Member since October 2026
Erin Lowrey believes some of the most important conversations at work are the ones we’re most tempted to avoid.
As the founder of **The Second Seat**, Erin helps leaders and organizations turn the friction that slows teams down into an opportunity for stronger relationships, clearer decisions, and better business outcomes. Her work sits at the intersection of human behavior and organizational effectiveness, exploring how we communicate, navigate disagreement, build trust, and lead through change.
Erin spent nearly a decade helping scale The Trade Desk from a few hundred employees to a global organization of more than 3,500. Along the way, she learned that growth rarely gets complicated because people stop being talented or ambitious. It gets complicated because communication breaks down, expectations become unclear, and the conversations that matter most become the hardest to have.
Today, she brings those lessons to life through engaging, practical talks and workshops that challenge audiences to rethink their relationship with conflict, leadership, and the everyday dynamics of working with other humans.
Her signature program, **Conflict as Catalyst**, challenges the idea that healthy workplaces are conflict-free. Instead, Erin makes the case that productive disagreement, approached with curiosity, courage, and intention, is one of the most underutilized tools we have for building stronger teams.
Blending candid storytelling, behavioral insight, and actionable strategies, Erin brings warmth, humor, and a healthy dose of real-world perspective to the stage. Her goal isn't simply to inspire people to think differently. It's to send them back to work equipped to *do* something differently.
I'm endlessly fascinated by people: what motivates us, how we connect, why we avoid hard conversations, and what happens when we get curious instead of defensive. I love those lightbulb moments when someone realizes that a difficult conversation doesn't have to be a confrontation, or that being a great leader isn't about having all the answers. I'm passionate about helping people find more confidence, clarity, and fulfillment in their work, and helping leaders create environments where ambition and humanity can coexist. I genuinely believe work can be a place where people grow, contribute, and thrive without sacrificing the lives they're working so hard to build. And if I can get people laughing, challenging their assumptions, and leaving with a little more courage to do things differently? That's my sweet spot.
After nearly a decade helping scale one of the fastest-growing companies in advertising technology, I realized that what energized me most wasn't the business growth itself. It was the people behind it. I loved helping teams navigate change, develop stronger leaders, and build the systems and relationships that allowed people and businesses to thrive together.
That realization became deeply personal after spending much of two years in and out of the hospital with my young son. That experience fundamentally changed my relationship with work and reinforced something I believe wholeheartedly: **work should support a meaningful life, not consume it.**
I pursued certifications in Organizational Leadership and Conflict Resolution, stepped away from corporate life, and founded The Second Seat to help growing organizations build the leadership habits, team dynamics, and operating systems that make sustainable growth possible.
Today, I'm passionate about helping entrepreneurs build businesses that thrive without burning out the people behind them. Because I believe we can build ambitious, high-performing organizations where people are genuinely engaged, difficult conversations lead to progress, and success doesn't have to come at the expense of a life well lived.
After nearly a decade helping scale one of the fastest-growing companies in advertising technology, I realized that what energized me most wasn't the business growth itself. It was the people behind it. I loved helping teams navigate change, develop stronger leaders, and build the systems and relationships that allowed people and businesses to thrive together.
That realization became deeply personal after spending much of two years in and out of the hospital with my young son. That experience fundamentally changed my relationship with work and reinforced something I believe wholeheartedly: **work should support a meaningful life, not consume it.**
I pursued certifications in Organizational Leadership and Conflict Resolution, stepped away from corporate life, and founded The Second Seat to help growing organizations build the leadership habits, team dynamics, and operating systems that make sustainable growth possible.
Today, I'm passionate about helping entrepreneurs build businesses that thrive without burning out the people behind them. Because I believe we can build ambitious, high-performing organizations where people are genuinely engaged, difficult conversations lead to progress, and success doesn't have to come at the expense of a life well lived.
