Leah Peat is a veritable whirlwind of activity, working not only for a major public relations and marketing agency, but also as co-founder and co-owner of a popular stop along the Makers Trail in Southwest Michigan and the mother of three growing, rambunctious kids. Her nominator says that Leah exemplifies the word “courageous” because the truth is, “she’s not fearless!” She has a full time job, two businesses, is on the board of a local women’s shelter and those three small children. Her nominator adds, “She has some very real fears about making sure each of those areas in her life are given the care and time they need, yet she marches on and finds a way to keep focused on her goals for every area of her life, multi-tasks and gets creative, and continues to pour her hear into everything she touches because she cares so deeply for its success.” Despite the immense load and risk she faces daily, she somehow finds the courage to stare that risk in the face and keep moving forward towards the success she knows is there. Read more of the Leah Peat story, and how she gets it all done every day.
Name
Leah Peat
Where do you live?
St. Joseph, MI
Company or Organization
Aisle Rocket / Peat’s Original Cider
What is your job or role there?
I’m a VP, Group Creative Director at Aisle Rocket and a Co-Founder of Peat’s Original Cider / The Peat’s Cider Social
How do you think that Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold?
To me, being a Bold Woman of Business means putting people above everything else. It’s also about knowing when to show up and set an example as a leader and when to stay back and let your team take the reins — which sets a different but equally important example. Being bold doesn’t mean always being at the forefront. It means you’re enabling others (your team, your clients, your mentees) to be bold, too.
Bold women are often defined by a number of descriptors. Please choose from the following descriptors to produce the top three that you would say most exemplify your personality?
Risk Taker…Bright…Distinctive
Please provide an example of when you feel you were at your very best in taking action on the job or in your role.
From a business perspective, nothing makes me more proud than my fledgling business weathering a pandemic. While we aren’t out of the woods yet, I do believe that our team and our business are better for how we all reacted and adapted during this incredibly high-stress situation.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on your road to success?
We closed on a mid-century bowling alley while I was 9 months pregnant and renovated the space with our two other kids and newborn in tow. It wasn’t funny then, but now I can look back at it and laugh at how chaotic, but also rewarding, that time of my life was.
Who most inspires your personal drive for success every day?
My goal is to leave things better than I found them — not just for our community, but for my kids. I want them to see that their mom did everything she could to make good on that goal.
What is your best advice to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed, as you have, in business?
Women are so great at cheering everyone else on. But while you’re doing that, don’t forget to invest in yourself and celebrate your own successes. Don’t be afraid to say yes to new opportunities. Take the class you’ve been eyeing. Reach out to a mentor you’ve been meaning to create a relationship with. And most importantly, lean on your network as you shape your career or your business. And if you don’t have a network — build one.
What does your selection to the first ever Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market mean to you?
It’s an honor to be part of this stellar group of Southwest Michigan women!
