We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Leigha Monier-Williams. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Leigha below.

Alright, Leigha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

About five years into my career. I was living in Los Angeles, working as a Production Manager and Line Producer for commercial productions, and was not happy. I had a dream of working in Film but the dream turned out to be just a stepping stone in the longer vision of my career and I was starting to realize that. During the summer of 2017, a producer from RSA Films called me to freelance as a travel and production coordinator on a commercial. This was something I had done but was not actively seeking roles in. The producer went on to tell me I would be working directly with the creative agency but being paid through RSA Films. Two things came up for me during this call. One my ego saying this position is below you and second that I never worked directly for the creative agencies always the production companies. I had intrigue and ego playing but decided to take the job. During the job it went well, I loved every minute of it. I had such a good time the producer at the creative agency took me out to a meal and asked me if I would ever work in-house at an agency. That I should think about it and if I was ever in New York I should come to the office to meet them. When fall of 2017 came my grandfather passed away and it brought me back to New York for his funeral. During that short period of time in New York I thought why not just meet with the folks at the creative agency and see if they can offer me anything? The meeting went well and they said if you move back to New York let us know and we can offer you a job with us. This was not confirmed, in writing, or approved by any hiring office of the agency but the verbal confirmation was the only thing I had. I went back to Los Angeles for two months and realized I needed to take this risk. Move back to New York and see if they really offered me a job in a new world. So right before Christmas of 2017 I drove across the country back to New York, found an apartment, and in the new year reached out to the agency to see if they did have a job for me. Then by March 2018, it worked out and I was working at my first creative agency.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Leigha and I currently work in creative production and brand strategy. My career started as an intern at a commercial production company called Chelsea Pictures in Los Angeles, CA. Although my work started in production, where I have found a groove in my personality, passion, and skill has been in creative production and strategy direct for brands like Away, Edens, and others to come. The proudest film I helped create was for Away Travel a two-minute film with a production company called LoveSong and director Elliot Powers. The film was never officially released as some content isn’t but the brand strategy, creative ideas, and overall execution of the piece were magnificent and something I will think about often. Since I started a Masters in Cultural Anthropology my experience has been broadened to really sitting with strategic problems of a brand and seeing how we can enter into a new conversation with a certain product. Doing brand strategy and audience building has been a new way in which I’m stretching myself and my career.

Looking towards my future I would love to work with an apparel brand and enter into conversations with the brand about identity and fashion and how disposable clothing has effected consumers mental health. This is also my main thesis for my Masters program.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was that it is about my career path and my success only. Once I started working full-time at a creative agency I learned a very hard lesson about loving, caring, and trying to understand the people who are around me. It was not a safe environment for me to learn this but I think the outcome of the hardship at this place really taught me that what I do care about most is people making sure we are building community, and focusing on mutual growth over the toxic behaviors that competitive industries can produce.

Any advice for managing a team?

I always listen to my team. A good manager is someone who lifts others up to do the best work they can. There is a lot of self-worth and place you have to contain to be able to allow others to shine around you. So this is also a good point to think about, how are you taking care of your own mental health in the workplace to make sure you can support your team well and see things objectively.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mindfulfilm.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/layamo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighamowill/