Her role as Executive Director, International at M⋅A⋅C Cosmetics (Estée Lauder subsidiary) was the perfect way to put this passion to work. Leonora’s team was responsible for delivering a P&L generated in over 60 countries, yet the brand managers in each country reported to their Estée Lauder country head, not their M⋅A⋅C head. This dotted line relationship meant Leonora could manage only with “carrots” and no “sticks.” She traveled around the world listening to concerns unique to each market. Which products work well in Asia? How do we ensure our visual branding is appropriate in deeply religious countries? How do we navigate complex regulatory environments that delay launch timing for new products in some of our most prominent countries? These are the types of problems Leonora solved by working through others in cultures not her own. It was a challenging task and she loved every minute of it.

As a junior banker and consultant, she sought mentors. As she advanced, she continued to rely on mentors and began mentoring others herself.  Her favorite conversations were ones where someone left feeling better, empowered, more confident. She sometimes wished that she could do that all day.

Caring for her two daughters became her primary focus and professional projects assumed a new form. Among the most fulfilling of these was co-founding with five other women an angel fund investing in female-led startups across the Southeast. With tiny revenue bases and constantly changing business models, startup investing is 99% betting on teams – right up Leonora’s alley. And serving on boards? A deeply satisfying experience in helping others reach potential.

She had moved her family to Nashville for a job back in the beauty industry. She recognized that she wasn’t a perfect fit with the brand’s positioning, but took the job anyway. After four months she was terminated. That experience threw Leonora into despair. She spent almost a year in discernment, trying to figure out where to go next.

She had hundreds of coffee dates. Spent hours in downward dog. Walked miles with her golden retriever. Got back into bed after dropping off her kids some mornings and just cried. But most importantly, Leonora - who loves to write and often takes online creative writing classes - realized that if her life were a book, she could identify the plot and the characters, but had lost touch with the narrative themes. She promised herself that she would not seek a new venture until she understood the "why" that tied her life together. And after almost a year, that "why" became clear. Leonora's true calling is helping other people reach their potential.