Meet Jess Zierer

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jess Zierer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jess, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I didn’t find it in a straight line – and I think that’s the best part of my story.

I went to grad school for music, thinking I’d teach at the college level. But years after intense study, I was completely burnt out. To pursue that path, I would have needed a PhD, and I just couldn’t keep going. So there I was with these degrees and no idea of what to do next.

A family friend threw me a lifeline and hired me to help around a real estate office. That’s where I accidentally fell into marketing – I started learning digital design, taught myself the fundamentals, and discovered I was actually good at it.

From there, I bounced around – a marketing agency running campaigns for clinical trials, an administrative role at a college, digital marketing for a healthcare app, branding work, social media and email at a nonprofit, and eventually e-commerce marketing where I helped build an SMS program from scratch.

The whole time, I was also freelancing – doing branding, web design, paid ads, social media, email marketing – literally everything. And here’s what I realized: doing EVERYTHING helped me figure out what I loved.

Email and SMS marketing lit me up in a way nothing else did. I loved the strategy, the data, the tangible results, and the way these channels could drive real revenue while building genuine customer relationships.

But I still needed one more piece – focus. I worked with a brand strategist who helped me niche down, and that’s when everything clicked. I combined my love for email and SMS marketing with my passion for animals, and Tails & Emails was born.

My purpose isn’t just about email marketing – it’s about helping small business owners (specifically in the pet and animal industry) feel confident and empowered in their marketing. I don’t want to be the wizard behind the curtain doing magic they don’t understand. I want to educate them, walk alongside them, and build systems that actually work so they can focus on what they do best.

Looking back, every “detour” in my career taught me something essential.

I’m grateful for every twist and turn – music school taught me discipline and how to practice deliberately, real estate sparked my curiosity about marketing and design, clinical trials showed me the importance of clear communication, healthcare taught me how marketing can genuinely help people, and e-commerce revealed the incredible power of strategic automation. Every freelance project sharpened different skills and taught me something new. None of it was wasted – it all prepared me for exactly what I’m doing now.

So how did I find my purpose? I gave myself permission to explore, paid attention to what energized me versus what drained me, and I wasn’t afraid to pivot when something wasn’t working. My path wasn’t linear, but it was mine – and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m the founder of Tails & Emails, an email and SMS marketing agency that exclusively serves pet and animal businesses. I work with everyone from pet shops to groomers and trainers to pet product companies and pet supplement retailers to veterinary clinics and specialty services – helping them build email marketing systems that actually work.

Here’s what makes my approach different: – I don’t work with just anyone. I specifically serve the pet and animal industry because I genuinely love this space. Pet business owners are some of the most passionate, heart-driven entrepreneurs out there, and I get to help them grow businesses they truly care about. That focus also means I understand the unique challenges they face, the seasonal trends in the industry, and what messaging resonates with pet parents.

Education is at the core of everything I do. I don’t believe in being the wizard behind the curtain who does mysterious marketing magic. Instead, I walk clients through the “why” behind every strategy decision. I use visual collaboration tools so they can see the strategy develop in real-time, leave feedback, and understand exactly what we’re building together. My goal isn’t to create dependency – it’s to empower business owners to eventually manage their systems themselves.

I focus on email and SMS because these are “owned” channels – you’re not at the mercy of social media algorithms. You have direct access to your customers, and the ROI is incredible. Email marketing averages $36-$42 for every dollar spent, and for my e-commerce clients, email and SMS combined typically generate 13-18% of their total business revenue. That’s real, measurable impact on the bottom line.

Most of my clients come to me when they either don’t have email marketing at all, or their existing system needs serious help. I specialize in building automation programs – welcome series that turn new subscribers into customers, cart abandonment flows that recover lost sales, and post-purchase sequences that build loyalty.

Once the foundation is set, I also offer retainer services for ongoing campaign management.

What’s most exciting right now is seeing the transformation when a client’s email system goes from “something we know we should do but don’t have time for” to “a revenue-generating machine that works 24/7.”

I recently spoke to a digital marketing analytics class about my career journey and email strategy, and the students were so engaged that we ended up going for two hours because they had so many great questions. I’m exploring more ways to share what I know – whether through workshops, resources for small pet businesses, or accessible strategy sessions.

My tagline sums it up pretty well – “Your dog park BFF in email marketing.”

That’s exactly the vibe I bring – friendly, knowledgeable, genuinely invested in your success, and always ready to help you figure things out.

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. Curiosity and willingness to learn

I taught myself digital design, email marketing, and so many other skills just by being curious and diving in. My advice is don’t wait for permission or the “perfect” course. Start experimenting – sign up for free trials of marketing tools, build something messy, break things, and figure it out. You’ll learn more by doing than by just reading about it.

2. Adaptability

My career path was anything but linear, and being willing to pivot when something wasn’t working was crucial. Early in your journey, pay attention to what energizes you versus what drains you. If something isn’t clicking, don’t be afraid to try something else. Every experience teaches you something, even if it’s just clarity about what you don’t want.

3. The ability to communicate complex ideas simply

Whether I’m explaining email strategy to a client or teaching students about analytics, being able to break down complicated concepts into clear, accessible language has been invaluable. Practice this by explaining what you do to people outside your industry. If they get it, you’re doing it right. If they’re confused, simplify further.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Setting and holding boundaries with clients has been my biggest area of growth this past year.

Early on, I had a tendency to say yes to everything – scope creep, last-minute requests, messages at all hours. I wanted to be helpful and responsive, and I was worried that setting boundaries would make me seem difficult or uncaring. But what actually happened was that I burned out quickly and wasn’t showing up as my best self for anyone.

Learning to set clear boundaries has transformed how I work. I now have defined working hours and communicate them upfront. I’m clear about what’s included in each package and what falls outside the scope. I’ve learned to say, “I’d love to help with that – let’s talk about adding it to the project” instead of just absorbing extra work.

The surprising thing is my clients respect me more for it. Clear boundaries actually build trust because everyone knows what to expect. Projects run smoother, communication is clearer, and I have the energy and focus to do my best work.

If you’re early in your career, know that boundaries aren’t selfish – they’re essential. You can’t serve your clients well if you’re running on empty. Start practicing now, even in small ways. It gets easier with time, and your future self will thank you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tailsandemails.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tailsandemails/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesszierer/

Image Credits

Kelsey Adams with K-Adams Foto