Le set a new standard in 2014 when she founded the media outlet Heartbeats.dk after her radio programme Unga Bunga on DR was axed. Heartbeats started as a 24-hour radio channel but later became a written online platform where culture, society and taboo subjects take centre stage.
Le takes us through Heartbeats’ journey and explains how she wanted to challenge an industry where the established media had forgotten their responsibility for covering culture in Denmark. For Le, the difficult things and the taboos nobody talks about shouldn’t be hidden away from Danes. It was important to take up those subjects and stir people’s curiosity. Heartbeats’ first goal was to make us more open and curious as people and as a society.
Talking about Heartbeats’ place in Danish culture leads us on to the culture inside Heartbeats. How would Le describe herself as a CEO, and what role does she play in the culture at Heartbeats?
Le is a true champion of culture. As a radio host, DJ, commentator and journalist, she has been making content for Danes for many years, always juggling ten things at once. Besides Heartbeats, Le founded the record label Sound of Copenhagen Records. Like a true entrepreneur, she talks about starting a business knowing very little, apart from what she herself was good at. We talk about knowing your strengths and daring to fail so you can learn.
As an active voice in Danish public debate, Le has made Heartbeats a mouthpiece where critical subjects and “[…] everything we don’t talk about” get the spotlight.
Public debate and creativity can be worlds apart. What matters most to Le? Among other things, she uses social media and Heartbeats to make a bigger impact and push at the systems she believes are stuck in the past.
Le has mastered the art of using her brand to draw attention. When Heartbeats started, it came naturally to her that her personal brand and the company’s brand went hand in hand. Le believes the CEO’s role is extremely important for a company’s branding.
As a regular feature, we turn to the flip side and hear how Le has balanced being a mother, being a CEO and, earlier on, holding down a hectic job as a DJ in Copenhagen’s clubs. Because when you throw too many balls in the air, catching them all again can be hard. We hear about a tough period when Le burnt out because she couldn’t find a sensible work-life balance. Finally, Le shares her frustrations at having to fight to change the public system, a long, hard battle. She feels she has had to fight a lot, and she’s tired of it.