Meet Leanna Truong | Social Content Creator, Digital + Influencer Strategist & Travel Advisor

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

Hi Leanna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The amount of money you have doesn’t define your success. What matters is how much you have accomplished in your life and how you feel about it. Although I am only 30 years old, I feel as if I have lived my life to the fullest despite my own personal struggles, whether it be mental, financial, or physical – I got through it. My success was greatly influenced by having a strong support system that included my friends, family, and even strangers to remind me that anything I set my mind to will work out. It was my instinct and going with my gut that allowed me to take chances that turned out to be so rewarding. Success stories are what make every journey interesting and enticing because they are unique to each individual.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

In college, social media boomed, leading me to the field of work I am in today. I was born and raised in New Jersey and moved to San Diego when I was 16 years old. After high school, I returned to the east coast with a catch. I was told by my mom that if I left San Diego, I would be on my own. What did I do? For an entire year, I worked at K Sandwiches, a Vietnamese sandwich and bakery shop in Keany Mesa, saved up money for a transfer to a state college, and packed everything into a dorm.

At Rutgers University – Newark, I majored in Journalism and worked in the housing and residence life office for free room and board, the student life office for work-study financial aid, as an intern in New York for credit without pay, and as a waitress at Dinosaur BBQ Newark to pay off my tuition – all at the same time. My love for social media led me to create a campus-dedicated Twitter and Facebook page to share upcoming events, updates, and announcements. Once I finished college, I worked in social media management for lifestyle brands, CPG companies, and the FDA. After that, I transitioned into account management where I had direct communication with clients, then became a digital social strategist with a focus on influencer marketing. In the course of my life, I developed a passion for food and travel that made me happy. In addition to creating food and travel content full-time, I am a certified travel advisor with FORA agency and an influencer marketing specialist in New York City.

My mom cut me off at 18 years old, allowing me to figure things out for myself, but I had to learn she did it for my own good.In my early adult years, it was very difficult to manage life because I didn’t have the luxury of hanging out between classes and participating in many outings – I felt like I couldn’t be a kid. Before, during, and after classes, I was always working. My day was even filled with debt collector calls because I didn’t know what I was doing. What should a 20-year-old know about debt collectors? It was the most challenging thing I have ever had to deal with, but as long as I keep my head down and focus, I can get through anything as long as I remain focused, no one will stop me from achieving my goals. The only way to move forward is to push out all the negative energy and stay focused on the positive since you cannot grow with anyone or anything holding you back.

The greatest thing about my career is that I formed it through my own journey, and it is the most rewarding feeling in the world. You can conquer anything as long as you remain true to yourself, make friends who accept you for who you are, and keep the energy positive around you.

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.

I decide where to go based on my mood in the city. My personal reason for traveling is to eat. I plan my itineraries and motives based on what I want to eat and try for the day, whether it’s internationally or locally. My day would begin with authentic Tijuana-made tacos from The Taco Stand, Tacos El Gordo, City Tacos (whichever is closest), hard kombucha or Tecate, shopping in North Park and/or Barrio Logan, then I’ll go to a cocktail bar like Born and Raised with good music and apps and an outdoor design. Anything that builds the experience while catching up over a nice, chilled beverage is my cup of tea. Meeting new people or discovering new stores, and pop-ups, or having random ideas to just YOLO is the best part of a typical fun day.

There is probably no city I have met or spoken to that is more friendly than San Diego (with the exception of New Orleans). There’s always something interesting to talk about, whether it’s city culture or things to see and do in general. It’s always a good time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank you to my mom for being a resilient single mother who hustled so we could have a better life in America. When my mother was 8 years old, our grandma brought her and her siblings to this country. Our grandma later returned to Vietnam to bring more siblings to America. Aside from learning to take care of herself and her siblings at such an early age, as she got older she also learned how to strategically build her own business while raising two daughters. You’d think a person who keeps getting knocked down multiple times would be bitter toward the world. However, she kept a calm and kind spirit, which she instilled in me. My childhood was filled with so many life mottos that are still ingrained in my head today. These mottos range from “everything happens for a reason” to “what’s the point of being upset if it already happened.” San Diego will always be my home and I am proud to be my mother’s daughter.

Website: www.FeedingLeanna.com

Instagram: @feedleanna

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannatruong/

Twitter: @feedleanna

Image Credits
Adam Ye Photography