#WCW with Leena A.
Happy Wednesday, beauties! With another 7 days having passed, it’s time for another #WCW Woman Crush Wednesday feature! This might be a little awkward, because today’s post is about me. Being the type of person that I am (besides running my own lifestyle and fashion blog), I find it’s always hard to talk about myself. Am I the only one?
But it’s important that, beyond sharing the stories of other women which I love to do, I share my story as well. I’ve been the City Leader in Milwaukee, WI for over two years and have enjoyed bringing the women of this city together and exploring the delicious brunch spots it has to offer. Yes, I’m from Milwaukee. No need to be sorry. I feel like Milwaukee sometimes gets a bad rap, and I spend a lot of time defending it. If you haven’t been, I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Beyond being the City Leader, I have taken on the role of being the Chief Marketing Officer for Gals That Brunch. Which means that, at this point, I help manage the social media marketing, email marketing, graphic design, and website updates as needed! Just some of the behind the scenes work here at GTB, which I absolutely love. Finding opportunities to be creative are my jam, so beyond just having an excuse to go to brunch at least once a month, Gals That Brunch has allowed me to explore my creativity with a brand that I am so passionate about.
Which GTB Chapter do you lead?
Milwaukee, WI
How long have you been a City Leader?
Just over two years.
What's your favorite thing about being a City Leader?
I love the connections and meeting new women that I otherwise may not have had the opportunities to meet. I’ve always been the person who’s trying to organize events or get people together, so at a moment when I was looking to make new friends here in Milwaukee, and meet new people, becoming the City Leader for Gals That Brunch just seemed like an obvious choice. I haven’t regretted it for a second.
It’s interesting though, because as the City Leader, it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone is comfortable and feeling welcome at the table. I am a relatively outgoing person under the right circumstances, but I’m an introvert as well. I’ve appreciated the opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone to lead this group and put myself out there to make new connections as well.
Plus, I just absolutely love Brunch!
Tell us about your favorite brunch event you've hosted or attended?
There’s so many brunch events that I have absolutely loved - we’ve done a brunch + hand lettering class, brunch + flower arranging, brunch + crafting, as well as a brunch featuring a few inspirational female speakers, plus we have visited so many restaurants with delicious food & drinks.
If I have to choose a favorite, I would say our International Woman’s Day Brunch from 2019 where we had a featured speaker and two amazing emcee’s for a Q&A. It was one of our largest events, the food was amazing, and we had a photographer on hand to document the event. The atmosphere, messaging, and vibes were everything I could have imagined and better when I had started planning it.
What do you do for a living?
Digital Marketing + Blogging
If you're an entrepreneur, what's your business website?
When you're not working, what are you typically doing?
Traveling, reading, spending time with my boyfriend Jeff and our friends & family!
What's your personal mantra?
It’s a good day to have a good day.
Though Sisu isn’t necessarily a mantra, it’s a word that I live by and I have it tattooed on my wrist. If you’re not familiar, Sisu is a Finnish concept that is described as determination, resilience, grit, bravery, and general badass-ery. It’s often used to describe the national character of the Finns (which I am), and is a constant reminder to myself to practice determination and bravery.
In the movie about your life, who would play you? Why?
My vote would be Reese Witherspoon! She’s always been one of my favorite actors, and that’s only grown lately with the entertaining and complicated roles she’s taken on in shows like Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, and The Morning Show. She is so talented and has such a range. I feel like with every character she plays, I love and respect her even more.
When you brunch, do you usually go with something…
Savory!
What's your go-to brunch beverage?
Mimosa!
What's your favorite brunch spot in your city?
There’s so many good choices, but I would have to say that I love the brunch at The Smoke Shack. First off, I love great barbecue, and they have a Burnt Ends Benedict that is just mouthwatering. Plus, they give you a delicious cinnamon roll as an appetizer, which satisfies my sweet tooth!
What's your favorite brunch entree?
Eggs Benedict, hands down. I literally have to talk myself into ordering anything else if there’s a Benedict on the menu. I prefer the Traditional, and am not a huge fan of seafood Benedicts.
When choosing your brunch outfit, which do you typically opt for?
Brunch Best!
What's your all-time favorite movie(s)?
Pride & Prejudice
Legally Blonde
Titanic
Becoming Jane
Little Women (both the new one and the older one!)
Bonus pick - Bridesmaids!
What TV show(s) are you currently loving?
Outlander
The Last Kingdom
Dead To Me
Full House (rewatching on Hulu!)
Always, always always love rewatching episodes of The Office and Parks & Rec!
What's the name of the last book you read? Would you recommend it?
I’m currently reading two books (I’m weird, I know). It’s a great picture of the types of books I choose.
The first is "Girl, Stop Apologizing” from Rachel Hollis. I am always on the lookout for books from female authors that are meant to light a fire in my tummy and motivate me to be a better version of me!
And the second is a mystery/thriller called The Guest List. Besides romance novels or rom-coms, I love a good thriller! This one is very entertaining so far, can’t wait to figure out whodunit!
Anything else you want to share about yourself?
If you can’t tell from me being a blogger for my own blog, as well as the Gals That Brunch site (as well as at my day job), I love writing. It’s a dream of mine to write a book (or two, or three) some day. Since the best time to start something is now, I might need to put pen to paper soon. Especially now that I shared that with you.
I also come from a big family - I have four older brothers! Before you say anything, let me tell you that although my relationships with my brothers weren’t always as close or strong as they are now, I only sustained minor bumps and bruises over the years being their little sister. And only went to the hospital once with one tiny injury. But real talk, I have to thank them for so much, including my strength, athleticism, entrepreneurial spirit, sense of humor & aptitude for witty banter, as well as for their constant support along the way!
And I’m 100% Finnish! I haven’t let a 23&Me test prove that wrong (I hope it doesn’t if I eventually take one), but as far as I know from my familial backgrounds, I get 50% from both of my parents! I haven’t had a chance to visit Finland yet, but I am working on learning the language and have a trip in mind for next summer!
How can we best connect with you?
@lifestyledbyleena | @leenaemilycreative | @galsthatbrunchmke | @galsthatbrunch