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

Jennifer, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The Brave Women at Work business, podcast, and women’s anthology series started as a result of my burnout in 2019. After going through tremendous physical and mental hurdles during the burnout, I decided to listen to my heart as part of the healing process. During that time, I was internally guided to start the Brave Women at Work podcast. With each episode, I learned more about podcasting and myself. An added benefit was that I met amazing, powerful women in the process as I interviewed my guests. The guests were instructional and encouraging to me along my journey.

At the end of one of the podcast episodes with guest, Hope Mueller, pharmaceutical executive, and owner of Hunter Street Press and C.L.I.M.B. Conferences, I asked Hope if she would be willing to write a women’s anthology book with me. Hope said yes, and the rest is history as they say! We have become friends, colleagues, and business partners, publishing three books in the last three years, as well as co-hosting two retreats. The latest book in the series, Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Leadership, is launching in April 2024.

As I look back at how far I’ve come from 2019, I feel humbled and very blessed. While this business idea was born from a health struggle, it has been part of my healing. I hope the information that I share through the podcasts, books, and the coaching work I do with mid-career working women is paying it forward and helping women take braver and bolder action in their careers, all without the need to burnout themselves. That is my greatest wish.

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?

Sure! I am an executive with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. My current role is the Senior Vice President of Business Development of a Chicagoland financial institution. I understand the necessary skills to make significant leaps in your career, including mindset, asking for what you want, interviewing skills, the ability to negotiate, professional presence and more.

In addition to my corporate work, I am now leveraging my corporate experience with my personal company, Brave Women at Work. At Brave Women at Work, I offer career and leadership coaching for women. I help my clients better identify their strengths, what they want, what is holding them back and how to remove these barriers so they can take bolder and braver action in their careers.

I have a Bachelors in French and Spanish from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. I am also a Certified Professional Coach and an Energy Leadership Index (ELI) Master Practitioner from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC).

To learn more about Brave Women at Work, visit bravewomenatwork.com. Please also connect with me on LinkedIn or listen to my podcast, Brave Women at Work, which is available on all podcast platforms. You can also pick up a copy of one of my books, Brave Women at Work: Stories of Resilience and Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence, which are anthologies of women’s real-life stories of overcoming professional and personal challenges, wherever books are sold. The latest book in the series, Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Leadership, is coming out as an E-book in April 2024 and a hardcover in June 2024.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband and two daughters, reading, going to the movies, and taking travel adventures with my family.

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

I had a wonderful professional mentor, John Ridge, from 2004 through 2008. John or “JR” as he liked to be called, not only believed in me, but also championed me as well. He told me I could be anything I put my mind to. He encouraged me to think bigger for myself, and so I did.

Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly after a back surgery in February 2008 at the age of 48 years old. I was devastated, as was our entire team. After his passing, I lost my direction. At one point, I heard gossip within the office that they may close our division because the CEO didn’t know what to do with our unit.

I mustered the courage to go and talk with the CEO. I asked him to keep our unit afloat and asked him if I could keep it moving in the interim. There I was, suddenly thrust into a leadership role. I am proud to say that I kept our department intact for 18 months after that fateful conversation with the CEO. I also learned a lot about myself throughout the process, including the fact that I was resilient. I could face and overcome challenges. And yes, I could be anything I put my mind to, just like JR said.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I have had to unlearn is always saying yes to every request. I was raised to work hard, get good grades and please others, so that is what I did. Looking back, I never said no. If a boss needed me to stay late, work extra hours, take on another project, learn something new, I did it without question. While being accommodating and hungry to learn more shows your dedication to the company and your ambition for climbing the ranks, I didn’t have an off switch. I worked unsustainable hours and didn’t have balance in my life.

After my burnout, I am still learning to say no. I check-in and ask myself if I really want to do something. As they say, if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no. I’m learning how to heed my hell no’s. Yes, saying no is difficult, but I’m learning to be a better corporate leader and business owner, it is absolutely necessary.

As Warren Buffet said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything,”

So, let’s start saying no more. I’ll awkwardly say no with you. :)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bravewomenatwork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravewomenatwork/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bravewomenatwork
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferpestikas/