A&E’s very own Founder and Editor in Chief Lara Mansour Sawaya chats through her mission to inspire people through her work and what she’s still got planned for the future.
Lara Mansour Sawaya, A&E's Editor In Chief, sits down for Morning Coffee
As International Women’s Day rolls around for 2019, we decided to sit down with our very own Editor In Chief, Lara Mansour Sawaya.
Having founded A&E Magazine 13 years ago, her mission is to continue to grow her platform without compromising her values and ethics.
In this weekend edition of Morning Coffee, Lara chats through everything from finding work life balance to lessons she’d share with her younger self.
Watch the full interview with Lara above, and read the five things we learned talking to the editor and entrepreneur below.
Five Things We Learned Talking to Lara Over Morning Coffee
Lara Mansour Sawaya, Editor In Chief of A&E Magazine
Empowerment starts from within
While it’s the mission of A&E Magazine and A&E TV to empower and inspire people, Lara explained that this all starts from within. She said: “I think we all need all need sources of inspiration, we all need empowerment. But let’s start – before we say how do we empower others – let’s just dig in and start empowering ourselves from within… The first and foremost thing that should be done is listening to your inner power.”
Work-life balance isn’t a magic formula
Many of our successful entrepreneurs we talk to at A&E TV name finding that balance between their personal and professional lives one of the biggest challenges they face. But as Lara points out, there really is no secret formula, and we could all do with putting a little less guilt on ourselves. She said: “What I believe is that every woman should do what she feels comfortable with, there’s no handbook you can follow to get it right. Once you are satisfied with what you are giving between your life, your family and your friends, then you are already on the right track.
“Don’t wait for anyone to dictate how much time you should spend, and what’s right and what’s wrong… Follow your intuition and capabilities and do what makes you feel comfortable as a mother.”
The challenge is to sustain success
Lara said that sustaining what she has achieved is her biggest challenge professionally. She elaborated: “The challenge is not reaching to be successful, the challenge is once you’re there to maintain everything that you’ve done… You need to keep up with the pace.”
Travel with an open heart
As a busy Editor in Chief, Lara naturally is always on the move. But rather than tiresome, she continues to see it as an invigorating experience full of life lessons and inspiration. She said: “I’m a person that always travels with an open heart and fresh eyes.”
And continued:“Travel is a major form of cultivation. It exposes you to different cultures and different people from different walks of life… It really educates you on how universal and global your thinking should be. First and foremost, the acceptance of others and the bridging of cultures. I believe that if more and more people travelled around the world, we would have fewer problems, fewer wars, because you would really understand people from their own culture and perspective.”
Believe to achieve
… Is Lara’s personal motto. And we think it’s pretty great.
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