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

Hi Lisa, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I first started TheVietVegan on YouTube (2016), I was working full time in marketing, and then editing and testing recipes in the evenings and weekends. I think I was pulling 60-80 hr weeks with all of that work and it was taking a toll on me. I did this for about two years before my mental health was definitely suffering, eventually I had to choose one and I picked TVV over my job.

I was really lucky that my boss was understanding, and she let me transition from full time to part time, and then eventually I just went freelance with her taking the occasional project. That was back in 2018, and now fast forward 4 years I’ve grown TVV to be able to work from home full time and also take care of a baby.

I had all these notions of being a full time work at home mom and work during naptimes, but I underestimated how exhausting keeping a tiny human alive could be. I usually have about 2.5 hours during the day where I can either eat, shower, work, clean, or rest, and honestly, most days work ends up being at the bottom of the list. Luckily the past few years of building the business has given me enough passive income and flexibility that I can do this. But I know I can’t put TVV on the backburner for too long.

When I have the energy, which is rare, I am able to squeeze in an hour or two after Bean goes to bed, but these days I’m just so exhausted I find myself only with enough energy to read a book. Honestly, the past 6 years has made me really evaluate and be conscious of my mental health because working myself too hard really takes a toll.

If I overwork, I get burnt out and am actually just physically useless for a week because it makes my eczema flare up on my hands. I’ve had to revise my priorities, especially since having a baby, and my mental health and self care has definitely moved up the list. It feels weird and selfish, but it’s how I’ve had to change for long term wellness for both my physical and mental health.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s taken me a long time to feel confident in the creative work I do. My recipes, photos, and videos are by no means the most beautiful, creative, or innovative, but they’re me. I’ve learned that the best thing I can do is be me, and I try to emulate that in everything I create.

I used to feel so self-conscious that my recipes weren’t cool enough, Viet enough, or “viral” enough, but I’ve learned to just lean into what I’m interested in. Turns out my audience doesn’t really care what I’m creating, as long as I am still creating something haha. I do my best to keep my content on my feed very authentic, genuine, and real.

I share snippets of my life as a parent, adulting, and of course food. People constantly DM me saying thank you for showing your real face and not hiding what you look like in everyday life (aka a mess because hello I am a new mom lol), but it’s kind of wild how curated and perfect most social media is, so a lot of people aren’t used to the content I make.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh my gosh there is SO MUCH STUFF in Toronto and in my city, Hamilton. I feel like Toronto always gets the spotlight (and to be fair, there is so much vegan stuff there), but Hamilton is a hidden treasure trove of vegan food and I love sharing it!

Places you gotta eat:

– Bring Me Some Vegan for some epic chickn burgers and comfort food!

– Hearty Hooligan for trashy vegan junk food (and I mean trashy in the best way). They are an OG Hamilton vegan spot and collaborate with so many local vegan businesses in the area!

– Mystic Ramen isn’t full vegan, but they have a vegan ramen (and a vegan egg!!) and I love that they provide such a delicious vegan option. They’re in the Hamilton Farmer’s Market, a huge indoor market, along with Bring Me Some Vegan, Eat No Bones, and a bunch of other stalls that have vegan options!

– GreenLeaf – it’s a vegetarian Indian dosa place, but so many vegan options. Plus you get a discount if you pay in cash ahha.

– Cowabunga pizza has some vegan pizza options (I get the vegan margarita) and it is SO GOOD. Perfectly fermented and flavourful crust. Thin but chewy, it’s my favourite pizza.

Places to hang out:
– Gage Park is kind of like Hamilton’s version of Central Park. It’s big, there’s tons of green space, splash pads and playgrounds, a tropical greenhouse, and an amphitheatre for concerts. There are often food festivals there and it’s just a beautiful place to explore and hang.

– Bayfront Park is right by the water and also has the occasional food festival or concert! There is a trail connected to the park and it’s a beautiful place to bike, push a stroller, or hang out on the grass

– Waterfalls! Hamilton is the waterfall capital of Ontario, and there are tons of trails and waterfalls to explore.

– Art Crawl and SuperCrawl – Art crawl happens on the 2nd friday of every month and is a collaboration of artists and vendors just displaying their work and selling in Hamilton. It’s awesome and so cool to see and explore.

As for drinks, unfortunately I am allergic to alcohol, and also am a square, so I do not know of cool places to go drink ahaha.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, so many other creators have supported me and helped me along the way. Lisa Kitahara created a group chat with a bunch of other creators (including Stella from Stella & Spice!) and that group has been monumental for advice, encouragement, and support. Also Afia from Eat with Afia has been huge for encouragement and support as well. I love that most of the creators I’ve ever spoken with have been so helpful and generous with their time and support.

Website: https://thevietvegan.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/thevietvegan/

Facebook: facebook.com/theVietVegan

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPOgooHtYIfgotZsHA7_wZw/

Other: TheVietVegan on tiktok too 🙂

Image Credits
My portrait was taken by Cody Turner.

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