What You Do Defines Who You Become - Jennifer Marie Pelfini

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Marie Pelfini, Owner of Jenn Marie Living, located in Reno, NV, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I have a couple of businesses under my brand Jenn Marie Living I have recently established, aligning everything I represent. My primary business is in marketing. With Rejuvenate Marketing, I do marketing consulting, content development and communications, and branding and strategy. I am establishing myself as a speaker and an author through Jenn Marie Living. And I offer kitchen experiences under Jenn Marie Cuisine.

Tell us about yourself

Back in 2006, I was laid off for the first time. Little did I know it would be the first of five times in my career. At that time, I associated myself with the company brand, and when I lost my job, I lost myself. I learned very quickly after realizing I didn't know how to define my value, that I desired to have a brand for myself and what I represent. In that time period, I developed my first brand, Rejuvenate Marketing. Actually, it's kind of funny because I looked at my brand like a bumper sticker. I was inspired by an article I read by Tom Peters called "Brand You." Since then, I have developed other brands to represent different aspects of businesses I represent and most recently aligned them under my mega brand Jenn Marie Living, where everything I do and develop is centralized. My other brand is Jenn Marie Cuisine which aligns with my passion for the kitchen.

What motivates me in everything I do, is the passion and purpose behind it. For me, it's critical to believe in what I do, and that is additive to a person's life or moving a mission forward. This was a big change from working for someone else, where it was about their goals and mission or climbing up the money ladder. Sometimes it aligned with my personal passions and goals, but most of the time, it did not. When I became a mom at 47, leaving corporate life, I had time as a stay-at-home mom to have a "break" from the corporate life and really consider what would be worth my time to be involved in and what mirrored my personal goals and integrity. The decision to go out on my own again, this time without a cushion, was born from that. My time with family and being available for my daughter on my schedule is the most important thing to me. My quote, "what you do defines who you become," is how I live my life. Imagine if we all started out in our careers from that perspective. I think the choices we make might change, and many people would be happier in their careers.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Pushing myself to new discomfort in a good way! I once had a manager at a job tell me I didn't know how to sell because I never carried a bag (roll back to old times when people sold door to door). I believed it. I have learned I can do or be anything I want to be. I have to believe in myself. When you are a business owner, you only have you to bank on ultimately. You can have a big team and endless resources, but if you don't truly believe in yourself and know what drives you, you can miss out on the good stuff. The good stuff or "accomplishments" aren't scores defined by someone else or money; they are how you feel every day about what you do and how you are doing it. Do you want to do what you do? Are you excited about it?

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The hardest thing about being a business owner is saying no and staying focused on your core mission and offering. You need to make sure you stay true to your brand and are able to prioritize it. It's easy to get distracted by other opportunities.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Align your personal goals with your professional goals.
2. Ensure you have passion, purpose, and a brand that represents what you are about.
3. Realize it will take a lot of work and time to materialize your vision, don't be afraid to fail.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://jennmarieliving.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennmarieliving/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmpelfini
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmpelfini/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jennmarieliving
https://www.facebook.com/jennmariecuisine
https://www.facebook.com/rethinkrefreshrenew

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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