What if the parts of your story that feel out of place are actually the reason you’re meant to do the work you’re doing?
In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I share the parts of my life that don’t match the assumptions people make about me as a jewellery designer — and how learning to stop hiding them changed everything.
For years, I believed I had to smooth out my story to be taken seriously. I felt embarrassed about my background, my lack of formal education, my mental health struggles, and the ways I didn’t “fit” the image of my industry. I thought these things disqualified me.
They didn’t. They shaped me.
This episode is an honest walk through the truths I used to keep quiet — and why embracing them has helped me build a brand, a community, and a life that actually feels like mine.
Why you don’t need to fit into your industry to succeed
Being an extreme introvert in a very public-facing business
How protecting your energy isn’t selfish — it’s necessary
Dropping out of junior high and building a career without formal education
Letting go of shame around “unglamorous” career paths
How years of entry-level jobs became one of my greatest educations
What it’s like to build a brand without family support
Choosing your life, even when others don’t understand it
How community can grow out of loneliness
Growing up on a lighthouse island — and how it shaped my creativity
Feeling behind socially, emotionally, and professionally
Mental health struggles at a young age and learning their impact later in life
Why versatility, function, and intuition drive my design process
Not traveling, making sacrifices, and trusting long-term timing
Letting go of the need to fit in — and choosing to grow instead
You don’t need a polished or traditional story to be worthy of success
Your differences are not liabilities — they’re connection points
Confidence comes from acceptance, not approval
It’s okay if your version of success doesn’t look like anyone else’s
You’re allowed to build a life that makes sense to you
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt out of place, behind, unqualified, or “too different” to belong — and wondered if that meant they were doing something wrong.
You’re not.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying to fit in, and start becoming more yourself.
Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:
www.leahyard.com
IG: @leahyard
TikTok: @leahyard
