Finding Purpose and Joy in Business and Life, with Shane Jackson (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 870)
In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray talks with Shane Jackson, President of Jackson Healthcare and author of This Is the Thing About Life: Joy and Owning Your Purpose. Shane shares how personal reflection, faith, and a desire to serve others have shaped both his leadership style and his approach to life.
He opens up about what it means to live with purpose, why joy is a discipline rather than a fleeting emotion, and how his family’s legacy influenced the book. Shane also discusses the power of asking better questions, the difference between success and significance, and how to lead a life that aligns with your values—personally and professionally.
Whether you are a leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone seeking more profound meaning in your work, this conversation offers clarity, encouragement, and practical wisdom.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Shane Jackson, President, Jackson Healthcare, and Author of This Is the Thing: About Life, Joy, and Owning Your Purpose
Shane Jackson is President of Jackson Healthcare, the parent company of more than 20 healthcare workforce services businesses that serve over 20 million patients each year. Championing its mission of improving the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone it touches, he has led the organization through growth that has landed it on the Forbes® list of America’s Largest Private Companies; placement on the 100 Best Companies to Work For® and Best Workplaces in Health Care™ lists by Fortune®; a spot on the Companies that Care list by PEOPLE®; and nearly a decade of Great Place To Work® certification.
Shane is the author of two books: This Is the Thing: About Life, Joy, and Owning Your Purpose (2025) and Fostering Culture: A Leader’s Guide to Purposefully Shaping Culture (originally published in 2018 with a second edition in 2024). He has written for Fast Company and Forbes on the topics of leadership, workplace culture, and living and leading with intention. He also publishes insights on his own platform and is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and events across the country.
In addition to the business he leads at Jackson Healthcare, Shane champions the organization’s LoveLifts community impact platform that focuses on improving access to healthcare and the well-being of young people. Under his leadership, LoveLifts partners with more than 450 nonprofit organizations annually, making a positive impact in local and global communities.
In 2024, Shane was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® National finalist, in addition to being selected as a winner in the program’s Southeast region. He also has been recognized multiple years on Staffing Industry Analysts’ Staffing 100, a list of the top North American leaders shaping the industry and influencing the workforce solutions ecosystem.
Shane serves on the boards of 3DE and King’s Ridge Christian School and is vice chair of the leader-led goBeyondProfit business initiative that promotes the belief that giving back is good for business. He earned an MBA from Emory University and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Harding University.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction and Welcome to North Fulton Business Radio
00:27 Guest Introduction: Shane Jackson
01:52 Jackson Healthcare Overview
03:03 Reflecting on the Pandemic
05:08 Discussing Shane’s New Book, This Is the Thing
08:10 Purpose and Personal Journey
20:13 The Concept of Legacy
22:13 Rethinking Legacy and Impact
23:27 Family History and Its Influence
24:43 The Power of Education and Generational Change
26:48 Creating Ripples of Influence
27:35 Purpose and Leadership
31:09 The Importance of Relationships and Community
34:34 Reflections on the Book’s Impact
37:28 Practical Daily Changes for a Purposeful Life
40:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 860 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their market, community, and profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.
