Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Cattolico.
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My real name might be Lauren, but to all my friends they know me as Lola. I may be aging myself a bit but, I got that nickname from the bunny in Space Jam; Lola Bunny. I used to be an avid basketball player. AAU to college camps, to Varsity in High School. I grew up in a (back then but not so small now) Delta town in California named Antioch and was recruited to Alhambra High for High School in Martinez, CA. I went to Chico State for college and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. I love snowboarding and the outdoors, which is how I ended up in Bend Oregon in 2018 to escape the hustle and bustle of a concrete jungle. Even through a state change, somehow, the nickname Lola stuck as I got older and here we are years later with me starting a business named Lola’s Ride in Central Oregon. After I moved to Bend, I went back to school at Central Oregon Community College and took advantage of the pathway degree program and received a degree in Cybersecurity. I went back again and became a Nationally Licensed Phlebotomist. I like learning and probably will go back again at some point when I get bored enough to get another degree. I became deeply rooted in the community through bartending. You can catch me pouring at some local concert and event venues in and around Central Oregon. It is a great way to make connections; I have been a bartender for over 12 years and have also added that to my menu of services within Lola’s Ride.
I grew up around cars as a child due to the amount of time I spent with my grandfather Larry Allums who was also an army veteran. He was always buying and selling cars or tinkering with them. My absolute favorite car of his was a Model A that had a rumble seat. That car ended up in a museum in Japan many years ago due to how beautiful it was. I always loved vintage cars, especially mustangs. My dad had a orange Mach One in High School and my first car was a 2001 Mustang that I paid $5K for in high school in 2015 from a probate sale of a 90 year old lady that only had 25k miles on it so it was practically brand new. Funny story, I would pack that car up with friends and drive that thing to and from Sunnyside Lake Tahoe to go snowboarding and would chain it up myself. Little did I know my love for snowboarding back then would lead me to move to Oregon. When I would visit and come home from college (Chico State), my grandfather and I would go driving around town in a 1964 and a half Mustang he acquired. Little did I know after many years of learning it and taking interest in it, he would one day pass it down to me. I think he saw the interest I took in it and it would be taken care of, so he signed it over to me.
Vintage cars are unlike anything out on the road currently. As they say, they don’t make em’ like they used to. As these cars become fewer on the road, it’s important to keep sharing them. Which is why Lola’s Ride exists today. My grandfather and I would go cruising and I want to do the same for others, and see the magic on someone else’s face like I think my grandfather saw on mine when I would get into this car. Whether it is for a wedding getaway, engagement photos, proms, dinner dates, vow renewals or just because, I do it all. I am grateful for the experiences and friends I have made since it became mine. My grandfather has since passed, fittingly on Veteran’s day in 2024. My business logo is an ode to him and his service with the camo hat.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I work a regular 8-5 day job, plus the other bartending jobs I have and somehow try to fit in a social life. I would love to put more effort and time into this venture. I am slowly doing that when and where I can. It’s also a learning curve of owning your own business. I know social media and promoting is how you get the reach, and again; I am trying to work on that.
We all only have so much time in the day. Sometimes, that means if I have a wedding drop off at 11am I am cleaning the car at midnight the day before after I got off of a long bar shift. Sleep sometimes doesn’t exist in my world….
When you are starting out as a new business, some people don’t realize some minor expenses that do add up. Some might say, “well that’s part of your business, why are you charging for that?”. Because it either costs me my time or money. Gas, that’s a hot topic, and expensive! Premium comes at a premium price! So, distance is or can be a challenge. Cleaning supplies, and the time it takes to clean the car properly to make sure it is in tip top shape for your beautiful photos. Oil changes and the non-stop issues old cars have. It all influences what I charge, there is more I take into account when creating a quote for someone. I try my best to be reasonable and work with someone’s budget as well as I want to make people happy. At the end of the day, I enjoy seeing happy smiles on my clients faces because they are riding in an old car back to their hotel after a night of celebrating. I imagine my grandfather riding shotgun with a smile on his face seeing what I do for people in the car he gave me.
Navigating Central Oregon winters can be difficult. I learned a hard lesson of booking a couple in October. We all know the weather here can drastically change in minutes. I got stuck driving my car in a snowstorm which was less than ideal, but we all made it out alive and with a fun story in the end.
Time, promotion, visibility and weather seem to be the top things that influence my business at the moment.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently work for a Biopharmaceutical company here in town as a Senior Project Coordinator. We develop drugs to cure cancers and other diseases. It is such a rewarding job and I love it! I work with some of the smartest minds and nicest people you could come across. I learn so much and they love teaching me, which goes to show how passionate they all are. Which in turn, makes me want to go back to school again.
In the past, I have worked in law firms all the way to finance. This is by far my most interesting job I have ever had.
I believe the hard work I put in from my 3 degrees and prior work experience put me in the job I am in today. It took time to find the right fit and am loving every minute.
For fun, I bartend at General Duffy’s in Redmond as well as the Amphitheater in Bend. I offer bartending services for Lola’s Ride, LLC as well. My favorite thing to do for bartending weddings is offering specialized drinks for the bride and groom.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Social media is really where you have to put in the work today. If you don’t have a presence, it is hard to have that visibility. I plan on getting a website and doing more promoting for next year. Although my friends have done a fine job of that (thank you all)! They tag me in posts and spread the word on Facebook and Instagram when appropriate. People recognize me when I bartend, as well as when I attend car shows. I once sat down one Saturday afternoon for hours and went through Instagram and followed all kinds of photographers, event coordinators, wedding planners, floral companies etc. I targeted the audience I needed. I do have some repeat wedding planners that consistently reach out to me to book, and I hope to make more of those connections in the coming years. I would love meet more planners and photographers to really create more referrals. Once you make those relationships, I believe your business can truly flourish as they know you are reliable and easy to work with.
I would like to send out mailers in the spring of 2027 as well as participate in the wedding expo to see how that influences my reach. I would like to get a standing sign for my car for next year’s car shows to showcase my business.
I pass out my business cards as often as I can to anyone who will listen.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolasride64?igsi=MWgxcXVhOWhlaHptYQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1C5LicF4qx/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: lolasride64@gmail.com
