69: Leslie Carvitto on Life After… Moving from America: Tuning into yourself, building community, and finding your own definition of success

<p>What happens when the community you need doesn&#39;t exist yet? Do you wait for it, or do you build it yourself?</p><p><br></p><p>Leslie Carvitto is an American-born photographer, podcast host, and self-described &quot;Jill of all trades&quot; who moved from the US to Melbourne on her husband&#39;s work sponsorship in 2018.</p><p><br></p><p>With no plan, no network, she had no idea it would lead to permanent residency, a business built entirely on community, and a life on Australia&#39;s surf coast.</p><p><br></p><p>From virtual assistant work to modelling to building a women-in-business community to 1,500 members from scratch, Leslie&#39;s story is proof that the wins that matter most rarely come from a five-year plan.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, we chat about:</p><ul><li>The visa and sponsorship process that took Leslie and her husband from New Zealand daydream to Melbourne reality</li><li>Why leaving her creative community in the US was the thing that finally let Leslie find her real photography niche</li><li>Comparison, imposter syndrome, and muting the noise so your own voice can come through</li><li>Starting the Surf Coast Women in Business community from a single Facebook post and growing it to 1,500 members</li><li>Building a photography business through real-life connection rather than online hustle</li><li>Becoming a mother, watching her husband become a stay-at-home dad, and how that reshaped her relationship with time and ambition</li><li>Why Leslie stopped planning five and ten years ahead, and made peace with not knowing</li><li>Her biggest lesson: tuning out advice, noise, and other people&#39;s strategies to hear her own intuition</li></ul><p><br></p><p>This episode is a reminder that you don&#39;t need permission, a five-year plan, or a ready-made network to build the life you want.</p><p><br></p><p>Sometimes you just need to be the one who posts first, shows up, and keeps saying yes to what lights you up.</p><p><br></p><p>Leslie&#39;s story shows what&#39;s possible when you stop comparing your beginning to someone else&#39;s middle.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Leslie:</strong></p><ul><li>Website: <a href="https://www.lesliecarvitto.com">lesliecarvitto.com</a></li><li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-carvitto/">linkedin.com/in/leslie-carvitto</a></li><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lesliecarvitto.photography/">@lesliecarvitto.photography</a></li><li>Off Script, On Brand Podcast: <a href="https://replaio.com/podcasts/off-script-on-brand-IvBmaU">https://replaio.com/podcasts/off-script-on-brand-IvBmaU</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Cat:</strong></p><ul><li>Join my mailing list: ⁠<a href="https://catlouisedunn.myflodesk.com/mailing-list">https://catlouisedunn.myflodesk.com/mailing-list⁠</a></li><li>Instagram: ⁠<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterileftpodcast/">https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterileftpodcast/⁠</a></li><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/catlouisedunn/">https://www.instagram.com/catlouisedunn/</a></li><li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catlouisedunn/">https://www.facebook.com/catlouisedunn</a></li><li>Linkedin: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/catlouisedunn/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/catlouisedunn</a></li><li>Website: <a href="https://catlouisedunn.com/">https://catlouisedunn.com</a></li><li>Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-after-i-left/id1815891092">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-after-i-left/id1815891092</a></li><li>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@catlouisedunn">https://www.youtube.com/@catlouisedunn</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Support the show:</strong></p><p>Got a topic idea or would love to share your story on the podcast? Connect with me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterileftpodcast">@lifeafterileftpodcast</a> — I would love to hear from you.</p><p><br></p><p>New episodes drop every Thursda