Getting to Know You: Leesa Barnes

A Social Butterfly North of the Border

Earlier this year, I had a fantastic lady on Indie Business Radio. That's not terribly unusual of course, but this lady is a real dynamo. Unfortunately for me, I had to be out of town to speak at a conference on the day she was booked as my guest. Thankfully, my friend and fellow Indie Beauty Network member Jamila White (@ecommercediva) came to the rescue and guest hosted the show in my absence.

When I listened to the show later, I realized what a treat I had missed by not being able to interview Leesa Barnes myself. But thanks to technology, we've stayed in touch. Leesa is a fantastic person to know, a perfect candidate for my Getting to Know You column.

dM: Use 3 words to describe yourself as a business owner.

Leesa: Hmmm….let's just say that I'm both blessed and cursed with a curious nature. This curiosity helps me to be innovative, but it causes me to follow every shiny object.

dM: What's your earliest pleasant childhood memory?

Leesa: Being active. I was a tomboy growing up and I just loved being outside running or climbing something. Whenever I'm active, I feel free.

dM: Who influences you most on a regular basis in your business ownership journey?

Leesa: My parents. Both are blue collar workers and they see things from a totally different perspective than my white collar pedigree.

dM: To what social media tool do you attribute the most positive business benefits for you?

Leesa: Podcasting. It elevated my expert status, it helped me earn tons of money and it connected me with my amazing publisher.

dM: Who is your favorite blogger, and why?

Leesa: There are too many for me to select just one. The blogs that I do read regularly are conversational, are updated daily and include links to other bloggers who aren't superstars. An awesome way to build a fan base online. People like Chris Brogan, Kate Trgovac and Nancy Marmolejo do this so well.

dM: Why should I follow you on Twitter? Or if you don't Twitter, why not?

Leesa: If you don't want to know anything about my personal life, then you should not follow me on Twitter. If you don't want to laugh or have fun, do not follow me on Twitter. Life to me is such an adventure and Twitter is my compass.

dM: What's the most costly mistake you made as a business owner and how did you recover?

Leesa: Not listening to the Holy Spirit. Some call this your 6th sense or an inner voice, but because I believe in God, I know it's the Holy Spirit. Anytime I made a business decision and the Holy Spirit strongly encouraged me not to do it, it always goes sour. So, I don't say yes too quickly anymore, I state my intentions right from the beginning, I make sure that people are clear about what direction I'm going to take and I always ask God for direction.

dM: Who is one of your favorite people to invest your time with and why?

Leesa: My sisters. They are my best friends. They have seen my good side and my ugly side, yet they love me unconditionally. Whenever I need to laugh, get advice or vent, they are never far away.

dM: Describe in 3 sentences or less your life purpose.

Leesa: How about 6 words? I'm here to be of service.

dM: How old are you and how do you feel about it?

Leesa: I will be 35 on January 12th. And if you're thinking of a gift, I'd love to get Star Trek, the remastered series, on DVD. My mailing address is on my blog.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Leesa as much as I have enjoyed knowing her for the past several months. You can stream or download Leesa on Indie Business Radio at this link. And don't forget to Tweet with Lisa at @leesabarnes, and also to visit Leesa at her blog where you can learn fantastic tips to help make the use of social media.

Question: Do you know Leesa Barnes? Would you like to? I think if I didn't already, I would. Leave your questions, comments and fun things you know about Leesa in the comments section here.

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