Local Business Spotlight - Laura B Folkes

Meet Laura B Folkes, a Certified Holistic Health Coach based in Chicago supporting clients globally. She goes beyond weight loss support and can help you uncover the real reasons you’re feeling stuck in your health journey. Read our interview with Laura to learn about her background and why she became a health coach as well as what she loves doing outside of running her business.

Give us a small backstory of how your business started.

I struggled with my weight from the age of 12 and did multiple diets where I would lose weight and then gain it all back, plus more. In 2008 while working in advertising, I lost 60 pounds and was maintaining my weight for a few years. As I was going through my weight loss journey, I found my friends and co-workers coming to me for advice and guidance as they were going through their journeys too. When I was exploring what I wanted to do next, that memory kept coming up when really thinking about my purpose and passion. I ended up learning about health coaching from a friend in 2013 and decided to get my certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. While I was studying for my certification, even though I was maintaining my weight, I was also doing what I call “working the system.” I would eat well for a while, then eat whatever I wanted, gain a couple pounds, freak out about gaining the weight back so I would rein it in again and lose the weight. I knew what I was supposed to be eating but something was stopping me from consistently sticking with it. Because I recognized this pattern didn’t seem right, I started working with my own Health Coach to explore my relationship and patterns around food. It was then that I realized that food is so much more for many of us than a way to nourish our bodies. There is a lot of meaning behind the foods we love and eat. When we can start to identify what that meaning is and the triggers that lead to eating out of alignment with our goals, the role of food can start to shift.

What are some of your favorite moments of running your business?

Hands down it's working with my amazing clients who trust me to support them on this challenging and rewarding journey with them. When we get to the last session and they see how far they've come and how much their relationship with food has shifted, it's the most rewarding thing!

What is one thing that many people may not know about you or your business?

A few things people may not know about me is I'm married to an Aussie and we lived in Sydney for two years. In regards to my business, people may not know this type of support exists. Many new and potential clients will say they wish they knew something like this existed years ago. We often know what we "should" be eating but we're not consistently doing it even though we have the desire to reach our goals. Being able to break that pattern and understand that it isn't because of lack of willpower or discipline is really relieving and can lead to sustainable change.

Do you have any hobbies that you do outside of running your business?

I love ice skating! I fell in love with the sport while taking a figure skating class my freshman year in college. After that, I dove head first into making it a hobby and would skate four times a week. At one point I even had three coaches and would wake up at 5:15 to be on the ice by 6:00 before going to work for the day. I no longer do jumps and spins and now focus on ice dancing.

What are some businesses you love in Lakeview or Roscoe Village?

In addition to many great restaurants like Same Same and Turquoise, I love Angela Garbot Photography for her amazing photography skills and Cashmere and Wit for approachable personal styling.

What are the best ways people can support your business right now?

If you know of anyone who struggles with their relationship with food and finds it challenging to remain consistent, I'd love to chat with them during a 40-minute Curiosity Call. The call is free from shame, guilt and judgment. They'll fill me in on their challenges with their relationship with food, gain some insight, and will have a safe space to talk about what's been swirling around in their mind. They'll also walk away knowing the steps to create sustainable change (no willpower required)!