Meet Janine Lee

We recently connected with Janine Lee and have shared our conversation below.

Janine, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My resilience isn’t something I consciously sought out; I realize it was forged when I was just a teenager. I’ve always been a curious person, training in Kung Fu to get my black belt after being inspired by seeing Martial Arts actresses on TV like Michelle Yeoh. I write about this in my chapter of the book “Unstoppable: Rise of Female Global Leaders.”

The first major turning point happened in the 9th grade when I had a near-drowning experience. It was a terrifying moment of genuinely facing my own mortality. Surviving that incident left me with a deep, almost visceral appreciation for simply being alive.

However, the truest test came a couple of years later. During my 11th grade year, I was diagnosed with a heart condition. While I was focusing on maintaining my AP classes and applying for college, I was also preparing for heart surgery.

Going through such a major, life-altering event at that age forced me to mature rapidly. It taught me invaluable lessons:

1. The only constant is change: My life literally changed overnight, showing me that the best-laid plans can be derailed, and the key is adapting rather than breaking.

2. Focus on what you can control: I couldn’t control the diagnosis or the surgery, but I could control my recovery, my attitude, and my commitment to living a full life afterward.

3. A deep sense of purpose: Because I know what it feels like to almost have life taken away, I refuse to waste the gift I was given. This fuels my content creation and my drive to explore the world as Jetset Janine, along with supporting local businesses, and inspiring others through my executive coaching and as a professor at UC Berkeley.

Ultimately, my resilience comes from that lived understanding that I have already survived two life changing events before turning 18. Every subsequent setback, whether in business or life is no comparison to health complications. I’m deeply grounded in my strength, values, and the village (family and friends) who have supported me along the way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As JetsetJanine, I create inspiring travel and food content based on real-world immersion. My mission is to move beyond the typical itinerary and truly feature the uniqueness of every place, dish, and culture. My content is the result of a lifelong passion: I’ve had the immense privilege of visiting over 100 countries and experiencing gastronomy at its highest level, including dining at 100 Michelin-starred restaurants.

What I feel is most exciting and special about what I do is the storytelling. It’s not just about sharing beautiful photos; it’s about sharing a perspective—that the world is endlessly fascinating and accessible. My goal is to use these incredible experiences to inspire people personally to live life to the fullest, to embrace curiosity, learn about other cultures, and to step outside their comfort zone.

My brand is very deeply connected to my professional life. In addition to my content creation, I am also an Executive Coach who inspires individuals reach their fullest professional potential. This holistic approach to life and work is further solidified by my role as a Professor where I teach at UC Berkeley. This is where I merge my real-world experience and coaching insights with academic rigor, shaping the next generation of leaders.

My big focus for the coming year is to 1) Continue expanding my content creation business to new mutually beneficial brand partnerships, 2) Growing my coaching practice with new clients, and 3) Completing my book proposal and finding a book agent for my new book that combines both personas “100 passport stamps, 1 purpose: Unleashing the Global Leader from within”

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?

Looking back at my journey as an executive coach, professor, and content creator, the three qualities that have been most impactful are Empathy, Resilience, and Growth Mindset.

1. Empathy (The Connector)

My greatest quality is a deep, genuine empathy for other people. Whether I’m coaching an executive through a difficult transition or crafting a story about a small-town chef, my success hinges on my ability to truly understand another person’s perspective, motivations, and needs. As a coach, this helps me see past surface-level issues to the core of a leader’s potential. As a creator, it helps me craft stories that resonate deeply with my audience and understand the true needs of the business owners I partner with.

2. Resilience (The Sustainer)

We’ve discussed my health challenges, and that same grit has powered my professional life. My career has been defined by resilience in the face of constant rejection: failing to get into business school the first time, being denied countless brand partnerships, and navigating the inherent volatility of the creator economy. I live by the mantra: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Resilience is the commitment to keep taking those shots, even after a miss.

3. Growth Mindset (The Innovator)

To be a successful content creator, coach, and professor, you must always be a learner. A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities are not fixed. I’ve backed this up by continually investing in myself, earning my Master’s and Doctorate degrees, and constantly pursuing new certifications. In the digital world, to stop learning is to become outdated. This means constantly learning from other creators, refining my storytelling angles, and embracing new technology like AI to optimize my business and refine my pitches to brands.

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Advice for Folks Early in Their Journey

1. To Develop Empathy: Put others first

a. Practice Active Listening: In every conversation, focus 100% on what the other person is saying instead of planning your response. Ask open-ended questions like, “Help me understand what that challenge feels like for you?” or “What is the true motivation behind that decision?”This shifts your focus from judging to understanding.

b. Incorporate Diverse Perspectives: Don’t just follow people who look and think like you. Read news from different countries, follow creators from varied backgrounds, and intentionally seek out stories that challenge your worldview. Empathy is built through exposure; this is why I love traveling so much.

2. To Improve Resilience: Change Your Relationship with Failure

a. Reframe Rejection as Data: Stop seeing a ‘no’ as a reflection of your worth. Instead, treat every rejection (from a partnership, a job, or an application) as a piece of data. Ask yourself: What did I learn from this? What can I adjust for the next attempt? This changes failure from an ending into a necessary step in the process.

b. Start Small: Resilience is a muscle. Practice it by committing to small, difficult tasks and seeing them through, even when you want to quit—like sticking to a tough workout or finishing a challenging book. Successfully navigating small struggles builds the confidence to face big ones.

3. To Cultivate a Growth Mindset: Dedicate Time to Learn

a. Schedule “Discovery Time”: Block out 30 minutes a week, every week, dedicated solely to learning a new skill or trend, like a new social media feature, an AI tool, or a theory in your field. Read a new book or article, or listen to a podcast.

b. Map out Tangible Goals: Breakdown your overall ambitions into discrete skills and knowledge gaps. Consider what resources or classes are available to bring you closer to those goals. If you aren’t aware of where your gaps are or what you need to get to your next milestone, you won’t know what direction to take yourself. Your learning must be strategic.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel the pressure of my multiple roles—whether it’s juggling a major brand campaign, prepping a new course at Berkeley, or guiding a client—my first step is always to take a step back and pause. I recognize that feeling overwhelmed usually stems from a sense of chaos, and the most immediate cure is regaining clarity.

My strategy can be broken down into three key areas:

1. The Clarity Filter: Focus on Impact

I use my to-do list not as a guide for what to do, but as a tool for what not to do. I immediately apply a filter to everything on the list:

a. Impact vs. Urgency: I try to identify what has the biggest positive impact on my long-term goals and what is truly urgent (i.e., time-sensitive with severe consequences if missed). I tackle the high-impact, high-urgency items first and am ruthless about dropping or deprioritizing the rest. I give myself permission to let certain tasks go.

b. The Reality Check: I try to make sure I’m not being too hard on myself. Many people look at my schedule and say, “How do you do it all?” The honest answer is: I really don’t. I prioritize, I focus on the most impactful things, and I accept that not everything will be perfect.

2. The Village Mentality: Don’t Go Solo

A major part of my strategy is recognizing that success is rarely a solo effort. When faced with difficult trade-off decisions, I rely on my support system and my team:

a. Confiding and Consulting: I confide in my husband, friends, and family, as well as people I trust in my professional life. Asking for an outside perspective often provides the clarity I need to make tough calls about delegating or dropping a task.
b. Asking for Help: I’m not afraid to ask for help or delegate. My village of people—my husband, my team, my family, trusted peers, and virtual assistants —is essential. Relying on them allows me to multiply my capacity and focus my energy where only I can provide the most value.

3. Intentional Recharge

Finally, I build time for recovery into my schedule. You can’t perform at a high level if your battery is always depleted. I intentionally take time to recharge without guilt. Whether it’s a quiet moment to read or a spa day, this time ensures my resilience remains strong and that I return to the work with renewed energy and focus.

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