Lala Sorenson

I am a Professional Civil Engineer, Core Energy Leadership Coach through iPEC, and founder of Own the C.H.A.I.R.™.

I come from a family where formal education was a privilege previous generations never had. When I started school, I wasn't just another child entering a classroom—I was my family's ticket out of poverty, a symbol of hope for what education could make possible.

It was a gift, but it was also a responsibility. With this responsibility came the quiet pressure. I had to be worthy of the pedestal I put myself on; I had to be perfect. If I fail, my family will fail with me.

I carried those beliefs with me into adulthood.

I worked hard. I set ambitious goals. I earned degrees. I built a career. I immigrated to the United States more than 18 years ago and created opportunities I once only dreamed about. And every time I reached a milestone, I immediately set another one: the next promotion, the next certification, the next accomplishment, the next goal.

At work, that drive helped me achieve a lot—but it also kept me on a treadmill of never feeling like it was enough. The satisfaction was short-lived before the questions crept in: What could I have done better? What didn't go well? What do people think of me? Eventually, those questions turned into judgment, and no matter what I accomplished, the message was often the same: not good enough.

From the outside, life looked successful, and in many ways, it was. But underneath it all, I was exhausted. No milestone provided the lasting fulfillment I thought it would. I spent years chasing the feeling that I would finally be worthy once I accomplished the next thing.

Through iPEC coaching program, I experienced what it felt like to examine the beliefs, assumptions, and patterns that had quietly shaped my decisions for decades. I began to see how much of my life had been driven by perfectionism, fear of failure, and the belief that my worth depended on what I achieved. It changed me deeply. I started to let go of the idea of perfection, and for the first time in a very long time, I found the courage to stop the chase and rest.

In the spring of 2026, I stood before more than 170 people at my employer's anniversary and delivered a keynote speech. Years earlier, I would have obsessed over every word, every mistake, and every possibility that something could go wrong.

This time was different.

I walked onto that stage knowing I might forget a line. I might stumble over a word. I might not deliver it perfectly. And I was okay with that.

I wasn't there to prove myself.

I spoke from a place of purpose, authenticity, and alignment. The room felt it. Dozens of people approached me to share how deeply the message resonated with them.

That moment didn't create my transformation.

It revealed it.

In many ways, that moment became part of the foundation for what would eventually become Own the C.H.A.I.R.™. It reinforced a belief that leadership isn't built on perfection, but on self-trust—and inspired a mission to help other women stop waiting until they feel perfectly ready before stepping forward.

Today, I help analytical women in STEM move beyond perfectionism and self-doubt so they can trust themselves more deeply, navigate difficult conversations with confidence, make high-stakes decisions with clarity, and create careers and lives that feel aligned with who they truly are.

I know what it's like to spend years chasing the next milestone while wondering why fulfillment still feels out of reach. And I know what becomes possible when you stop trying to earn your worth and start trusting yourself instead.

Over time, I've come to believe that success becomes far more meaningful when it is rooted in self-trust rather than constant striving. When our decisions, actions, and ambitions are aligned with who we truly are, we experience greater clarity, confidence, fulfillment, and purpose.

That belief is at the heart of Own the Chair.