Meet Margot Leitman: Author

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

Hi Margot, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
It makes me so happy to see the freedom a person gets after sharing their story and letting go of it just swirling around in their head endlessly. It’s truly amazing when a person realizes that they told a true story from their life experience, and life went on, or perhaps even got better. It also makes me so happy when a person no longer thinks of themselves as “boring” but instead realizes that their story is valid and matters…and is also interesting and funny. Also, lately, during the pandemic it makes me extremely happy to finish a jigsaw puzzle, challenge myself to bake something complicated, and to see my dog savour every second of having us all home ALL the time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been able to forge ahead in creating my own career, instead of waiting to find the perfect job. I am proud of my struggle to get here, the years I worked from 7 AM until Midnight in NYC, and then on my few nights off, working on my performance skills or taking writing classes. I developed so many great stories and life experience from that time, and made some of my closest friends and business contacts. I got to where I am today by continuing my education after I graduated school– by taking writing classes and being open to criticism. The main thing I took from that time was to never stop learning. When money was too tight for a class I would read books to learn more about writing, and story crafting. A big challenge was many people telling me that a career in storytelling wasn’t a possibility and maybe should be best kept as a hobby. I took that negativity and used it as inspiration to prove everyone wrong, rather than let it define me. Lessons I’ve learned along the way: be easy on yourself. You’re going to make mistakes, you are human. If something creatively isn’t working for you, it’s okay to let it go. Don’t worry about the path others around you are forging, stay on your own path. I would love to for the world to know one of my favorite expressions, “Most events in life can be categorized in one of two ways, a good time, or a great story.” My work is basically helping individuals, organizations, and companies share their story in a more effective and meaningful manner. Whether the goal is live performance, increased sales, or better luck at dating, I can help you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Descanso Gardens. There is actually a hiking trail right next to it which is a good workout, and then the garden is my favorite place to walk around with a friend and a cup of coffee and chat while taking in the beautiful plant life. I do not have a green thumb, so the best I can do is admire public gardens. Then I would go get a turkey burger (but my friends who eat red meat say that they LOVE the hamburgers) at North Shore Burgers just about two minutes away. Get the fries! They come with a side of homemade ranch which is to die for. Another outing would be the Self-Realization Fellowship in Mount Washington. It’s just so beautiful there and feels like you are in another land. I would also take a drive up the Angeles Crest Highway, if it was winter, and go see the snow. It’s kind of surreal to drive about 40 minutes away from Los Angeles and be in a winter wonderland. I’d grab some Boo’s Philly Cheeseteaks (I get the chicken) for the ride. Oh wow, are they good. The bread especially. After the cold, to warm up I’d go to the Tam O’Shanter and have a Manhattan at the bar and take in all the traditional Scottish and Tudor decor. For dessert I would go to the Alcove for a slice of Princess Cake. Clearly, we would do a lot of eating. I’d also take a shopping trip to Skylight Books in Los Feliz, Nooworks in Echo Park for a new jumpsuit, and then head off to Millard Canyon Creek for a hike to the waterfall. If after all that our bodies need some TLC I would head over to Source Point Wellness for a massage or acupuncture treatment. I think that would be a great week of activities. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shoutout to Sasquatch Books, my publisher. Not only did they share my vision for how I wanted to present instructions in storytelling but they connected me with the wonderful graphic designer, Joyce Hwang who helped make my vision for two different storytelling books come true. They’ve been the greatest publishing house I could ever ask for and are also based out of Seattle, one of my favorite cities.

Website: www.margotleitman.com

Instagram: @margotleitman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margot-leitman-21b493158/

Twitter: @margotleitman

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/missmargot7

Image Credits
Will get right back to you.