LAUNCHING:
LEILA MICHELE QUESNE

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND WHAT CHANGED?

To be honest, I never had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. The way my career has progressed throughout my life has been totally organic and I have come to where I am today through life’s experiences.

WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

Always go above and beyond, no matter what job or task you are doing. Always give it 100%. If you continue to strive to do your best, you’re going to get somewhere no matter what.

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY?

I don’t have anyone specific to be honest. This has really made me think though, I should find one, shouldn’t I? I have an idea of what my role model would be however, and it is a strong-willed, confident woman who strives for success, but not at the expense of her personal happiness and wellbeing.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT WORKING ENVIRONMENT?

I have the luxury of working from home but I also live in Stoke Newington so am lucky to have a pick of lovely, local, independent cafes.  The best thing for me is not having to suffer an awful commute because I feel that really can start your day off on the wrong foot. Instead, I use that time to meditate, make a warm drink and set my goals for the day.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR DAILY WORK ROUTINE IF YOU COULD?

I would love to have the opportunity of a local co-working space so I could alternate between there and home. As much as I love working from home and can be extremely productive when I work alone, it can of course also get lonely at times and I feel a lot of my creativity comes from bouncing ideas off other people and outside experiences.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?

I would love to see my brand Leila Michele expand! The dream is to take on other social media consultants and account managers in order to help with managing a plethora of amazing small business accounts and helping them reach their full potential. It really is small businesses that I feel passionate about helping, as I feel I can completely relate.

DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN BE THE SAME PERSON AT WORK AND IN PRIVATE?

Yes, I’d like to think so. I have tried to build my brand around me as a person, making it very personal and approachable so it would defeat the point if I wasn’t being myself.

WHERE AND IN WHAT ROLES ARE WOMEN IN THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AT YOUR COMPANY?

It is just me and a social media assistant currently as I am brand new. Both of us are women!

DOES DIVERSITY MATTER TO YOU?

Absolutely. Diversity leads to creativity, which is what I’m all about.

HOW GOOD IS YOUR WORK LIFE BALANCE?

This was really a point of focus when starting my business, seeing as I work from home and for myself, lines can so easily be blurred. From the get-go, I made clients aware that I did not work weekends and I would intentionally not reply to emails after a certain time during the week. This kind of work can be all consuming which is not healthy, so I continuously make a conscious effort to switch off when I need to.

WHAT QUALITIES DOES BEING IN YOUR ROLE NECESSITATE?

For being a social media consultant I would say excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, well organised with the ability to multi-task, pro-active and intuitive, with a creative mind-set and story-telling ability. For being in charge of the company; all of the above, plus strong leadership skills and approachability.

ANY FINAL COMMENTS?

Head to LeilaMichele.com