Hunter Leonard is a business owner, author and speaker, who is currently the founder & CEO of Silver & Wise, a company he launched in 2016 to combat ageism and discrimination.
Join our work-life balance community to get access to new daily routines and exclusive content. Sign me up!
1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?
I’m the founder of two businesses – one in strategic marketing and the other in mature age business mentoring. I have a thirty year career in marketing, sales and business ownership.
2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?
A typical day starts with battle planning out the key priorities for the day, and then a mix of client meetings (mostly by Zoom these days), writing (books, articles) and business planning.
3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?
I’ve run my businesses from home for over 15 years, so I’m well versed with a remote working life that can be done anywhere and any time. This flexibility allows me to do lifestyle stuff at a time that suits me – such as bushwalking on sunny days and working at night.
4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?
For me, I want to be what I call ‘on purpose’ whether it is work or ‘life’. My work is a key part of my life because our businesses have a strong ‘help’ focus for either business owners and or mature Australians who experience ageism.
I think work-life balance becomes more an issue when work doesn’t fulfil a key part of your purpose – I’ll leave a strong legacy with work, and I can mix in work and other lifestyle stuff pretty easily. It is also about control over life as well. Choosing what you want to do at any specific moment in your day.
5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?
Not really. I’m always active. The big change has been less travel due to Covid and I can see that more meetings and ‘work’ will be done remotely from now on, giving even more freedom than previously.
6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?
I love Tim Reid’s Small Business, Big Marketing podcast as well as The Dent Podcast from Glen Carlson.
On the book front I’m a fan of Seth Godin, Stephen Covey, Andrew Griffiths. I can highly recommend Andrew’s latest Someone Has To Be The Most Expensive, Why Not Make It You?
7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?
My suite of Apple products – MacBook Pro, iPhone, watch – a key help to organising my day and where I do and keep most of my creations
8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?
No specific name comes to mind, but it would have to be someone who includes work in their life – not someone who is trying to desperately balance it because they hate work. They’d also have to be someone who lives it, not someone who tells other people what to do, but doesn’t really achieve it themselves.
9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?
Find purposeful work, so it energises you and you make a difference. Sure balance is good, but if only 50% of your life is fulfilling. you need to design a better life.
Before you go…
If you’d like to sponsor or advertise with Balance the Grind, let’s talk here.
Join our community and never miss a conversation about work, life & balance – subscribe to our newsletter.
