Empowering Female Entrepreneurs: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Authenticity with Jennifer Dawn

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Stone Payton: Welcome to the High Velocity Radio show, where we celebrate top performers producing better results in less time. This is going to be a good one. Please join me in welcoming to the broadcast, coach, consultant, speaker, and five time international best selling author, Jennifer Dawn. How are you?

Jennifer Dawn: Hi, Stone. Hello everybody! I am doing great and so excited to be here today.

Stone Payton: This is going to be a fantastic conversation. I’d like to start, if we could, with mission. Purpose. What are you really out there trying to do for folks? Jennifer.

Jennifer Dawn: Thank you so much for asking me. Stone. So my mission and purpose is to help people unlock their full potential and their true authentic selves. And my purpose has actually been combined with my passion, and that is helping people have soul aligned businesses that they feel incredibly passionate about. And another purpose of mine is also spreading my dad’s message about dementia, which is the unknown truth about dementia.

Stone Payton: So how did you get into this line of work? What’s your backstory?

Jennifer Dawn: So I actually come from a very strong entrepreneurial background and family. So my dad’s dad, my grandfather, actually was a very strong, passionate and successful entrepreneur and it carried on to my dad and then it carried on to me. So I actually became a full time entrepreneur in 2018, and I have been so incredibly grateful to be on this journey.

Stone Payton: So when you first kind of got into this business, was the transition a little bit tough, like the sales and marketing of it, running the business side of it, or because of your, uh, entrepreneurial pedigree and folks to lean on. Did it go pretty easy for you?

Jennifer Dawn: Uh, that’s the interesting part is actually, it was a bumpy ride. So even though I came from a very strong entrepreneurial family, I even though I took notes and I took a lot of mental notes since I was a young girl, I personally believe every entrepreneur has their own unique journey, and I definitely experienced some hiccups and some bumps along the way. But those even those bumpy rides actually gave me a greater perspective. They also, I gained a lot of experience and insight that I otherwise would not have had. And because of those experiences, even the difficult ones, I have been able to help my coaching clients in a way that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. So, but in the last seven years, it will be seven years, actually this July that I’ve been working for myself full time. It has been an amazing journey because, as I said, even the difficult times has really helped me evolve into a stronger entrepreneur, but also an even better version of myself. And each year, my business and my myself evolve. So if we even looked at my business since 2018, the logo design, the branding, everything has reflected all the different changes that I have personally gone through over the last seven years, and the business has also gone through a lot of changes.

Stone Payton: Well, congratulations on a seven year milestone that suggests to me that you’ve, uh, you’ve about got this thing figured out. It’s probably going to work. So congratulations on that. Tell us a little bit about the the work. Are you conducting work virtually in person individuals teams or speak to the way you execute on the work? A little bit if you would.

Jennifer Dawn: Oh for sure. So I actually offer both one on one sessions virtually and also group coaching sessions as well. That actually just launched this year. So for the group coaching right now I’m focusing on female entrepreneurs. Uh, because female entrepreneurship is actually a minority. And there’s there’s not a lot of female entrepreneurs. It is growing, but there’s still definitely a lot of growth and support needed there. And the one on one coaching sessions. I. I offer to any entrepreneur that is willing to do the work not only for their business, but also on themselves.

Stone Payton: Now, are you finding that female entrepreneurs, um, face the challenges that maybe we all do, but maybe there are some challenges, some obstacles that are unique to females in the in the business world.

Jennifer Dawn: Personally, from personal experience, what I’ve already witnessed. Yes. Uh, because I have seen. Well, it’s interesting even for funding, for example. So funding has not. And I live in Canada, actually. But what I have noticed in Canada too, is there is not a lot of, uh, grant support or funding for female entrepreneurs. So that is definitely also another growth, uh, opportunity there. And also I have noticed just I can only speak with the people that I have personally connected with. And I’ve noticed that confidence is not always there. And yet I have a lot of male clientele as well, and I’ve noticed that there’s more confidence. So as an entrepreneur, confidence is definitely going to be the gas pedal for your business. So if you have if you have low confidence, your car is not going to go very far.

Stone Payton: That makes sense. So I’m operating under the impression, at least in the early stages, of considering engaging a coach, or maybe even in those first, you know, conversations, those those early sessions that maybe some people come in with some preconceived notions about what your work is, what it isn’t. Do you find that there are some some myths or some some things that you have to kind of educate through and around before you can really helped them as much as possible.

Jennifer Dawn: Yes, I totally agree. Yes, there is because I actually don’t keep it a secret. I am highly intuitive and I have actually taken my intuition, all my different abilities, as well as my 30 years of management and executive management experience, my business, education, all of it. And I have blended it together into my business. So what some people have shared with me is when they first connect with me, they honestly don’t even know what to expect because they don’t know what it is, even though they they see all the different education, the training, the experience, everything I bring to the table, they still don’t honestly know what it is to expect. And what I love is actually seeing how it all unfolds and how I’m able to bring everything to the table to help them in ways that they didn’t even realize was going to happen when they initially connected with me.

Stone Payton: Yeah, I’m thinking if like if I had an opportunity to sit down with someone with your skill set, your mindset, your tool set, and even if you just and I don’t know what your what your approach is and I’m anxious to learn more about that. But even if you just said, let me sit down and just sort of vent and talk a little while, I gotta believe I would walk out of there at least a little with a little more clarity, or at least the ability to communicate some things clearer than before, just from having the opportunity to sort of talk it out. Yeah.

Jennifer Dawn: Yes. Thank you so much for sharing that, because honestly, you just hit the word that I share with everybody. So I offer clarity for people because people that connect with me, they are usually in a state of confusion, sometimes frustration, sometimes even anger where they have been putting all their resources, including their money, into different avenues and their business is not chugging along, as I call it, the momentum trade, the way that they would like it to be. And so they are really frustrated, sometimes almost reaching the point of burnout, complete exhaustion, and they don’t know where to go. So what I bring to the table is literally taking that state of confusion and actually converting it into clarity and excitement. So where they when they work with me, not only are they excited about the business they’re creating, but other areas of their life start clicking into place. Because when people operate with a soul aligned purpose and their business is aligned with them. It literally is the magic wand. It actually creates the Midas touch, where things in their life start clicking into place, and it’s because they are operating at a higher level than they ever have before. That really personally excites me to see that when all these puzzle pieces I call them click into place and then their offers, their products, their services is authentic and aligned. So it doesn’t have that cheesy salesman feel to it. And when they have everything click into place, their purpose is crystal clear. Their business and the the plan and path is crystal clear. Their offers are crystal clear. It is really exciting and fascinating to see the switch that happens. And I call it the switch, where they actually get so excited about life in their business that often they won’t even need an alarm clock anymore because they actually wake up in the morning so excited to start their day because it is aligned with them and it doesn’t have that draining, low energy feeling to it that they might have experienced before.

Stone Payton: When I hear you describe your work, the two words that come to mind to me are at once personalized and holistic. Like you’re working with the whole human here, aren’t you?

Jennifer Dawn: Yes, yes. Thank you for sharing that. That’s. Those are perfect words to describe it.

Stone Payton: And I guess you’ve really already answered it. But I’m going to ask anyway because I know sometimes this can evolve and change, particularly as you, your own self, as you develop more services and products and projects. What’s the most fun about it these days for you? What’s the most rewarding aspect of the work that you’re that you’re finding these days?

Jennifer Dawn: Oh, that’s such a powerful question. Honestly, the most rewarding if I had to narrow it down to one thing, one aspect of a result of the work that I do, I would say the most rewarding is seeing people literally lighting up from within and excited about their life, who they are and where they’re going. And that to me, to me, has been more fulfilling than anything I’ve ever done in my life before. And I’ve lived a quite a life already, and I’ve had a lot of fulfillment. But seeing this where people truly are excited about who they are and where they’re going. That to me means everything.

Stone Payton: Wow. So in just a moment, I’d like to dive into this new book you’ve got coming out. I’ve got a ton of questions around that, but before we even go there, just the idea of being a writer and committing your ideas to paper and then putting them out there for the the world to enjoy or take some shots at. Can you speak a little bit to that whole process, what you feel like you’ve learned from that and what it what what it’s like to to be a writer. And I’m asking for myself, uh, partially, but also, I think a lot of people who tap into our work here, many of them have some designs on, on writing at least one book.

Jennifer Dawn: Yes. And I’m so glad you asked that as well, because one of the personalized coaching directions that I have with people is I have often clients come to me exactly with that reason and with that question, because they know they have a book inside of them that is begging to be written and they don’t know what is the next step or I’ve also had people come to me because they want to speak on stage, but they don’t know what their message is. They just know they want to speak on stage. I’ve had other people come to me. They want to have a podcast, but they don’t know what it is they’re going to do with their podcast. So with a book and with writing, I always knew I was going to be a writer. So my mom’s mom, my my grandmother, she was a published author and she was the only published author in the family until myself. And she told me when I was a young girl, she said, Jennifer, I know you’re going to be a writer. I know you’re going to be a writer. So fast forward. So I just recently turned 50. So for all your listeners, it doesn’t matter if you’re 15, 50 or 105, it honestly doesn’t matter how old you are. It is never too late to make your dreams a reality. Since 2020, I have actually written a lot. I have actually written four magazine articles now just as of a week ago. A week ago, eight coauthor books and one solo book. And that’s just since 2020.

Jennifer Dawn: And as we know, that’s only five years ago. So honestly, it is never too late to make your dream a reality. The first step is taking the first step. So for those that have watched Harry Potter, I call it the Dumbledore moment. And there’s a character in there. He takes a wand to his forehead and he pulls all his memories into the fountain. So this is what I recommend for new authors. It is so important to literally pull everything out of your mind onto paper or computer, whatever is more comfortable for you. It’s so important to just get the ideas out of your head, and you’re literally going to free your mind, and your concentration will improve because you have all these ideas pulled out of your head. It doesn’t matter right now where the ideas are going. It’s just so important to just get them out of your head first. That’s the first step. And I literally call it the Reese’s Pieces. Just follow the Reese’s Pieces. Q ET. Et. Phone home et. Love Reese’s pieces. One Reese’s Piece at a time. Often the anxiousness, the frustration, the anxiety will come when we’re focused on the future, and we’re worried about things that have not even happened and might not ever happen. It’s so important to be present in the present, so just take one Reese’s Piece at a time. First step is getting the ideas out on a paper or a computer, whatever you want to use. That’s the first step. And then you go to the next Reese’s Piece.

Stone Payton: Okay. Tell us about this new book you got coming out or is it already out?

Jennifer Dawn: Actually not yet. Thank you for asking. So it’s called Dad’s Pennies from Heaven. It’s my first solo book, and it’s actually going to be released at the end of 2025. It looks like being published. I’m very grateful by hay House publishing, and in this book it is actually, uh, a journey, an entire journey. I take the reader on a journey from the beginning of my dad’s life until the end and thereafter. So my dad had dementia, and in his final week of life, he had no dementia. So I audio recorded the last four days of his life, and he was able to have full conversations. He had full clarity and was able to have conversations with myself, my family and the medical staff and was able to share unbelievable messages prior to his passing, including talking about what it was like for him having dementia. And I actually have the head of the Alzheimer’s Society of B.C., who works with Canada and International Alzheimer Society, and she said in her 35 years working with them, she has never seen anything like this documented in the world. So she’s very, very excited about how this can help people worldwide that are being impacted by dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Stone Payton: Wow. Oh, you must be so excited. I’m excited for you. And what a a blessing to to be able to capture all, all of that and now share it with the world. What an exciting time for you.

Jennifer Dawn: Oh, thank you so much Stone. I am really excited and also so thankful for our medical field out here. They actually just recently gave me their blessing and shared some very powerful medical records of my dad’s that I am going to be able to include in the book and if the book is turned into film. They also gave me the blessing to include it in film as well.

Stone Payton: Wow. All right, I’m going to switch gears on you for a minute if I if I might. Um, I’m interested, and I think our listeners will be too. Hobbies, pursuits, interest, passions outside the scope of this work. Now, anything you nerd out about or or do to kind of get away and recharge.

Jennifer Dawn: Oh, yes. I love painting, so I actually paint wooden signs. I love creating home decor. I also love Marvel and DC Comics and Galaxy Quest. So my geek out moments is I love to wrap myself in movies from Marvel Comics and DC comics for sure.

Stone Payton: Oh that’s fantastic. All right, before we wrap up, I would like to leave our listeners with a little bit of advice, a pro tip, something like that. Um, and particularly, you know, maybe connect it to life in general, but also, you know, maybe there’s someone out there thinking about engaging someone like you. Maybe there’s someone out there that feels like maybe this is a career path for them. And in either of those cases, the best pro tip I can give you is reach out and have a conversation with Jennifer. But between now and then, let’s give them a little something to chew on. Jennifer.

Jennifer Dawn: Oh well, thank you so much for sharing that stone. I appreciate that. So if you’re listening right now and you have been feeling what I call the nudge, you have been feeling the nudge that there is something there’s a new path for you. Whether it’s writing a book, speaking on stage, starting your own business. Maybe you’ve been in corporate for the last 15 years of your life, and you now want to jump and into entrepreneurship. My little nugget of my tip for you is trust the nudge. Trust that nudge. You are literally being nudged. You’re being called to go on a new path, a new journey. It’s so important to trust what it is that your internal self is telling you. Really trust that feel into it and then explore it. Because honestly, if I had ignored the nudge that I received in 2018, Stone, you and I would not be having this conversation right now and I would not be connecting with your listeners right now. So I’m so thankful that I trusted the nudge.

Stone Payton: Man, I learned so much from these conversations, and I take so much away, and I apply it a great deal to pieces that I’m going to borrow. With your permission, Reese’s Pieces just, you know, that’s great. And trust the nudge that is that is marvelous advice. Thank you for that. All right. What’s the best way? Yeah. What’s the best way for our listeners to reach out and connect with you. Tap into your work, get their hands on the the books that you’ve already participated in writing and the one that’s coming out. Let’s give them some coordinates to make it easy to connect with you.

Jennifer Dawn: Well, thank you so much, Stone. So yes, you can definitely connect with me. I am on the land of social media in so many different platforms. So to make it easier, you can find me on my website at. Or you can email me at info Jennifer Dawn. And also, to make it so much easier, I found this amazing app called Linktree and it literally has all the different links, even some of my magazine articles, and also even has my booking calendar. And you can find it at Linktree. And my name is Jennifer Dawn. Medium like small, medium, large, medium. So Jennifer Dawn medium. And that’s how you’ll find me on Linktree.

Stone Payton: What an absolute delight it has been having you on the broadcast today. You are. You are such a warm, giving, thoughtful, knowledgeable person. You are obviously doing tremendous work. Please keep up the good work and know that we sure appreciate you. Jennifer.

Jennifer Dawn: Thank you so much Stone. You are a beautiful soul and a beautiful interviewer. Thank you so much for having me on your show. It means a lot to me.

Stone Payton: My pleasure. All right, until next time. This is Stone Payton for our guest today, Jennifer Dorn and everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying we’ll see you in the fast lane.