We recently connected with Jen Boyles and have shared our conversation below.
Jen, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that’s hard to describe, but has held people back forever so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame it.
There’s a common ideology that the most creative people are the ones with the worst Imposter Syndrome! I don’t think you overcome it fully but you CAN use it to be better. The key is criticizing an IDEA, not its source. The imposter part — where we ask “Should this be ME or someone else?” — is the death nail. The answer is always yes, of course it should be you. Just remember there will always be someone standing behind you ready to do what you’re thinking about doing or what you’re doing currently — and guess what? They’re not necessarily going to be better at it than you! You’ve got unique gifts and talents to share with the world, and wondering whether you’re good enough to share them prohibits them from getting out and from anyone learning from it. Learn to see and seize opportunity – and know what’s just noise.
That’s good advice. Before we move on, can you share a bit more about your work and your agency?
I launched JBD (www.jbd.agency) after spending years in the industry and realizing there’s a lot about it that’s really inefficient. Brands weren’t getting the solutions they needed in the timeframe or budget they needed them in. I created my agency to operate as a collective of experts, all who get to stay independent and come together when our projects call for it. It’s important to me to work in a modern way that affords people their freedom. I guess you could envision us like The Avengers for marketing (can you tell I have a 6 year old son??), specializing in digital communications strategy, campaign planning, social media, and design. Our team excels in using data and human truths to guide brand transformation.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
That’s a great question. Those human truths I mentioned really guided me in my communications efforts over the years, from my past life in journalism to now running JBD. People are busy and their attention is pulled in many different directions at any given time, so getting to the point will more impactful and appreciated. On a related note, here’s a trick that works for me when writing anything ,especially for social — always delete your first sentence (until you become a whiz at getting to the point). Beyond human truths, I’ve found absolute magic at the intersection of honesty, kindness, and transparency — in business and beyond.
Speaking of clients, who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal for you?
Oh, we LOVE a clear and purposeful transformation! And open-minded clients who aren’t there to just serve the status quo. With so many people giving their input on different parts of a brand these days, the end results can feel very… Frankensteined. So we help maintain a solid and actionable vision through strategy. A client who isn’t interested in attaining and maintaining that strategic focal point is not a good fit for us. It helps too if the client is passionate about understanding and meeting the needs of their audiences, as that’s always an ingredient for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jbd.agency
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbdagency/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenboyles/
