A feature about the members of Optimal Level; their stories, successes, challenges, and opportunities.



Leah Richter, Richterworks Web Design, has a Master's Certificate in Web Design from Sessions.edu, an accredited online school of design in New York City. Her Master's areas of concentration were Coding and Graphic Design. She has completed many additional courses in the areas of Print Production, InDesign and Flash. She is a member of Delta Epsilon Tau, the Honor Society of the Distance Education & Training Council. She holds a BA from the University of Minnesota and attended 2 years at the School of Fine Arts of Washington University (St. Louis). She also holds GIA certificates in Diamond, Gem and Pearl identification and grading.  She has been a fashion designer, patternmaker and grader of women’s dresses and sportswear, a Hebrew school teacher, an administrator for leadership conferences with over 2000 attendees and volunteer assimilation for events with over 1000 volunteers, as well as an international conference coordinator for events ranging from 100 - 8,000 participants.  Leah has a grown son, Jonathan, and lives in Mount Prospect. She loves British mysteries to watch and light mysteries to read.

What is your background and how did you get into your business/career?
I have a background in Fashion Design but also years in administrative work where I learned I had a talent to bring order from chaos and developing systems. From my first introduction to computers, it was love at first keystroke. I enjoy stretching to see what I can accomplish with the software. When pulling together a web presence for my department I realized how much I enjoyed the process and how natural and intuitive it was fro me.

What is your business and how is it unique?
Few web designers come with my education. Besides having a Master’s in Web Design and several additional courses in Print, I attended Washington U in St Louis in Fashion Design. The first two years were almost entirely fine arts. I was encouraged by professors to go into art rather than fashion.

I am unique in that I do everything- client interaction, user interface, site architecture, design and coding. This creates a totally integrated web site.

Who are some of your clients; what do you especially appreciate about them and how have they reacted to your service or product?
If my clients don’t say “Wow” I don’t feel I’ve done my job. My clients are across the business spectrum- chiropractic office, inns, paver, Iron Worker firm, distributor of high-end survey and grading equipment, Sports Bar, law firms. I also do pro bono for two non profits- an arts council and a service for people with disabilities.

I also do freelance for marketing, web design and IT firms.

What do you like best about what you do?
I like almost all of what I do. I love learning about differing companies and partnering with them to develop a site that reflects the company’s uniqueness. I especially love the site design part- probably my favorite. But I also have a love(hate) relationship with the way I am mentally stretched while coding complex sites.

What role does passion have in your work?
I could not do what I do without passion. I love my job and it shows so clients trust me. But how does anyone put in 60 + weeks without passion?

When you first started were you able to visualize your expected final outcome?
I still don’t know the final outcome. I actually never set out to run a business and if you’d asked years ago, I’d have said it wasn’t possible. I was caught in the ‘no one will hire you without 3 years experience’ cycle. After I’d been working for a myself for a year or two, there was no turning back.

Can you tell us about that final outcome – what will your business look like then?
I still am not making what I need to live on. That would be my goal- just working and creating and getting enough secondary and tertiary referrals and/or have enough constant work streams that I could create more and sell less. It would also be great to have an assistant to do the billing and bills and admin stuff.

What were you top three obstacles/challenges?
1. Getting work was and is the biggest obstacle. 
2. I am an introvert by nature so its been a challenge to spend so much time networking
3. Time management is always a challenge

How do you deal with doubt, fear, and self recrimination?
I have very strong faith that this plan is God’s plan. That makes it easier not to stress on it- I just remind myself to remember to trust Him.

If you had the opportunity to get the best advice from a business guru, and could ask only question, what would your question be?
What is the best, most effective way for me, in my business, to get the best referral streams?

As you look back, what is the one thing you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I’d known how important the right referral partners are, who they are, and how to connect to them for my business. I am still figuring this out.

Any regrets?
Only that this wasn’t part of God’s plan a lot earlier in my life. I understand why it wasn’t, it just feels like I could have gone so much further with more time.

Do you believe luck has something to do with you getting to where you are now?
I don’t really believe in luck, so no. I looked for a good solution to some rough circumstances and God helped me find a way.

What is the best piece of advice you have for other women on their way to their Optimal Level?
Take responsibility for your own success and happiness. Don’t get in your own way. If you really want something, stop with the blame and excuses and get on with achieving what you want.

Any additional comments you would like to make?
Optimal Level has been great at helping me clarify in my own mind the piece above. Linda believed in me when I honestly wasn’t sure. She forced me to take responsibility and make decisions. That helped me believe in myself, which energized me to go all out for my own success.