The Business Bio
Laura (Benjamin) Lollar, is the founder of Communicate Colorado, a veteran-owned consulting and facilitation business in Colorado Springs. Since 1997, Laura has worked with Fortune 100 firms, non-profits, the U.S. military, boards, trusts, trade associations and independent businesses throughout Colorado, the U.S., Canada, Germany and Great Britain. Laura has spoken on three continents for groups of 5-500 and was twice designated a Meeting Professionals International “Platinum Program Speaker”. She has facilitated leadership retreats, board meetings, team-building, staff development and partnering meetings.
A few of her clients have included UCCS, Colorado Dept. of Transportation, Spectranetics, Junior Achievement, U.S. Army at Fort Carson CO and Fort Lewis WA, State of Florida, Cabela’s/Bass Pro, Paint Brush Hills Metropolitan District, Christian Meetings and Conventions Association, National High School Rodeo Association, The Independence Center, USA Volleyball, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Habitat for Humanity and Small Business Development Centers, among others. Click here for a partial client list.
Laura is creator of the CARLA Concept™ Communication Model. She is also co-author of The Camp Book with her 93 year old mother, and forthcoming books, The CARLA Concept, The Farmer’s Family, Cabin Mama Stories and Personal Horsepower. Her work has been featured on television, radio, online journals, newspapers and trade magazines. Laura has been a commencement speaker and guest lecturer at colleges and universities on leadership, customer service and professional success.
Earlier in her career, Laura served on the Communication Staff for the Mayor and City of Colorado Springs. At Current Inc., she was a Customer Service and Sales Team Manager who supervised an operations team of 100+ employees. She also led an upsell and cross-sell initiative at that 400-person call center which achieved almost $1M in added revenue. At the Rochester Institute of Technology and National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID), Laura was a Senior Human Resources and Employee Benefits Specialist who supported over 2500 faculty and staff, including the deaf and hearing-impaired.
Laura served her country as a decorated Non-commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force, with seven years active duty as a Paralegal. She was also a volunteer member of the Base Honor Guard Team, where she provided military honors in support of deceased service members and their grieving families. During her enlistment, she attended the Non-commissioned Officers Leadership School and earned a USAF Commendation Medal, Marksmanship Ribbon and an Honorable Discharge.
In a volunteer capacity, Laura was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to serve two, three-year terms in a public-at-large role on the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Advisory Council (RAC) for Colorado. She is Past-president of the Colorado Springs Society for Human Resources Management and volunteered for the Home Front Cares Welcome Home Heroes Program, Junior Achievement, Young Women of the West and Colorado State Parks and Wildlife. She also served on the boards of the National Speakers Association Colorado Chapter, Pikes Peak Partnership, Pikes Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Black Forest, Colorado, Educational Opportunity Foundation (EOF), a scholarship program for high school seniors. Laura is also a graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies and member of the Colorado-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
Please contact me to discuss a facilitation, speaking engagement or to appear as a guest on your podcast. Best regards, Laura
THE PERSONAL STORY
The eldest in a big Catholic family, Laura grew up in Upstate New York among the woods and waters of the Finger Lakes area. Dad was a farmer and Mom was a city girl. Together they raised six children who all eventually moved to Colorado. Laura published her first newsletter articles on a blue mimeograph machine when the nuns weren’t watching. She joined the United States Air Force after high school to serve her country and get a college degree. Laura has worked at a college, in a phone center, sold vinyl checkbook covers, cleaned stalls on a 400 head horse farm and blogged for the Mayor of Colorado Springs. She launched her business in 1997 and has traveled the world facilitating, speaking and consulting. Laura raised her three young un’s in a townhouse and later moved to a 1924 log cabin in Black Forest, Colorado. She lost it all in a 2013 wildfire and then rebuilt. Laura and her husband Doug were married in 2017 and live in Black Forest near Colorado Springs. Laura has hunted deer and elk in northwest Colorado, and enjoys camping and kayaking. She also writes humor at CabinMama.com.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“It was the best class we ever had at Fort Carson. We need you back!” —Sean Stewart, Director NAF Support Division at USAG Fort Carson, Colorado
“If you are looking for a top-notch trainer for your next speaking engagement, look no further! Laura (Benjamin) Lollar is an incredible, engaging, and powerful speaker. We were very fortunate to have her expertise at a Staff Development Day training where she gave our folks extremely useful skills around the topic of Internal Customer Service. Not only is she an incredible trainer, she is highly organized, easy to work with, and skilled in her field. Thank you Laura, for everything you did for my staff! Positive Affirmations have been pouring out from them since our training!” — Angela Ibrahim, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs CO
From Junior Achievement’s National Leadership Conference: Employee Retention
- “Laura’s humor paired with her step-by-step toolkit made this workshop topnotch. I loved her real-world applications and how she connected everything to a personal example or story. I am glad I elected to attend THIS workshop!” —Ashley Adamson
- “Laura’s session helped me not only gain tools to communicate with the ‘Godzillas’ in my world, but see that I’m not alone.” —Tammy Bixby
- “Go for ‘No’ BLEW my mind!” —S.S.
- “I really enjoyed this session and feel it will seamlessly translate back to my office and be easily applicable. She weaved in humor and kept it fun! Loved it! —Anonymous
From USA Volleyball National Conference: Dealing with Difficult People
- Easy to understand. No dead points or lulls in conversation. —Quinton Kraeer
- She had some great information about how to deal with very difficult people. Highly recommend. —Amber Turner
- Dense, realistic tools (in one hour) to deal with difficult people. —John Kessel
- Laura, you’ve always been fantastic. You rock! So glad to make contact with you again! —Carla Hall
- A very good speaker who suggested good tools to use both in everyday life and in the work environment. —Amber Scott
- Very charismatic, great speaker. —Irina Day
- Great, upbeat, concise effective speaker. —Tim Ambruso
- Inspirational. Informative. Engaging. —Patricia Daughert
