Belinda Leslie A Registered Investment Adviser, Inc. - Nashville, TN

Leslie Excels in Numerous Roles, Professions - Renaissance Woman
Nashville Daily City Paper Living Section

By Ron Wynn, rwynn@nashvillecitypaper.com
April 09, 2004 Edition

Nashvillian Belinda Leslie combines sports, music and fiscal counseling in a fashion that's equal parts amazing, mercurial and impressive. Leslie not only owns and runs the Top O'Woodland Historic Bed & Breakfast Inn at 1603 Woodland St., she has also competed in triathlons for more than two decades.

Getting there
Belinda Leslie & the Top O'Woodland Historic Bed & Breakfast Inn are featured on the 10 a.m. Easter Sunday broadcast of Tennessee Crossroads on WNPT-Ch. 8.

If that weren't enough, she's president of Superior Investment Planners Inc. and a registered Investment Advisor whose expertise is relied upon by more than 30 families. Completing Leslie's remarkable list of activities is her annual participation in two or three operatic productions as a soprano with the Nashville Opera Association.

Leslie's Inn, a busy, profitable venture, is being profiled in an Easter Sunday morning edition of Tennessee Crossroads.

"One of the most important things for me with the Inn is to help promote this community," Leslie said. "The East Nashville area is a growing one, with close proximity to town and many new businesses emerging here, but we've always had a problem in terms of image. That's why we started the Greater Five Points Merchants Association. We all know and try to help each other, and this is one of the best parts of the Nashville community."

Interestingly, the Inn's busiest time isn't during football season.

"Holidays are when we're completely sold out," Leslie said. "Especially on Valentine's Day, where many people love to come here for romantic weekends, as well as on Mother's Day. We also do lots of weddings."

Leslie will be presenting her annual Mother's Day Victorian Afternoon Tea & Parlor Concert on May 9. The event, which combines classical music and opera with a tea, has become so popular that this year there will be two seatings, at 2 and 4 p.m. Seating is limited to 40 persons.

Though Leslie's primary training is in finances, investment and business, and she was a stockbroker and investment counselor for various firms before becoming an independent advisor, she studied voice for a year at Tennessee Tech. "They consider me kind of a switch-hit singer," Leslie laughed. "I can sing soprano, mezzo or tenor. During the teas, Leslie dresses in period clothing and performs. The singing dovetails in yet another passion, the triathlon.

"A good friend of mine Jo Adamson was the person who got me interested in triathlons. I was trying to lose 60 pounds after my daughter was born in 1983, and we were both going to a health spa. She mentioned that her boyfriend was very ambitious and was involved in triathlons. I got curious and decided to try it. I got hooked and have been doing it ever since. It's really great for singing and for exercise."

The triathlon involves swimming, bicycling and a run. Leslie's in the Masters category (mid-40s) for the Olympic category triathlon, which involves a 1.5-mile swim, followed by a 25-mile bike race, topped off by a 6.2 mile run.

"The great thing about this event is that everyone's so encouraging. Even as they're passing you they're yelling encouragement. This is also something you see people doing in their 60s and 70s. I plan to run these races the rest of my life."

Leslie doesn't see herself as some type of phenomenon or view all her activities as unusual. Instead, she hopes to encourage others to enjoy themselves, continue exercising and do everything in life that they treasure.

"People should keep sport and music in their everyday life. I'm really living the European style, where you see families going to health clubs and actively participating in things. I don't want to watch it, I want to do it."