About Jenny Blake

HI, I’M JENNY!

Normally I would write in the third-person to tell you about how ahhh-mazing I am, and why super fancy people hire me for uber-awesome undertakings. But you know what?

Work schmerk. Let’s start with the fun stuff, shall we?

I’m a 32-year-old Silicon Valley bred career and business strategist living in the Big Apple; a world traveler not to be mistaken with a backpacker (as I most certainly cannot be relied upon to pack lightly); a yoga lover and gadget fanatic.

An eternal bookworm and quote junkie, I am always on the lookout for just the right book “prescription” for whatever might be standing in your way (or mine). When I’m not buried in a book, magazine, newspaper, moleskine notebook or gadget, you will find me walking through the streets of Manhattan with a rockin’ soundtrack playing, imagining I’m the lead in a movie called “New York City, Starring Jenny Blake.” I know . . . it’s ridiculous.

I love staying active—yoga, pilates, walking and dancing keep me grounded, strong, happy and sane—but not without an ulterior motive: to work off at least one delicious multi-course meal I delight in on weekends. Finally, I am a shamelessly gooey romantic—I love asking people how they met their significant other; watching their smile widen and their eyes sparkle as they tell their story. It is priceless…and contagious. Try this sometime. 

WHAT BRINGS ME ALIVE IN BUSINESS?

I am an international speaker, career and business strategist and executive coach with expertise on systems, efficiency and career fluidity in the rapidly-evolving knowledge economy. Formerly a Career Development Program Manager at Google (and author of the forthcoming book Pivot, and previously Life After College) I help leaders, employees and entrepreneurs achieve greater clarity, engagement, fulfillment and impact.

I advocate looking at career as a smart phone, not a ladder (dynamic, customizable to each individual) and help employees and entrepreneurs “pivot before they leap” by finding further growth within their company or existing assets to avoid feeling like their only option is to quit.

I am fiercely committed to helping people come alive through the pursuit of big ideas. My superpowers are helping to craft a compelling vision, collaboratively developing strategy and systems with clear measurable outcomes, and incorporating the latest tools and technology during the process of execution and feedback. All of this is delivered with a positive, encouraging outlook mixed with ninja-level organization and structure, and a healthy kick-in-the-butt accountability when needed.

I am also passionate about healthy living and eating, and love exploring systems at the intersection of mind, body and business.

My career thusfar includes:

• A lifelong love of writing
• Over a decade of web development
• Two years at a start-up company
• 5+ years at Google doing training, coaching and career development. During my time there I taught coaching best practices to Google executives all over the world as part of a global Career Guru program I helped create, later praised by CNNMoney in Google’s #2 Company to Work For acknowledgment.
• A bestselling book Life After College (based on my blog of the same name)
• Running my own location-independent small business since 2011 (you’re lookin’ at it!)
• International keynotes and workshops at top companies and universities such as Google, Yale, Parsons, MIT, UCLA, TEDxCMU, Intuit, KPMG, Pimco and Best Buy
• Active member of the Young Entrepreneur Council

In 2012, Target picked up 15,000 copies of my book for distribution across 1,700 stores, and it is now also distributed by Random House Korea and Japan. I’ve given keynotes at TEDxCMU, major universities such as Pratt and University of Calgary, and big companies like Google, Best Buy and PIMCO — encouraging people to ditch the rigidity of yesterday’s career ladder, instead treating their careers (and lives) as dynamic as the constantly customizable apps on a smart phone.

Every January (and sometimes February) I live abroad to experiment with running my business from anywhere–not just in theory, but in mosquito-ridden practice. I am happy to say that this practice has been a smashing success! There will certainly be more of this in my future, and I would love to help you find the same freedom in your own life and work, whatever your definition of that may be.