We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jennifer Del Bono a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I’m fulfilled as a business owner, because each day offers me the freedom to create with intention and to collaborate with people who genuinely inspire me. After 25 years in the education field, I came to understand the true cost of that path—the relentless stress, the under-resourced environment, and the gradual toll it took on both my physical and mental well-being.

While the salary and retirement benefits were reassuring, they came with a price I could no longer justify paying. Choosing a different path has given me something far more meaningful: the ability to design my projects, shape my days, and choose the spaces where I thrive.

Though the financial rewards may be more modest, the richness of my well-being, autonomy, and joy has made this chapter infinitely more valuable. More importantly, my purpose is met daily by creating health, equity, and possibility for everyone.

Jennifer, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

With over 25 years in education, I’ve served as a teacher, instructional coach, school administrator, district administrator, and Director of Safe and Healthy Schools for the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Most recently, I was elected Trustee of the Gilroy Unified School District. Throughout my career, I’ve led initiatives in restorative practices, PBIS, substance-use prevention, and suicide prevention. I also serve on the Executive Leadership Team for the HEARD Alliance, a collaborative dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being, treating depression and related conditions, and preventing youth suicide.

In 2022, I founded the Del Bono Group, building a small but dynamic team of dedicated professionals alongside a network of experts who bring insight, creativity, and inspiration to our work as educational consultants. Together, we’ve created an organization that is both intentional and deeply aligned with my core values. To learn more about our projects and partnerships, visit delbono-group.com.

What I’m most proud of is how our work empowers individuals and teams to reach their full potential, particularly through strengthening capacity in restorative practices. We also provide targeted coaching and strategic professional learning that helps organizations develop in-house expertise—equipping them to achieve their goals with confidence and long-term sustainability.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My most effective strategy for growing clientele has been modeling a restorative approach by focusing on the well-being of myself and others, working with clients by supporting them to explore what’s possible from within. We offer clients what they want from an entry point that meets them where they so they’re able to meet their goals. We believe that people aren’t broken and that we have what we need to solve problems. With that belief, my team works to serve others by building clients’ capacity through training, coaching, and creating opportunities to connect with others as a cohort. This provides a sense of connection and belonging, fostering hope and inspiration within problem-solving teams.

Our growth has occured mostly through strong relationships, networking, and excellent evaluations. Clients are choosing us because we provide services that are needed and inspire hope.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In 2022, when I left my career in education to prioritize my physical and mental well-being, I felt like I had failed. I remember thinking, “I should be able to handle this—what’s wrong with me?” It was a difficult and uncertain time. My identity had been so deeply tied to my career that I didn’t know how to define myself beyond what I did for a living.

So I made a different choice—I got clear on who I am and what my purpose is. I began building a life centered on that purpose: creating health, equity, and possibility for others. From there, I chose projects and partners whose work and values aligned with my own, and the Del Bono Group began to grow steadily.

Looking back, I can see that what felt like everything falling apart in April 2022 was actually everything falling into place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://delbono-group.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delbono-group/