OWN YOUR BRAND SHOW with Victoria Odekomaya

She Built a Firm to Catch What Corporate Dropped | Epi 65

• Victoria Odekomaya | LiMStudios Network • Episode 65

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What does it really take to break free from the safety net of corporate America and build a business that serves with both structure and soul? In this episode, we sit down with Les Marie, founder of The Les Marie Firm, whose journey from corporate operations to championing minority entrepreneurs is as raw as it is revolutionary. With 15+ years in corporate under her belt, Les Marie shares why so many minority-owned businesses don’t fail from lack of hustle, they fail from lack of infrastructure, resources, and support. 

From battling burnout and imposter syndrome to creating systems that protect her peace and profitability, Les Marie unpacks how she built her firm from the ground up. Her story covers everything from boundary-setting and client selection to launching her nonprofit, Les Advocates, supporting the mental health of working mothers. Whether you're a founder in the thick of the grind or just dreaming of launching, this episode is a blueprint for building a sustainable business with heart, strategy, and unshakable purpose.

✨ Learn More & Connect with Les Marie’s World:

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👉 Upcoming Opportunities to Connect:

  • The Les Marie Firm is launching LMF HR: Strategic HR & Staffing Solutions — designed to meet the unique compliance needs of your industry.

Stay tuned for events, workshops, and panels where Les Marie shares insights on entrepreneurship, visibility, and creating businesses that thrive with structure and impact.

ABOUT

Victoria Odekomaya is a Nigerian American entrepreneur, speaker, and content marketing strategist on a mission to help business owners grow their business, brand, and legacy through the power of storytelling and strategic content marketing.

She’s the founder of LiMStudios, a full-service creative agency and state-of-the-art content studio in Indianapolis where strategy and storytelling come together through high-quality content production and marketing implementation. She’s also the creator of Boss Ladies Magazine and host of The Own Your Brand Show, a video podcast to help business owners grow their business, brand, and legacy through strategic content marketing and authentic conversations about the entrepreneurial journey.

Each week, Victoria breaks down practical content marketing strategies in her solo “Own Your Brand” episodes and sits down with entrepreneurs in her Behind the Brand series to uncover the stories, struggles, and systems behind their success. Because when we get real about the wins AND the struggles, we realize we're not alone and that's when real transformation happens.

Follow her journey through LiMStudios, Boss Ladies Magazine, and The Own Your Brand Show and join the movement to amplify voices, build legacy, and make impact.

📩 For sponsorship or business inquiries:
mtr.bio/limstudios | hello@thelimstudios.com | Text 260-777-7211

Speaker 1:

I used to say in the beginning I'm going to do it tired, I'm going to do it broke, I'm going to do it by myself, because entrepreneurship is lonely, because nobody is going to believe and understand. They're going to be like, oh, they're going to listen to you but nobody is going to feel it. You know, the challenges are the imposter syndrome. Can we do it? So I've been doing this for almost 15 years, so why would doing it for myself be a challenge when people are coming to you and they are enlisting your services? One of the biggest challenges I have, because not only do we have new businesses, we have established businesses as well.

Speaker 1:

When you have the autonomy as a business owner to take your meeting at noon or whatever. You can get lazy, you can get complacent. This is just a key to my success. I work like I still work for somebody else. I get up, I get my kids ready, I get dressed, I go to the office and I leave at a certain time. And then I have a schedule. I work Monday through Thursday. I do not work Friday, but I have a very clear regimen. You have to, because it is so easy to fall off.

Speaker 2:

That's good, that's good.

Speaker 1:

That's really good, and I can tell you're passionate about this like 100% I am, because I'm very passionate not only about for entrepreneurs and stepping out on your own and seeing what you're made of. I'm passionate about the minority black dollar because we are the first to do it, yeah, and we're also the first that they replicate from and they don't give us the credit, and it's because we have not set our business up for success, because they have taken from us and we've built this country.

Speaker 2:

Hello, boss Ladies. It's your girl, Victoria Odeko-Meyer, here with you again to help you build bankable brand, show up with bold visibility and create content that actually connects. Today I have a special guest, one of our 2025 March Boss Ladies. She was featured in the Boss Ladies magazine and she has an incredible story. I am really excited to bring her on because, look, if you're wondering, you know like, if you're in corporate and you're like, oh my God, I don't know if I want to do this, but you have the strong passion to start something that you really believe in, then you're going to be inspired by Les Marie of the Les Marie firm. This woman is very dynamic, she is doing it, she's doing the do, and I know you're going to be really inspired and very encouraged after this episode. So make sure you stay tuned with us, but, without much ado, let's get into it. How are you?

Speaker 1:

Hi, thank you for having me.

Speaker 2:

Oh, my goodness, I am so happy that you're here for a lot of reasons, because I feel like the two of us have a lot of things in common with, like you know, being ex-corporates and coming into and doing the do right, and you are just killing it in your field and I want to share. You know, use this opportunity to share your story, but before we go into it, like, tell us a little bit about you, about your firm.

Speaker 1:

Ok, so I'm Lesmarie from the Lesmarie firm. We have officially been in business in our second year, so I'm extremely blessed and grateful for that. So the Les Marie firm was started kind of by an idea from leaving corporate of what do we do? How do we make minority businesses, small businesses, entrepreneurs, successful? How do we give them all of the strategic planning? How do we give them the operational and the fundamental guidance wraparound services that they have, all of the resources and tools they need to succeed? So that's kind of how I came about.

Speaker 1:

I wanted to give after, you know, being in operations for almost 15 years, I wanted to make sure that everything that the big Fortune 5 companies had entrepreneurs had, that had assets to that. You know I'm a firm believer that it's not that we don't have the product, we don't have the service we don't have. The idea is we don't have the resources, we don't have the backing, we don't have, you know, people guiding us into the directions that we can be doing to be successful. So that's how the firm started. I made sure that anything you needed for a business whether it was operations, whether it's business setup, branding and marking, making sure your website and logo and your branding was just overall, clear and concise. If you had employees making sure that human resources was, you know, in order and decency and overall compliance. And then the big thing, your money, the financial advisory piece make sure that entrepreneurs because that's the smallest thing on the to-do list- we're robbing.

Speaker 1:

Peter to pay Paul. That's right, but you know, making sure you have a bookkeeping service, making sure you know, even if you're writing it on a piece of paper, I spent this, I did this. But making sure that you have overall know where your money is going, where your money is spent and then what your overall profit or loss is. But just making sure you know. So really just teaching entrepreneurs what they need, just the basics to you know be sustainable in scale.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing. I love everything that you're doing, but I have to talk about touch on the name the Les Marie Firm. I love that name. It's like I'm owning this. How did you?

Speaker 1:

come up with that. Okay, so my name is Leslie and and I was named after someone, so it was kind of symbolic All my life I was named after someone and then Leslie was who. I was in corporate and when I left, it was a lot of things that I left at that time. God sent me through more of a shedding period. I didn't know. A lot of times we don't know that's what we're going through. So I was just going through a shedding period. I didn't know A lot of times, we don't know that's what we're going through. So I was just going through a shedding period and when I was looking and thinking of names, I was like, well, my family used to call me Les all the time, so my family called me Les and then I had an aunt that called me Marie, because she didn't like that I was named.

Speaker 2:

You know she didn't like that I was named.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I see she wanted me to have my own identity, so they would call me Marie. So I kind of just went back to that. And I was like, okay, Les Marie, and it was going to be Les Marie Agency, Les Marie Organization, I mean. And then one day it just came to me and I was like the firm.

Speaker 2:

Les Marie firm. I love that and it just came about. And I think I also like the fact that you just go by Les Marie period Like I know your last name. But you know, because I remember when we were doing the magazine I was like what's the last name and she was like uh-uh, that's it, that's it. I like that. That's very affirming. I feel like a lot of us that are. You know, a lot of people out there that are starting their business. There's still a lot of scares. We're scared, we're afraid, which is normal. But you also have to like own your, you know your story, own your, you know. I feel like you have to be confident in certain things, because if you don't have that confidence, people cannot buy into that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, so you know, for me, and I've been saying this and it's something you know, I get on kicks but things that have just been speaking to me, because just even for my clients that kind of have doubt or kind of get burnt out or they don't know if what they're doing is right.

Speaker 1:

I tell them all the time, anything that I've been through because you know it's not it has not been easy, anything that I've been through. I was in a period that it was like, oh my God, woe is me. Why is it this way? I just I've never had it easy. And then I finally you know it's a scripture that says you know well why, not you.

Speaker 1:

And then I kind of realized that after that and a lot of just talking with myself and you know that mirror work, it was first of all, nothing about me is average. My dreams, my goals, my ambitions none of them are average. I love that. And so any trials that I go through, any tribulations, any roadblocks, those are not going to be average either. That's right. You know, the things that I'm up against are not going to be lightweight, because mediocre is easy. So nothing about me is mediocre, so my problems are not going to be mediocre either. So when you're an entrepreneur and when you not just in life you have to affirm who you are and you have to be okay with that. All the quirks I have a very quirky personality. Sometimes it rubs people the wrong way. People don't know how to take me, but I'm okay with that. Yeah, that it's me, and if the people that are supposed to get to know me, the people that are supposed to bypass my quirkiness and you know some twits about me, it's okay.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

And the people that don't. Those aren't for me and that is a very hard pill to swallow, but in business it sets you up for those are not your clients, that's right. So the people that don't take you, accept you go with you. Those are not your clients, those are not for you and we have to be okay with that.

Speaker 2:

And you have to be okay with that, you know, because you're not for everyone and it goes into your marketing, it goes into your branding. You can streamline. Before we started this, we were talking a little bit about the finances and you also mentioned that a little bit too here. Like, if you're trying to appeal to everyone, you're going to wear yourself out and you're not going to be able to make profits in your business because not everybody would resonate with that.

Speaker 1:

Or you're going to make profit but you're not going to be doing what you love because you're going to have a level of clientele that is not for you, that's not your vision, because you're just taking the money. So I did that in the beginning I cut deals, I took everybody and I had to really set back after the year, because you do a year, you do a reflection what went well, just like in corporate, what went well, you know what was some downfalls, and then what are we going to do different to expand the next year?

Speaker 1:

And what I realized is I compromised and you don't do that. You don't do that with your business. You don't really do that in life. But you know, personal is kind of different. But in business you have to have a hard no, my hard no, and it's okay, and you have to be selective about your clientele. So everybody that I kind of. Those are the headaches. So what I did you know, coming in 2025, I made sure that my idea, I wrote what my idea client was and that's what I stuck with and my price was my price. That's right. Client was and that's what I stuck with and my price was my price. So when you negotiate, when you kind of bring down your value and then sacrifice your value, you get different kind of clientele and so you can make the money, but it's the money. So then you're going to end up doing, when you were working for somebody else, what you don't love.

Speaker 2:

And you're back on a cycle, exactly. So. It's almost like you're back in corporate, basically, but working for yourself, right?

Speaker 1:

And the hours are longer, the sacrifices are longer, the tears are longer, you know are more. The emotions are in it because everything has to, everything is riding on this.

Speaker 2:

You cannot fail. So, yeah, you got. No, you gotta be selective. That's yes. I really like that. So for someone out there that is thinking I'm trying to get out of corporate, I'm afraid I don't know where to start. You have a business that is set up to help them make that start Correct. So tell us a little bit. Just for someone listening out there, I'm like I don't know what to do. What are some of the things that they can do or they should be doing, or things that you can offer them to get started?

Speaker 1:

So if you're trying to get started, the first thing that we set up is we set your business up in a corporate style operating model. You know it's not rigid, it just makes sure all of the compliance, all of the legalities, everything that you need to be set up for success is done right, because it's easy to start a business and put it together with pens and paper clips. And what did my mother used to say Gum?

Speaker 1:

and sticky tack. But if you set it up right the first way, you don't have to go back and fix it. And you know, because the one thing about the IRS is there's a lot of people you can play with. Uncle Sam is not one of them.

Speaker 1:

And when they come and ask you those questions. You can spend a lot of people but you cannot spend the IRS. So if it's done right, if you've got your finances done right, if everything is set up right, you know you don't have to kind of backtrack. So that's what we do. We set your business up in a foundation and then, if your foundation is secure, it's just like a house Everything will keep building. You can build from the top, you can expand. But if that foundation is shaky and it crumbles, you're going to always be trying to kind of level it, go back and sometimes start all over.

Speaker 2:

That's right, you know. The other thing that I was thinking is that when you have a strong foundation, it gives you the confidence to like I have a legitimate business. But when you're still doing as a hobby, you know, like, like you said, pinning things together like you, just you, you would not even run the business like a business. No, you know. But when you have all your paperwork done, like, I think there's a certain level of confidence that comes with that.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and the one thing that I'm proud about is that I have put a team together in even if I had to outsource of resources that small business owners, entrepreneurs, would not normally have access to. So you know finances. We have accounting, bookkeeper, cpa, human resources If you have employees, you know a full human resource team, branding and marketing. Some people are still putting their website on GoDaddy. We have top of the line. You know your website is built for success with SEO, optimization, search engine. You know we make sure that people can find you. A lot of people don't even know how the Internet works. It's just like real estate, so you know. And GPS, so your house is always there, just like your website is there. But if no one knows the directions, if no one can get to you, your house is just there, nobody's going to come and visit you, and it's the same thing for your website.

Speaker 1:

So you have to have everything in place so people can navigate to your website. So you know, and we educate. We educate because the goal is not for you to have the firm with you all the time, it's setting you up for success, because we want to help more entrepreneurs, so we want to get you to a place that you can roll off and be competent and, you know, run your business successfully and then we can help more entrepreneurs. But that's the overall goal. It's kind of like a wraparound services for entrepreneurs.

Speaker 2:

That's good, that's really good, and I can tell you're passionate about this like 100%.

Speaker 1:

I am because I'm very passionate not only about for entrepreneurs and stepping out on your own and seeing what you're made of. I'm passionate about the minority black dollar because we are the first to do it. Yeah, and we're also the first that they replicate from and they don't give us the credit, and it's because we have not set our business up for success. They stole from Madam CJ Walker, so that's why.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because they have taken from us and we built this country.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, and it's so important. I love what you do a lot because sometimes when you're a small business and I've been there you feel like you don't have what it takes. But your services gives us that resource, the confidence, the knowingness that, ok, I just I, because it takes a lot to build a business, especially in the corporate level right, but when you're like a solo one person, you know you're like, oh, I don't have this, I don't have that. But that's no longer the case with the Les Marie friend, because you have a whole team behind you, you have a whole team around you and that just helps. You know that you're building something bigger than a hobby, Because sometimes the, sometimes the mindset switch has to happen.

Speaker 2:

You know, and for a lot of people they're still struggling with that, which is OK we have. You know, we all go through life differently. But I want to come back to you as a person. So when you were starting out this business, like, was there, tell us, just, take us through the whole process? I know you talked about your time in corporate, but like, was there any fear? Was there anything that kind of pushed you to like say I'm going to do this? Like you know how that that transition actually happened.

Speaker 1:

So in anything, when you do it for a long time, you keep thinking what is next, what is my next mark, what is my next promotion? And what I realized is, for my tenure in corporate, I always had goals what my next promotion was going to be, what my next project was going to be, how was I going to position myself for that next big bonus or that next big promotion or that next big project. And I went to a class that a gentleman was having, maybe in September of, I want to say, 2021. Or 2023, and it was. He had us kind of write down what is everything that you wanted to do that you've never done? And I started writing and he came over to my table he said no, I'm talking about you as a person, and it made me die that moment.

Speaker 1:

Because you were writing about your career Every time it was always about what I was going to do professionally Got it and he made me scratch the paper. He was like no for you, for Leslie and Victoria. It was so profound because it was the first time in my life that I made goals for myself, that I had things that I had not done, that I had desired to do, things that I needed to unpack and work on so I can heal. And Shonda Rhimes said this when she did her speech at a college Anytime you see me successful in one area, I am failing and lacking in another, you know, and I always wanted my kids she said, I always wanted my kids to see that you can work and you can be successful and be independent.

Speaker 1:

But what the viewers and what my fans did not see is that if I was accepting an award, I was missing a swim meet. Yes, and if I was at a swim meet, I was missing a deadline or a re-edit. So you know, it really spoke to me that I had some things to work on with Leslie that I needed to really work on so that I could have the best version of myself. And that's how it started and I decided that I no longer wanted to aid to people that were already rich. Yeah, and that's how I got started.

Speaker 1:

I mean we go on and on, but that was it. That's the nothing but Right.

Speaker 2:

So then you, just you know, went in and started the business like the paperwork.

Speaker 1:

No, I started doing freelance consulting, okay.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

And I was like, I like this.

Speaker 1:

I like people actually coming to me for my expertise and valuing it, and that's how I was like. And then I had friends who had businesses that always used to ask me questions or ask me. And I had a friend she was my very first client and she was like you need your own business and da-da-da-da-da, and she was my very first client and that's how we got started really consulting and helping with the operations and the strategic setup and compliance for her business and that is really how we got started. It was by word of mouth. We didn't even market for the. I didn't start marketing until eight months into the business.

Speaker 2:

Wow, but you knew you had all the expertise from your experience in corporate right.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I had the skill set and I had the expertise and I had the knowledge. But you know, sometimes you don't know if you got it. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, wow, so well, I'm glad that you got started. So then now fast forward two years in, right? Uh-huh, it's my second year. How is that coming?

Speaker 1:

How is everything going? Everything is right, okay. Second year, how is that come out? Everything going, everything is going wonderful. Um, the team is great. We've we're able to add additional services, we've been able to add additional clientele because, you know, it was not a, it never was. It was quality over quantity, so I was never going to take more clients than I could give quality service to. So now I've been able to expand the team and expand our services and it's really, you know, every day I'm kind of like, you know, when you have that I don't know if you do this at night that kind of the reflection I have, you know, I really reflect and I'm like God, thank you. And in 2024, you know, I used to pray God, please expand my territory. And you know, you never really know what that means.

Speaker 2:

That's right, and he did it and now it's happening. That's amazing, wow. So I also know you. Just, you're expanding to a bigger office.

Speaker 1:

Yes, we moved into a bigger space in March.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing, and I'm excited about that.

Speaker 1:

So you know, we have, we can, you know, sometimes do interviews with our clients in there. We have, we can we, you know, sometimes do interviews with our clients in there. We have meetings. You know we're in a facility where even my clients who have employees we have a professional development or staff meetings there, you know. It's just I'm really excited about where we're going. Yeah, I couldn't be more excited.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing. All right, so you're doing the do you're getting, you're really successful and God is blessing you. But I know there's got to be some challenges and you mentioned a little bit. Like you know, it's a lot of work right? Somebody out there is looking at you thinking, oh my gosh, she has it all together. She's, you know, doing this. I know, yeah. So tell us some of those challenges to encourage someone out there.

Speaker 1:

You know the challenges are the imposter syndrome Can we do it? So I've been doing this for almost 15 years, so why would doing it for myself be a challenge? Yeah, so you know questioning if you're doing the right thing when people are coming to you and they are. You know enlisting your services to scale. And you know, because one of the biggest challenges I have because not only do we have new businesses, we have established businesses as well One of my clients has been in business. She just celebrated her seventh year Having her business where she's been doing it for herself. I think when she came to me it was her sixth year.

Speaker 1:

She's been with me for a year. What if I mess it up? What if I broke it? She's trusting me to do something different. And what if I don't? Yeah, so you know, you have a lot. The people put in their livelihood their baby. That is a different kind of stress level.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and the only thing that I can give encouragement to anybody that wants to be an entrepreneur, that wants to step out in faith, is the first step is just doing it. The first step is writing down the business name, establishing your LLC. The first step is having the idea. You've done it right there. You've had the courage to do it. So you know, the only thing I can tell people is to continue to have courage, continue to believe in yourself, bet on yourself every time. I think people are going to get tired of hearing me when they see me on different podcasts or interviews. People, when you start something, you're gonna have a lot of and it makes you second guess yourself. And the one thing that I will continue and continue to tell people is it's just like a GPS. You're not gonna ask somebody how to get to a place they've never been. You're not gonna ask to ask. I'm not going to ask you for directions to my house. You've never been there.

Speaker 1:

So, why am I going to ask you an opinion or ideas for the blueprint of my life that God gave me? Nobody has that map but me and God. So that is the thing that I will tell people bet on yourself every time and continue to believe and have faith on the vision and the calling that God gave to you, and as long as you're working in with those things, you're going to be okay. God is going to give you the vision and the provision to succeed in anything you do.

Speaker 2:

I love that. I think the only thing that I can add is just perseverance, because the journey is tough. There will be some hard times, like long nights, crying a lot, like you know, but just remembering the vision and the conversations you had with God you know the blueprint, like you've mentioned too like and knowing that there is something in this for you, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I used to say in the beginning when I started this I'm going to do it tired, I'm going to do it broke, I'm going to do it by myself. That's right, because entrepreneurship is lonely, because nobody is going to believe and understand. They're going to be like, oh, they're going to listen to you but nobody is going to feel it. So, as long as you're ready to travel down that road and just keep doing it, do it tired, do it broke, do it by yourself, but just do it and have that perseverance, you're going to be okay, it'll all work out.

Speaker 2:

It would. Yeah, I mean for you, it is, I mean for me too, you know. Thankfully it is working out, but there's a lot of perseverance, believing in yourself and keep going when the journey gets tough and stress. It's stressful, it is stressful, it's not nobody's.

Speaker 1:

You know people want to skip the the dark side. That's right. The stressful times, the crying at night. You know the late nights, the late nights, the not knowing where, having a big project and not knowing where the money is coming from. Payroll when you first started. Yeah, you know because the people have to get paid. Nobody wants to talk about that, but you know that is the part in entrepreneurship and you cannot skip the grind. That's right, it's a grind to it.

Speaker 2:

You have to have a work ethic with it to be successful yeah, and I think, speaking of work ethics, some people might be like, oh, I don't think I have it, because, I will tell you, when I started, I was a little bit worried that if would I actually go to work when I don't have?

Speaker 1:

to go. I have a, I have a, I have a thing for that. So, yeah, let's talk about that. Yeah, I used to want it was like am I gonna go to work? I have a thing for that, so yeah, let's talk about that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I used to want to. I was like am I going to go to work Because now I have this whole time to myself? But I mean, I'm still sure, but tell me about your thing.

Speaker 1:

No. So when you have the autonomy as a business owner to take your meeting at noon or whatever, you can get lazy, you can get complacent. No, any entrepreneur the one now. This is just a key to my success. I work like I still work for somebody else. I get up, I get my kids ready, I get dressed, I go to the office and I leave at a certain time.

Speaker 1:

And then I have a schedule. I work Monday through Thursday. I do not work Friday, but I have a very clear regimen. You have to because it is so easy to fall off, it is so easy you have to, you know, be consistent in your schedule and get you know a very tedious schedule Because then, if you want to, when you get the schedule tedious and you're kind of in a groove, then you can kind of scale back. Tedious and you're kind of in a groove, then you can kind of scale back. But if you don't do it you'll get kind of wobbly and you don't want your business to be wobbly. You don't want you know your schedule or anything like that to deter you. So just have a really good work ethic.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I, you know you said that, but I do the same thing now, like I realized that I would show up to work anyway, like it's you know, like nobody was making me show up to work, but then the same thing is happening. We're talking a little bit before. We started this way I drop off my kids and then I make my way to work and I have my agenda, I have my calendar, I live by my calendar, so you know so, and then I just I do. I have to remember to turn it off, though that's the part that I'm still struggling with, but I've made up my mind that at 5 o'clock I'm out of here, so that I can go be a mom too.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so I was working 24 hours. Sometimes I didn't sleep when I started the business and that is one thing that I have. I've gotten boundaries. You have to have boundaries, and I would also tell anybody when they start set those boundaries first. Have to have boundaries. And I would also tell anybody when they start set those boundaries first. Yes, um, because at six o'clock maybe I need to do five o'clock, six o'clock it's off, the firm is closed and that's it. That is my time to align, that is my time to be a mom, that is my time to get myself together and um, and that's just, it is. And one thing that I do like about it is we do have the autonomy to make our own schedules.

Speaker 2:

So I don't miss things I can say.

Speaker 1:

I can block my schedule off. I can't be there because my kids need me, and that's something that I'm really. If anything came out of this, I have more time, I'm able to be present and do more. That's good.

Speaker 2:

I don't think I have struck that balance yet because just a few, you know, like we just opened the studio right March 30th, and I really wanted to do it, I think earlier in March, maybe the 15th or the 8th or something the 8th and I was pushing and trying everything to get it done by then. Things weren't working out. And then I was a little, you know, putting a lot of pressure on myself and my friends told me, like you know, you can move this right and I was like the light bulb went off and I was like wait a minute, I actually can move it.

Speaker 1:

I think I told you that we're stuck on the day. Why are we stuck on the day, right, right, so I was like wait a minute yeah.

Speaker 2:

so I mean, like I guess I really like that and I'm still, you know, I'm still trying to like realize that I have control of this thing. You know, I'm building this, I can make changes, but I guess for me it's a work in progress, but I like that, the confidence with which you even speak of that. It's very empowering for me.

Speaker 1:

Because you know I could be good at anything, but if I'm not good at a mom, what am I doing all this for? I want my daughter to be able to say I'm proud of her. You know, even when I worked for a job, I want her to be able to say and she's not going to say now, it's probably going to be when she's 25 or 30. I want her to say my mom worked hard. You know, I was proud of her and she went through a lot and she overcame a lot and she gave me a lot. She was there for me. And then I want her to be able to see the evolution. I want her to be able to see.

Speaker 1:

You know, when I was in seventh grade that's when I can my mom was there and I think that will make up for all the times that I was and all the time I traveled for work and. But I want the high school, I want everything to. I want. But I keep saying, if I, what did I do all this for? If my daughter cannot speak highly of me, if my daughter cannot say, what did I do it for?

Speaker 2:

That's good, you're speaking like a CEO.

Speaker 1:

I love it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know. So that's something that I just I was just thinking about. I'm going to start a series online.

Speaker 2:

I'm just filming myself working in my CEO era, and I just love everything that you're talking about, because it's just giving me that CEO energy, you know. So this is really cool and I think it's really important that we set those boundaries. We know exactly what we're doing and why. We're doing it up front too, because then it makes the journey even more sweeter, if you will Like. You know that all the sacrifices that you're making is not in vain. You know there's a result, you know that you're aiming for, and when that time comes, you can really be, you know, like, oh wow. You know enjoy that moment too. So, yeah, it's amazing. So I know you have a foundation as well. Tell us a little bit about that.

Speaker 1:

Yes, let's Advocate.

Speaker 1:

It's a not-for-profit mental health advocacy program and you know I kind of talked about in the beginning how I got started, of really needing to heal about stuff and I realized that, like the business, all of the tools and resources you need to run your business the advocacy program is a mental health advocacy for women and children, for mothers that are in the workplace that are suffering for mental illness, and a lot of times we just don't know that we're suffering. It is because we're always so busy, we're stressed, we're high strung and we're just doing the do, as you would say. We're going through life and there's really a problem and sadly it trinkles down to your children when the mother is not happy. Studies have shown success of a child is solely a proponent to the happiness of the mom. So I realized in my tenure in corporate that I had not only myself was suffering, that I had employees that were suffering with their children, their self. You know they needed to call off work, they were about to lose their job for attendance because they were having to go put their kids up, because they were getting in trouble.

Speaker 1:

Or they were on IEPs and had to go to case conferences, doctor's appointments, and no one told them.

Speaker 1:

Hey, there's FMLA, hey, there's EAP services, hey, there are resources that can help you get through this, and not only this in the black community, you know, mental health, depending on what type of insurance you have, it's kind of glazed over.

Speaker 1:

If you go to your primary care doctor, they're going to put kind of a pin to kind of get you by the Less Advocates. Goal is to put you with providers and resources that you normally would not have access to A care plan, something that follows you, that kind of really regulates you and gets to the root of the problem. We, you know, help advocate for you with the FMLA in the workplace. And then on the child side, we have services that our kids go misdiagnosed all the time and when they get on these IEPs or 504 plans, the school puts them on it but it really doesn't tell you and then we feel like our children are plagued and it's not really. It's just like if you had mental health. It's just like if you had cancer. No one's going to look at you sideways because you lost your hair and you're going through chemo.

Speaker 1:

It's the same thing, but it's a crisis that we are not tending to, we don't talk about it enough. We don't talk about it at all and it's kind of like we're kind of shamed for it and it's kind of like we kind of shame for it.

Speaker 1:

And you know I kind of talked in the beginning about my quirks and my personality, you know, and until you get to know me, you really don't know the struggle behind that. That's right and kind of that's how the advocacy came about. Because I had moms, you know that were, you know, stressed about calling off work or sometimes not even going to do what they needed to do as a mom because they were scared about their job, and you know, and I would pull them to the side and say, hey, this is what you need to do, this is what you. And then you know, for the children, the school system is not fighting for our kids and you have to be in, going there and say, hey, my child is supposed to be in general population and in their classroom this percent of the time. Why isn't he, why isn't she? And that's what the advocacy does. We work with your child, we look at the case, we make sure that all the rights are afforded to them. Hey, you put my child on an IEP. That's great.

Speaker 1:

Now, everything that they're supposed to have, all the resources that you're supposed to do as a school system, I want them and let's advocate, make sure they get them. And for the mom we make sure that you are well and we follow behind you. We advocate for you, we help you, advocate for yourself so you can be better, so you can heal. So at the end of the day, like I keep saying, if we're not good at being moms, what are we doing this for? If we're not even good at being our best self, why are we doing it?

Speaker 1:

That's right and that's how let's Advocate came, because I really wish somebody came to advocate for me, somebody came to get me when I was spiraling or whatever I was going through. If somebody stopped and said hey, these are the resources, these are the things. This is the evaluation. Just talk to somebody. If someone would have came and reached and got me, I just really wish I had that. So I created a space that somebody else didn't know. I went to the doctor one time and she said you really just slipped through the cracks. Wow. After that I started and worked on the not-for-profit, because nobody else was going to slip through the cracks.

Speaker 2:

I remember you said that to me one of the first times we met. Nobody else is slipping through the cracks. I love that, All right. So I know some people out there wondering well, how can I reach out to her? Am I an ideal client for the Les Murray firm? Tell us a little bit about your ideal clients and how they can reach you.

Speaker 1:

So my ideal client is anybody that's serious about their business, anybody that wants to start their business, scale their business, evolve their business. That's my ideal business management client. What I am working on for 2026 and what I'm so excited about is, you know, our human resources really expanding that If you are a small or mid-sized company and you are looking to outsource your human resources, study has shown that human resources outside of the company makes it easier for business owners and CEOs. It kind of gives, you know, the off-putting on somebody else and it kind of takes the employee engagement, payroll compliance, all of that out of the company and it gives it to someone else to manage. That is my ideal client for 2026. You know, if someone, if you were, if you have a small to medium, a large size staff and you're looking somebody, looking for a team to help you with that organization employee engagement, eap services, payroll, employee benefits, anything like that, onboarding, terminations we are here to help.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing. That's great, Wow. Well, thank you so much for your time today. This has been a great conversation. I feel like I got to know you a little bit more, but if you are wondering and wanting to learn more about Les Marie, you can read about our story in the current edition of the Boss Ladies magazine. But I also want to encourage you to visit our website. Look really well done when I tell you exceptional service excellence. This lady is excellent, and so I also want to encourage you to make sure that you reach out to her. We're going to put all your information on the links. You already know how that goes either in the description or somewhere up there it's going to be showing up. I encourage you to connect with that on LinkedIn, when are you most active on?

Speaker 1:

I am most active, really on, because you know. So. If you go to the website and you fill out, you know, the inquiry information, I get right back to you and we also have Leslie M Rogers on LinkedIn and then you also can go on our Instagram page for our entrepreneurs, because that is more of a streamlined approach for them at the Les Marie firm. That's right.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so we're going to make sure we put all of that on the links so that you can reach out to her, but I strongly encourage that you do and check out some of the services that you offer. I know that she offers. I know you would be really, really empowered and that would help your business as well. But until next time, keep living out boldly and sharing your story, because you never know, somebody out there is waiting for you and unless you do, you're actually blocking their progress. Thank you.

Contributor

Victoria Odekomaya

Host