By Michelle St. Onge | Photos by Twenty-Six & Co.
Hometown: Natick, MA and Richfield Springs, NY
Family: Husband of 37 years, Jonathan; adult children Jordan, Jenna, Justus, and Julia; six grandchildren
Occupation: Sales and Leadership Trainer, Motivational Speaker
Community Involvement: Keeseville Community Arts Festival
LeeAnne Ruff’s story is shaped by an array of lived experiences spanning farm life, city life and spending time on both the East and West Coasts. Born in Braintree, Massachusetts, she spent her early years immersed in a large city before her family’s move to a 100-acre farm near Cooperstown, NY when she was 12. “My parents thought it was important to give us an experience of living outside of suburbia,” Ruff explained. She traded busy streets for horses, sheep and chickens, and admired her father’s mastery in gardening. As she matured, this well-balanced grounding provided the backbone for a career that would take her across the country and into the heart of corporate leadership and motivational speaking to audiences of as many as 25,000 people.
After meeting her husband, Jonathan, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), LeeAnne’s life changed significantly in a short period of time. She paused her studies to marry, and the young couple started a family. In 1992 they moved to Plattsburgh for Jonathan’s job. As a new mother, LeeAnne found herself leading direct sales events in homes across the region as a consultant for a national kitchen products company. During 12 years of sales, she held over 1,000 kitchen shows and achieved leadership status among her peers nationwide. “I feel very indebted to the women here in the North Country,” Ruff said, “They did not realize it at the time, but they supported the growth of who I am today.”
Eventually, a move to Los Angeles opened new professional doors for Ruff. There, she took on corporate roles, excelling as a leadership training developer for major companies, including Beachbody and Beautycounter. Her leadership programs not only transformed many of these global businesses, but also led to her reputation as a highly sought-after keynote speaker and consultant creating a significant impact among female entrepreneurs.
Now back in Keeseville, Ruff continues to mentor leaders, deliver keynote addresses and consult with organizations on leadership development, particularly in sales. This year, she launched a personal growth podcast focused on helping people be more open to learning and life’s possibilities, and published her first book, My Personal Best: A Self-care Journal to Chronicle Your Amazing Life Experiences of Personal Growth and Triumph. Rooted in her early experiences and driven by her desire to help others overcome personal and professional challenges, she uses her own story to inspire and guide others on their journeys.
Here are excerpts from my interview with LeeAnne Ruff.
SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?
LR: I discovered that the two most important things to get right are relationships and systems. You must understand people in order to develop effective relationships. Systems are necessary to build a business, and then they are the playbook that you can hand down to people following you. It’s important to make yourself duplicatable so you can teach others what you do in a way that they can see themselves doing it.
SB: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
LR: My Mom would often say, “You can only be in one place at one time,” which applies both physically and mentally. It’s a reminder to be present in the moment and to not get overwhelmed by everything going on around you. It’s a message I now pass on to my own kids, and to the people I mentor. It also helps to alleviate pressure and stress when you acknowledge and accept it.
SB: What are you doing when you are at your best?
LR: Public speaking is where I feel the most connected to who I am, and my focus in life. I lose myself when I’m on stage in front of a large audience. I could do it every day. It’s my happy place, where I feel the most spiritual.
SB: What is your approach to management and leadership?
LR: My leadership is rooted in authenticity, empowerment and building meaningful connections. I lead with vulnerability and transparency, striving to inspire others to rise to their full potential. I focus on creating collaborative, positive environments where people feel heard and valued. I also believe in leading by example, showing others that it’s not just about how you enter the world, but how you leave it.
SB: What advice do you have for someone starting their business career?
LR: For those starting their careers, I would say, know your worth and own it. Focus on your growth by helping others grow. That means to go for “yes.” Say yes to people. When you offer a kind word or an opportunity, that is a way of saying yes to that person, and it builds positive relationships.
SB: What does success look like to you?
LR: Success is about impact and growth, not titles or accolades. It’s measured by the difference I make in others’ lives and how I continue to challenge and evolve myself. It’s about helping people unlock their potential and leaving a legacy of empowerment while staying true to my values. It’s also deeply personal, balancing professional impact with being a nurturing presence in my family.
SB: What do you do in your free time?
LR: I love to garden, bake and entertain. I love to have my kids here. We host an annual ‘Cousins Camp’ here with all the grandchildren, which is huge for me. Jon and I also love to just hop in the car and drive around the roads less traveled in Essex or Clinton County. It’s just so beautiful where we live, and we really enjoy taking time to appreciate that.
SB: If you could have dinner and spend an evening with any well-known person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
LR: I’d choose Oprah Winfrey. I had the chance to meet her this past April when I was invited to be on her “The Life You Want” show and class through the Oprah Insider program. I was invited to share my thoughts about the mental load women carry, and my own story about building my professional career while taking care of my aging parents. Oprah was so genuine and kind—it felt like I was talking to a wonderful woman, not a celebrity. I’d love to spend more time with her, learning how she managed her own mental load and the professional challenges she faced.
SB: How would you like to be remembered?
LR: The legacy I want to leave is one of empowerment and expansion. I want to ignite a spark in every person I encounter, showing them that they are capable of achieving far more than they ever imagined. I want to be the reminder that life is not defined by how we start, but by how we choose to finish—and it’s in that choice where we find our true power. We all come into this world with a gift, something uniquely ours, and my mission is to help people, especially women, unwrap that gift and use it to create bigger, bolder, more beautiful lives. I want them to realize that the limits they feel are just temporary, and the possibilities are endless when they step into their potential. I don’t just want to meet expectations; I want to surpass them and leave people inspired to do the same for others, leaving a legacy that ripples long after I’m gone.
About the Author
Michelle St. Onge is an experienced writer, consultant, and long time staff member at SUNY Plattsburgh. Her articles often explore community leadership, personal growth, and professional development. To read more of Michelle's inspiring stories, visit her blog at Catalyst Professional Consulting.
Comments