Life and Work with Lori Leckner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Leckner.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lori. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was a stay at home mom that always liked to craft, my husband is very artistic as well. When my children were young it was a hobby at first then was asked to put a few items in a show and they sold! Soon I was crafting and traveling to shows all over Utah (where we lived at the time) as a means to have an income and still stay home with my kids. My husband’s career had us transfer and move a lot so eventually I gave it up as my kids got older. Now that we are settled again and he’s officially retired from his corporate job I had more time to devote to it again. It has now become a means to supplement our income. We travel to shows all over and sell items online in our Etsy store.

Has it been a smooth road?
I am of an older generation but as a baby boomer many opportunities were opening up for women. I had really wanted to pursue college and my grandparents even funded my first semester. I got ill during that semester and was highly encouraged not to continue by my mom because I was just a girl and it’s not as important for girls to receive a college education. I always wondered, “what if” but led a very fulfilled life being a stay at home mom. My husband’s career resulted in us moving a lot which allowed me to adapt and learn to new surroundings but never allowed for me to really plug in anywhere. He has always been my biggest support so when I wanted to start creating and selling again he was right there besides me. He likes to tell everyone he is CEO but don’t let that fool you, it stands for ‘Carry Everything Out’ when we do shows he’s the muscle he says. My advice to young women would be to pursue your passions, don’t let anyone convince you it’s not important or you aren’t good enough, and that it’s never to late to begin.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Plan B Designs – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I create affordable wood home decor items, right now mostly farmhouse style signs. I design them on a computer, laser cut the wood, paint and assemble. Because I was a stay at home mom on one income, I feel it’s important to have affordable home decor items. I could never really afford or justify spending a lot of money on a trendy decor item especially when it would be out of style in a few years and/or we’d be moving again so I try to keep my prices low and affordable. I get told a lot I should raise my prices, but I am happy with the money I am making and it makes me happy to see someone be able to make that purchase. One of my highlights was winning best in show at a very large show last summer.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
Being a baby boomer, I grew up through the women’s movement. The opportunities women face today are limitless, culture has changed, attitude has changed and women can accomplish anything they put their mind to. If they want to be a stay at home mom they can, if they want a career they can do that. I think what hurts us the most is tearing one another down and not supporting each other’s choices. If one women wants to stay at home and raise children wonderful! If another wants work, great there doesn’t need to be this competition or naysaying of another’s choice. And it’s great we live in a time where we have that choice. My mom always said her generation didn’t have a choice, now we have so many. And if one choice doesn’t work out, there’s always opportunity to make another choice to go back to school, change careers, etc.

Contact Info:

• Email: planbdesignsco@gmail.com
• Instagram: @planbdesignsco
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/PlanBDesignsCO

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