Local woman Local woman returns home from job at HGTV to share her experiences home and offers advice

Laconia native Susan Fountain is currently working as a camera operator and associate field producer for HGTV’s show “House Hunters Renovation,” and took time out from a shoot in Boston to come to Laconia and talk about her life and goals. (Courtesy photo)

By RICK GREEN, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Susan Fountain has had numerous challenges over the years but has repeatedly taken leaps of faith to accomplish goals.

On a recent visit to the city where she grew up and where her grandparents ran LaFlamme’s Bakery, she had a message to young people about life’s possibilities.

“My point is not to just shine light on my career but also to reach the kids in this community who have big dreams and to let them know even a kid from a small town like Laconia can do unimaginable things if they get their education, work hard and never lose sight of their dream,” she said in an interview.

Her grandparents, Albert and Rita LaFlamme, ran a bakery that was a cornerstone of the community for decades. When they retired in the 1980s, their four children, including Fountain’s mother, Lynda LaFlamme, were not interested in continuing the business.

Fountain graduated from Laconia High School and went to Emerson College in Boston in 1983. It was in her second year at the prestigious arts and communication school that she was presented with a major hurdle — she was out of money.

Her family, which ran a military surplus store, went bankrupt, losing the business and their home. She could no longer afford to live in the dorm.

“I befriended two people, Franco and Enzo, who owned a pizza parlor on Mass Ave. and Beacon Street in Boston,” she recalled. “Franco would unlock the pizza parlor for me when his brother left and I would sleep behind the pizza counter in a lawn chair next to the pizza oven to stay warm.

“In the morning, Franco would unlock the door and let me out. My friends would let me into the dorms so I could shower before class.”

She finished her second year at Emerson that way. She realized she couldn’t afford to finish her undergraduate work there, but was still determined to get a college degree.

She worked full time and went to eight different colleges in eight years before finally getting her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She graduated without any college debt.

She did lighting and electrical work for concerts. She was an entertainment lighting designer and lighting specialist for ESPN.

She worked on independent films as production manager, production coordinator and assistant director.

She flipped houses and did carpentry work.

Fountain now is a camera operator and associate field producer for HGTV’s “House Hunters Renovation” show, which has been shooting episodes in Boston’s North Shore area for two years.

This job opportunity came at a time when she hadn’t operated a professional video camera in years. She went to a camera shop to learn how the camera worked, and then consulted with friends familiar with the equipment.

She took a chance, accepting the job offer and expressing confidence.

“I said, ‘I got this,’” she recalled. “If I didn’t take this great job, somebody else would. Fear tends to hold you back too much. It was a leap of faith, but it was the right call. If you want to follow your dreams and aspirations, you have to take a leap of faith and just trust that it will work out.”

She offered advice to young people contemplating college and careers.

“Stay true to your dreams,” she said. “Your day will come. Think beyond what is immediately presented.”

Sometimes dreams involve travel, and that is a learning experience as well, and “you can always come back,” she said.

She said the Lakes Region will always hold a special place in her heart. She owns a rental home in Belmont, and her father, Brian Fountain, lives in Laconia.

She has seen major changes in this city since she grew up here.

“It’s become rougher and the opioid epidemic has taken its toll,” she said. “It’s disappointing, but people need to believe in themselves, in their possibilities and not limit themselves. It’s really about self-love.”

One of Susan Fountain’s many experiences includes work as a lighting specialist for ESPN. She has also flipped houses and done lighting for concerts. She recently visted LaFlamme’s Bakery in Laconia, her grandparents’ shop, to share some advice and tell her story. (Courtesy photo)