Leonie Tillman
Leonie Tillman is a Trainer, Facilitator, and Creator.
She tells us that, “If someone asks me what I do, I say I’m a teacher. That is where I started – teaching English in Europe and learning languages. Over the years, this has led to me being endlessly fascinated by communication and sharing my language, culture and conflict strategies with professionals through my business English for Business. I am the owner of efb and have been running it for the past 10 years.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your professional journey/venture/initiative and what inspired you to choose this career.
One of my most significant influences has been my father. He ran his own business from home before WFH was a thing. He was an insurance broker and I always wanted to be involved in what he was doing, so he would give me small tasks to complete. This gave me an enormous sense of satisfaction. He was one of the most generous, caring and selfless people I have ever known and that has been a strong benchmark and moral compass for me both professionally and personally. Unconsciously, his influence has probably guided me to going into business myself.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
The turning point wasn’t really until I had attempted a career in theatre and storytelling. I lived in France and the Netherlands for five years in my late 20s and simultaneously pursued work in teaching and theatre. This led to me studying both these subjects in my undergraduate studies after returning to Australia. I alway worked in these two areas in parallel but later became disengaged with the theatre world in Sydney. I was looking for a supportive, open community. I thought it would have been in the arts, but when I left that world behind and focused on running my business, I was surprised to find so many professionals and business people ready to help me grow and develop. This was what I had been looking for. That’s when I moved full time into the business of education and used my storytelling skills as something I could teach business people for the purpose of honing their abilities in influencing, persuading and ultimately helping others.
Tell us about your goals, interests, and role models.
Communication is something we never master. There’s always something more to learn. My focus has been working with professionals and I love that because they are so focused on their own development because they have a vested interest in the outcomes of helping their clients, being a better team member and advancing their careers. My goals are to continue delivering resources to professionals, especially in technical fields like accounting, finance, tech, engineering, energy. Also, I am increasingly interested in helping young people develop these communication skills earlier in their lives and am creating some school level programs. Another goal I have is in soft journalism and telling other people’s stories, which brings back together these original interests of communication and storytelling for the ultimate purpose of learning from the community. I’m a huge fan of Alan Alda, who is a fairly old actor now from the MASH TV show. He moved out of acting into helping scientists clarify their complex ideas and research so everyone could enjoy and take part in scientific developments. He dedicated his life to clear communication and later established the Alan Alda Centre for Communicating Science. Christine Holgate is another role model of mine – what an incredible business executive and leader!
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
Fear often holds us back from achieving our dreams. I would say I’m fairly conservative and I hesitated for way too long before embarking on my entrepreneurial journey. I would say go for it, but also do it in a way that means you still have an income in the early days. Sometimes, it might mean working late nights on your dream while going to work a normal job in the daytime. Fear isn’t always bad, however. It’s often there to protect us. If my challenge is hesitation and playing it safe, I would say my coping mechanism is to take action in small ways. 1. I try not to do too much planning (even though I want to) and instead get a website up and running, print a small run of business cards to get the word out there and to show people I’m serious, 2. I always ask myself what problem am I solving, and then 3. I force myself to make a call to action (CTA) – actually ask people if they want my help with the problem they have.
What impact do you feel you have been able to create with your work so far and how would you want to grow in the next few years?
I love hearing back from my students on how I have made a difference in their lives. It usually includes: increasing their confidence, speaking with greater impact, and getting the promotion they were looking for. In the next few years, my focus is in building my community to be more ongoing and inclusive. I often work with professionals and then often we don’t stay in touch. I want to change that so that people always feel they have a place to go and get what they need to keep doing the great work they are doing.
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
The idea of community became even more important at the beginning of the pandemic. I was working with a group of professionals from abroad who were fairly alone at that time because their family and key friends were still abroad and there were a lot of redundancies being issued to expatriates at that time. That group and I created a strong bond and made me see the importance of a support network. I would turn on my camera every morning during lockdown when I was having breakfast and we would share breakfast together for that first hour of the day. The feeling that gave me at that time was palpable and made me realise that I was offering something that was more significant than just vocabulary and grammar. This influenced me both personally and professionally and makes me realise I want to keep pushing this community into the future for the professionals I connect with.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
When storytelling and communication come together, that is where my heart is. I have been involved in a number of projects that sit slightly outside of my usual English for Business work and include me interviewing interesting people about their lives. The two key projects I am very proud of are:
- Unity – Stories about Us – a podcast about high achieving Polish Australians (https://pabf.com.au/Unity)
- Young People Giving Adults Advice (https://www.youngpeoplegivingadultsadvice.com/) Both have brought me great joy and tick all my boxes.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
You should “care“! Sometimes I get a little sad about the world when I see folks not caring. There are no specific subjects, industries or areas I am referring to. It’s an ethos. If you “care“, you will go a long way. If you fall down, remember to “care“.
What’s the most important thing you have learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
We can never know the full impact of our actions. The important thing is to take action – strategic action and to know what your ideal goal is. Life is like a game of chess – you keep moving forward and adjusting your strategy as you go towards that ideal goal.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
I always get a bit nervous talking about gender differences. I know there are imbalances and that things have to change. Women are strong. Women have some different life choices to make than men. I think we need to find our inner flame and keep listening to it and not get distracted by the wrong things. Choose your battles. Stand up for what is right. Stand up for what is important to you. That is, of course, easier said than done.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Do whatever you need to do to be confident. Back yourself and know you have something worthwhile to offer. I am often surprised when I meet an amazing person (usually a woman), who lets slip that she doesn’t believe in herself. It almost makes me mad. Start with something small. Grow it and keep growing it. You’ll get there. Consistency and tenacity is the key.