Laura Williams: Turning Caregiving Into Purpose-Driven Work
Episode Summary
In this episode, Laura Williams joins Rhonda for a powerful conversation about caregiving, career reinvention, and building solutions born from lived experience. Laura Williams, a long-distance caregiver and legal advocate for her mother, shares how navigating a broken system inspired her to create a new approach to caregiving support. This episode explores career pivots rooted in purpose, the emotional weight of caregiving, and how personal challenges can become the foundation for meaningful professional reinvention and impact.
Key Takeaways:
Why long-distance caregiving adds unique emotional and logistical challenges
How lived experience can spark purpose-driven career reinvention
The importance of dignity, autonomy, and safety in caregiving decisions
How removing friction and complexity creates better outcomes for families
What it looks like to build a solution instead of settling for broken systems
Why clarity and advocacy matter when supporting loved ones from afar
Meet Laura Williams
Laura A. Williams is the visionary founder of Respitely, the world’s first CareGifting™ marketplace—making it as easy to gift care as sending flowers or a meal. A former corporate leader turned caregiving innovator, Laura brings firsthand experience as a long-distance caregiver and court-appointed conservator for her mother. Her work bridges technology, compassion, and community, redefining how families support one another through life’s most challenging seasons with dignity and ease.
How She Pivoted
Laura Williams’ career pivot was driven by necessity, responsibility, and love. While supporting her mother from a distance, Laura found herself navigating fragmented caregiving systems, time-sensitive decisions, and overwhelming administrative hurdles. Acting not only as a daughter but also as her mother’s legal advocate, she saw firsthand how difficult it was for families to find trusted care quickly and with confidence.
“My job is not only to be her daughter, but also her legal advocate—and to make sure she can stay at home safely and with dignity.” shared Laura Williams on episode 35 of the Rhonda Coleman Wandel podcast.
Rather than accepting the friction and inefficiency of existing options, Laura reimagined the process entirely. She built a platform that removes guesswork, pre-vets care options, and allows families to secure care when and where it’s needed—transforming a deeply personal challenge into a scalable, purpose-driven solution.
Insights for Ambitious Women
Laura’s story is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t always come from ambition alone—it often comes from responsibility. For professional women balancing caregiving, leadership, and personal growth, this episode highlights how clarity and conviction can guide powerful career transitions.
“Caregiving from a distance adds an additional layer of complexity—you can’t be there at a moment’s notice.” - shared Laura Williams on episode 35 of the Rhonda Coleman Wandel podcast.
Laura encourages women to trust their lived experience as expertise. By honoring emotional intelligence, practical problem-solving, and advocacy, ambitious women can build careers that reflect both competence and compassion—without compromising impact or integrity.
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