Jess Sato

Reader, I’m writing this from California, somewhere between campus tours and lots of sunshine and iced tea. My family is in the thick of college visits, and I have to tell you there is something that just stops you in your tracks about being on a college campus in spring. The energy is unmistakable. Students are at the very beginning of figuring out what they believe, what they’re good at, and what mark they want to leave on the world. They’re just starting to accumulate the experiences that...

Reader, Today marks fourteen years since I officially started my business, and I've been sitting with that for a few days now, trying to find the right words. When I started in 2012, I didn't start in the traditional sense. I never set out to "build a business." I didn't have a business plan, a well-thought-out brand, or a real strategy. What I had was an invitation to continue supporting leaders at The Boeing Company, this time on my own terms, and in order to do that, I needed a business....

Reader, It’s been a few weeks since I’ve shown up here, and I thought about just sliding back in without saying anything. But if you've been with me for a while, you know I talk a lot about how showing up consistently is critical to building trust... and disappearing without acknowledging it doesn’t sit quite right with me. The truth is, I got tired. Not just “I need a day off” tired, but the kind that builds slowly over time. Week after week of driving back and forth to the mountains since...

Reader, TL;DR: I’ve codified what I stand for. JSC is now a certified Benefit Corporation for Good, grounding our work in ethical governance, equity, and measurable impact. -- I’ve been thinking about something for years, and at the end of 2025, I finally stopped moving it from week to week on my task list and did it. Jessica Sato Consulting is now a certified Benefit Corporation for Good. When I first explored certifications like this, I was drawn to the idea, but traditional B Corp pathways...

Reader, There are two seats left for Egypt. This email isn’t about filling seats. I want to call out that moment when you realize the systems you’ve succeeded inside are no longer stretching you. I know you've built something real, you carry a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, and you've achieved what once felt impossible. I mean you did the thing you set out to do. And yet, if you're like the other women going on this retreat, something inside you is shifting. The questions you're...

Reader, You know that moment when you’ve been staring at something for so long that it becomes hard to see what’s really there? As we head into February, maybe you're taking a critical look at your business, the way you lead, or even your next move. That fuzziness that comes up is a sign you’ve been inside the system too long. Sometimes, the only way to unlock what’s next is to step outside of what’s always been, so you can imagine what might be. Perhaps it's look at the roles you play in...

Reader, I just wrapped up my first Social Impact Roundtable of the year, and I'm buzzing from the depth and heart in the conversations we had. In that sacred space, I posed two questions: What do you feel called to build/continue building in 2026, and why now? What conversations do you wish more entrepreneurs were having this year? As I was drafting these questions, I was also doing my own reflection. So, let me share a little. I am continuing to build out the work I do in collaboration with...

Reader, Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026! I know it’s been a minute since you last heard from me. I stepped back over the holidays to create some real space for myself. I wanted real rest, rich tome for reflection, and a bit of time to recalibrate some things in the business. As this year begins, it feels important to come back intentionally, not just pop back into your inbox with noise. As we start this year, I strongly believe we don't need more urgency, more optimization, or more...

Reader, As the year comes to a close, I just want to pause and say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading, reflecting, responding, and staying curious. Thank you for the conversations we’ve shared, the big ideas you’ve boldly shared, and the courage you bring to the work you’re doing in the world. This season is an invitation to slow down, a time to rest, exhale, and reconnect with what actually matters. I hope you’re finding moments of ease, warmth, and calm, whether that...