Meet Leeann Blanchard

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leeann Blanchard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi LeeAnn, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I come from absolute bedrock–married parents who were educated and involved in their children’s lives, a religious upbringing which gave me a sense of my value and purpose, and many opportunities to discover and develop my talents. I have three brothers and no sisters, but I wasn’t a princess at all. My parents were always very careful to be fair and equitable, and I grew up thinking I was just as important as the boys. My parents were also very active in clubs, civic organizations, and had their own small businesses. We attended a lot of functions as a family and entertained in our home quite a bit. That experience conversing with adults gave me confidence in other settings. People were either actually interested in what I had to say or were being kind, but either way, I internalized it as a belief that my input was important. If I have a comment, suggestion, or insight that I think will contribute to the conversation at hand, I don’t hesitate to share.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My passion project is Adventure-Us, a social and travel club I’m launching in Baltimore. We host curated in-person events and trips every month to help members form fast friendships and then deepen those connections. We’ve all heard a lot about how difficult it is to make friends as adults. I believe there are a lot of people who are starving for real connection. I’m taking my personal experience, applying the professional expertise of thought leaders, and taking action to create a real community. We have some recurring events that are designed to develop a routine where members see familiar faces, learn names, and start building quantity time with one another. We also have exploratory events like classes and physical activities where people experience new things together, strengthening bonds with memorable events. Then we have travel which provides peak experiences that cement relationships. By creating an ongoing cycle of all types of events, members continuously meet new acquaintances which evolve into real, lasting friendships.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First would be having a plan. You don’t always have to follow the plan, and you should definitely make changes to the plan as your goals, needs, and environment change, but you should still have a plan. The plan is what helps you keep slogging through when you hate your current situation, then take advantage when opportunities arise. It’s motivating and also calms the anxiety when you feel at the mercy of things beyond your control. Yes, you might be struggling, but you have a plan to get through and transcend the difficulties.

Second would be to get good with people. Extroverts have an advantage because it tends to come naturally, but introverts have some secret weapons of their own. They can come across more sincere and more worth knowing (since they bestow their attention and company more discriminately). The point is that relationships make the world go ’round, and the most successful people are the ones who can enlist the aid of entire networks to make their big dreams come true.

Third would be getting your personal life in order. No professional success will compensate for a garbage home life. Whatever your damage, figure it out, fix it, and assemble a team of family and friends for whom you would sacrifice everything. Offering that depth of support to someone else gives you the confidence to rely on their support as you’re conquering the world.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

My parents got married, stayed married, and modeled a healthy relationship. They were both successful in their careers, had friends and interests (both separately and together), and loved each other’s families. They raised me in a religion that gave me a sense of identity and self-worth. They entertained, so I developed poise and confidence around adults. They emphasized education because they were both educated (Dad had a Doctorate, Mom had a Masters), and we had a fantastic foundation of strong English skills (which is necessary to facilitate the acquisition of all other knowledge). They were fair, helpful, supportive without being overbearing, well-respected in the community, and were the kind of parents a kid can look up to and live up to. Not everything was perfect, but they really did do everything right.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://adventure-us.club
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leeann.blanchard.1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeann-blanchard-8a62615/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bootsinbaltimore