Meet Leah Leonard Entrepreneur + Non-Profit Founder | Leah is an entrepreneur, facilitator, and the co-founder of Kisimani School

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leah Leonard Entrepreneur + Non-Profit Founder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leah Leonard, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I craved freedom and flexibility above all else, knowing that if I could regain autonomy over how I spent my time…I’d choose to spend it doing something that hopefully made the world a little bit better. I had no idea what that was, but I knew that flexibility was the key that would unlock those doors, once I found myself in front of them. That’s what motivated me to grow my first business. One of those open doors led to my partnership with Kisimani School in Tanzania, and it then became clear that we needed a non-profit to start serving the community’s goals in the most efficient and collaborative way possible. I love working with people, and holding both myself and others to the vision of serving our highest good, while doing no harm along the way. I thought if I could share some of the insights I’ve gained after 20 years of coaching and leading my team, and 13 years learning first-hand about what sustainable international development can actually look like – I might be able to spark the good work waiting to be done by my clients. That’s how MOVED Consulting and Travel was born, to make sure that the buck didn’t stop with me, but could support others on their path to making a difference in their own way. Just as they are. Right now.

What should our readers know about your business?
I hear a lot of discourse around values-aligned work and envisioning new pathways for philanthropy. In the middle of the conversation are lots of regular folks wondering, “How can I help?” and “Will my efforts really make a difference?”

There are so many tears in the fabric of the world today, and I believe that most of us want to play our own part in stitching them up. However, it can feel overwhelming and difficult for most of us to prioritize where we focus our attention and resources.

Through MOVED Consulting’s programs and travel experiences, I help regular people identify their most abundant “giving currency” and set them on the path to spending it generously. I believe that there is a philanthropist in all of us, and the traditional archetypes of what it looks like to “give back” aren’t always one size fits all. It’s important to empower all of us to know which of our giving currency accounts are “flush” so we can get out there and participate in positive change exactly where we’re meant to and do so in a way that honors the human dignity of everyone involved.

Following the success and scale of our story at Kisimani School in Tanzania, I realized that I could either continue to contribute within the limits of my own abilities as one individual or find a way to engage and empower others to imagine how they might help repair the world in their own way, while doing no harm to those they are intending to help. I am always learning and launched MOVED to invite others to learn alongside me. I can’t wait to see what they will do.

Creativity, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy have so much in common, in my opinion. Bringing an idea to life, enrolling others in your vision for something you believe in but have no evidence of yet, and betting on yourself to be the one that stewards this vision into reality can be daunting. I navigate imposter syndrome almost daily and have to laugh and remind myself that we all deal with that—it’s just part of being human. If I’m not asking myself “Who am I to be taking all of this on? Does my voice really matter here?” then I’m not stretching and growing. It takes courage to put yourself out there and believe that you have what it takes to bring something new to life and to navigate the unknowns of the process with grace. Remembering to take the work I do seriously but never to take myself too seriously always helps me snap out of it when I start down that “Who am I to be doing this?” train of thought. A good laugh and lightening up always make it a little easier to stay the course.

We have two travel experiences to Tanzania this year coming up, as well as workshops and group programs to activate our most generous selves and spend that “giving currency” where it matters most.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Whenever I have friends and family come to town, these are my go-to spots to show them around:

– a drive and hike up near Gold Hill to catch amazing views, regardless of my guests’ physical abilities
– Chatauqua and Pearl Street in Boulder, classics
– seeing what’s happening at the Mercury Cafe
– driving over the rise on Lookout Rd – incredible views
– stand up paddling on Mackintosh Lake in Longmont
– a farm to table dinner in the summertime at Black Cat Farm
– hot chocolate at the Mountain Fountain in Hygiene in winter

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Certainly! Here’s the edited version with the requested change:

I couldn’t agree more about “standing on the shoulders of giants” and owe so much to the wonderful role models in my life who encouraged me to take a running leap at life. Certainly starting with my parents, Marcia and Ira Wagner, who laid a foundation of self-esteem and unending imaginative possibility in me, along with the unspoken knowledge that they would be there for me if I face-planted. I know that it is incredibly lucky to have that sense of security and love at home as a kid, and I am so grateful for that. It was modeled for me by my parents, and grandparents, particularly my grandfather Stanley Wagner, that when you have sufficiency in your own life, it is the right thing to do to empower others. Not to save them and take all the recognition for yourself, but to offer a helping hand in partnership, with humility, from the resources you have. I learned that from watching how they lived, and live, their lives.

My rabbi growing up, David Shneyer, has always been a proponent of peace and connecting diverse communities together in conversation, often through music and the arts.

I credit the consultant community and company culture (starting with my mentor Carrie Carlson, and first business partners, Natalie Myre Hart and Roni Orlina) at Arbonne with the commitment to lifelong learning and personal development. Surrounding yourself with others who want to grow and learn alongside you is so much better than staying an island. I could not have asked for a more positive entrepreneurial foundation.

While she is not a personal mentor of mine (yet!), I resonate deeply with Lynne Twist’s books and perspective on sufficiency, generosity, and the soul of money. I am also inspired by Dan Pallotta and his call to action through ‘Uncharitable’ for us to change the way we think about change.

My ‘story’ in the non-profit world, and the success story that is Kisimani School in Tanzania really isn’t my story at all, but the story of people who come from different backgrounds and contexts putting their resources and goals together to make incredible local change a reality. The parents in Mkonoo village had an incredible vision and commitment to improving the education standards for their kids. My co-founder, James Losioki, gave his time, patience, and relationships for so many years to support my ability as a foreigner to successfully collaborate across cultural and language differences. Our head teacher, Enock Laiser, has created a culture of striving for excellence at our school that I am proud to be able to lift up through the special programs our non-profit funds at this school.

Special shoutout to my husband and co-pilot, Aidan Leonard, for getting that internship at the UN in Tanzania and asking me to come along—the open door that started it all.

Website: leahleonard.me

Instagram: leahwagnerleonard

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/leahwagnerleonard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahwagnerleonard

Image Credits
Laura Penner | Living Potential Pholography Jewel Afflerbaugh | Essence Sessions