Reader,
This week is one of those weeks where everything I care about is happening at once, and I wanted to bring you along for all of it.
The blog + podcast this week
There's a popular narrative circulating right now that if your business is stuck or you feel stuck, the problem is your identity or that you need to shift who you are before the results will follow.
I've been pushing back on that for years in my own safe little circles, but this week I couldn't let it go without saying something.
After two decades of working with accomplished female entrepreneurs and leaders who are navigating the most consequential moments of their careers, I can tell you that confidence and identity are rarely the issue.
I wrote about what I actually see, what I do instead, and why the sequence matters more than anyone talks about in this week's newsletter and on the pod!
If what you read/here resonates, the Watershed Idea™ quiz takes three minutes and might be the most clarifying thing you do this week.
Dallas for the HeartProfit strategic planning
Wednesday, I head to Dallas as board president of HeartProfit for a day and a half of strategic planning with our board.
HeartProfit exists at to challenge the belief that businesses have to choose between doing well and doing good. We believe that the future of business belongs to leaders who recognize that how you treat your people, your community, and the world is not separate from your bottom line.
It is your bottom line.
This meeting is about mapping strategic priorities and laying out the path to move that mission forward. I don't take the responsibility of leading this organization lightly, and I cannot wait to get into the room with this group.
Egypt... I leave Sunday!
On Sunday, I board a plane for Cairo.
One of the most important parts of the Built to Last Egypt retreat this October is rooted in genuine relationships with Egyptian women entrepreneurs. This is not as a cultural experience for American women to consume, but rather, a peer exchange, where both sides bring something the other can't access alone and both sides leave with something real and beautiful.
This weeklong trip is about sitting down over meals and tea with some of those women to talk about what they need and want it to look like.
I'll be sharing as I go. Follow along on LinkedIn and Instagram if you want a window into what I'm building on both sides of the world.
Two spots remain for Built to Last Egypt, October 17–31, 2026. If you've been curious, this is a good week to take a look.
What’s the common link between all of these things?
On the surface, these might seem like disconnected things.
A thought leadership piece on the blog/pod +a board meeting in Dallas + a trip to Cairo
But this is what it looks like when your work and your values are genuinely the same thing. When the ideas you publish, the organizations you lead, the clients you serve, and the experiences you create are all expressions of the same conviction.
That's the work I do with women every day, and this week, I'm going at it with gusto for myself.
xo Jess
Is this your moment?
Are you at a point where continuing as you have isn't an option, but starting over doesn't make sense either?
Are you facing decisions about the next chapter of your work that feel too consequential to navigate alone?
That's exactly the moment I work in.
If you want a trusted strategic partner and business strategist to help you get clear on what comes next and how to build toward it without burning down what you've already created, book a Watershed Idea™ Discovery Call.
Upcoming Events
The Built to Last Egypt Retreat - October 18-31, 2026 - Cairo. Luxor. Aswan.
The Egypt Retreat is a high-touch, transformational experience for female purpose-driven entrepreneurs, leaders, and change-makers who are ready to embody their voice, leadership, and legacy on a deeper level.
Two Spots Remain!
The Social Impact Roundtable - 3rd Wed, Monthly
The next Social Impact Roundtable is tomorrow, Wednesday 5/20 at 9am Denver mountain, and we're going all in on how to navigate the current times, run a business that makes a meaningful impact while making money, and how to embrace our roles as the CEO!
This is a free event, so please join us for the next conversation! Registration is required and you can do that here.
RESOURCES
Why Isn't It Working
Your brand new guide to diagnosing what isn't working in your business and why it all feels so heavy and misaligned. Grab it here!
Is Your Most Important Work Still Ahead Of You?
Take the quiz and find out. It takes three minutes and it will give you language for what you've been experiencing.
Podcast Appearances
I've been talking a lot lately about alignment, big ideas, impact, and how we bring it all together into a business that allows us to thrive. You can catch all of those here!
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