Lauren Boyle

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Lauren Boyle, and I’m the founder of Lupine Lane, an early childhood school near Austin, Texas, where I’m based today with my husband and our four children.

I was born in Venice Beach, California. My family later moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and then to Washington, New Jersey, where I spent much of my childhood close to our large extended family in Philadelphia. We moved to Austin when I was 14, and I went on to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin.

As a young adult, I lived in Seville, Spain, Los Angeles, Colorado, and England. Each place expanded my perspective, but I always found my way back to Austin and the Northeast—the places that feel most like home because of my family.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I love how Austin feels like an old friend—familiar, welcoming, and full of possibility. Although my family is from the East Coast and I spent much of my childhood there, Austin is where I grew into myself—and where I continue to grow today.

Austin is our launchpad for big adventures and a soft yet sturdy place to come home to. It’s where Carl and I started Lupine Lane and began our family, with all four of our children born here. Today, we’re raising our children, nurturing our school, and deepening our roots in a community we love.

There’s something magical about a place that gives you room to be yourself and encourages your creative spirit to grow.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Lupine Lane is a child-centered preschool with summer camps for children ages 2–11. We inspire a lifelong love of learning, creativity, and meaningful connection.

I started Lupine Lane in 2008 with a series of creative classes at the City of Lakeway Activity Center. The classes gave children opportunities to explore, create, and learn by doing—a spirit that remains at the heart of our school today. From our first class, Lupine Lane grew into a school that Carl and I have worked together to build and nurture.

Through a project-based approach, we mindfully and heartfully guide the whole child, nurturing curiosity, confidence, critical thinking, and a strong sense of purpose. Our hands-on, experiential Topic Studies invite children to ask questions, investigate ideas, create, and collaborate. Learning becomes meaningful because children actively participate in it, making connections between their discoveries and the world around them.

For families, we offer a loving environment where their children are known and valued as individuals. We partner with parents to support each child’s development, helping children build the knowledge, skills, relationships, and self-confidence that support both personal fulfillment and a lifelong passion for learning.

Above all, Lupine Lane is a place where we celebrate imagination, encourage creative expression, and empower children to become thoughtful, capable individuals who help make the world a more peaceful and beautiful place.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

I would tell someone with an idea to write this down and put it somewhere they can read it every day: “You are capable of extraordinary things when you put your whole mind and whole heart into them.”

Stay committed to your vision while remaining open and flexible about how it unfolds. Bringing an idea to life takes care, persistence, and a willingness to keep learning. Listen, ask questions, and allow what you learn to shape your next steps. You’ll grow alongside the idea you’re cultivating.

Keep your sense of humor—laugh every day—and practice zooming out. When a challenge feels overwhelming, step back and ask yourself how much it will matter in a month, a year, or five years. Some things need your full attention; others feel bigger in the moment than they really are. Learning to tell the difference helps you approach problems with a clearer mind and save your energy for what matters most.

Give it your whole heart, but don’t let every small setback consume you. Stay grounded in your values, keep your vision clear, and always move forward with courage and kindness.

Sharing your ideas with the world can be one of the most challenging and fulfilling things you ever do. It will stretch you, shape you, and give you the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

One of the most meaningful compliments we receive is that Lupine Lane feels like family. As a parent myself, I know how much trust it takes to leave your child in someone else’s care. Knowing that families feel that sense of love, safety, and belonging here means so much to me.

I’ve been fortunate to receive many thoughtful letters over the years. One that stays with me came from a parent on their child’s graduation day. They shared how the love, education and support they experienced at Lupine Lane had touched their whole family and left them with lasting knowledge, skills, friendships and memories.

When families tell us we’ve become a second family to them, I feel deeply grateful—to our entire team for the care they give and the intention they put into each day, and to parents for trusting us with their children. It’s a privilege to be part of their lives, and those words remind me how much the relationships we build together matter.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Lupine Lane continuing to deepen the work we do with children and families while finding new ways to share our approach beyond our school.

One project I’m working on is software that brings our curriculum, classroom planning, school administration, and family communication together. My vision is to give teachers and administrators thoughtful tools to run their classrooms and school while offering families a meaningful connection to their children’s learning.

I’m also beginning to write children’s books that explore creativity, relationships, and the everyday experiences that help us understand ourselves and one another. It’s another way to encourage curiosity and connection through stories children and families can enjoy together.

We’re also looking to expand our professional development, sharing our educational philosophy and project-based curriculum alongside leadership practices that help educators build strong, caring teams. Supporting the adults who guide children is an essential part of supporting children themselves.

What connects these efforts is the same purpose that started Lupine Lane: inspiring a lifelong love of learning, creativity, and meaningful connection. I hope our future allows us to bring that purpose to more classrooms, families, and communities while continuing to nurture the school at the heart of it all.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

One of the biggest misconceptions about early childhood education is that meaningful learning comes later—that young children’s ideas and capabilities are somehow less significant because they’re still so little.

Early childhood is an extraordinary period of growth, creativity, and discovery. Children are beginning to understand themselves, build relationships, and find their place in the world, but they already have so much to contribute. They ask thoughtful questions, imagine possibilities adults might overlook, and make remarkable connections when we give them the time, space, and support to do so.

When the adults who teach and love children recognize those capabilities, something wonderful happens. We listen more closely, invite their ideas, and help them build trust in themselves. That belief shapes what they feel capable of today—and what they carry into the many tomorrows ahead.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of the biggest challenges has been navigating major world events that affect our families, our team, and the school in ways we can’t predict or control. We started Lupine Lane in 2008, as the financial crisis unfolded. There was so much uncertainty, but we believed in what we were creating and kept moving forward, building relationships and earning families’ trust along the way.

Years later, COVID brought a very different kind of uncertainty. We listened, learned, adapted, and did our best to continue serving our community with care. We didn’t have every answer, but we remained willing to ask questions, consider new information, and work through challenges together.

Those experiences have taught me to stay grounded in our purpose while being flexible about the path forward. During difficult times, I come back to the people at the heart of our school: What do our children need? How can we support our families and teachers? What is the most thoughtful next step we can take? We move forward by answering those questions together, one step at a time.

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

Goodness, it’s hard to choose just one! So much of the music I loved growing up is connected to my family. My father and grandparents loved Frank Sinatra, and his songs still bring me such warmth and wonderful memories. My love for Jimmy Buffett and the Beach Boys comes from my dad, too—especially his love of the ocean, which he continues to share with us through sailing and trips to the beach whenever possible.

My mom loved Paul Simon, James Taylor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Joni Mitchell, and Bonnie Raitt. Their music takes me right back to the afternoon sun streaming into our Volvo station wagon as we drove along the winding farm roads of our little New Jersey town, heading toward whatever adventure she had planned next and singing the whole way.

As for athletes, Jeff Galloway became a real inspiration to me. Growing up in New Jersey, I played several sports, with field hockey being a favorite. When we moved to Texas, my school didn’t offer field hockey, and many athletes my age had already focused on a single sport. I found my way to running and completed my first marathon in high school.

I continued distance running in college and learned so much from Galloway’s writing and his talks at race expos. I didn’t have peers running marathons alongside me, so his guidance gave me encouragement and a sense of direction. His kindness and humility have stayed with me just as much as his training advice.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

My parents have always encouraged me to follow my dreams, treat others with kindness, and work hard. They’ve taught me by example and stood beside me every step of the way. They remain an integral part of Lupine Lane today: my mom is our director, and my dad helps with the school’s logistics. I’m so grateful that, together, our family has helped create a place where other families feel they belong. That sense of connection is a legacy I’m proud to share—and one we’re fortunate to receive in return.

I am also forever grateful to Carl, my husband, for embracing adventure after adventure with me. His steady presence gives my heart and mind the courage to keep imagining, creating, and taking the next step. I’m so glad we get to build this life together.

And of course, every day and every night, I thank my lucky stars for our Ella, Sophia, Lucia, and James. Each of them inspires me in their own way, and together they are my reasons for everything, every day. I love you all “as big as my heart.”

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

You can learn more about Lupine Lane, our story, our educational philosophy, and our programs at www.lupinelane.com. For a glimpse into everyday life at our school, follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/lupinelane and on Instagram at @lupinelane1001.