Hi, I'm Cathryn Lavery. I live in Austin, Texas.
My Story
After graduating from Glasgow School of Art with a Masters in Architecture in 2011, I moved to NYC to start my architecture career. In 2012 I launched my first Shopify store as a side project, and by 2013 I had left the architecture industry entirely.
A significant milestone came in 2015 when I launched the Self Journal on Kickstarter, raising $322,696 in 34 days.
In 2016, I launched BestSelf.co on Shopify, growing it from 0 to $2M in sales in just 9 months and winning the Shopify Build-a-Business competition. The following year we grew revenue 3.7x and won the Shopify Build-a-BIGGER-Business competition in partnership with Tony Robbins, making BestSelf the only company to win both awards consecutively.
I moved to Austin in 2018 after seven years in NYC. In 2019 BestSelf placed #318 on the Inc. 500. By 2020 I had bought out my business partner to become the sole owner. In 2022 BestSelf was acquired. In 2025 I bought it back, and I'm now rebuilding with intention.
What I'm Building Now
Alongside BestSelf, I write about how I use AI as an actual operating layer rather than a demo. I run OpenClaw integrated into my company day to day, and share what works (and what breaks). Recent topics: AI agent memory systems, prompt engineering, terminal upgrades, and how language reshapes culture.
Recognition
Forbes 30 Under 30. Fast Company 2017 Innovation by Design Awards. Featured in Entrepreneur, MTV, Huffington Post, Forbes, Inc., and more.