Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Dodson.
Jessica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always been a very mission-driven woman. I worked in education for a bit, in management at a non-profit for a couple of years, and most recently in brand management at Eagle Creek, an outdoor gear manufacturer.
Almost two years ago, Eagle Creek decided to relocate from Carlsbad, CA to Denver, CO. The loss of that job and community ushered in a new opportunity to dream about what I wanted my life to look like, and how I wanted to make a professional impact. For me, that journey started with a 500-mile walk across Spain and a 6-month sabbatical between Eagle Creek and whatever was next. While trekking along the Camino de Santiago in Spain, having conversations with travelers from all over the world, the idea of PurposeFULL began to crystalize.
Working with companies to define the positive impact they want to make in the world, and then create the strategy to do so?! Um, yes, please.
So often, our intentions as business owners and employees is to make impact beyond the bottom line, but often our day-to-day responsibilities keep us from prioritizing the bigger part we want to play in the world. Purpose[FULL] was created to come alongside internal teams, help identify their purpose work and meaningful partnerships, develop a grassroots passion at the employee-level, and create marketing strategy and strategic growth initiatives for meaningful impact long term.
My colleague and co-founder, Alli Noland, shares my passion for creating meaningful positive impact to encourage employee engagement and retention, and ultimately create more consumer connection. We are thrilled to have just launched Purpose[FULL] in July 2020 and look forward to creating stories with our partners that champion their brand values and culture.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting to this point in launching a business has required the shedding of needing to know how EVERYTHING was going to work. For me, that has been the biggest challenge. That said, the opportunity to partner with a rockstar colleague and create a business plan that reflects the vision you both share is very exciting! What I’ve come to understand, even this early in the business, is that you can’t truly know how something’s going to work without first jumping in. The fact is that every team we work with, every partnership, every business will offer new and different opportunities… so jumping, daily, is exactly what we need to do to get it done. We’ve already done a lot of work to get where we are today, and we’re excited about tackling new opportunities with openness and curiosity.
PurposeFULL – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At PURPOSE[FULL], we help businesses develop actionable strategy to make positive impact in the world. Our team is committed to living from a mindset of expectation and abundance, not scarcity. By making business decisions from a mindset of abundance, ideas start to shift from simply costing money toward the new reality that investing in programs grow profits, engage consumers and employees on new levels, and ultimately better the world.
Our team thinks of ourselves co-conspirators. Conspiring to do good – and to do so in a way that communicates generosity. Purpose[FULL] is a company guided by our brand values of leading with kindness, acting generously, seeking to understand, communicating with integrity and creating lasting value. We work without pretense to lead critical conversations, ask important questions, and truly enjoy infusing humor and celebration whenever possible.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I love building community and being a part of watching that come together and take on a life of its own. For me, that has been watching 40,000 people come together on the Boston Common to participate in Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger year after year. It’s also been watching employees at Eagle Creek participate in Service Days, even when their work required a lot more time at their desks. Whenever people choose to show up and give back to their community, and then turn around and teach their kids that same value, that’s the kind of impact that sticks with you.
We actually had an employee at Eagle Creek who was so inspired by our service projects that his family started volunteering. Fast forward a bit and his daughter got a substantial scholarship for all her service projects! Another employee brought her brother along with her on a service trip down to Mexico, and that project rejuvenated his spirit and helped him get on a healthier track to living in a happier mental space. These are the transformative experiences that I’m most proud to be a part of… When it becomes more than a service day and instead a personal value. Being a small part of that transformational process is a pretty incredible honor. Together we can do pretty wonderful things. Small shifts lead to grand waves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.purposefullco.com/
- Email: hello@purposefullco.com
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/purposefullcompany/
Image Credit:
Main horizontal image of me, photo cred should be given to Jason Ward – http://www.jasonwardstudios.com/
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