Lauren is up for a challenge

February 16, 2021

PR is not just fun and games, but one of our newest teammates might just prove us wrong. Lauren Bech-Hansen is passionate about puzzles and shared some of her favourite challenges with us.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I am surprisingly very good at logic puzzles! For about the past eight years I have played Sudoku religiously, completing at least one puzzle a day. My Sudoku books have turned into a journal-of-sorts, as I note my location, the date, and a little blurb about whatever I am doing/listening to/interested in at the time. Over the years, my love of Sudoku broadened to encompass KenKens, Kakuro’s, and most recently, chess. I am not ashamed to admit that my chess-obsession began post-Queen’s Gambit (as did apparently 2.8 million other people in November alone), and while I’m no Beth Harmon, I will take this opportunity to humbly brag about my current ranking, which sits at about 1200.

What are you looking forward to in your new role at K&P?

There are so many things that I am looking forward to in this new role – be it gaining exposure to industries that I would have never otherwise experienced, supporting initiatives for our clients, developing my story-telling skills, navigating agency life… the list goes on. But what I am most looking forward to is the opportunity to work with such an experienced, dedicated and talented group of people. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business and am excited to be a part of such a powerhouse team.

Who inspires you?

Ever since I read An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, my answer to this question has always been the same: Chris Hadfield. At only nine years old, Hadfield decided that he wanted to be an astronaut after watching the moon landing from a farmhouse in rural Ontario. The problem? Human space exploration was nowhere near on the horizon for any Canadian (NASA had a strict Americans-only policy and the CSA did not exist until 1989). And while the trajectory to NASA is well-known today, it was not at the time – Hadfield had to guess the route to NASA. I’ll spare you the details, but his passion and commitment to achieving his dreams is truly inspiring.

What does your playlist look like?

In addition to my schtick with logic puzzles, I also have a slight obsession with making playlists for every possible mood and occasion. I have about 130 at the time of writing. My favourite genres range from classics, to alternative, to indie folk, to rap. Some artists that feature prominently across a lot of my playlists include Still Woozy, Dominic Fike, Roy Orbison, The Strokes, Brockhampton, Odesza, Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend and The Shins.

We are so pleased that Lauren has chosen to share her analytic skills with us. They will definitely come in handy in this job. And all those brain teasers are certainly paying off. We are loving how quickly she’s learning about our clients, taking on complex projects only one month in! and adapting to our culture. Such a smart opening gambit!

Have a question? Interested in finding out more?