Jessie Golden left her corporate career behind in 2019 to start her own business as a Health Coach, helping women obtain freedom from obsession around food, exercise, and their bodies. In her first year, she scaled her business to six figures.
Her success is a direct result of creating a business in the area of expertise she’s most passionate about. Having overcome her own battles with food and her body, she’s taking everything she’s learned along the way on her journey to help others create a life of empowerment, presence, and purpose.
Jessie’s website: https://www.jessiegolden.com/
Take Jessie’s quiz!
Jessmyn:
All right. Hi everyone and welcome back to Interact’s Creator Stories Podcast. I’m your host, Jessmyn Solana. And with me today, I have Jessie Golden from jessiegolden.com. That’s the name, right?
Jessie:
Yeah.
Jessmyn:
I want to make sure that I got your website right.
Jessie:
Yeah. Nailed it.
Jessmyn:
Right, woo. So a little background on who Jessie is, so she is actually a health coach that’s focused on helping women develop healthy relationships with food and pursue any aesthetic, tongue twister there, goals in a healthy way, which I love that you put that in there, because I think that’s a key point and I do want to get into that at some point. But, you are certified by the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. And, your business actually came about because you were passionate about this area, and he became an expert in it after having your own battles with food and your body and overcoming all of that, which played a big role in your journey. So now, you are actually fully self-employed after leaving your corporate job in 2019. And since then, you’ve coached hundreds of women and you already scaled to six figures in revenue within one year of leaving your corporate jobs, that’s awesome.
Jessie:
Yes. Yeah. It’s been an exciting ride so far.
Jessmyn:
That’s really impressive, to be honest. You see it online all the time and I think that’s one of the biggest selling point in a lot of people’s courses is, how do you get to that point, and how do you get there quickly and how does it make sense. But-
Jessie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessmyn:
… besides that, I would love for you to tell us a little bit more about your business, and like I said, pointing out that you teach people or women specifically, how to do this in a healthy way, I think is a key point because there’s all those kind of… What do they call them, like fad diets? Is that the correct term?
Jessie:
Yes. So, my business started out solely focusing on helping women develop a healthier relationship with food. Based on my own history with food diets, just to a hold session with all of it, which was a product of a lot of things. Emotionally, I was not in a proper place, my self esteem, my self-worth was… I mean, I started dieting when I was like 16, so I think any teenage girl can relate to that being a very tumultuous time. And then, coupled with like a lot of misinformation in the health and fitness industry about what you should be doing. I mean, now we’re seeing a ton of keto. No offense to anyone who’s doing keto, it’s just not a magic pill. All these things you think you need to do. And oftentimes, that can end up hurting your body and your mind a lot more in the long-run.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. I actually started following you on Instagram and partly for this, but also mostly because I was really interested your mission and kind of how you say it. Because, I’ve even been going through this recently, I know a lot of people can relate that last year was not the year of healthy habits, I should say. I did not move at all last year. I was like, “Yeah, the world is ending, I don’t want to work out.” I don’t have access to a gym, it was so hard to get equipment and all of that. And you read now, like after a year, it’s like, “Okay, I gained some weight and I want to get back to a healthy point,” but I don’t want to take any of these fat burners. I don’t want to not eat all day. I don’t want to just drink juice. Like, how do I do this, so I can still feel good and not have to sacrifice some of the stuff that makes me feel good at the same time?
Jessie:
Totally. And, that balance is what makes it sustainable. And, I think so many people are just focused on the quick fix in today’s society. Like, Instant Instagram, everything is instant. And looking at someone and saying, “Hey, it’s okay if you have goals, but it might take you like five times the length that you’re used to with these drastic programs, are you prepared to do that?” And some people say yes, but when it gets down to it, they’re not. Just like building a business, it’s takes consistency and not doing extreme, kind of get-rich-quick schemes, you have to build trust with an audience, but you also have to do the same thing when it comes to your food habits.
Jessmyn:
Exactly. So speaking of, take us back to the beginning. And, I know you mentioned that your own journey had a lot to do with where you got your business to how it is today. So, take us back to the start, tell us how it all kind of came about. And I know you also had a corporate job, so I’d love to hear more about how you decided to just go for it.
Jessie:
Yes. So I started… Let me go back to my first corporate job. So, I was working at a public accounting firm, which was my first job outside of college. And, the first I remember coming home for Thanksgiving and I was looking at my cousin and I was like, “There has to be more to life than this, like this will not be the rest of my life of just showing up to this job that I hate.” And, not that there’s anything wrong with that job, it was just for me, it was so out of alignment and I felt like I would just be wasting my entire life if I stayed there. So, I knew that it wasn’t for me, everyone told me I should do it because that’s what you do. You get your CPA, and then you go to a public accounting firm, then you live out your days and climb the ladder.
And that made me like teary-eyed, it was really scary for me. So I decided after one busy season, I was like, “Okay, I’m going to save up for a year so I can quit my job, and go backpacking in a cheap…” Where I could travel cheaply and really take some time to figure myself out. And, it’s no coincidence that I did do that. I did another busy season and quit right after that. My relationship with food, that also gave me time when I quit my job and traveled in Southeast Asia. I did a lot of introspection, healed to my relationship with food in a big way. I still had no idea what I wanted to do, but I came back from three months abroad and knew that entrepreneurship… I always kind of knew that, like working for other people just didn’t make me happy.
So came back, got coincidentally hooked up with these guys who said, “Hey, we’re doing this recruiting thing, do you want to come work for…” “It’s going to be kind of a hybrid entrepreneur model, you just give us a very small percentage of all the sales you make or the placements for recruiting.” And it was going to be accounting placements, so I was like, “Perfect,” combine the two. And, it was entrepreneurial and that part I loved, but I wasn’t passionate about it. And, it was during that time when my relationship with food was healing more and more, and I looked around and I was like, “Oh, everyone struggles with this.” Like, I thought it was just me. So I thought, “Huh, what if I turn that, I have a passion for that and I go into pursuing that as my career.” And this is where I had to have that long-term focus that I was telling you about, because I took a job in another corporate recruiting job.
And I had joined that initially thinking, “Okay, I’ll be there a year while I get my business off the ground.” Well, that turned into three years because it took a lot longer to get my side hustle up and running. So, I was working on that concurrently, getting certifications, started my Instagram in 2017, maybe 2016, I don’t recall. And, just made a promise to myself that I would post every day for a year. And, I did.
Jessmyn:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessie:
And then, I was able to leave my job in 2019 and go full-time.
Jessmyn:
Nice. And, here we are now.
Jessie:
Yes. And, here we are now.
Jessmyn:
That’s awesome. I kind of love that you mentioned earlier, it’s not like a get-rich-quick type of thing. And even in your story, you see like, okay, I actually came up with this idea, but it still took a long time to get there, which I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate to. And especially, since at first, I’m sure there’s a lot of people and even in our customer base, we see a lot of people who are in that, this is my side hustle space. So, my question is, how do you kind of take what is your side hustle and form that into a full-time, like fully self-employed business?
Jessie:
Yeah. So that took a lot of, I would say consistency. And not to sound trite, but that’s really what it took, is consistently showing up in the smallest of ways. Because, that’s really all I had the capacity and bandwidth for.
Jessmyn:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessie:
I would get up early and do an hour of work before work, and then I’d come home and do work after work. And things that take me 20 minutes now, it took me an hour then, because I just been learning so much at the same time.
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
But, I think that consistency is really, really important, especially if you have an audience that’s watching you because that’s how you develop trust with them. If you’re posting twice a month, they’re not going to take you seriously because you’re not even taking you seriously.
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
So, I think that is the biggest thing. And then, I also hired a business coach. I hired a couple, but one proved to be really, actually helpful for me, and not fast-tracked and condensed my process big time.
Jessmyn:
I’m really interested in coaches and mentors now, so I find that super interesting how much of a difference it makes for people. And, I’m not there yet, but just you saying like, “Oh, I hired somebody and they kind of helped me condense and take it faster,” that’s really interesting. What, I guess, were some of the things that you learned along the way in that point, where you finally hired a coach and you were like, “Okay, here’s how I can do this better and how I can do it more efficiently?”
Jessie:
The big things that I learned were just classic marketing and sales. And being in recruiting, I had sales experience, I just didn’t know it was sales. I was selling people, essentially-
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
… and selling positions to people. But marketing, copywriting, sales, people aren’t attracted to you saying, “Oh, just like hit the link in my bio, I had some one-on-one spots.” They want you to take them through their transformation, like where are they now? Where are they going to get to? What is the program called? That is something you can sell. Saying I have a one-on-one spot available, that’s not selling them anything.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. And I do… You mentioned that you have a couple of… Why can’t I talk today? You have a couple of programs or courses. Is it two or is it both in one? And, what part does it actually kind of serve?
Jessie:
Yeah, so I have two, I have Food Freedom Evolution, which is my signature course. And, that takes women to food obsessed, to really free and more intuitive with food. And, I just released the… This is a group coaching program, while I refine my process, which is another tip I would recommend is, to make sure you actually have experience working with people one-on-one, if you’re a coach. And, that is how to make aesthetic changes sustainably in a way that honors the health of your body and your relationship with food.
Jessmyn:
Ooh, I love that. That’s awesome. So in creating these courses, how much… I mean, I know this sounds like too much of math, not to make it sound like it is set in stone. But, how much of it is from your own experience, and what you’re currently learning and constantly learning as you go, but also from what you learned in your certification and things that you see online or I guess, research, not online?
Jessie:
Yeah. That would be a sketchy source of [inaudible 00:11:57].
Jessmyn:
Right. Don’t do that.
Jessie:
Yes. Especially in the health and fitness space, there’s so much crap out there. But so, I studied at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and that was my first certification. And then, I got my Precision Nutrition, which is one of the most renowned evidence-based nutrition certifications out there. And that fundamental, that combination of the two was super important. But really, what I’ve learned as a coach is that knowing something is step one, but in order to actually elicit a transformation with a client, you have to actually have emotional intelligence and know motivational interviewing skills, how to get them to change their behavior, how to relate to them. I mean, there’s so much that goes into it, that just telling someone to do something is not helpful.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. And what, I guess, if you… So, you’re actually the first person that I interviewed for Creator Stories that is in nutrition. So, I have a lot of interest in what are the steps that you need to take, to kind of become a credible nutrition coach. I know their certifications and stuff like that. But how do you, I guess, convey that in a way that isn’t just certifications, but also through what you say, and what you do and all that.
Jessie:
Yeah. And I think this is a really important topic, because it’s something… I’m not a registered dietician. And so, you have to really know your scope. So, I can’t treat anyone with medical conditions via nutrition.
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
I wouldn’t say like, “I can treat your diabetes for you.” Or give you a meal plan, that’s illegal. So, knowing what is within your scope and outside of your scope is really, really important.
Jessmyn:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessie:
And, what was the second part of your question?
Jessmyn:
Just like, what are the steps that you need to take in order to be a credible nutrition coach? I’m like trying to say it correctly, but does that help?
Jessie:
Yeah. And, this is where there’s so many debates. I’m sure if you spend any time on social media, you’ll see so many camps that are so divisive, because they’re the people who have the qualifications, the letters behind their name, and they’re still sharing things that are not rooted in science.
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
And then, there are other people who are really focused on learning from the researchers, from the PhDs, from the experts in their field. And then, so for me, I’m not portraying myself as a doctor. I’m not saying I’m a researcher. I’m leveraging the work of people who are doing that, and then I’m translating it in a digestible way to clients to help move them forward.
Jessmyn:
That makes a lot of sense, yeah.
Jessie:
So, there’s a difference between a coach and someone who’s face down in the research. I’m relying on trusted resources to relay that information.
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
And then, I disseminate that and help clients with it.
Jessmyn:
So, for anyone who is interested in the nutrition space or kind of in it, want to get started, they’re also super passionate. What are the credible resources? Or how do you research that properly in order to make sure like, okay, I want to make this an actual business, I don’t want to be a sketchy one, I guess, you could say for lack of better words?
Jessie:
Totally.
Jessmyn:
But, this is something that I really want to do, I just want to be credible in doing it.
Jessie:
There are some good ones, so in terms of, I really like a couple people organization, so Barbell Medicine, I think is a really great company that focuses on the evidence. Layne Norton and he has a research review that’s really, really popular, and again, evidence-based. Renaissance Periodization is another that you can learn a lot from. And, they’re not giving you certifications, this is more, if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest research. Martin, I think it’s Martin Nutrition University is really popular in the UK as a very legitimate nutrition school. So, that would be something to consider as well. And then also, as I mentioned, Precision Nutrition, which is what I did.
Jessmyn:
That makes a lot of sense. Interesting. Yeah. You see it on online all the time, where they’re check your credible resources. Even in school, you have to cite really specific types of papers. And so, it’s really interesting how and kind of, I don’t know, correct me if I’m wrong, compared to kind of other types of coaching businesses out there, whether it’s like marketing or copywriting, this does take a little bit more work than copywriting formulas, for example, or like looking up how to write an email and so on.
Jessie:
Yes, for sure. I mean, and this is where it’s a little… Because, you’re dealing with someone’s health and that’s a big deal, emotional and physical health. So, there should be constraints there. And then, when you look at business, I think there’s become a lot more awareness of people who are just selling you through marketing. You can be a really good marketer, but not actually have quality products on the other end of that. So you can make a lot of money, and then your results are crap.
And I think that’s coming out more and more, where people are realizing that. There’s a Facebook Group, I think it’s called the Fitspro Mentorship, where [inaudible 00:17:51] review business coaches in there. And if you’re a business coach, you’re not allowed in there, because it’s become such a thing where people and roundabout way of saying that yes, your health is obviously very important, but so is your money. And, for entrepreneurs who are just starting, I mean, you’re… Usually, I was just scraping by any of my extra money I was putting into my business. So, that’s a big investment. And, if you’re giving it to someone and they’re a total sham, and they’re not actually going to give you a return, that can really, really affect in a roundabout way, somebody’s health.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. Which I think we had talked about when we had our first intro call, we talked a little bit about how your relationship with food and, I guess, just like how you take care of your body in general, how that affects you. And especially if you’re an entrepreneur, there’s a lot of stress that comes along the way. So in your own experience, what are some things that you do for yourself to make sure that you’re like, “Okay, I’m running my business, I’m doing well, I’m making sure I get everything done, but I also want to take care of myself at the same time?”
Jessie:
Yes. That balance is so important. And so, food and the way you treat yourself, the way I treat myself, I’ll speak in my first language areas, it’s greatly impacts my energy levels. The clarity of my thinking, it affects how we sleep, how is sleep impacts everything. Exercise, having the energy to exercise, and then actually completing exercise, that releases endorphins, helps with my mood, helps with my energy. So, all these things are really important. And, there was a time 2019 through half of 2020, I was dealing with chronic health issues as a result of stress.
Jessmyn:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessie:
And, I think it was from the years of working two jobs at a time, doing CrossFit, just burning the candle at both ends. And, that was a really hard lesson for me to learn, but I’m grateful that taking care of yourself and not in the… There’s a balance. You don’t want to be a couch potato who’s eating chips all day. And, you also don’t want to be the one who is burning the candle at both ends, and finding that balance because neither are respectful for your body, is really important.
Jessmyn:
That makes a lot of sense. I feel like there’s… I’m trying to think of the right way to say this in terms of, I heard you say something about how you were also doing CrossFit while working two jobs. So, pretty much where I’m going with this is there’s a lot of, I don’t even know if it’s misinformation, but just information out there about how you should work out, the harder you work out, the better. I remember when I first started exercising, someone had told me, “You know it’s a good workout, if you can’t breathe at the end.” Like, what?
Jessie:
[inaudible 00:20:48].
Jessmyn:
It sounds really bad, but pretty much what I’m trying to say is what is that point where you’re like, “Okay, this is healthy, this is within my means?” And, how do you know if or how it’s affecting you in your day-to-day, like your work or your school, and if you are starting a business, having to do that side hustle while also working your nine-to-five?
Jessie:
Yeah. There’s the Goldilocks effect of not too little, not too much. And, that’s really important to keep in mind when it comes to exercise specifically, because exercise is a stressor, unless you’re doing like leisurely walking outside, sometimes really chill yoga, that can be stress reliever. But even if it feels good in the moment, there’s a stressor on your body, so you have to consider that your body’s going to perceive that differently than your mind is sometimes. So, you can pay attention to your biofeedback. Your body’s always going to be telling you, it’s just that most of us are moving too quickly throughout the day or living too much in our head to notice. So, if your sleep starts to suffer, if your digestion starts to go off, if your menstrual cycles affected, if you’re a woman, your mood, your energy, all these things are giving you clues. And your body is saying like, “Hey, we’re trying to alert you here, something’s wrong.”
Jessmyn:
That’s very interesting. That’s very interesting. Wow. This is so new to me.
Jessie:
Well, I’m glad I think it’s so important. I’m really passionate about, especially the stress component.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. What are some things that you’re currently doing to make sure you’re keeping yourself in check? So you’re running your business and I’m sure, even though it grows, there’s still challenges and obstacles that happen along the way. And, how are you checking in with yourself to make sure like, “Okay, let me kind of practice what I preach?”
Jessie:
In terms of balancing everything?
Jessmyn:
Yeah. And just like as you go, as new things come about, as you’re trying to grow your business, new stressors come, maybe it’s totally new and it’s not a problem you had to deal with before.
Jessie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). So, I’ve been working on not glorifying the hustle and the need to be busy all the time. So, I made an effort last year to really focus on automating as much as I could in my business. And, because I wanted to grow and there was a bottleneck of my time. My time was the bottleneck. And so, creating courses, self-guided courses, were it was at a cheaper price point for the client, but that didn’t require my extra time, was huge for me. That alleviated so much stress and then gave me more opportunities to be creative in doing and creating the content that I really like.
So starting on YouTube, I want to start a podcast this year. I could be posting more on social media, all those things, but I wouldn’t have been able to do that on top of working with a bunch of one-on-one clients, because then my energy would be totally depleted. So, I think it’s a matter of looking at where you want to go and being comfortable with like, not stressing yourself out. I think it sounds strange, but if you’re kind of a hustle type A, type of person, a high achiever, then it almost can feel uncomfortable if you’re not going, going, going every second.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. That was something that I did notice on your Instagram that I loved, because I’m definitely… I’ve been in that space for the past few years, and especially working at an early startup, it’s easy to feel like I just have to keep going. I remember when I first started, I actually… I don’t know, there was just so much kind of momentum, and I guess, a little bit of pressure as well, and you want to show your worth and do really well.
So at one point, I was working from like 9:00 AM to like eight, sometimes 9:00 PM at night, like just super long hours. Until finally, I had a one-on-one with my boss, our CEO and he was like, “I would rather you give your 100%, and then take your rest, and actually take care of yourself versus giving me 120, 125%, and then you burn out and you can’t do anything later.” And now, it’s just, it hurts you, it hurts the company. And so, you need to think of yourself first.
Jessie:
I love that. What a good boss.
Jessmyn:
I know. He’s awesome. And, I might be biased, but…
Jessie:
I mean, that’s a raise, so hold on to that one.
Jessmyn:
Right. I’ve also been here, I’m actually hitting my four years here now, so that’s also why I’m still here.
Jessie:
That’s awesome.
Jessmyn:
Joe’s great. Yeah. It’s just things like that, I think are super important to instill early on, especially if you’re starting your own business. I work in a early startups, so it’s not really the same kind of stress as somebody who is an entrepreneur, they’re self-employed they want to get it up and running. But, there is still challenges that come along the way when you’re the only one in the marketing department, like this is kind of all on you. And so, I think that was really important to instill early on like, hey, take care of yourself and everything else will kind of figure out itself along the way, and it will kind of fall into place where it needs to go.
Jessie:
Totally. Yeah. And, I think there will be seasons of sprinting during a business. But, just making sure that it’s just a small season and it doesn’t turn into the entire year, because if you can’t sustain it, then what’s the point?
Jessmyn:
Yeah, exactly. So, earlier you mentioned how you had to only planned to be in your second corporate job for a year, it turned into three years. A question that I have based off of that is, how do you sure you do not fall into this hole of another year, or okay, another year and how do you finally make that leap?
Jessie:
Yeah. For me, it was never for a lack of effort. I felt like I was getting so close, so close and then honestly my health, because it was deteriorating from the chronic stress, it was almost and I hate to get woo-woo on you, but-
Jessmyn:
Nah, do it.
Jessie:
… I feel like almost, when I invested in that business coach, it was like I made a declaration, energetically where I was like, “This is going to work, like I’ve had enough of this.” “This is my time.” And even, before I opened my program, which sold out right away when I opened the doors, I just decided and I quit. I put in my notice at my job and was like, “This is going to work.” So, I don’t know if that’s the most strategic plan, but I built… Like, I wouldn’t advise someone to do that. Like hey, I’ve been posting for two weeks, now I’m going to build or I’m going to quit my job. But, I built my foundation for year and a half, two years at that point. And while financially, someone might say, “Mm-mm (negative) , you’re not totally in the place.” I was like, “I’m going to get to the place.”
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
And now, I have all this extra time, and freedom and the energy to take care of myself. And I feel like, I don’t know, sometimes when you just make a declaration that something’s going to happen, it’s like something out there conspires. It’s just like, “Okay, we’re going to make it happen.”
Jessmyn:
I love that. Isn’t that what manifestation is all about these days? I’ve been seeing it everywhere, just like kind of manifest what you want and it will happen.
Jessie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Totally. And, I think people think they can just like chill on the couch and like visualize it and…
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
You have to work, but I think it’s also being like, you have to have that level of self-worth and that knowing of like, this is going to happen.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. And I think too, I love that you made that declaration and then just did it. Because, I think sometimes it just needs that first step to jumpstart that actual process of everything kind of forming into place. And maybe, it wasn’t a 100% manifestation, but it just gave you enough, kind of energy and motivation to do the work that you needed to do to get to that place.
Jessie:
Yeah. I think it’s be, do, have, rather than have, do, be. So, you just kind of decide I am this person. And then, once you kind of shift your identity as like, “Okay, I’m a full-time business owner now, I’m a full-time entrepreneur,” then you show up that way. Then other people receive you that way. It’s like, it all is a funnel that works together.
Jessmyn:
Did you have any kind of fear around going into a space that was growing really rapidly? Especially on Instagram and we even talked about it earlier, there’s a lot of people who are online saying, “They are all about nutrition and health,” but maybe not recommending the correct things. They don’t have the right sources or right credibility. Was that scary for you to go into a space that was growing and you’re like, “I’m going to do it?”
Jessie:
Yes, for sure. And, I would say that in the last couple years, it’s become much more dogmatic and divisive, which to be honest, gives me anxiety all the time, because people can be ruthless on social media. There’s no accountability there, so people can say whatever they want to you and…
Jessmyn:
Oh my gosh, yeah.
Jessie:
Yeah. And so, not only from just random people, you know what people call trolls? But, from other people with accounts too, its, I feel like we’ve lost touch with wanting to help people. And, it’s become a war of identities of this is like, “I’m a keto, like die hard, and you’re a vegan and carnivore,” and everyone’s just at war with each other, rather than being more agnostic and just saying, “Hey, why don’t we just focus on doing what’s best for the client, for the people and have civil conversations like adults.” But I mean, you see that in everything now. Like, every topic known to man, I think is divisive now.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. Oh yeah, for sure. And I know too, you said that… I saw when you had sent me your bio originally, you had mentioned something about how even in 2020, you were still doing really well. Can you talk a little bit more about that and how you were able to stay, kind of true to your mission and your values without… Because, pretty much what I’m saying is the pandemic was scary. Everyone was like, “What’s going on?” “What are we going to do?” “What’s going to happen to my business?” And, how did you… You’re already working through this really competitive space, and now you’re in a pandemic. How did you work through that? And, how were you able to overcome those challenges?
Jessie:
Yeah. So, the automation that I was telling you about and the release of my course, so I built a webinar funnel and that was really helpful for me-
Jessmyn:
Nice.
Jessie:
… in terms of being able to scale more that way, and not have to be on sales calls all the time, because that was my approach previously. So, that was really helpful. But, I focus throughout 2020 on helping people, rather than coming from a place of fear about money. And, I think that really made a big difference.
Jessmyn:
I love that.
Jessie:
Because there’s so much, I don’t know if predatory is the right word, but fear-based marketing, where they tell you to capitalize on the person’s fear, and especially in a pandemic, I was like, “Okay, ethically that is so not something I’m going to do.” So, staying true to my integrity, which is still something that, with the launch of my last course, because it does talk about aesthetic goals, weight loss, some people are so against that.
And so, it can… But I had to sit back with myself and say, “There is a way to achieve it in a way that is healthy and sustainable.” “And, am I just going to cater to what everyone says I should do, or am I going to be in integrity with myself?” And so, I think [crosstalk 00:32:51] that integrity actually served me in 2020 of just being a genuine person, trying to help people. Well, of course, acting like a business owner and watching my bottom line that I just wasn’t willing to compromise my values, basically.
Jessmyn:
I love that, because in the podcast interviews that I’ve done so far, I feel like that is the number one thing, especially if you’re an entrepreneur, to keep in mind is just staying true to your brand and to what you stand for. And, that makes a much bigger difference than trying to freak out and say like, “Okay, I need to get X, Y, Z, so I’m going to kind of do something a little sketchy.”
Jessie:
Totally.
Jessmyn:
Right.
Jessie:
I mean, especially when you’re smaller, you might have the temptation of thinking, “Oh, like I can just do it now, there aren’t that many eyes watching me,” and that shit will follow you.”
Jessmyn:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessie:
People will… A, you’re going to have to live with that. Right? But…
Jessmyn:
Yeah.
Jessie:
And then, it becomes easier. It’s just like, it feels gross. You don’t want to be that type of person.
Jessmyn:
Yeah. And I think to… I mean, I say this all the time, especially with the internet, and even growing up when internet, it was there, it wasn’t as much of a part of our lives as it is now, but we are bombarded with so much commercials, ads everywhere that it is hard to find authentic messaging in some of those. And so, I feel like now, like after so many years of that happening, people are looking for those authentic, kind of brands and authentic messaging and like, “Hey, I do this because I like it.” “And I follow this, this is my lifestyle.” So, that’s why I want to give it to you or I want to show you how to do it also.
Jessie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yes, exactly. Just that internal alignment of I’m just sharing from my heart, basically.
Jessmyn:
Yes, exactly. Yeah, I love that. Trying to think if I had anything else. I always do this at the end of podcasts. I just want to make sure I get everything out. But I guess, worst case, we’re going to have to do another episode and [crosstalk 00:35:01] continue on. But, I really love what you’re doing. And like I said, I follow you on Instagram now because I’m like, “This is awesome.” I think, especially too, in a time where I think, of course, mental health is a big thing, but you never think of how some of the everyday things that you’re doing, like eating, contributes to that.
Jessie:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jessmyn:
Right. What you put in your body also contributes to your mental health. So, I think what you’re doing is great.
Jessie:
Thank you so much.
Jessmyn:
Of course, of course. So I guess to close out, I have a couple of last questions just to give people a chance to get to know you a little bit better, and then also close out. So before I do close out, what are three things that most people wouldn’t know about you?
Jessie:
Oh gosh. I’m from New Mexico.
Jessmyn:
Oh, I did not know that.
Jessie:
Yes. I am just under 5’11”, I’m very tall.
Jessmyn:
Oh, nice.
Jessie:
And I am one of… So, my mom had four, my mom, my parents had four kids in four years. So me and my siblings, I’m one of four, almost like Irish twins all four of us.
Jessmyn:
Whoa. That’s a lot of work. Props to your mom.
Jessie:
I know. It’s insane now that I’m an adult.
Jessmyn:
Yeah, I totally get that. I don’t have kids, but I just like… You’re at that… I’m in that space where you see everyone you know starting to have kids. And so, I see it, I feel it.
Jessie:
Yes, I was just convinced completely out of getting a puppy. I was like, “I’m going to get a dog.”
Jessmyn:
Really?
Jessie:
And everyone was like, “No, do not get a dog.” So, if that is a stretch for me, I can’t imagine having four kids.
Jessmyn:
I know, it is. I mean, I do have a dog, but she is a family dog. So when I took her in, she’s already potty trained, knows exactly how to act pretty much. And so, it was a lot easier when it was just me taking care of her, versus when she was a puppy, I remember it was crazy. It was just craziness.
Jessie:
Yes. That’s what everyone said.
Jessmyn:
You have to call all the time. Yeah. It’s mostly because you just have to watch their every move. It is like a toddler.
Jessie:
Yes.
Jessmyn:
Like, you always have to have your eye on them.
Jessie:
And then forever, because you have to come home every couple hours or whatever. I don’t really know how to take care of a dog that well, but…
Jessmyn:
Yeah. But my last question is, if you could give yourself a single piece of advice at the start of it all, what would you say?
Jessie:
I would say to double down on what I actually want to do sooner, rather than trying to emulate what other people are doing.
Jessmyn:
I love that. I love that. That’s awesome.
Jessie:
Yeah.
Jessmyn:
That’s good advice. All right, Jessie. Well, thank you so much for being on our show with us today.
Jessie:
Thank you so much for having me. It was such a blast.
Jessmyn:
Of course, of course. And guys, if you are listening out there, you can find Jessie at… Can you let them know?
Jessie:
Yes. So my Instagram is Jessie, J-E-S-S-I-E-M Golden. And, you can go to my website at jessiegolden, J-E-S-S-I-E, golden.com.
Jessmyn:
Perfect. We will also link this in our transcripts, if you are looking for that. And then, of course, you can listen to our podcasts through audio, but also check out our YouTube if you want to see the video as well. All right guys, bye.