Meet Rachel Leedom

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Leedom. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel below.

Rachel, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Building my confidence and self-esteem has been a long journey. I know many can relate. When I was a kid, I was shy, but I also had a decent natural level of confidence and assertiveness. That boldness was shamed by some of my peers when I was in elementary and middle school, so over time, I shut it down. I saw it as a “bad” quality. I retreated inward and used my shyness as a protective shield.

But, what was once a barrier to keep me from being hurt or ridiculed, became a hurdle in my career and personal life as I grew into adulthood. I would say I started with awareness – being aware of the areas where I kept myself small and quiet, and wherever I recognized a major dissonance between my inner self and my outward expression. I read books, listened to podcasts, and watched videos where others shared their stories, leaving behind inspiring breadcrumbs. I began to believe it was possible to reignite my confidence, and that belief was a big step.

Eventually, I just started to put myself into scary situation after scary situation. I build my sense of self-esteem and self-trust back up by teaching myself I could do intimidating things. The more I did, the more reassurance and positive feedback I received, which continued to bolster my resolve to push on. I think confidence feeds on itself, but when our cup is low, we sorta have to ‘fake it till we make it’ and then trust ourselves to take the leap. Over and over and over again.

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?

I offer multi-dimensional creative support, including web design, copywriting, brand messaging, SEO, and editing. With over twelve years in this industry, I spent the first five years of my career learning a handful of skills to shape my perspective and toolkit as a creator. My unique background in PR and branding allowed me to hone my eye as a designer and my voice as a writer and better connect with the people on the other side of a screen.

As a neurodivergent creative, I approach functionality and design challenges in an out-of-the-box way to bring my clients’ unique visions to life. I love working with unconventional brands seeking a blend of eccentricity and elegance and a dash of magic. Unearthing the extraordinary within the ordinary and strategically packaging that “something special” in a way that connects and converts is my passion.

Working closely with my clients and bringing my heartfelt care for them and their business has allowed me to build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with my clients. An unexpected gift of my business for which I am very grateful.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I would say resilience, self-trust, and curiosity played the biggest role. Both personally and professionally, those qualities have helped me weather any storm I’ve been faced with, to pick myself up when I fall, and to find new paths when I outgrow previous comfort zones. As far as advice goes, I would say actively look for ANY opportunity to foster these qualities within yourself. Even the seemingly unrelated areas of your life – your hobbies, your family relationships, your habits/routines – they all feed your mindset and how you move through the world. Those qualities will ultimately help you succeed in any industry.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I take a step back and breathe. Sounds simple, but it’s so important. It’s easy to feel the pressure of work and to get sucked into the spiral, but that anxiety only grows the more we stay focused on it. When I start to feel that pressure rising, I force myself to take a step back and do something I enjoy – listen to music, meditate, walk, go to dinner with my family or friends, etc. I shift gears to get some perspective, make space to center myself, and come back “home” to myself. When I’m in that place of feeling connected to who I am beyond work, it’s easier to come back to work feeling motivated and purposeful in what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelleedom.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelleedom
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelleedom/

Image Credits

Personal photography by Adriane Nicole. Portfolio work screenshots permitted for use in client agreements.