Episode Description:

What if the secret to career advancement wasn’t networking or resume building—but simply doing excellent work right in front of you? In this conversation, nationally recognized lighting designer and electrical engineer

Leslie North shares how she built Aurora Lighting Design from a home office into a thriving firm with offices in the Chicago Board of Trade—all through word-of-mouth reputation. Leslie opens up about the painful growth edges of hiring your first employee, the power of being accessible to your family, and why she took pay cuts on her team during COVID rather than letting anyone go.

Whether you’re navigating technical leadership, considering entrepreneurship, or simply trying to show up authentically in your career, this episode offers hard-won wisdom about building a reputation through excellence.

Connect with Leslie North on LinkedIn, and discover why your work truly is your reputation.

Key Takeaways:

Your best marketing strategy is doing excellent work on the job in front of you—repeat clients who trust you become gold, and people remember those who did well by them.
The first employee is the most daunting growth edge because you’re no longer just protecting your own reputation—you’re creating a work family that requires thinking about HR, benefits, and emotional dynamics
Be authentic and willing to be vulnerable in appropriate contexts—it gives people the opportunity to be gracious and develop deeper relationships in a world full of marketing slogans
Know what you want your reputation to be, then make all decisions contribute to that—a good reputation takes a long time to build and a bad one takes one minute
For early-career professionals: initiate relationships with people you admire and become someone more seasoned professionals would find useful, because mentors give opportunities to those they trust

Timestamps:

[00:24] Introduction and Leslie’s journey into architectural lighting
[04:21] Starting Aurora Lighting Design: The accessibility decision
[08:21] Your work IS your reputation: Building through excellence
[16:21] Leadership growth edges: Hiring, mentoring, and letting go
[26:44] What do you want to be known for? Defining your reputation
[29:09] The COVID decision: Keeping the team together
[36:13] Leslie turns the tables: Interviewing James
[41:03] Coach in Your Corner: Presence over time

Guest Information:

Name: Leslie North, Lighting Designer, Electrical Engineer, Founder of Aurora Lighting Design
Leslie North | LinkedIn

About the Host:

James Bryant, Ph.D., P.E. is an engineering leadership coach and host of the Engineer Your Success podcast. He helps engineering leaders and technical professionals design and live a life where they can win at work and win at home. Through his coaching practice and podcast, James provides practical frameworks for leadership development, career transitions, and intentional decision-making. Connect with James on LinkedIn or visit engineeryoursuccessnow.com.