CEO & Executive Career Coach | Founder of Livlyhood | Ex-Gov & Capitol Hill Comms Director | Helping Leaders Navigate the Career Rollercoaster and Build Professional Ownership

The Pivot Toward Purpose

There is a specific, high-octane energy required to manage the communications for a U.S. Presidential candidate debate or to serve as the voice for a state agency of 600 employees. Brittany Larsen lived in that intensity for years, navigating the sharp elbows of Washington, D.C., and the high-stakes scrutiny of the Florida Governor’s office. But for Brittany, the most pivotal moment wasn’t a televised briefing or a prestigious placement in The Wall Street Journal; it was the sudden, sobering realization that she was a world-class architect who was exclusively building other people’s houses. Today, as the CEO and Creator of Livlyhood, Brittany has traded the rigid structures of political and corporate hierarchy for a more profound mission: teaching others how to own their careers rather than being owned by them. Her journey is not a straight line to the top, but a masterclass in the “rollercoaster” philosophy—a belief that the twists, turns, and occasional loops are not setbacks, but the very things that qualify you to lead.

Grit, Grace, and Five Dollars an Hour

Brittany’s professional DNA was forged in Fort Collins, Colorado, within a household that balanced corporate precision with entrepreneurial fire. With a father who served as an executive for HP and a mother who ran the Colorado Academy of the Arts for over three decades, Brittany was raised on a diet of leadership lessons and determination. Her first foray into the workforce wasn’t in a boardroom, but with a mop and a bucket; at fourteen, she earned five dollars an hour cleaning her mother’s studio. It was here, watching her mother manage thousands of students over many years and lead a diverse staff, that Brittany learned the fundamental truth of leadership: how you treat people is the only thing that scales. This early exposure to the un-glamorous side of work stayed with her, even as she moved into a role managing a fabric store for a woman who had escaped Nazi Germany—a mentor who reinforced the idea that resilience is a prerequisite for success. She eventually followed the family tradition to Brigham Young University, earning a degree in Communications and Broadcast Journalism, a foundation that taught her how to distill complex narratives into actionable truths.

Navigating the Halls of Power

Brittany’s rise was meteoric. Early in her career, she landed in the heart of Washington, D.C., as the Director of Communications for a prominent Congressman. During the 2012 presidential election, she wasn’t just a spectator; she was a strategist, managing communication efforts during the Iowa Caucus and leading the charge as her boss moderated a CNN Presidential Candidate Debate. The pressure was relentless, and the stakes were national. Brittany became a fixture in the press galleries, booking daily hits on national television and crafting official statements that appeared in The New York Times and Politico. Her ability to navigate the “lion’s den” of the national press led her to the Florida Department of State, where she served as the Public Information Officer and chief spokeswoman under the Governor’s office. Managing multi-million dollar ad budgets and a team of thirty professionals, she became the face of state elections and cultural heritage tourism. When she transitioned to the private sector, the pattern of “youngest and only” continued; as the youngest and only female Vice President at her last firm, Brittany disrupted the status quo by overhauling client strategies and personally hiring more than half of the company’s staff.

A New Definition of Success

In 2017, the internal whisper to build something of her own became a roar. She founded Livlyhood, initially as a community for working women, which has since evolved into a premier career coaching business. Brittany’s impact is best described by those who have been in the trenches with her, such as client Jennifer Moore, who notes that “if you’re feeling stuck, out of gas, or out of ideas, Britt is the jump start you need. She cares and she crafts a plan with you; if you want a coach who just lets you vent while putting in no real effort, don’t call Britt.” Brittany’s coaching isn’t about finding a “dream job”—a concept she views as a distraction—but about finding “career confidence.” She teaches her clients to leverage their layoffs and view their work as a tool that serves their life. Client Alexis Ellicott recalls that “Britt helped me make sense of today’s job search landscape and made me do the hard work of developing STAR stories to prepare for interviews. More than anything, she was a steady, positive presence during a time of deep uncertainty.”

Ownership Over Entitlement

As Brittany looks toward the future, her focus remains on democratizing executive-level career strategy through her Livlyhood Career Confidence Courses. Her philosophy is clear: the goal isn’t just to climb a ladder, but to ensure the ladder is leaning against a wall you actually want to be on. Brittany often reflects on the “lie” that many professionals believe—that we should be grateful just to build someone else’s dream—and she challenges her audience to seek ownership instead. As she poignantly shares, “there is nothing noble about abandoning your own ambitions to fund someone else’s. Success that only benefits someone else isn’t success, it’s a trap. Build skills, learn the game, and get paid, but don’t lose sight of the fact that your work is allowed to serve your life, too.” Brittany Larsen remains a sought-after voice in Salt Lake City and beyond, frequently appearing on ABC4 and KUTV to share her insights. She is a leader who reminds us that while the rollercoaster of a career can be daunting, it is much more rewarding when you are the one with your hands on the controls.

Editorial Note

Brittany Larsen’s journey from cleaning studios for $5 an hour to advising Governors and CEOs serves as a powerful reminder that our value is not defined by our job titles, but by our willingness to take ownership of our narrative. Whether you are navigating a layoff or eyeing the C-suite, Brittany’s story encourages us all to stop chasing “dream jobs” and start building dream lives through strategic, intentional action.