foundation of what exists now as a social equity program within the cannabis regulatory agency. And then from there I moved into the director's office here at LARA as the assistant deputy director. And then most recently, which I'm so excited to announce, in the fall of 2025, I became the Communications Director for LARA. So that's just a little bit about me. Um, but most importantly, I love having these conversations and I'm so honored that I get the opportunity to share LARA's story through this platform. So, without further ado, you know how we like to kick things off in these episodes, but with a friendly reminder to fill up your coffee or your drink of choice and grab a seat, get comfortable because you are now in the LARA living room. All right, let's go ahead and jump on in. The theme is going to be about 2026 and kind of what we're going to be envisioning for this year. So to kind of preface that, each year at LARA, we like to pick a word of the year. And it's really meant to help ground us. I think it's it gives us something to kind of come back to as we think about how we work, how we're going to be supporting one another, and then how we're moving our mission forward, which is to protect people and promote business. And this is not meant to be, I just want to say it's not meant to be like a buzzword or something or like a slogan. Um, but I feel like it's more of a shared way of thinking, and that's something that we'll carry out throughout the year as kind of a motivator. So, for example, in 2024, our word of the year was excellence. And that year was really all about setting a strong foundation and reminding ourselves to look beyond our individual to-do list. And then in 2025, we shifted into uh growth, which is our word of the year. And then growth really meant for us learning new skills, working better together, and being open to change, even when it felt uncomfortable. And now for 2026, our word of the year is drumroll, impact. And impact is about really the difference our work actually makes in people's lives. It's that positive effect we have on the individuals and businesses and communities across Michigan. And at LARA, impact doesn't happen in isolation. It grows out of that foundation of excellence and our willingness to keep learning and evolving. And I feel like we can really see that when we deliver results that are thoughtful and people focused, and when we stay centered on impact, our everyday work turns into something lasting and meaningful for you, the Michiganders. So this year, we're also going to be more intentional about how we show that impact. So you're gonna notice we'll be sharing more stories. So, more stories about our work, the progress that we are making, and then the outcomes that are gonna highlight really the value and importance of public service. And then again, really just the difference that LARA makes across the state. So once we landed on our word of the year impact, I feel like it got us thinking about something else, and not just what we do, but how we talk about it. So, one of our goals this year was to be more intentional about telling LARA's story, and I feel like for a long time our work has kind of spoken for itself. And honestly, that that's just really something to be proud of, and I'll happily brag about it, but the reality is we don't take the time to really share these stories, and a lot of them do go unheard. And so, storytelling is going to help us tell you and help other people understand why our work matters in the first place. So it's going to help explain why regulation isn't just paperwork, right? Uh, it's going to show us what public service actually looks like day to day, and then also, of course, helping connect the dots between LARA's work and then our mission itself of protecting people and promoting business across the state and what does that really look like. So, this season we're trying to move beyond just listing things like what we do. We do XYZ. Instead, we want to spend more time talking about why that matters and then who it impacts. And because when people understand, I feel like the story behind the work, then they can understand that impact in a whole new way. So once we really started thinking differently about how we tell our stories, I feel like that also shaped what we wanted the season to really look and feel like. And so season two's primary focus is going to be on impact in action. So over the next few months, you're gonna hear a lot of conversations that explore why public service matters, how trust is built over time. We're gonna be talking about different career paths that bring people to Lara and then really what keeps them here. And then we'll also break down, you know, our work and how it touches so many different parts of everyday life. Um, we'll also take you behind the scenes a bit. We're gonna, as I mentioned in season one, pull back that curtain. And some episodes will also be focused on leadership perspective and big picture thinking. Others are going to bring in those staff members that work behind the scenes and just really trying to, again, build out that picture and show you what it is that we do here at Lara. Because at the end of the day, every episode comes back to one simple question, and that is how does LARA's work show up in real life? And really, as we kick off the season, I truly invite you just to listen to every episode with that question in mind. Impact doesn't always look flashy, I guess. Sometimes it's like something going right and quietly because the right people, the right systems, and the proper safeguards were put in place. And that's the story that we want to tell. So I look forward to season two. I appreciate you being here. Thank you so much for listening. And as we always like to close out from our living room to yours, we'll see you next time.