Fate favors the fearless: Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laura Henkels
Story by MARRIE STONE
Photos by Mary Hurlbut
Necessity isn’t just the mother of invention. It’s also the mother of reinvention. And Laura Henkels, Executive Director of the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, has mastered the art of reinventing herself over and over again. Though some of her prior careers may not seem like natural stepping stones to her current role as director, every field she’s mastered has honed her skills, expanded her knowledge, perfected her approachable style, and made Laura the ideal fit for a very fun job.
Hair today, gone to work tomorrow
The year was 2011 and the country was still suffering under the effects of the recession. Laura, a single mother of two sons, had been laid off. Panic started to settle in. A childhood friend worked as a hairdresser at Tiare Hair Design on Forest Avenue, and offered to do her hair. But fate had more than a great hairstyle in store for Laura that day. A woman sat next to her and overheard Laura’s story. “There’s a job opening at the Chamber of Commerce,” she said. “Come work with me.”
Within days, Laura was the Marketing and Event Manager for the Chamber of Commerce.
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Laura Henkels, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce
A year later, without even applying for the job, she was promoted to Executive Director. “I had no idea when they called me into the office that they were offering me the job,” she says.
Laura had always worked in the private sector. “The traditional path would involve city or government background, experience with nonprofit organizations, or working with member-based groups,” says Laura. “But when I look back, everything I’d done had prepared me well for this job.”
Looking at Laura’s resume, filled with sales and marketing experience for newspapers, banks and businesses, it makes sense after all that she was prepared to be an effective Director for the Chamber of Commerce.
Laura is a people person. Her ease with every kind of personality is remarkable. She’s a natural conversationalist, engaged and curious. She’ll chat with the homeless as easily as she’ll talk to the town’s mayor, business leaders, or the fire chief. Her skills cut across industries, subject matter, and time.
“I started over at 50. Everything about this job is so different,” Laura says. “But I pick things up quickly. And I absolutely love what I do.”
She’s happy taking risks and trying new things. In a word, Laura is fearless.
From philosophy to finance
The fearlessness started young. Laura put herself through college, working at Lake Tahoe as a blackjack dealer. Self-sufficiency is another theme that’s played throughout Laura’s life. “I’m really proud of that,” she says. She double majored in philosophy and political science, setting her sights on law school. She credits those degrees with honing her critical thinking skills.
Shortly after college, while working in retail in the Bay area, she was recruited to Citibank, starting as a teller in a satellite branch out of a grocery store. “I was recruited right off of the retail sales floor at The Broadway…by a president of the bank,” says Laura.
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Laura Henkels with Nia Evans, events & marketing manager – an awesome team
Within two years, she was one of the first females chosen by Citibank California to be licensed as a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and, sponsored in earning both Series 7 and Series 63 licenses, qualified as a fully licensed Private Wealth Manager.
From there, Laura was recruited by the Los Angeles Times to “work the wire-houses” in Manhattan and their agencies in order to make their business section profitable. Within a year, she was promoted to events manager for the Los Angeles Times and all of its national offices.
Laura never had to look for a job. She was sought after and recruited, again and again. Each time she took the challenge, leaving lucrative and stable careers in favor of trying something new.
History repeats itself
Laura’s love of local businesses, entrepreneurship, and adventure may have come naturally. Her grandfather was a partner in the oldest retail store in downtown Los Angeles, Dearden’s.
In the 1940s, Laura’s grandfather, who spoke only Spanish, had a vision. He convinced his partner to cater their business to the Hispanic market. Seventy years ago, Latinos were not a target audience for retailers. But Dearden’s offered a sales staff that spoke Spanish, and an in-store credit program for their clients. They sold electronics, furniture and, more recently, cookware, watches, perfume and more. They weathered recessions, adapted to trends and market changes, and cultivated a culture of loyalty among their customers.
Dearden’s department store celebrated 108 years in business this year, making it one of the longest running institutions in L.A. Sadly, however, after suffering from the recent recession and crippled by competition in the online market, the store was forced to close its doors—and all eight branches—last week.
Her grandfather’s legacy lives large in Laura’s mind. “Laguna Beach is unique,” she says. “There’s so much support from all the businesses and members. That support is critical because retail is tough.” Laura brings that respect for her grandfather’s model to her work. She laments how much business now goes either online or out of town, and sees the impact of those consumer decisions on our local shops.
Memory Lane intersects Laguna Canyon Road
Memories of her grandfather mingle with her earliest memories of Laguna Beach. Laura began coming to the town as a child in the 1960s. Her family had a house near Ben Brown’s. She has vivid memories of Laguna Canyon Road in the 1970s. “People sold stuff out of their vans—incense, rugs, macramé plant holders. It looked like the Sawdust Festival stretched down the street.” The town always drew artists, bohemians, hippies, and entrepreneurs. Some of those early years in Laguna still remain among her favorite memories.
Santa’s chauffeur
Now Laura makes memories for her own children. One notable opportunity came a few years back, when Laura acted as driver for Santa Claus on Laguna’s annual Hospitality Night. 2013 was her first year as Events Manager at the Chamber, and she was tasked with transferring Santa to the firehouse. Her son, Dillon, was eight at the time and still a firm believer in all things Christmas. Clearly, his mom had the coolest gig in the world. She even let him bring his best friend along for the ride.
“Santa pulled up in a Toyota Camry,” Laura recalls. “Dillon looked a little worried, wondering why Santa wasn’t in his sleigh. I told him Santa was trying to stay under the radar.” Dillon seemed to accept this, particularly because this man had to be the real deal. His beard was 100 percent authentic.
“Dillon’s eyes were like saucers,” Laura says. “He couldn’t even speak. Then his friend asked, ‘What kind of job does your mom have?’ and Dillon told him, ‘She’s the lawyer in charge of Laguna.’”
Let’s face it. Laura’s cooler than any lawyer. Among other things, she’s Santa’s chauffeur.
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The Chamber works hard to inform residents and visitors about local businesses
The Chamber of Commerce is hard at work all year round. But there are a few notable events Laura encourages residents not to miss.
Small Business Saturday: Held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday encourages the community to “think local, be local, and buy local.” Businesses take to the sidewalks, offering special deals and promotions. Guests carry a passport, stamped by each business they visit. They can submit that passport into a raffle for prizes. Last year, that included a two-night stay at The Ranch.
State of the City: The annual State of the City luncheon takes place each spring at the Montage Resort. It gives attendees the opportunity to hear the city’s activities, including planning and infrastructure projects, customer service enhancements and the city’s financial condition. It’s one of the most well attended events in town, bringing together citizens, non-profits, businesses, city council members and others.
Taste of Laguna: The event takes place in the fall on the Festival of Arts grounds. Thirty-five local restaurants participate, recreating their unique dining spaces in a beautiful environment, and allowing chefs to interact with the guests. “It feels like you’re a tourist in Italy, stumbling into this incredible night. It’s one of those experiences that stay in your mind the rest of your life,” says Laura. “It’s just that magical.”
A few of Laura’s favorite local businesses
Who better to ask about local shops and restaurants than the Director of the Chamber of Commerce? Laura agreed to share a few favorites:
With two teenage boys in her house, Laura can’t stay away from Hobie Surf Shop. “There’s always something in there for all three of us,” she says.
Then there’s Buy Hand. Everything in Buy Hand is made—yes—by hand. From jewelry to home goods, pet bling to baby clothes, every piece is unique and one-of-a-kind. “A perfect shop for gifts,” says Laura. “I love that it’s owned by two sisters and features the work of local artists.”
Laura is a self-proclaimed bibliophile. Her weekends are spent in libraries and bookstores. Laguna Beach Books, with its knowledgeable staff and on-point recommendations, topped her list of places she loves.
Then there’s the farro salad dish at the Lumberyard. And the $10 lunches at Skyloft. The list goes on – far too long to print all her favorites here.
Laguna is Laura’s kind of town
There’s something about Laguna. It’s energetic while it’s tranquil. It’s inspiring while it’s healing. It’s bold while it’s beautiful. It’s social and soulful, vibrant and peaceful, artistic and entrepreneurial. And it rewards the person who craves reinvention. Laura seems drawn to all those things.
19th century poet James Russell Lowell once said, “Fate loves the fearless.” That rings true for Laura. It was fate, every time, that led her to something new. And fearlessness that allowed her to make the leap.