Jess Joswick
Jess Joswick
Business Coach for Creatives
Los Angeles, California
www.backbone-business.com
instagram @backbonebusiness
instagram @jesstjoswick
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I’m a certified business coach who works with entrepreneurs to build calm, profitable, and scalable businesses online and IRL. ”
My programs help creative thinkers who are overwhelmed, overworked, and over their whole business get back their freedom, stability, and profitability so they can create happy, healthy lives for themselves and their teams and transform their industries and the way we do business.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
It's a bit of a winding road! I stumbled into nonprofit work and stayed there for a while, motivated by social justice and equity work, but unfulfilled by the lack of career guidance. One day, we needed lots of things designed at my marketing job and our graphic designer didn’t have time. I took a stab at it, liked it, and then started freelancing full-time.
Freelancing was great, but I was working all the time and couldn't figure out how to make more cash. So I stepped into building a business. The first iteration of my company is born—a branding studio for brave entrepreneurs.
A bolt of lightning hit me during a conference with the message that I needed to be a coach, which started a whole new direction for my career.
Now, I can support entrepreneurs the way I’ve always wanted—holistically through mindset work and strategically through business skills and mission-aligned development.
FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR FIELD, WHAT DO THEY USUALLY LACK?
There are so many talented coaches out there, and I find that many focus on business skills OR personal development. You can't have one without the other when you're building a business. All of the strategies in the world don't matter if you're getting in your own way. A good coach can point out when that's happening.
I'm also intentionally creating an inclusive, anti-racist company, something that should be more common in the coaching industry. We can't do this work if my clients can't bring their full selves to the space.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
Creating new programs for creatives, including a course to help freelancers build a six-figure business with joy and purpose.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Systems and organization are not my natural strong suit. I need to make the time to do things like look at our finances regularly, set up the right tech, and organize my own damn desk as we grow.
F YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Set up more automations, schedule blog posts and emails, and help me find some more hiking trails!
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I would tell my college self to have more fun and to stop working so hard. Academic success doesn't correlate with life success!
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
Our brains! I'm fascinated by positive psychology and how we think.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My clients are willing to experiment, change, and be wrong. They're open to new ideas and strategies, even if they've been doing things one way for a long time. They want to learn the things they don't know and value accountability and community to help them break through and reach their goals.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Give our website a look-see and reach out with your questions!
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Creativity=Nature+Staying Hydrated+Matcha-Phone
This member profile was originally published in February 2017, Updated June 2020.