The Inspiration Lab ®
WHAT INSPIRED
The Inspiration Lab began with a simple desire: real conversations in real community. After years of attending professional conferences, founder Stephanie Lanier realized there were very few places where women could talk openly about everything they were carrying—work, motherhood, leadership, caregiving, and the relentless balancing act in between.
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She wanted to hear from other women who were raising children with complex needs, leading teams, building businesses, and trying to make room for their own growth and well-being along the way. She wanted to ask the questions that don’t usually make it onto the main stage—about burnout, identity, ambition, and how to stay soft in a world that demands you stay strong.
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Stephanie noticed that when women gathered in safe and honest spaces, the conversations were deeper and more transformative. That’s where the idea for The Inspiration Lab was born.
What started as one luncheon in Wilmington, North Carolina in 2015 has grown into a decade-strong community and annual conference. Today, The Inspiration Lab offers year-round programming, content, and connection to help women build more meaningful, manageable lives—and know they don’t have to do it alone.
Stephanie Lanier OUR FOUNDER
Stephanie Lanier is the founder and heartbeat behind The Inspiration Lab, a community created to support women navigating life, leadership, and purpose with warmth and wisdom. What began in 2015 as a small local gathering has since grown into a decade-strong ecosystem of meaningful connection, personal growth, and real-world resources.
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A clinical social worker by training, and a broker and developer by trade, Stephanie brings an uncommon blend of emotional intelligence, strategic vision, and lived experience to her leadership. As a Realtor, business owner, and mother to a son with autism, profound special needs, and who even survived kidney cancer in 2018, she knows firsthand the weight women carry and the power of being surrounded by those who understand.
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Through live events, digital tools, workbooks, workshops, and the annual conference, The Inspiration Lab reflects Stephanie’s deep commitment to making women feel seen, equipped, and supported. Her approach is as honest as it is hopeful, offering women not just inspiration, but real support for real life.
Stephanie lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, with her husband Andrew and their son Oliver. She’s passionate about storytelling, civic engagement, and using her voice and platform to support families navigating pediatric illness. She currently serves on the board of Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas and is a leader at Lanier Property Group, where she continues to guide women and families through real estate with empathy and excellence. In all her work, she leads with compassion, anchored in the belief that women can build meaningful lives even in the messy middle.
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Lisa Barrett COMMUNITY MANAGER
Originally from upstate New York, Lisa Barrett attended American University in Washington, D.C., where she received her B.A. in political science and M.A. in applied politics. After working in the political world for more than a decade, Lisa left professional politics behind and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2017.
Why Wilmington? Due to her love of "Dawson's Creek," Lisa regularly visited the city for some downtime while working in the D.C. area. She decided to relocate to Wilmington permanently after she met her future husband, Steven, at one of the show’s filming locations, Hell's Kitchen, while watching a Washington Capitals hockey game.
Lisa and Steven married in 2019. Their daughter, Elizabeth was born in 2020, and she’s been a fan of Taylor Swift and “Gilmore Girls” since birth. In other words, she is definitely her mother’s daughter. Most recently, they welcomed a sweet little boy named Alex.
Lisa joined The Inspiration Lab in 2019. She ensures everyone has access to all of the events, resources, and tools The Inspiration Lab has to offer.
Lisa is also founder Stephanie Lanier’s executive assistant for Lanier Property Group, which is a top-producing real estate team with Intracoastal Realty. While she is not an active real estate agent, Lisa did complete all her pre- and post-licensing requirements in 2020.
During her free time, Lisa enjoys strolling around downtown Wilmington with her family and visiting various “Dawson’s Creek” filming locations.
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lisa@theinspirationlab.co | (845) 417-6145
MEMBERSHIP
MANAGER
COMMUNITY
MANAGER
Pam Lane
TEAM ADMIN
Pam Lane is a licensed real estate broker and member of the administrative team at Lanier Property Group and the Inspiration Lab. She graduated from Clemson University (with a degree in Administrative Management) and worked as a Customs Broker for imports in Greenville, SC and Charlotte prior to starting a family.
She and her husband, Keith, moved to Wilmington in 1998 from Charlotte and have been enjoying the coastal lifestyle ever since. They have two adult children; a son in Nashville and daughter in Wilmington. When they became empty-nesters, Pam decided to pivot to a new career of real estate that would utilize her administration skills, attention to detail and her extensive personal experience with real estate including buying and selling multiple properties with Lanier Property Group over the past decade.
In her spare time, Pam enjoys boating on the ICWW with her husband and family, travel, and gardening.