Story & Lesson Highlights with Verena Lake

We recently had the chance to connect with Verena Lake and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Verena, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Those first 90 minutes truly set the tone for the entire day. I follow the SAVERS method from the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod: silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing.

I start with a good stretch, followed by opening up the blinds and windows for some fresh air. A fresh hot cup of tea is my daily delight and a soothing way to start the day. I’m getting back into the habit of making my bed every morning. It just makes you me so organized, peaceful, and accomplished. My bed is the largest object in my room, so if it’s disorganized, my thoughts tend to be the same way. Prayer is a huge part of my life, so I always take time to acknowledge Jesus’ mercy, faithfulness, and compassion for allowing me to see a new day. Sitting in His presence is where I get my silent moments. One of my favorite ways to connect with God is through the Jesus Always devotional by Sarah Young. Whenever I skip reading it, I feel a little empty. So it’s a must-do in the morning. I also have sticky notes with Bible verses in different parts of my house, so whenever I step into those rooms, I read them aloud as my affirmations. My favorites are Isaiah 43:4, Psalm 139:14, and Proverbs 23:18.

To be honest, I don’t always get or make the time to do the visualizations or exercise because I’m typically moving with a sense of urgency to get out of the house for work. BUT, on an ideal morning, Pinterest is my go-to for visualizing my dream life, and I’ll do some light stretches on my exercise mat to really wake me up. Then I’ll take about 5-15 mins to journal how I feel and what I’m grateful for. After all that, I indulge in a hot shower and skincare so I’m ready to start the day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a 26-year-old Caribbean native who turned my emotional intelligence and love for storytelling into a thriving copywriting agency: The Bosslingo Agency. In a world of spammy marketing and AI takeover, I focus on the power of human connection, authentic branding, and storytelling to help my clients generate thousands of dollars while getting the global brand recognition they deserve.

My writing career was birthed at a time when marketing scams were at an all-time high. So when I picked up the pen in 2022, I had one goal in mind: to eradicate soulless marketing and bring back the emotion in business. It breaks my heart to see hardworking people being taken advantage of or mistreated when they use their hard-earned money. And it’s equally disheartening to see well-meaning entrepreneurs with great products go out of business due to poor marketing…

The solution? Cash-generating copywriting services rooted in relationship building and empathetic marketing so that consumers get the transformations they’re yearning for and trustworthy businesses make more money. Everyone wins!

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Sadly, as a chil,d I used to perform for love and validation. I used to believe that I had to be perfect in everything that I did to be acknowledged and praised. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I was not perfect, and because I was so heavily dependent on external validation, it created a big void whenever that wasn’t received. Thankfully I have eradicated that sabotaging mindset and I embrace failure and learning. I now have that validation and love from within. Of course, it’s still great to get external support, but it’s different now. I can live without it, it no longer feels like a necessity. More importantly, I seek my validation from God. As long as I know that I am walking in what He wants and He is pleased with me, that’s all that really matters.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes! At the end of 2024 I was spiraling in imposter syndrome because of multiple disappointments in my business. It wasn’t where I wanted it to be financially and I made the mistake of taking that personally. I questioned myself so much. I questioned whether it was worth continuing to show up, I questioned if I was good enough, I questioned if this is where it all ends for me, I questioned if starting was a mistake. While it sucked in the moment because there was a lot of tears and confusion.

Looking back, I consider it to be a positive disintegration. Just as forest fires add nutrients to the soil and the pressure causes seeds to burst open for new forests to emerge… That’s how that era felt to me. It was in that darkness I not only recommitted to my goals but also changed why I was doing it. It was no longer about me just being successful and making a lot of money to indulge in luxury experiences. It’s now about walking in purpose and being obedient to what God told me to do because he has a plan to use it for his glory. I was very transparent about this. I’ve shared this with my community on Instagram and my email list multiple times because I know it’s something that a lot of entrepreneurs can relate to and might be battling with silently.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
My business rebrand is a project that I have committed to despite its taking an exorbitant amount of time to be completed. I started rebranding my business from a freelancer to an agency model at the beginning of 2024. I expected the rebrand to last about three to six months, but oh boy was I wrong. To be honest, I used to be embarrassed about sharing how long it’s taking, but I’ve learned to embrace the journey. While the visual aspect of the rebrand has been completed- new logo, color scheme, brand patterns and new messaging – the new services are still in transit because the website is still being built. The website is essentially the Billboard where all this new information and services are going to live. So it’s a crucial assest.

I’m fully aware that I can just post about them on social media and let people reach out to me via email or DM to inquire. However, I believe in creating seamless, memorable customer experiences that are intuitive and easy to follow. So solely relying on social media to promote the services is out of alignment with that belief. I want my clients to be able to come to the website, get all of the information they need, and apply right then and there. Because I’m outsourcing the website and the team has experienced numerous delays for different reasons, I’m being patient until it’s done. It’s a lot more complicated than just finding a new agency to do the website because of previous agreements that are in place. Nonetheless, I believe in these new services and brand identity enough to be patient and launch them when they are in total alignment with the vision I created for them.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
The power of deep human connection and friendship. I am a lover girl, I appreciate both platonic and intimate relationships. I’ll focus more on the platonic side here today. It’s sad to see how many people go around with surface-level friendships. I believe that to be loved is to be known. Yet still, so many people limit how authentically they show up. Whether it’s because of past trauma or fear of rejection, so no one truly knows them and they miss out on one of the most precious experiences in this lifetime: true, loving, genuine friendship.

Moreover, I am a firm believer that you can have friends in business. You’ve probably heard the saying that “there’s no friends in business”. It’s so cliché and, in my opinion, very outdated. Why would I want to do business with someone I don’t like or enjoy working with? That’s why I focus a lot on creating deep connections for both my clients and myself in my copywriting agency. Through nurturing emails and emotionally charged copy, I help my clients connect to their customers on a heart level so they become the go-to brand for their customers. Within my agency, that looks like only working with brands who truly light me up and make me feel appreciated and fulfilled. Because that’s when I truly give my all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebosslingoagency.com
• Instagram: @thebosslingoagency