A while back we reviewed Make Sh*t Happen, a kick-in-the-pants e-course by Jenny Blake to help you get just about anything done in your life. Well, we were so taken by her personality and passion that we knew we wanted to pick her brain and get even more advice for you! So today we’re pleased to share our interview with Jenny Blake, activation coach and the author of Life After College.
Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and your business?
I’m a 29-year-old Silicon Valley bred book-worm and micro-business coach now living in the Big Apple; a world traveler not to be mistaken with a backpacker (as I most certainly cannot be relied upon to pack lightly), an avid dog-lover, and a dedicated yogi dipping my toe in the water of teaching where I travel.
I absolutely love working with people on what is most important in their life and on taking action to make meaningful changes — primarily in the career or big idea space. I completed my coach training in 2008 and since realized that my “sweet spot” is what I like to call activation coaching — helping people dig in and start something or grow something — I have a bias toward visioning, planning, then taking action.
You’re so young and yet have done so much already! Did you ever imagine you’d do all these amazing things (like writing a book and launching a course) just a few years out of college?
Not at all! I never dared to dream that I would be running my own business one day. Writing has always been a love of mine, but the idea of writing and publishing a book seemed insurmountable for many years. It really did take baby steps, and getting started with things before I knew where they would end up. I had no idea when I started my blog as a resource for college grads that it would soon become the heart of my life and my living, but I am so grateful that it has.
What advice would you give people who are nearing graduation and want to avoid the 9-5 grind?
I’ve had my website now for seven years — which goes to show you that the freedom I now have in my career did not arrive overnight. Before you avoid the 9-to-5 grind altogether, consider what you can learn. I worked at Google for 5+ years and it was like receiving the best MBA money could buy…and yet they were paying me! I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.
One of my keynote speeches is, “The Ladder is Out: Career in the Age of the App,” which is all about ditching the linear template mindset and moving toward a model where we each take full responsibility for the “apps” (skills, experiences, hobbies, job experiences, side hustles) that make up our careers. You are the creative director of your life — you decide what’s next, on your own terms.
What’s the best/biggest thing you’ve gained from writing (and running) Life After College?
The friendships! I had no idea I would meet so many people through blogging — the relationships I have formed have enriched my life in countless ways. It’s amazing to be connected to so many other awesome, motivated, enterprising people — which is the beauty of the Internet! You can start anything and connect with anyone — sure, it can get overwhelming too, but if you find what brings you joy and start there, you can really open yourself up to tremendous new connections and experiences.
You’ve come so far in the last 7 years since you started your business. Have you ever found yourself up against an obstacle that you feared would lead to your failure? And if so, how did you overcome it?
As a solopreneur, especially in the beginning, you’ve got to get comfortable not knowing exactly where every dollar will come from and when. Work comes in, work gets canceled. You sell things and it works; you sell things and they flop. Developing semi-passive income streams takes time, and there’s nothing passive about the process.
I’ll never forget how, in the second month of running my own business, ALL of my projected income was cancelled or postponed. It was a shocking thing, and I was grateful not to have counted (or spent) too many of those chickens prematurely. I did my best not to panic, but it can be disconcerting when you no longer have the security or predictability of a steady paycheck.
One of my favorite quotes is by John Allen Paulos who says, “Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” I have learned that if you want to run your own business, you’ve got to get comfortable (or as close to comfortable as you can) riding and embracing the uncertainty wave, and having faith that with hard work and constant learning, things will work out for the best. And if you fall? You get back up and keep going, coming alive throughout the ups AND the downs.
If you’re like us and want daily wisdom for living the life you truly want, you’ll want to check out Jenny Blake’s blog, Life After College. She’s such an inspirational woman and you can’t help but feel energized after reading her posts.
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