Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracy Leonetti.
Hi Tracy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
If I’m completely honest, my story started as a small child growing up in the ’70s in Yorkshire, England. Times were really tough, my parents worked hard to provide for our needs. I’m the middle of three girls, so they had their work cut out!! Mum suffered from debilitating bipolar which affected our daily lives, with intermittent hospitalizations. Let’s face it in the 70s, the medication is not what it is today!
Each evening, I would pray by my bedside to escape to faraway places and live the life of a Princess (yes, I was only 7 at the time) and each day I would daydream at school about where I would live. Little did I know that this was to shape my future choices.
Fast forward 15 years and it came as no surprise to anyone that I traveled extensively before finally settling on my final destination making my dream life in FRANCE. I literally got in my car with my then 5-month-old baby girl and drove to France, determined to make my life in France a success. I was young, an adventurer, a little foolish no doubt but determined to make it work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I confess that it was a very bumpy road. I’d love to say it was the dream life from day one, but that is far from the truth. I had not realized how complicated it was to move to another country permanently with a small child. I hadn’t thought of the visa implications, accessing healthcare for myself and young baby and of course getting a job without a visa was an issue. I struggled with the complicated documents; my French was extremely limited; all of this with a small baby in toe!!
Effectively, what I had ‘dreamed’ of became a bit of nightmare and I realized it should not be this difficult. I became a student to learn French, did small, odd jobs to survive and found a small creche for my little girl. It took me almost 2 years to ‘get into’ the French system for residency & healthcare and I finally got my big break when my daughter was 2, working in a private school in exchange for lessons. From that moment on, it was clear in my head what I needed to do. It still took me many more years to be able to achieve my goals, but the vision was there. I now had my mission.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am now known as the go-to person for moving, living and business in France. My business, created 10 years ago, has allowed me to live my dream life and now I am helping others achieve theirs. My clients are from all over the world and I’m so proud to say that my struggles have served as experience to help others.
The LBS team helps people with their relocation, from visas and immigration, property searches through to healthcare and driving licenses. We help our clients throughout their first year of life in France to enhance the speed they access the French system to really ensure a smooth transition. We help people ensure their paperwork is in order before they come to France, as well as during their first year of residency. We get it right the first time for them so that they can live their dream life.
I now present at different property shows on visas and immigration and share my expertise via online webinars as often as I can. If you are thinking of moving to France, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’ve had a couple of ‘burn outs’ throughout my years of juggling business and home life, many people reading this I’m sure can relate to this. This led me to a different path, I am known as the Paperwork Professional in France and thankfully now have an amazing team, but I am also trained as a self-compassion practitioner to help people learn how to grow their businesses but from a space of well-being.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lbsinfrance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracyleonetti/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TracyLeonettiRelocationandBusinessExpert
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TracyLeonettiFr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tracyleonettiatlbs/videos?view_as=subscriber
- Other: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1999928/episodes
Image Credits
Photos by Ovidiu Paraschiv
