Daily Inspiration: Meet Leonora Epstein

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leonora Epstein.

Hi Leonora, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved telling stories through digital media. I got my “start” as a Web Assistant at Cosmopolitan a very long time ago (so long ago that yes, “Web” was in my job title). I’ve worked my way through various digital media organizations, from serving as BuzzFeed’s deputy editorial director to leading HelloGiggles.com as executive editor. Along the way, I also co-authored a book on generations X and Y. For the past five or so years, I’ve headed up editorial at Hunker.com, a publication focused on making decor and design accessible to all. It’s truly a wonderful site that combines all of my hobbies and passions.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Working in media has never been easy. It’s an industry prone to uncontrollable changes that completely up-end your business model on a quarterly basis. I’ve worked through layoffs and pivots and downsizing and budget reductions — all of which have turned me into a realist who understands that creating content is a volatile and risky business. Yet this hasn’t stopped me from believing in the potential of great content — I fully believe there are opportunities to have your words and work reach audiences in ways that are meaningful and successful (however you want to define that).

These days, I’m most excited about how Hunker is forging a new path as a digital leader with an arm of our strategy very much set in the real world. Early on, we launched Hunker House as a complement to our publication, a space where we could bring our ideas off the webpage and into real life with workshops and an ever-changing interior reflecting current trends. We’ve just completed an exciting transition of making Hunker House an even bigger endeavor — we’ve moved into a larger space on Abbot Kinney which comprises an experiential retail space. The upper levels of the building still serve that original purpose, but we’re offering revolving concepts on the ground floor, curating products organized around events and themes. Our latest is called Healthy Home — my team and I spent weeks selecting items to make your home the healthiest it can be (from kitchen to bedroom to workout nook) and we brought that to life via the space and a print publication. Stay tuned for our next iteration and theme!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’d say I’m both a professional and a creative; at heart, I’m a writer and editor but the day-to-day of Hunker is very much a job-job (one that I love!).

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Visiting Paris for the first time with my mother when I was about eight. I became enamored with it all — the architecture, the sound of the language, the feel of the city’s movement, the reverential feeling of being in the presence of so much history. I’ve ended up spending three years of my adult life there. In an ideal world, I’d split my time between L.A. and Paris!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hunker.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunkerhome/ AND https://www.instagram.com/tinylion/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hunkerhome/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leonoraepstein