Celebrating One Year of Podcasting with Guest: Jay Jasmine Herman

I am thrilled to celebrate the one-year anniversary of my podcast with Jay Jasmine Herman. Jay is an award-winning storyteller with 20 years of experience in content strategy and copy editing. She works with various clients in the entertainment, wellness, marketing, and nonprofit sectors to improve their digital marketing. Jay also supports women entrepreneurs through Boss Squad, a community for female leaders. 

I found Jay very randomly through a colleague’s Instagram and she helped me tremendously in shaping my book. The process was transformative and empowering for me. We met at the right time and did the work we were meant to do. It's essential to follow your values and instincts, even if it means stepping away from certain platforms for your business. “I feel compelled to stick to my values and couldn't support Meta products due to privacy concerns and deceptive practices.” Jay agreed during our conversation. Taking a break from social media allowed both of us to focus on finding our own creative voice. 

Jay’s entrepreneurial journey started with making jewelry, and eventually leading her to become a media consultant after many twists and turns. The non-linear path of trying different things resonates with me deeply and my own background of acting and improv. One concept in improv is the “yes, and” mentality. If you're in a scene with someone and they give you something, you don't drop it. You take it and you run with it. That was my thinking about opportunities that presented themselves in my career. I'm going to take it and go with it. It may go well, it may complement something I'm already doing, or “ok, I tried it and that didn't fit”. And that's how I saw it. This mindset led me to discover new paths and opportunities in ways I may never have discovered if I wasn’t open and curious. 

Jay and I discussed the concept of juggling a job and a side hustle. “It's all about being your own boss, focusing on entrepreneurship, and serving others.” she said. Working for someone else, whether for benefits or opportunities, becomes the side gig. It's more about maintaining a separate identity, not letting the job define you. It's about prioritizing your own goals, finding what works for you, and sticking to that path. It's a mindset shift, focusing on your core values and how they can benefit others. This understanding takes time to develop, but once you grasp it, everything else falls into place.

I call this focus your “beacon.” Finding your beacon, even if it's not crystal clear, is vital. It's essential to maintain belief and focus on your path, especially during challenging times. Straying from authentic values can lead to losing sight of your beacon in difficult times. Entrepreneurial paths evolve alongside personal growth, requiring constant adaptation. There are always opportunities for change and improvement; constant evolution is key. The notion of sticking to one thing for decades is outdated. Instead, having a beacon as a foundation that remains constant while building around them makes more sense to me. 

For Jay, finding her beacon was work in itself. She, like many others, had to overcome imposter syndrome while sharing her own writing alongside helping others with their own content. She realized she needed to share her own personal experiences, successes, and failures to improve. She confronted the limiting belief that she was inadequate compared to traditionally trained content creators and learned that her unique perspective and experiences have inherent value. Every individual's viewpoint adds richness to shared knowledge, even if it differs from others'. Embracing her unique perspective allowed her to confidently express herself.

It's common for people to doubt their expertise, especially in service industries where they are front and center. Imposter syndrome often arises when presenting oneself as an expert. However, everyone brings their own expertise, and it's up to others to resonate with their version of it. Staying authentic and true to your own integrity allows people to decide if they connect with your message.

The concept of embracing imposter syndrome as a superpower is significant. Feeling imposter syndrome is a sign of being an overachiever, indicating that you're reaching beyond your comfort zone. It's natural to feel slightly off-kilter when striving for something beyond your current capabilities. Rather than viewing it negatively, celebrate it as evidence of your ambition and courage to reach further. Getting comfortable with this feeling can empower you to keep striving instead of letting it hinder your progress.

Jay is a master of navigating these topics and I’m so happy that she was able to help me celebrate the one-year anniversary of my podcast.