Leigh was born and raised in Canberra and from a young age knew that carpentry was his passion. Leigh commenced his career in the building industry in Year 11 at Marist College where he enrolled into the school based apprenticeship program and finished at the end of Year 12. During the school holidays he was hosted by, and worked with, qualified carpenters along with classroom training.

From there he went on to complete his apprenticeship through CITEA and gained a Certificate III in Carpentry. His excellent attention to detail and workmanship won him the CITEA award for Overall Apprentice of the Year in 2005 for all trades. Following further study he obtained his building licence and holds a C Class Builders Licence in the ACT and NSW.Whilst working in residential carpentry, Leigh realised that he had a creative eye for outdoor living and pursued his idea of providing a complete end-to-end solution for Canberra residents specialising in decks and pergolas. This was the beginning of Canberra Decks in 2009.