TROUBLE

Some talks leave you inspired for the evening. Others stay with you long after the chairs are stacked and the wine glasses cleared.

Lauren Spearman’s appearance at Trouble Club Manchester was firmly the latter.

Known for her outspoken presence on TikTok and LinkedIn, where she challenges poor hiring practices, calls out pay opacity, and says the quiet part out loud(!!), Lauren brought something deeply personal to the room. What unfolded was a candid, thoughtful exploration of courage, career evolution, and what it really means to build a life and career aligned with your values.

Confidence Is Not the Goal. Courage Is.

One of the most powerful reframes Lauren shared was her rejection of confidence as something to wait for. “Confidence is a feeling. And a feeling is never a permanent state,” she explained. Instead, progress comes from action. “The action you need to take is courage.”

Rather than asking herself to feel confident, Lauren asks herself to act courageously. To do the uncomfortable thing anyway. To speak up - apply - leave - post -say no - all of the above or say something unpopular, even when the nerves are loud.

“I never say to myself, I need to be confident. I say, I need to be courageous,” she said. “I don’t have to feel something. I just have to do something.” For many in the room, this landed hard. Confidence was no longer a prerequisite. It was a by-product.

Being Shy and Outspoken Can Coexist

Lauren describes herself as shy, a word many people struggle to reconcile with her public presence. But throughout the conversation, she made it clear that these traits are not opposites.

“Confidence and shyness come in waves,” she said. “I think we assume you get confident and then you’re confident. That’s not how it works.”

Shyness shaped much of her early life and career. Speaking up did not come naturally. What changed was not her personality, but her willingness to repeatedly put herself in uncomfortable situations and survive them.

“I might find it uncomfortable, but I’m still going to do it,” she said simply.

Calling Things Out Has Not Cost Her Work. It Has Created It.

One of the most quietly radical parts of Lauren’s story is this: she has never pitched for work. Her consultancy has grown entirely through inbound demand, driven by her reputation for honesty. She shared examples of publicly criticising companies for unflattering practices, only to later be invited in to consult with them.

“People think honesty means rudeness. And they’re not the same,” she said. “If you’re hiring a consultant, you need someone who’s going to be honest.”

When asked about the fear of being too outspoken, she was clear: “People know what they’re going to get with me. And that’s why I get work.” The assumption that speaking out damages your career was directly challenged. In Lauren’s experience, being clear about your values filters opportunities rather than limits them.

Career Change Is Not Failure. It Is Normal.

Lauren spoke openly about leaving roles that no longer aligned, including the discomfort of walking away without a safety net.

“I’d rather be uncomfortable looking for work than stay somewhere longer than I have to,” she said.

She also dismantled the idea that careers should follow a neat, linear path. “The average person now changes career five to seven times,” she noted. “If change is inevitable, how do we get comfortable with it rather than scared of it?”

Rather than chasing job titles or external markers of success, Lauren encouraged the room to focus on alignment. Careers, like people, move in seasons.

Values Are the Real Career Strategy

If there was one framework that underpinned the entire talk, it was values. Lauren has clearly defined personal values including fun, variety, creativity, trust, honesty, and autonomy. These values guide her decisions, from the clients she works with to the opportunities she turns down.

“When I am doing things that align to my values, that’s when I feel the most successful,” she said. “When I’m misaligned, that’s when I’m at my most miserable.”

Instead of asking, Is this impressive? the question becomes: Does this align with how I want to live and work?

You Cannot Have Everything at Once

Despite being in what she described as a “season of abundance,” Lauren was candid about the trade-offs.

“I don’t believe we can have it all at the same time,” she said. “There are often sacrifices we make. It’s about choosing which ones.”

She spoke openly about burnout, boundaries, and learning to say no, including cancelling plans when her energy simply was not there. Balance, she argued, is not a permanent state but an ongoing negotiation.

No More Quiet Ambition

When asked what “No More Quiet Ambition” truly means, Lauren’s answer cut through the noise: “It’s not defining success by what society tells us it should be,” she said. “It’s defining what success looks like for you and not being afraid to say that out loud.”

Not broadcasting every goal. Not performing productivity. But refusing to shrink your wants, values, or standards to make others comfortable. Ambition does not have to be loud. But it should never be silent.

Why This Talk Mattered

This was not a motivational talk filled with platitudes. It was grounded, honest, and refreshingly human. Lauren summed it up best herself: “Most of the time, we regret the things we don’t do, not the things we do.”

If you left the room, you left clearer. If you missed it, you missed more than a speaker. You missed language for feelings you probably already had. And judging by the conversations that followed, this will not be the last time Lauren Spearman fills a Trouble Club room.

By Alicia Torres

Manchester Regional Host