Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Blackstock.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My business started when I was in the corporate finance world and I was experiencing extreme anxiety. It was before the Great Recession and the pressure of being at a VP level in my 20’s was severely impacting my stress levels and my body. At the time I was an athlete competing in Half-Ironman’s and marathons, yet my body was slowly falling apart as it processed my stress.
In 2008 I had enough and decided to leave my very cushy, high-paying job to start my own business. Taking my finance degree and combining it with my love of fitness, I started out as a yoga teacher and traveled the world to study various forms of healing before settling back in San Francisco where I created my first successful business.
In 2014 my husband and I moved to San Diego for better weather and a healthier lifestyle and I opened an in-person aspect to my business at our business studio in Carlsbad holding live events, in-person sessions and more. Over the years my business has evolved into its current evolution as primarily Life & Business Coaching, where I firmly believe that true success comes from claiming your worth in ALL areas of life, not just work.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I chuckled when I read this question as it certainly has not been a smooth road, but it HAS been an extremely fulfilling road.
One of my first struggles was going from a high-paying salary to having to generate income on my own while also funding a brand new business that required a lot of training and a physical space to work out of. The first few years in business were very tight financially, but I continued to follow my heart and trust that it was leading to something special, and I am SO glad I never gave up.
The other, unexpected struggle, was in knowing when to move on from a service or change up what was working well but no longer felt fulfilling. When I first started out I was a massage therapist and CranioSacral Therapist- and became very successful with a full practice and a wait-list of clients waiting to work with me. But eventually, I began to burn out and feel much like I did when I was in finance- increased anxiety, long hours, adrenal fatigue. It took a lot of courage to face this reality that I had created a similar situation, and to end it.
I now see how important it is as a business owner to constantly be honest about how you feel about the work you are doing, and be willing to pivot into something else if your heart is not in it anymore- especially if there is cash-flow and all looks to be successful. If I had not been brave enough to end my massage business, I would never have begun coaching and would have missed out on a business that TRULY fulfills me now.
Please tell us about The Unbridled Life.
The core of my business is the belief that every woman deserves to feel fully alive in all areas of her life- her body, her career/ business, her relationships, her community and more. For most of us, we have one or two area operating well, while others areas are often ‘sacrificed’ to allow the others to thrive.
For example, a woman may be super successful in her business or career but feel sick and heavy in her body, or may have a wonderful marriage but feel utterly unfulfilled professionally, or be incredibly fit but lacks the community and deep relationships that she craves.
I believe there is another way, that we don’t have to sacrifice anything in order to be fulfilled in other areas. Often this starts with the body and/ or with our careers. So while my programs with women generally begin with a desire to shift either health or the health of your finances, we then zoom out to look at how all aspects of your life are operating with a system I call the 8 Pillars of Wealth.
At the end of the day, my business is about claiming your worth as a woman. My clients have made significant changes in their lives by doing so, such as leaving their high-powered jobs to become entrepreneurs, gone from single to married, lost weight, become athletes, moved to new countries, started their own businesses and so much more. All from shifting from an attitude of needing to ‘fix’ their life to an embodiment of claiming their desires and taking courageous actions to make their dreams reality.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
While I have no regrets about any of the steps I have taken, the one thing I would have done differently was developed a relationship with money earlier in the process. Our education doesn’t really set us up for being responsible financial adults and coming from a career in finance, I had become accustomed to money coming easily with very little effort. But as an entrepreneur, we need to work with money, cash flow, and debt in very different ways than those who receive a regular paycheck do.
I think this is where most businesses and entrepreneurs fail is in their relationship to money. I know I have failed with it at times, so I am now passionate about helping other business owners understand money, the emotions that are tied to it, and simultaneously trusting the process AND taking action steps daily to keep your business in solid financial health.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jenblackstock.com
- Phone: 7606428803
- Email: jen@jenblackstock.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jenblackstock
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenblackstock
Image Credit:
In Her Image Photography
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