Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Rachel Leslie of Portland

We recently had the chance to connect with Rachel Leslie and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’ve always believed that how we start our day impacts how we can expect it to go, so I try to be protective of my morning time. I always start with some form of movement or meditation. And, if I’m lucky, both. Afterwards, I’ll prepare breakfast and dive into emails. I try not to get too bogged down with work right as I’m beginning my day. I like to start by reading newsletters I’m subscribed to, whether that’s diving into the news of the day or reading a more creative-centric piece from other creators I enjoy learning from. I always find that helps with my creativity especially if I’m diving into a piece of writing or brainstorming that day for a client.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder of Laer, a Portland-based writing studio obsessed with words and partnering with sportswear, beauty, travel and CPG brands. Beyond words, we’re travelers, painters, photographers, hikers, foodies…we could keep going here, but you get the idea. We’re down-to-earth individuals who care deeply about the world and the way we live in it, which is why we love working with great people who bring cool products and services to life, sharing our belief in making a positive impact.

Our collective of writers (including myself), come from varied creative backgrounds whether that be agency experience, working on film sets, being an ex-journalist, or working in-house at a brand, and we all share an affinity for telling stories for brands that captivate, inform, and, most importantly, inspire.

At Laer, we’re also dedicated to empowering small businesses and emerging copywriters through our complimentary resources and digital storefront called the Laer Shop.

Although Laer started nearly 6 years ago, I’ve been in this creative space for 12+ years, working as a journalist, in the agency world working with CPG brands, and lastly, at Nike as a digital copywriter before I found my way here.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Deepening my relationship with myself and creating space to listen to my wants, needs, vision, and values has had a profoundly positive impact on how I operate in the world. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of work, to-do lists, plans, and expectations of what you should or shouldn’t do in your business or life.

But when you create space to listen to yourself, whether that be through meditating or deep therapeutic breathwork, you’ll find more clarity and closeness to yourself than ever before. Building a close relationship with myself has helped me to better understand what feels aligned for me in my business and life, and then to take action on those insights. Whether that be making a shift in my business, stop wasting time focusing on something that doesn’t inspire me, booking the trip I’ve been talking about for years, or finally taking up painting. Some learnings can be deep and some can be lighter or as simple as I can tell I’ve been wanting to be more creative, so I’m going to do something about it.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I believe real growth happens when we’re in the midst of suffering. It’s what we do to get out of it that stays with us forever. As much as we want to plan things and know the outcome, we’re constantly subjecting ourselves to the ways of what might be. Whether that’s in business or in life, by choosing to do something, there’s always the possibility that it might not work out. And when it doesn’t (because life is wild and messy, and sometimes things don’t go the way we planned), it’s what we do in those moments that can propel us to new heights we never even thought possible.

It’s in those low moments where we build resilience, clarity, and shed layers of ourselves to grow into the person we’re meant to be today—all so that we can reach our own versions of success.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I’ve always admired Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx. I’ve been following her on social media for several years now, and I really admire the way she runs her business, treats her employees, her outlook on life, and her family. She is so real and relatable, and it’s clear she truly loves what she does, wanting to lift those around her.

In 2021, when she sold Spanx to the investment management company, Blackstone, for $1.2 billion, she gifted her employees two first-class plane tickets to anywhere in the world and $10,000 each, to thank them for their contribution to the company. It’s very obvious that she knows it takes a community to build a business like hers, and I just love how she loves those around her hard, from her team at Spanx to her family.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m in nature. Spending time in nature wasn’t a big part of my upbringing in the Midwest. And moving to one of the most densely populated cities in the world (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) after college didn’t give me a whole lot of access to nature daily.

It wasn’t until I moved out to the Pacific Northwest that I quickly understood the impact nature had on me.

For me, it’s a place where the buzzing of not just the city but also my thoughts and worries subside, and I can find a lot more clarity. It’s the first place I turn to whenever I’m feeling stressed, need time and space to make a decision, or if I’m feeling disconnected from myself.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kassandra Out West
https://kassandraoutwest.com/

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