Today we’d like to introduce you to Leilani Nichole.
Leilani, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m the Chief Content Curator for Let Lei Be Lei, a lifestyle brand that serves as an inspiration for millennials to positively shift their mindsets about self-expression through adventure, dining, and fashion.
In 2014, about a year after graduating from college, I fell victim to the mundane routine of going to work and coming home and that quickly grew old. With little money and a desire for more, I began to take a new and long way home, writing down new restaurants to try, popping in on grand openings, and finding free things to do for fun! I wanted to share my experiences with others more in depth and encourage them to try that one place they continue to pass on their way home from work.
I started sharing events, boutique openings, restaurant theme nights, you name it, on Instagram and in 2017, it grew from a hashtag to a successful social media hub, YouTube channel, and blog site.
Let Lei Be Lei has recently begun hosting carefully curated “Event Experiences” that closely reflect our mission! I aim to bring my articles to life and transfer the words from the page into real-life experiences.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road! The hardest part of my journey was simply starting.
As a recovering perfectionist, I have put off sharing certain projects with the public so many times. This was only because what I created didn’t resemble the unrealistic dream version that was in my head!
After a while, I just had to get out of my own way. I realized that I stopped myself before I could even fail; before I could even start! I was a professional self sabotage-r
Please tell us about Let Lei Be Lei.
We have all heard the phrase “Don’t talk about it, be about it!”
Well, I’m diving in head first and turning my experiences in adventure, dining, and fashion into a tangible entity with my brand Let Lei Be Lei. I have always been that friend that knows the happenings of whatever city I’m in. From summer festivals to new restaurants, I love, love, love researching cool new things to try and explore.
With my site, I can share my experiences with you more in depth and encourage others to try that one place they continue to pass on their way home from work.
When I go on an adventure, I will share with you places I’ve been and want to go and the methods I take to find the next best thing.
While I dine in or out, I will share with you my favorites in cuisine, cooking, and cocktails.
Don’t get me started on fashion! Because I feel that fashion is one of the most common forms of self-expression, I will give you a taste of who I am through, the trends I accept (or don’t), my must-have items and the places in which I choose to shop!
I’m most proud of the positive impact that Let lei Be Lei has had. Seeing people respond to articles in gratitude, trying restaurants that I recommend, and tagging me in inspired post truly means a lot!
What sets Let Lei Be Lei apart from others is our open and candid approach to life. I feel like sharing is caring and this goes for my mistakes as well as my successes. People respect honesty and when you are able to save them from making bad decisions. It’s more than a brand, it’s a change agent!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
In my hometown of Chicago, before there was Let Lei Be Lei there was my Grammie (maternal grandmother) and I write down lists of what restaurants we wanted to try! She would say, “what’s next?” And “when’s our next date” and that’s just how it went!
She would even eat really healthy during the week just so we could try a new place without guilt, lol! A fun fact too, my first time visiting Houston (my current place of residence) was with her!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.letleibelei.com
- Email: letleibelei@gmail.com
- Instagram: letleibelei
- Facebook: letleibelei
- Twitter: letleibelei
- Other: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCfcVHlkKS-qjH1e_xWx-M1A
Image Credit:
Jaio Photography, April Clark, Klarke Foreman, Dominique Collins
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
