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

Hi Leanna, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
You ask yourself is everything you’re doing is worth it. You sit with yourself and you visualize all that you want to accomplish, all that you have already accomplished, and you find the beauty in between them both. You ask yourself “What does it say about who I am, or the kind of person I aspire to be if I give up right now?”., “What will I think about myself?”. You make a decision to keep fighting despite the odds you are against and you don’t fold. You believe in yourself, your abilities, and also believe in God. Know that he has you and in that moment you feel like you have to decide to give up or keep going, choose faith. Choose faith, choose yourself, and choose God.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business offer the services of Photography, Wardrobe Styling, Fashion Consultant and lastly Personal Shopper. I learned to focus on myself, my abilities, what all I can offer in any of my services. So that right there sets me apart from others. I focus on me and my businesses. The whole journey of me first starting my business off has to be the most exciting part thus far. To realize where I started from, no mentor, no blueprint, just me and the millions of questions  that I needed answers to. The fact that I’m striving, my business is striving, and I haven’t even reached my peak yet, is also exciting. This season that I’m in with my business is just the warm up but my proudest of it all thus far is being featured in Magazines for the 3rd time. It makes me feel good that my work and also myself is being recognized. I got where I am today by God, and having faith. Mustard seed faith. I kept going. I studied, and watched videos, learned from my mistakes and told myself to keep going. I can’t limit myself because of the odds that are stacked against me, I play the hand I was dealt and I keep going. In no way, shape or form has it been easy. Everything about it was hard, it’s still hard but pressure makes diamonds and I’m built for it all. I overcame the challenges I faced by having a relentless attitude. I am determine to win. I know my business will flourish and grow so by having that type of attitude and mindset, I kept going. I’m still going. Three big lessons I learned in the beginning of it all was how comparison breeds discontentment, no support is all the support you need, and trust the process. Those were the big 3 lessons I learned while starting off. Of course there are more lessons that I learned within these 4+ years of having my business but those 3 specifically taught me a great deal. I want the world to know me and that I am my brand. My businesses are apart of who I am.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Houston is such a huge city, I wouldn’t know where to start. I would definitely show her all the black own spots to get a different vibe of Houston because the city is truly and very diverse. If she’s my bestfriend, we both don’t like being out too much and love art. Sunday: Sunday funday is a thing in Houston that last all day long. We start off by watching a sunday service. If she’s a friend of mine, she knows I love me some God. Then we will head to brunch at Lucille’s which is a black owned restaurant, get multiple glasses of their Prickly Pear Frozen drink, then we could hit up spots like The Address, or Prospect to watch the games, listen to great music, and have more drinks if wanted. Once it start to hit 6/7, we’ll return back home so we can wine down and just kick it. Probably cook dinner for us too. During the week we will, hit the gym, go for a walk either at MacGregor Park or Discovery Green, work out at Buffalo Bayou park, rent bikes and ride them, go to Urban Day Spa or Bliss Day Spa, watch movies at Studio Movie Grill, or the drive in movie. We will go to different museums such as the Fine Arts, Buffalo Soldiers, the 3dgalerie, we would do sip and paint/trap&paint. Go to ErmaRose Winery or the local Walgreens and drink wine at our bestfriend picnic date. We would try the local food trucks such as Stuffd Wings, get seafood from the Crafty Crab. Eat at places such as Houston Sauce Co, The Greasy Spoon Bristo, Farmers Meat Market on Cullen, or just order pizza in from Pinks. I dont do night clubs, but we will hit up Prospect Park. I love Prospect Park. Go to the Turkey Leg Hut, and so much more places. There’s so much one can do in the city, the options are unlimited.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shout out will definitely go to the most high. I feel as if I don’t praise him enough. He deserves all the glory and honor because with out him, I would not be where I am today. God has made a way out of no way in my life. He is my strength when I am weak. He is my best-friend, someone I know with out a doubt I can lean on. He hears my cries, see my happy moments and even when there are times where I may stray away a little from him, he is still there for me. I have a great support system, and they know who they are with-out a doubt but nobody on the earth treats me and helps me like the big man above. He has placed great parents, family members, friends, and mentors in my life. He has given me the skills. He gave me my purpose. My shoutout is for him. God. He deserve every recognition and credit there is in my life.

Website: leannalong.com
Instagram: LeeTheStylist_
Twitter: LeeTheStylist
Facebook: Leanna Long
Youtube: LeeTheStylist

Image Credits
Jaylah S. Kierra & Keiona R. LaKendria M & Kensiah Destiny Elise

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