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Businesswoman finds perfect niche She married Tom right after graduâ€" ation and started work for a catering firm. Let it be said that Leslee Bell is a great talker. Creative, but not, strictâ€" ly speaking ‘artistic‘, she has a flare for painting marvellous pictures with words. She speaks with candor and enthusiasm and she reads people with aplomb. In short, she has the perfect ‘pitch‘. No doubt, this facility with language also led to her success as a night school teacher in the Art of Entertaining, where her combined talâ€" ents and training began to come tocether. Leslee had her first son Brian some 18 years ago, and Greg arrived about three years later. For seven or eight years, she was a stayâ€"atâ€"home Momi, but gradually eased herself back into the work force with a partâ€" time job at a preâ€"school. Four years ago at the tender age of 40, she decided it was "now or never". It was time to go for the brass ring. Always one of those high enerâ€" gy, type A personalities, she admitted to being just a little driven. Over the years, she had accumuâ€" lated a unique blend of experience, knowledge, and contacts. With the "If I knew then, what I know now," she mused, "would I have startâ€" ed this business? Maybe not." (But also, maybe yes.) She was born and raised in Hamilton with one younger brother and credits her Dad with her creative party genes. It was good old Dad and Mom who planned a Hawaiian theme party in the family garage for her sixâ€" teenth birthday. Thus, the seeds of her destiny were sewn. Leslec went on to study food administration at Ryerson and, subsequently, took courses in floral arrancement. ago. Profits get shovelled back into the company. Let your kids bounce around on "The Dragon Moon Walk Super Bouncer" air pillow and ride the battery operated "Kiddie Power Wheels‘ "Your Community Shopping Centre" and The Trafalgar Village Merchants Association (Continued from page 11) Visit Trafalgar Village and support our Fundraisi campaign Feb. 14th â€" 20t SUNNY Sponsored by...amusements BURLINGTON, ONTARIO RIDES CONCESSIONS Tantamount in her business, she said, was a sense of humor. And while there have been no outâ€"andâ€"out disasters, there have certainly been "horror stories". Like the time she created the M.A.S.H. party at the top of Mont Ste. Anne only to have the chairlift breakdown before the guests could ascend. (It‘s a long story. The solution was neither easy nor perfect but, suffice it to say, a good time was had by all, including the two hairâ€" dressers who cooked dinner.) The right team to support her, she was pretty sure there was an opportunity for business success. Apparently, she was right. "Decor and more" now has six fullâ€"time employees in addition to the president. Of course, the first four years were not without crises. The financial presâ€" sures were real. More than one client went bellyâ€"up leaving her holding the bag. Bell said she cried herself to sleep on more than one occasion â€" mostly from the stress; sometimes from the loneliness. Often, it was shear exhaustion. She was lucky, she said, in the beginning a couple of big breaks came her way. But confidence comes from one or two successful events and reputations are built on solid perâ€" formance. Bell said she took her business philosophy from the book, ‘Swimming With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive‘. Author Jim McKay wrote: ‘Do what you love, love what you do, and always give your clients a little more than they expect. About a year ago, the crafty woman realized she was trying to do too much herself, so she hired Ann Jasper to take over the dayâ€"toâ€"day administration of the company. Now Leslee can invest more of herself in the creative and promotional side, her true love and real talent. â€" q.r_wâ€"â€"â€"'â€" soutil sEavice RD. |â€"4 8 5 No Having said that, she still resents missing out on family times and friendships, and involvement with her church youth group. She would like to strike a better balance in her life. "My fear is if I slow down, I won‘t know how to gear up again," she said. She feels she needs a menâ€" tor to advise her. Meanwhile on her desk this sign: "SUPER WOMAN: I have no choice"! (Could it be a cry for help?) important thing, according to Bell, is to look back and laugh. And learn from everything. For particulars call Cidel Rivera â€" Sales Rep. Office 847â€"3030 Home 338â€"5746 or Freeta MacKenzieâ€" Sales Rep Office 847â€"3030 Home 827â€"7465 Canada Trust Realty Inc. LAKE VIEWS Functional Layout Prestigious Address Priced to Sell ()PENING * No Shots or Pfls f Nutrmonally Baianoed Diet *Taste Test Partm * No Group Sessions