Meet Jackie Celske

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

Jackie, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

I didn’t. Not at first anyway. I hit burnout so hard it literally took me out.

In July of 2023, I unexpectedly had a stress-induced seizure in my office. I had given everything to a job and career that was breaking me, and I had no idea what to do next. After having just spent over $200K out-of-pocket on an experimental immunotherapy treatment for an issue with my immune system, this was a huge step in the wrong direction. I remember feeling helpless and without any sort of Plan B.

But then someone said something that changed my life:

“You need to be alive to have a Plan B.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks. Because the truth was, I had survived a lot—moving internationally as a child, sexual assault, chronic illness—but this? This was my body waving a giant red flag saying, “If you don’t change something now, you won’t have a later.”

So I did the scariest, most reckless, yet most freeing thing I’ve ever done:

I quit my job the next day. No backup plan. No safety net. Just a gut feeling that I was done giving my energy to a system that would replace me in a week but had nearly cost me my life.

And in the next three days, I built what I believed at the time would be a temporary freelance copywriting business. The PROSE Co. was born—out of necessity, survival, and a deep refusal to ever let another person feel voiceless in their own story.

At first, I focused on what I knew best—marketing and branding. I quickly built a successful, full-service marketing agency to help small businesses and nonprofits tell their stories and create brands that actually connect with people. I didn’t know how to run a business, but I knew in my heart that our words have the power to change the world, and so I leaned into that certainty on a mission to engage, inspire, and build movements.

Then AI came into the picture, and it changed everything. I started seeing firsthand as a solopreneur how it was helping me scale my business by empowering me to be more efficient with my time and even more creative in my content creation. Staying true to my belief that our worlds hold power, I mastered the art of generative AI prompting and have become an advocate for leveraging our emotional intelligence to stay human in an artificial intelligence world.

Today, I have the privilege of combining both passions—traditional marketing and AI-powered strategy—to help businesses and nonprofits tell better stories, reach the right people, and grow without grinding themselves into the ground.

Because at the end of the day, our work should never cost us our well-being. Your story deserves to be heard, but you need to be here to tell it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve always been obsessed with words, stories, and how people connect.

I had the privilege of growing up in London (this story would be a lot cooler if I still had the accent!). But moving internationally at a young age and growing up with a brother with Autism meant I had to learn how to adapt and communicate in ways that went beyond just words.

This taught me quickly that communication isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you say it, how people receive it, and how you bridge the gap between understanding and misunderstanding. It’s what eventually led me to pursue my bachelor’s in communication studies & psychology from Augustana College and a master’s in communication from Johns Hopkins University.

Looking back, all of that was preparing me for exactly what I do now—leverage the power of words, whether that’s through traditional marketing or collaboration with AI technology, to help businesses and nonprofits tell better stories and connect with people in a way that actually resonates. That’s what led me to start The PROSE Co., where I help brands not just find their voice, but amplify it in a way that’s both strategic and deeply human.

Over time, my work evolved, and so did my fascination with AI and its potential to transform not just content but entire communities. In 2024, I became a globally certified AI consultant through WSI, giving me the tools and expertise to bridge the gap between marketing, storytelling, and cutting-edge AI strategy.

What makes my work unique is that I hold what seems like a contradictory belief—that AI is actually making us better humans.

I know that sounds wild, but hear me out. In my experience as an early adopter, I have come to believe that AI is pushing us to be more intentional, more patient, more empathetic, and more of what makes us human than ever before. It’s forcing us to double down on creativity, emotional intelligence, and the power of storytelling. When used the right way, it has the potential to add more to this world than it will take away, and it can free us up to focus on what really matters. That’s so exciting to me!

Now, I get to teach, consult, and speak about exactly that—how to use marketing and AI to help others refine their story, define their purpose and align their impact.

Right now, I’m focused on creating more learning opportunities, expanding my AI adoption consulting work, and building a space where businesses and organizations—especially here in the Midwest—can stay competitive as AI evolves.

I’ve seen firsthand how AI is reshaping industries, and I know a lot of people feel overwhelmed, skeptical, or just unsure where to start. My goal is to bridge that gap—helping leaders not just understand AI, but actually use it in a way that’s practical, ethical, and effective across their entire organization.

That means more training, more workshops, and more spaces where people can learn, collaborate, and lead the way in AI adoption. I truly believe AI is not just for the big players, but more for real people, solving real problems, in real communities. I love showing people how they can use it to work smarter, not harder—without losing the human side of their work.

At the end of the day, everything I do comes back to one simple belief: words have power. Whether it’s through branding, storytelling, or AI strategy, my mission is to help businesses and nonprofits find their voice, tell their story, and create real, lasting impact.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. Adaptability – The ability to pivot when life throws you a curveball
I didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur. In fact, if you told past-me that I’d quit my job with zero backup plan and start a business in three days, I’d have thought you were joking. But life has a way of forcing you to grow in ways you never expected.

Adaptability has been my biggest survival skill. Whether it was moving internationally as a kid, navigating a chronic illness, or diving headfirst into AI before it was mainstream, I’ve learned that being open to change is what keeps you moving forward. But you only develop this by getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Try new things, even if you feel unqualified. The faster you can embrace uncertainty, the more confident you’ll be when life doesn’t go according to plan.

2. Storytelling & Communication – Because connection is everything
I grew up in a world where words mattered—not just what you said, but how you said it, who you were speaking to, and how it made people feel. Whether it was learning how to communicate with my brother with Autism or later, using marketing to help businesses connect with the right people, storytelling became my greatest tool.

And now? It’s the most valuable skill in marketing, branding, and AI strategy. In a world of information overload, the people who tell the best stories—authentically and impactfully—win. But becoming a great storyteller takes effort (and there’s actually a science to it!). Watch TED Talks, read books, and most importantly—practice. Learn to tell your own story first, because if you can communicate who you are and what you do in a compelling way, you can sell anything.

3. Emotional Intelligence & Self-Trust – Learning to listen to your gut
The moment I had a stress-induced seizure in my office, I knew something had to change. But trusting myself enough to quit my job with no plan? That took a level of self-awareness and courage I had never exercised before.

I used to believe that success was about strategy, credentials, and working harder. But I’ve learned that your gut instinct is often your greatest business advisor. The key is learning to listen, so always pay attention to your energy. Notice when something feels off and when something lights you up. Journaling, therapy, or even just a few minutes of silent reflection can help you get clearer on what’s right for you. And when that imposter syndrome sets in? Remember, no one else has all the answers either.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

I love working with visionaries—the people who know they have something important to say but aren’t quite sure how to say it (or how to scale it).

But beyond titles, what really makes someone an ideal client for me? Mindset. My ideal clients are:

1. Mission-driven and impact-focused. They’re not just looking to sell or scale—they’re working toward something bigger than themselves and want to create meaningful change through their business or organization.

2. Passionate but stretched thin. They believe in their work but are exhausted from trying to do it all—and they’re ready for smarter, more strategic ways to scale without burning out.

3. Excited (or at least curious) about AI. They don’t have to be tech-savvy, but they’re open to learning how AI can enhance their creativity, marketing, and storytelling.

4. People-focused. They don’t just want to sell a product or service—they want to build a brand that connects with people in a meaningful way, perhaps leveraging creative tools but without losing their humanity in the process.

5. Action-takers. They’re not just looking for ideas—they want real strategies, real tools, and real results.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theproseco.com/
• Instagram: @theproseco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theproseco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinecelske/

Image Credits

𝗖𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗿 + 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼.