Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jackie Howard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jackie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As a high school humanities teacher, one of my favorite units to teach is personal narrative essay writing to seniors. With the personal statement for college applications in mind, I came alive getting to merge so many of my passions at once. Coaching emerging adults to find their voice, direction, and stories is a culmination of my career as an educator with my hobby as a writer and my enthusiasm for being a life coach. After working with students in the classroom, it was glaringly apparent that young people need individualized attention while preparing for the leap from high school to the next phase, and school guidance counselors have gigantic caseloads. The need for more private college counselors is significant so I plunged in so I could help and serve more students. With each session and each essay, I light up as I see the growth of these young people. From finding compelling ways to tell their stories to becoming empowered for the next phase in their journey, I am by their side guiding and supporting them.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born an educator. From playing school to peer tutoring, to teaching, to launching my own business, guiding others to find and embody their greatest potential has been at the core of how I interact with the world my entire life. My professional background includes 14 years of teaching and instructional coaching (teaching teachers) from elementary to high school. I have spent the majority of my career working in schools with the lowest income families in the area with a mission to help close the achievement gap that is so prevalent between socioeconomic classes. I am a creative innovator within my field and specialize in project-based learning and solution-seeking approaches that question the status quo.

I took a gap year in my 30s to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail and Colorado Trail, where I published a blog about every single day “on trail.” Personal narrative writing became a daily practice and passion of mine. I now live and breathe college essays and love to see the smile on an 18-year-old’s face after months of drafting and revising their essay when they finally feel finished and satisfied.

Most classes in high school don’t demand multiple drafts of a single essay, so students don’t have much practice with revising and letting time and sleep weave new ideas into their work. The college essay writing support I provide gives teens a chance to revise their story over and over again. This journey is where the gold lies. It is within the process of breathing life into a single work over a long period of time that allows the development of voice, landing on a piece of self-expression that evokes a sense of pride.

I not only support essay writing, but I also support students in every facet of the college search and application process. Allowing students to dream and design their future with structured guidance is a critical component to embarking on a big financial commitment with confidence. I am a master organizer and I have a spreadsheet for everything. No seriously, everything! I provide students with a project management spreadsheet with mini benchmarks along the way to give structure and accountability for each phase of the extensive process that is applying to college and beyond. My goal is to provide ease, joy, and peace of mind in this coming-of-age endeavor as it is a special time to be cherished.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The ChooseFI podcast was my entry point to truly feeling capable of being able to start my own business. While the podcast isn’t directly focused on becoming an entrepreneur and is more focused on becoming financially independent (FI), it provided so much guidance and instilled confidence in me about my financial health. The podcasters encourage entrepreneurial ventures and offer ways to think about getting started that are accessible to the complete novice. I listened to them, read blogs & books that they cite in their show notes, and immersed myself in learning about finances and starting a side hustle.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Thru-hiking and ultrarunning are hobbies of mine that intentionally create environments where I need to practice resilience. During my recent Fastest Known Time solo attempt for a quad crossing of the Grand Canyon (about 100 miles and unthinkable elevation), I battled and tangoed with mental and physical hurdles. From temperatures dropping quickly as nightfall graced the canyon, to experiencing a bronchial spasm (similar to asthma) which made breathing very difficult, I maintained diligent focus on forward movement and mental clarity. Eating on the hour every hour and staying present and mindful were my tasks. My body dropped into autopilot. When my body began to hurt I used self-talk to remind myself that these were just superficial annoyances and that the pain was temporary. I stayed laser-focused on the goal and the present moment. I knew if I slowed down too much or worse, stopped, I could get hypothermic within minutes. Thinking about how much I had left to go was out of the question. My fragile executive functioning would become overwhelmed. I needed to keep emotions at bay and just put one foot in front of the next. I had done the training and I could finish. I had no choice but to trust myself and the work I had done leading up to these miles. Blisters, sore quads, and feeling tired were fleeting thoughts that I acknowledged and let go of as I forged ahead. 70 miles came and went. Then 80. Home stretch up to the South Rim. Those last 7 miles were the hardest. Using my own body to get out was the only option. After 33 grueling hours, beautiful views, and highs and lows, I attained the new speed record for a self-supported run across this geographical marvel by 7 hours. My own mental strength propelled me to the finish and now I know I can rely on myself in nearly any challenge.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jackiehoward.org
• Instagram: @jackiehowardconsulting
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackiehowardconsulting/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-howard-a0191b2a/
• Other: email: [email protected]

Image Credits
http://ixiphotography.com