We had the good fortune of connecting with Lenka Wallace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lenka, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As a fearless Aries, I love taking a risk on myself! The way I see it is that there are all these fantastic opportunities waiting for us to explore, and sometimes also lessons that we need to learn. Either way, we gain from each experience, and we grow. What usually stops us from going for it are our fears. In my experience, fear comes from not knowing what will happen or how the potential situation will play out. It occurs in the future, which does not exist yet. I think it’s pointless to worry about something that may or may not happen. If we don’t put ourselves out there and if we don’t try we will never know whether or not it was worth it. So whenever I am presented with a new opportunity that may seem risky, I tune in and wait for a feeling. Feelings are our best guidance system, our best friends. When it feels right, I go for it. When it doesn’t, I explore why it doesn’t feel right. Is it my previous negative experiences that cause this unease? Does a lack of trust cause it? Or do I need more facts on the subject? When I rule out my own limiting beliefs, and I see that I simply don’t have enough information, I do my research. I talk to experts; I ask questions. That usually gives me enough to make my educated decision on whether or not I want to move forward. In most cases, I do. And for the most part, it has always paid off. I have been taking a chance of myself since I was in elementary school. If there was a fork in the road, I always chose the more difficult way. I like challenging myself. When I was a kid, I applied for a high school that was the most difficult to get accepted in. I got in. Later, I signed up for an international student competition where three winners out of hundreds were going to win an all-paid trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands. I won that trip. In college, I paused my Master’s program studies for a year, and I moved to the US to learn English. Without knowing anyone here, and with just $300 in my pocket. I learned the language, and I finished my Master’s three years later. But it was not always roses and butterflies… In 2009, I got laid off from my teaching job, and instead of looking for a new job, I decided to go full time with my side gig. I expected my small business to grow fast now that I had so much time to focus on it. I took a risk. Boy, was I wrong. Not only the business didn’t grow as fast as I wanted to, but it also put a tremendous financial strain on my bank account, and I ended up having to file for bankruptcy—that hurt. I have learned my lesson. Ever since then, I am very strategic with how I manage all my accounts. I learned to get my credit back up, and I learned about investing. It took me ten years to clean that mess up, but today I am better for it. My most recent two significant “risks” were writing and publishing my first book and hiring a high ticket business coach. The book became a No 1 bestseller, and with the coach, I have created a virtual summit that will air on May 11th, 2020, and is projected to bring in triple my initial investment. In closing, I say, go for it. Take a risk. Be smart about it, but don’t let your fears hold you back. Life is short, and as we are learning during this COVID-19 outbreak, it could end suddenly. We owe to ourselves to live it to the fullest.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At LinkUpWithLenka, we help busy women with two things – we help them stay on top of their game when it comes to self-care so that they can go out there into the work environment looking, feeling, and performing their best; we also help them monetize their passion. It all started when my friend Tam challenged me to write a book. I have never written a book before, let alone in a second language! I laughed her off. The idea she planted in my head started to grow tiny roots pretty fast. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So a few days later, I called her up and said: Challenge accepted! As I was writing, I realized how many women out there might need encouragement too. I was writing about my journey, the amazing mentors I got to work with over the past twelve years, and how I was supported along the way. I realized that I have so much to give. I wanted to pay it forward! As I shared my story, my vision of how I could help others became very clear. I knew that I needed to create teaching material and a platform for women to look around and see what class, workshop, and resource they want to explore. I also needed to make sure that these ladies are connected so that they can support one another and share their expertise. I asked myself what does my audience need? How can I deliver that? And what will be the final result of working together? The answer came to me in an unexpected way. An image of Cinderella popped into my head. I knew I wanted to help someone who feels lost & confused on their journey to a wildly successful business. I’ve been there before. Stuck. For nine long years. But then I got unstuck, and with the help of others, I started to grow. I wanted to help women do the same. I wanted them to feel the accomplishment, the excitement, the recognition! I was going to help them with finding their true power, with falling in love with who they are and what they have to say. In 2017, LinkUpWithLenka was born… Today, we offer many coaching programs and workshops, webinars, and recently we added a virtual Summit where over 20 experts come together and share their proven-to-work tips and ideas around the topic of self-care, self-love, and radiant beauty in busy woman’s life. It’s been a fantastic collaborative experience that came out beautiful. I am very proud of what we are creating.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I absolutely love all major LA museums, from the Getty & Getty Villa to LACMA, MOCA, California Science Center, and the NHM. My favorite part of Los Angeles is Culver City, so I would definitely recommend visiting the Culver Hotel for dinner and drinks. Their outdoor garden patio is magical in the morning and makes it an excellent place for brunch. I also like the Solidarity, which is a Polish restaurant in Santa Monica. Their staff is super friendly and fun, and their food is to die for. It is also a block or two from the beach, so it just naturally invites for a nice romantic walk in the sand. Another must-see is the Bottega Louie in Downtown LA. This Italian restaurant offers the most beautiful and delicious pastry that, to me, is a piece of art. It is walking distance from The Last Bookstore – a magical place where you go back in time. So fun! To unwind, I enjoy visiting the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. It is a short drive up 110 Fwy but definitely worth it!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am today without meeting some incredible people along the way. My special thank you goes out to Shanda Sumpter and all HeartCore Business coaches who showed me the way to making my dreams come true. Also, Steve Larsen, whose signature coaching program has provided me with so much clarity around marketing and publishing. Lastly, I would like to mention a book by Carrie Green called She Means Business, which has inspired me to take massive imperfect action. All three Shanda, Steve, and Carrie are worth following and getting to know.

Website: https://linkupwithlenka.com/home
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_lenka/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenkawallace/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachlenka
Youtube: https://bit.ly/35N0sJk
Other: https://linkupwithlenka.com/face-forward-summit

Image Credits
1, FULL RIOT Productions
2, Dailey Hubbard