Jenni Lewis Ford is a brand and communications strategist, diversity and inclusion advocate, author, podcaster, and wearer of many hats. She’s held senior-level positions at major financial institutions and has collaborated with brands like Pfizer, Nikon, and Panasonic. She’s also the founder of Chix Talk Radio, former host of the award-winning 2chix1mic podcast, and a frequent TV correspondent and panelist sharing her thoughts on pop culture, politics, and how to drive cultural change through inclusion, belonging, and gratitude.
“Before I started my gratitude mission, I was killing myself—quite literally,” Jenni recalls. “I was negative, I was full of self-judgment, I was ambitious but never happy.” After becoming pregnant with her first child, Jenni realized something needed to change. That’s when she found a life coach, who introduced her to the art of gratitude. “I say gratitude really helped me understand that I was not grateful for me,” Jenni told me in our interview. “And there’s only one me. I gotta love me.”
I have to say, I feel enormous gratitude for Jenni. I've been wanting to have this conversation for a long time. Not only did Jenni show up and bring her full, hilarious, fast-moving self to this interview, but she also did some tough talk with me about race and privilege. I still have a lot to learn about being Black in America, but Jenni went above and beyond in sharing her story with all of its hard truths and helping me understand the extent of my own privilege and internalized prejudice. I think you’ll take away something great from this interview no matter your own race or background. Towards the end of our interview, Jenni told me that she had a hard time finding a Black therapist who could work with her busy schedule. If you are (or if you know) an excellent mental health professional, executive coach, or burnout coach of color working online, get in touch! I’ll update the show notes for this episode on the FRIED website with names and contact info so we can begin to bring more diverse perspectives to this crucial space. You can email me at cait@caitdonovan.com. Learn more about Jenni: Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifdb Chix Talk Radio Network: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/chix-talk-radio-network The book Our Gratitude Mission 2: http://www.russterrylifecoach.com/gratitudebooks/our-gratitude-mission-2-more-people-more-gratitude-more-inspiration-by-russ-terry The Sorry Not Sorry Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/snspod_/ Mentioned in this episode: Jenni’s life coach, Russ Terry: http://www.russterrylifecoach.com/ Russ Terry’s My Gratitude Journal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0793T8Y57/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Jenni’s first podcast, 2chix1mic, on Chix Talk Radio Network: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/chix-talk-radio-network The 2019 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report (PDF): https://about.americanexpress.com/sites/americanexpress.newshq.businesswire.com/files/doc_library/file/2019-state-of-women-owned-businesses-report.pdf
Please continue to take care of yourself—these are frightening, challenging times. Remember that I’ve opened up time in my schedule to offer more FREE calls to help you navigate your way through it all. Initial calls last 35 minutes and are a great way to kickstart your burnout recovery. Book your call at caitdonovan.as.me/free. And, drum roll...The Bouncebackability Factor is officially FUNDED! Huge thanks to EVERYONE who contributed, shared, or otherwise supported the campaign—I am thrilled to be putting this book out into the world (with the help of a few other amazing women entrepreneurs). Watch this space for more updates on the book, plus a few other exciting things I have up my sleeve... Show gratitude to yourself this week. And wash your hands! XOXO Cait
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