The Power of Reinvention: Jen Jaciw’s Path from Adversity to Achievement

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

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of High Velocity Radio, and this is going to be a good one. Today on the show, we have the owner of Jaciw Consulting doing business as The Entrepreneur Source, Jen Jaciw. Welcome.

Jennifer Jaciw: Thank you Lee.

Lee Kantor: Well, I’m.

Jennifer Jaciw: Happy to be here this morning.

Lee Kantor: I am so excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about your consulting firm. How you serving folks?

Jennifer Jaciw: Well, I do a little bit of everything, but my main focus is career ownership coaching, and that looks a little bit different than regular career coaching. So my specialty is helping those that are interested transition from employee to entrepreneur.

Lee Kantor: So what’s your backstory? How did you get involved in this line of work?

Jennifer Jaciw: So I actually am one of my ideal clients. I was somebody that had owned a business previously. My first business was in California. I started that from scratch with my husband, had it for 15 years and sold it, moved to New Mexico where our money would go further and it was a much easier pace here, which is what we were seeking at this stage in our life. Um, but, you know, we made enough in the sale of the first business for one of us to retire, but not both of us. So I started looking for work about a year into moving here, and it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. You know, partly because I moved to a state that just is a little bit more, you know, on the poor side versus where I came from, Silicon Valley. So it took me a lot longer to find a job. And I had to switch industries, and I did, and I was successful in the industry, but unfortunately, two of the businesses that I was working for went out of business, and that happens a lot here. So I was faced with two layoffs in two years, and I said, never again. And so I was searching what else I could do as far as starting a business of my own, so that I wouldn’t end up in that space again. And I was connected with a coach that does what I do now. I went through this very experience that I now take others through four years ago, and I found so much value in the experience that I felt this was the right thing for me to do. I had been coaching or mentoring all of my life in some capacity, whether it be my own employees or teammates in leadership positions. And, you know, so it came very naturally to me, and I, I loved the whole experience that I went through. And now, you know, one of my driving forces was really what kind of impact can I make on others? And this was it. So I love the work that I do now.

Lee Kantor: Do you find there’s a lot of folks that, um, you know, maybe at the beginning they’re like, okay, I’m going to work for someone. There’s a sense of security in that. I’ll, you know, if I do a good job, keep my head down, I’ll be able to kind of stick around here, be promoted, and have a very nice life. And then with all of the chaos that we’ve experienced in the economy and then in just in general where people are getting laid off, maybe for the first time in their career or for the first time, you know, that they’ve even ever experienced it. And then all of a sudden now there’s uncertainty. And then now they they don’t look at their career as something that, oh, this is just kind of an autopilot. I have to, um, manage this. Uh, are people kind of seeing and feeling the difference between a career, a job, you know, a career ownership, as you call it, which I think is a great phrase, uh, rather than, I’m just going to get a job.

Jennifer Jaciw: I think more and more people are considering self sufficiency and taking ownership of their careers, because there really isn’t stability right now. You know, we’re about to hit the 1 million layoff mark in just this year. Um, we’re at I think, 985,000 jobs. You know, people have been laid off from their jobs this year, um, through October. So it is a much different job market than it was, you know, especially pre pandemic. You know, pandemic changed a lot of things in the job market. And a lot of uncertainty started to creep in. And it’s gotten more so in the last year. Um but what I have been really trying to focus on with my clients is there’s opportunity and uncertainty. You know, this is the best time to be taking control of what you do and how you do it. You know, a lot of people reprioritize what was important to them during the pandemic. They don’t want to go back to office jobs that they, you know, didn’t like in the first place. Or it could be that they were laid off, you know, in the last year. And they don’t want to just take the first job that gets offered. They really want to, um, put a lot of thought into finding something that aligns with what it is that they’re trying to achieve, whether that be more time with their family, more income, um, additional income streams. You know, I don’t think anybody in this day and age should be relying on one source of income anymore. It’s just not stable, you know, um, and secure as it used to be. Um, so I think that this is a great time for people to be really looking at this as an opportunity to take control, take that control back and make them the driving force for what they want their next chapter to look like.

Lee Kantor: Are you finding that people are comfortable with that mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur. Because that is not that simple. It’s not for the faint of heart to be an entrepreneur.

Jennifer Jaciw: It’s not as simple as making a mind shift. You know, it really takes a lot more than that. And what this coaching experience is all about is providing education and guidance and addressing the fears that come with considering something like this. If you’ve been relying on a paycheck all your life, yes, it’s big and scary to think about not having that, um, or replacing that, you know, um, and, and it’s based on your activity. But if you’re driven to succeed and you have those traits that can be transferred, you know, into doing something on your own, then we’re going to talk a lot about that. I want to do everything that I can to mitigate the risk that people feel, you know, when they are considering something big and scary like this. I mean, I certainly wasn’t ready when my husband said, we’re going to start a business together. For one thing, I thought he was nuts that we could work together in a business, you know, because that’s a whole other level of complexity when you’re trying to figure out how to work with your spouse and keep those relationships separate, you know? Um, but it is something that we figured out, and I’m very proud of that because it was not easy. Uh, but, you know, having, uh, all these different experiences that I can pull from to help my clients, you know, I think makes me really good at what I do because I do speak from, you know, the other side of things.

Jennifer Jaciw: I’ve been an employee. I’ve been an employer, you know, and I have made the the shift to business ownership twice now. The first one was a startup that we created with one town car and, you know, grew to a multi-million dollar company. This one is a franchise, you know, and we’re in a franchise environment. So most of the businesses that I do work with are structured, you know, which makes that risk factor. It does lower the risk factor. It comes with the systems, the proven systems and support. You know, people created a beautiful business and then replicated it over and over and over again. So they know what works and what doesn’t. And to come in to something that you’ve never done before without that system, the systems and the and the support, it will cost you a lot of more money and a lot more time to figure that out on your own. I know, because I did it, you know. So if you can, if I can do what I can to walk them through the different types of proven business models, um, with that additional support that comes with it, it’s a lot easier to, you know, give up employment and, and really look into, um, business ownership in a different way.

Lee Kantor: Now, can you share a little bit about what kind of those initial conversations look like. Say, I come to you and I was just laid off, and I’m, you know, I’m a little nervous. I don’t know what you know, maybe I’ve been sending out resumes and not getting any anybody returning my calls or or even acknowledging me, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve saved up some money. Maybe I have some 400 1KI could tap for an investment like you’re describing, but can you describe what it’s like, how you guide somebody who was just laid off through this transition?

Jennifer Jaciw: Yeah. And, you know, again, relying on my own personal experience, I’ve been through that. I’ve been in that spot and it stinks. You know, it’s not a it’s not a happy place to be. You’ve got a lot of pressure, you know, especially if you’re you’ve got a family, you know, people are relying on that income. So, you know, it really is, you know, just um, acknowledging where they’re at, you know, that this is a real thing. I understand the fear and the anxiety that comes with being laid off and trying to keep them up, keep them optimistic and helping them with tools and resources that can help them. You know, we go through an assessment together when we start working together. A behavioral assessment that can really pull. It doesn’t just pull strengths like a lot of them do. It actually digs deeper than that. It talks about their driving forces, what gets them out of bed in the morning, what makes them want to behave in a certain way, what drives them? Um, and there’s a lot of information in that assessment that comes back that can help them through the interview process. So I encourage my clients to actually continue to job seek when they’re going through the program. If they land a job while they’re going through the program, that’s great. They can continue the program. We can adjust the schedule to meet during lunch hour or after hours so that they can continue the path if they are interested in exploring what an additional income stream could look like.

Jennifer Jaciw: I have businesses that don’t require a full time time commitment. You know, if you have a proper manager in place, you could be hands off, you know, and just manage the manager. So there are things that will work with a job or without a job. Um, but really just trying to help them through the, you know, mitigate the stress, the anxiety that and and I don’t want anybody to ever feel like they’re stuck in a box, you know, that somebody placed them in 20 years ago. Because there are always options. And a lot of people have never considered being their own boss or they have and they don’t know where to start. You know, that’s what this experience is all about, is creating a safe space for people to just explore what that could look like and learn. You know, it really is focused on education and guidance so that all of their questions get answered. They know exactly what they’re getting themselves into. I also partner with several funding resources. Um, you know, people like CPAs and payroll companies and anything that they may possibly need to get started on the right foot. You know, I want to be a resource for that so that they can do that and just make it as easy as possible for them to make a confident decision.

Lee Kantor: Now when they’re working with you as the coaching delivered one on one, or do you do group or mastermind, like how do you deliver the coaching?

Jennifer Jaciw: The coaching is one on one. Um, I do occasionally do a workshop here or there, but most of it is the one on one coaching I find that works the best. But what what I do encourage in the very beginning is if there’s a family member, uh, it could be a spouse, it could be a sibling. If there’s anybody in your circle that you may be considering going into business with, I invite them to be part of the conversation as well, whether it be in the beginning or as you get more serious about considering something. I do want to meet those other people that are going to be involved, because it’s just as important for them to get their questions answered and to know that they’re the right fit for this business as well. You know, I don’t want to present a business to someone that doesn’t make sense. You know, it has to align with what it is that they’re trying to achieve, whether that be their values, their goals, whatever it is, you know, it has to make sense. I know when I was going through this journey myself, my husband was working the, um, fishing season in Alaska every year, so he would be gone for three and a half months at a time. And so when I started this journey, he had just left for Alaska, and I was getting more and more serious about opening a business. And he said, just don’t do anything until I get back so that I can talk to your coach and make sure that I get my questions answered and I said absolutely. So when he did get back, the first thing he did is hop on a couple calls with my coach. We did a couple calls together. He did some on his own. He made sure that he was just as confident in the support that I was going to receive going into this business. And and so that, you know, we knew that it was the right thing for both of us. And I think that’s really important.

Lee Kantor: So does it ever occur that after going through the coaching, the right thing to do is not owning your own business, but going and finding a job that that you’ll be more comfortable in that environment?

Jennifer Jaciw: Absolutely. And that’s why we start the conversation with the assessment and with your goals, because not everybody is cut out for business ownership. You know, it takes a lot. You know, you are going to have to make some calculated risks. You’re going to have to be able to make decisions. You know, we will mitigate as much as we can in this process, but there are things that you are going to have to do that are not going to be comfortable. That’s part of business ownership. You know, you have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Um, that’s just part of it. And not everybody is cut out to do that. So we may get to a point in this journey where, you know, we realize that this is just not the right time or it might not be the right. Um, it could be not the right time for financial reasons. It could be not the right time, because maybe there’s not enough business experience in the career to to do something else. So there’s lots of reasons, but we will determine that pretty early on. You know, if this is the right fit and if it is, then, you know, I will do my best to find something that makes sense.

Lee Kantor: Now what through the coaching, is the recommendations always a franchise or can the recommendations be an existing business that maybe is ready to sell or encouraging them to start their own business, whatever that might be?

Jennifer Jaciw: Yeah. There’s lots of paths that they could take as a result of this coaching, uh, experience. So definitely we will talk about all of those things. What would it look like if you were to keep and keep your job or find another job? What would that look like? Would that meet the things that you’re trying to achieve? Uh, the other could be you’ve got your own product or service idea and you want to create your own startup. I have a national, uh, partnership with score. Score is a group, a nonprofit organization where previous business owners or, uh, executive leaders now donate their time back and offer free mentorship. So I partner with those types of folks so that if I do have somebody that comes to me and has this great product or service idea, want to do their own thing, then I will, um, connect them with a score mentor so that they can continue free mentorship in that space that is their, um, specialty is that startup environment. My businesses are either going to be franchises or resales. So it could be somebody that’s retiring, is already generating income, is retiring moving out of state, has the the existing business up for sale. So it’s going to be one of those two that I would offer. But we explore all of those different paths. And really, you know, my I, I start the conversation with all of my clients, you know, during that intro call and just letting them know that I’m not going to push them in any particular direction. I want them my goal as their as their coach and their guide is to find them the right path, you know, whatever that is, and to not feel stuck like there’s no options because there’s always options. And I think that’s really important.

Lee Kantor: Now, is there a story you can share that maybe illustrates how, uh, the impact that this can make with somebody who’s struggling or feeling stuck? Mr..

Jennifer Jaciw: Yeah. Um, I mean, I’ve got a, of course, dozens of stories of clients that I’ve placed into businesses, but one of the ones that I think meant a lot to me is there was a ER doctor that came to me at the tail end of Covid and you know, she has two she had, she has two small sons and couldn’t remember the last time that she was able to go to a school activity or have dinner with them, because she had been in pandemic mode for three years. She missed her family and she said, I just can’t do this anymore. And I totally, you know, it was a very personal thing that she shared that with me because my youngest sister is an ER nurse and she was going through the same thing. You know, she was sleeping in a separate part of the house. She did not see her family for three years. And all of the medical professionals were like that during that time. So she she came to me, she said, I don’t want to give up my career. Obviously she put a lot of time, energy, money, experience, education into it. But she said, I want something more flexible. I want, you know, to pick and choose when I want to go to the hospital and work, you know, with patients.

Jennifer Jaciw: So we found her actually a recruiting agency that only deals with, uh, matching top health professional talent with the people that are looking for it, with hospital systems, with private practices. And it was perfect because she already had the network for it. She already had the connections. Um, she understood the business. She understands the industry implicitly. So it was the perfect thing. She is now able to create her schedule exactly how she wants it. She’s doing the things that she wants to with her kids. She’s having those family dinners, and she’s picking and choosing when she wants to work at the hospital. So it’s been, you know, a win win on all fronts. So that’s just one of the many stories that is somebody that chose to stay in the same industry she was in. I’ve got a ton of other stories where they were in, you know, something completely different. Um, their whole career was in something, and they totally switched into a different industry, but took those transferable skills with them and are now being super successful in something completely new.

Lee Kantor: Now, how do you handle some of the objections that, um, when it comes down, like people, I’m sure at first are like, yeah, that sounds good. Yeah, that sounds good. And then you’re like, well, if you’re interested in this opportunity, it’s going to be like 100 grand. And all of a sudden now they’re nervous now. Um, you know, this is different than getting another job. This is going to require a large investment, um, or a medium sized investment. Um, how do you help them kind of manage that risk and, and explain to them that this isn’t like a lottery ticket. These things are are a lot safer than that. But they’re not perfectly safe. But they’re not. It’s not just pure chance if you’re going to be successful.

Jennifer Jaciw: Right? No, there’s definitely work required. And that is something that we talk a lot about. You know, how much time are you willing to put into this business? Is it something you can work full time? Is it something you’re going to work more on a part time or semi absentee basis? We have different business models for each of those types of clients. So there’s, you know, a lot of clarity that needs to happen before we get to that point. We need to know, you know, what their commitment level is as far as their activity goes. We need to know, you know, what their financial status is. You know, what should should we be looking at something that has a lower, um, investment level versus a higher one? You know, how much lead generation needs to be provided by the the corporation by the business corporate team versus you doing the business development on your own. Some people are much more comfortable doing sales and business development than others. I work with a lot of engineers, you know, that have been laid off in the tech space, and they are not somebody that wants to go out and sell anything. So we look at different types of businesses where that’s not required. So there are, you know, lots of different ways that we’re looking. Always going back to that right fit. Um, but we also part of this experience is once I’m addressing the fears and getting to the point where they are confident in having those conversations with the businesses themselves, that’s part of this experience.

Jennifer Jaciw: So when I do get to the point where I’ve presented some ideas to them, they then have this safe space to have those conversations with the businesses directly. In those conversations, they’re learning about what their financials look like. What is the cost? What are the expenses? Um, what are your low level producers making? What are your top level producers making so that they have a really good idea going into anything, what they could potentially be making? What is the reward if they’re willing to take the risk? So we talk about that a lot. Risk and reward. They also will be connected with other owners you know, or with the owner itself if it is a resale. They’ll be talking with the owner of the existing business. So you know, again it’s just there’s so much that happens in this couple months of time that I have with people that we do everything we can to make it as smooth and seamless as possible so that, you know, if they’re going to take the leap, that they have the tools, resources, support everything that they need to get off on the right start and set up in the right way.

Lee Kantor: Now, um, before we go, can you share a piece of advice? Maybe this is a person had that has never had maybe a sales role before in their career, but like you mentioned, there’s no escaping the work. There is some work that needs to be done. And sales is usually one of the things that you’re going to have to do that at some point. Somebody has to buy something from somebody in the company in order for the company to thrive. Any advice for that new business owner when it comes to marketing?

Jennifer Jaciw: Yeah, and if that is something that we discover in those first couple conversations, then I will definitely keep that in mind as I’m looking at different types of opportunities, because if they’re going to make an investment, it needs to be a strategic investment and it needs to make sense. So if there are people that are more introverted versus extroverted, we will discover that through those first couple conversations. And we can keep that in mind. As I go to the portfolio and I look at the type of business that I’m going to present. You know, there are definitely business models that don’t require as much of that, you know. Um, and, you know, a lot of the businesses that I work with also provide sales coaching as part of the process, as part of the training. If that’s something they’re interested in learning more about. But there are definitely all types of, um, businesses, you know, ones that will rely on the owner to do the sales and marketing and ones that will not. So it’s really finding that the one that makes the most sense.

Lee Kantor: So what does it feel like for this individual right before they call you? What are what are they feeling? What what’s their, um, kind of internal dialog they’re having before they, uh, contact you or somebody on your team?

Jennifer Jaciw: Well, you know, unfortunately, a lot of people are not in a great headspace when they do decide they’re going to engage. I connect with a lot of my clients through LinkedIn, and it’s usually somebody that says they’re open to work, and usually that indicates that they have left a toxic environment either on their own accord or being forced out with a layoff. Um, and in that situation, you know, it’s my job as their coach or guide to, you know, help them get in the right head space for one, because again, interviewing is important. And if that’s something they’re going to continue to do, they have to be in the right head space. So we’re going to address that right away. The other thing is, you know, again I have talked to so many people, I think the percentage is like 75% of people want to be their own boss or have something of their own, but only 5% actually act on it. And so if I can tap into that 5%, that is, you know, willing to learn about what that could look like for themselves, then I can I can be the catalyst for that, you know, And that’s what I love about the work that I do, is finding those people that can see that this is a great opportunity, despite the uncertainty that they feel, you know, at the moment. I think it’s really important.

Jennifer Jaciw: But, you know, I mean, I don’t think that anybody should not have a coach or mentor at this stage in their life. You know, I work with and something else that has changed over the last year. You know, when I first started this business four years ago, it was usually 50 and above executives that had been laid off and couldn’t get an interview because ageism is prevalent everywhere in the job market. But what has changed in the last year is younger and younger clients are coming to me now. I have clients that are 28, 29, 30 and 32 that, um, aren’t, you know, they feel like the job that they’re in or that they’re looking for, they cannot find a business that aligns with their values or what is important to them. Or, you know, again, the growth opportunities. They’re not being given those opportunities. So they’re looking at self sufficiency. What can I do. You know to replace that employment paycheck. So I think there’s you know there’s opportunity for any type of client, you know, that is willing to just learn. And that’s all I’m asking for. People when they do connect with me is just be open, you know, to learning about what this could look like for you. And you can decide if this is for you or not. It’s really their journey, not mine. I’m just here to guide it.

Lee Kantor: So if somebody’s interested in, uh, having a conversation with you, whether to explore career ownership and see if that’s a right fit for them, what is the best way to connect with you or somebody on your team?

Jennifer Jaciw: Yeah, I’d probably direct them to the website so they can learn more about the experience and read some of the testimonials. My website is j j I w dot e. Coach.com.

Lee Kantor: Good stuff.

Jennifer Jaciw: My phone number is (408) 550-5892 and I am a virtual practice. So I have clients across the United States and into Canada.

Lee Kantor: And if they want to connect with you on LinkedIn, just your name?

Jennifer Jaciw: Yep. Jennifer. Yep.

Lee Kantor: Good stuff. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today, doing such important work. And we appreciate you.

Jennifer Jaciw: Thank you. Lee, I appreciate being given the opportunity to share.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on High Velocity Radio.