We were lucky to catch up with Leslie Lew recently and have shared our conversation below.

Leslie, appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

I learned that there is a higher price to pay by not speaking up than there is by speaking up. I once worked for a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of San Francisco. I started from the bottom as a telephone operator and then a reservations agent. A year later, I felt a sense of pride in landing the job as a Sales Coordinator/Assistant to the Director of Marketing. She was an Asian American woman that sold me on the idea that she would be my mentor, but she treated me like a dog at her beck and call . I remember her as the Devil Who Wore Hermes. One day when I didn’t assemble a folder in the order she wanted, she sat me down at a large conference room table. On a piece of paper, she drew a bell curve with her bright red pen. She pointed at the top of the curve and said, “most people are here, but I think you are down here at the bottom. You are slow and stupid.” I bit my tongue and just nodded politely.

Months passed, and I became an insomniac, suffered from panic attacks, was admitted to the ER twice for chest pains with difficulty breathing, and developed sharp pains in my abdomen. My doctor uttered the words, ” You have an ulcer with acid reflux., it’s caused by an extreme amount of stress and suppressing your emotions. You have to learn healthy ways to process what you feel, or you are at risk for internal bleeding.

Six months later, I quit my job, cashed out my 401k, and traveled to India. This was a hard lesson on what can happen to live in silence and constantly pleasing others. Reclaiming my voice allowed me to regain my dignity, love myself unconditionally, and stand in my power.

Leslie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I value love, courage, and community. My mission is to save the lives of women and allies globally. I identify as a second-generation Korean and Chinese American, San Francisco native, mother of two, and wife. I am a two-time black belt and have been a martial artist for over 20 years.

I empower purpose-driven women to ignite their strength through their mind, body, and voice. At the start of the pandemic, I was deeply impacted by the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes. I have dedicated my life to #stopasianhate and strengthening my community by helping Asian women find their voice and not fall victim to being perceived as easy prey.

I am an ally to the BIPOC, Latinx, Queer, Neurodivergent, and Disabled communities. When people think of self-defense, they think of things like carrying pepper spray or poking someone in the eye, but that isn’t enough. Self-defense is about more than just the physical. It’s about the non-physical attacks we face every day. Self-defense is your ability to take up space and manage the space around you . You do this by feeding your self-defense mindset that you are worth fighting for, reclaiming your voice but speaking up, and creating body awareness.

My workshops and programs range from personal and community safety , embodying your boundaries and a framework for speaking up, and allyship’s power to heal and strengthen our communities.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I lead with my values and mission so that people can see my heart. I remain authentic and unapologetically myself rather than wasting my energy on what’s trendy. I focus on consistency and bringing energy and passion into everything I post.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Building real human connections rather than trying to pitch people all the time. I share who I am as a complete person .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reclaimingyourcourage.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimingyourcourage/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734253260
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/self-defense-mama-494851257/