Womaness Woman: Judy Schoenberg & Linda Lautenberg

Interviews & Essays - September 24, 2023

By Womaness Editors 4-Minute Read

Co-founders of EvolveMe Linda Lautenberg Judy Schoenberg

Say hi to Linda Lautenberg and Judy Schoenberg, two trailblazers who co-founded EvolveMe, an organization specializing in career reinvention and community building for women in midlife career transition.

Linda, a Harvard Business School alumna, took her own journey from real estate finance to co-founding EvolveMe—a testament to her belief in reinvention. Meanwhile, Judy, also a Harvard graduate, leverages her vast experience as a former national executive for the Girl Scouts of the USA to help women pivot careers or re-enter the workforce.

Together, they've crafted a community at EvolveMe that uplifts and empowers. Dive in as these dynamic women share insights into their lives, routines, and their unyielding commitment to not pausing on their dreams.

First thing I do each morning

Linda: “I make my bed as soon as I get up—it helps me to feel organized. Then I put on my gym clothes BEFORE I go downstairs…that way, I’m committed to working out. I down a green probiotic drink, followed by two cups of black coffee with collagen powder, while I feed the pets before heading to the gym.”

Judy: “If I wake up early enough, I try and read a few pages of the book I fell asleep reading in bed the night before. Then I have water with lemon to hydrate, make strong! coffee, and walk my dog, Doe. I may listen to a podcast to get me going. If it’s a Tuesday or Thursday, I head to strength training with a group of women in their 40s+...the perfect way to start the day.”

Three things I always keep on my nightstand

Linda: “My iPad (where all my books are stored), reading glasses, and a photo of my family on vacation.”

Judy: “A stack of books in various stages of reading (a bit of a random assortment of personal development + leadership, fiction, and parenting), my night guard (not so sexy but necessary!), and a picture of 5-year-old me with a play iron—last time that happened!”

If you have patience and put your mind to it—learning new things in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond is energizing, both in and out of work. - Linda

My go-to beauty hack or wellness ritual

Linda: “Religiously: exercise, sunscreen, vitamin C serum, and retinol. And to grow back the eyebrows we all over-waxed in the 90s, I religiously apply an eyebrow serum—it really works! A great tip I got from a friend: use men’s beard dye on eyebrows to cover greys and help them appear even fuller.”

Judy: “Walking! My daily walks have been my wellness ritual over the last three years. I started monitoring my steps during the pandemic, and then it became a way for me to relax, meditate, and feel centered. I clock over 15K on most days. For me, walking is living!”

My inner age (the age I really feel) and why

Linda: “Honestly? 25. It’s the age I finished my MBA and moved back to NYC to start the next phase of my life. I felt like the world was my oyster, full of so many possibilities. It reminds me of where I am now, a new empty nester building out my next chapter at age 57.”

Judy: “At 52, I feel I feel frozen in time at 35—which is my age right after I got married. It was an exciting time in my adult life and marked a next chapter for starting a family. It’s an age when I felt seen as not ‘too young’ or ‘too old,’ but just right.”

Advice I would give to my younger self

Linda: “Live without apology. Many of my women friends at a business school reunion a few years ago felt the need to apologize for or defend their life choices—whether they’d stayed home with their children, worked full time + child care, or opted not to have children or get married. There’s no right way. Trust that you made the right decision for you, and move on. And know you can always forge a new path when it’s right for you. It’s never too late!”

Judy: “Get outside your comfort zone! Challenge yourself to go beyond what you’re good at and learn from your mistakes. That’s where the growth happens. And that’s the advice I give women in midlife career transition in EvolveMe. It’s never too late to take risks and iterate your way into a career you love!”

It’s never too late to take risks and iterate your way into a career you love! - Judy

We don’t believe in “The Pause.” Tell us, what are you not pausing on?

Linda: “I’m not pausing on learning, especially when it comes to technology. I truly believe that you can figure anything out, and I bring this perspective into my work and life. This mindset fuels my role as co-founder of EvolveMe with the amazing Judy. We love paying it forward, supporting women to embrace their next chapter in midlife. If you have patience and put your mind to it—learning new things in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond is energizing, both in and out of work.”

Judy: “I’m not pausing on my dreams. I took the linear path for most of my career, and now I’m changing it up to focus on what lights me up, creating work that aligns with my values. And the best part is that I’m not pausing on paying it forward to other women through EvolveMe.”