Today we’d like to introduce you to Jena Booher, Ph.D.
Hi Jena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story is one of becoming the person I desire to be. It’s a story of trying on different identities until I found one that finally felt authentic. At this point in my life, in my late 30s, I finally feel I showing up in a way where my personal life and work are mirroring one another: the effort I put into one is the effort I put into the other. With this being true I know my work now will be my best yet.
A bit of context: like many children, I had a tough time in a myriad of ways. I never felt I fit in with my environment in the community I grew up in. Without getting too much into it, it was decided early on it was my job to bring stability, to protect the system that was my immediate and extended family. This led me to be whatever image of perfection I could be outside the home – excellent grades, excellent behavior, and no social life to get in the way. I had a ‘whatever it takes attitude, without so much of a second of reflection as to what I wanted.
The thing is, while I was so focused on keeping the family’s identity intact, I found little space or freedom to find my own identity, until college. Knowing in some sense I wanted to be a ‘businesswoman, I studied finance at Georgetown University and found friends for life. These are the people along with other entrepreneurs who came into my life later on and had similar stories to mine, that helped me break out of the perfect mask I was wearing so I could show up authentically as carefree, playful, and positive.
After graduating college I stepped into a front office sales trading role on Wall Street at the height of the financial recession along with the #metoo movement sweeping the nation. However this was a type of environment I was familiar with and wasn’t threatened by; in fact, I enjoyed it and felt like I was doing great work. Then, after the birth of my daughter, I decided finance wasn’t for me, but organizational psychology was. I realized at that point I had become fascinated with how workplaces impact their employees: how company culture can influence the way someone thinks about themselves: their confidence, their competency, and self-trust.
I completed a Ph.D. in Psychology and started a business to help high-growth startups architect company cultures they can be proud of; one that unlocks their employee’s potential. My job now is to turn company culture into a strategy that helps companies win. I help founders take their vision of a thriving company culture and turn it into a reality. I don’t want companies to pretend to be someone they aren’t. I was never ok with being two different people in my life and I am finally showing rooted in who I am and what I am here to do, and helping founders do the same for their organizations.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I can successfully scale a company’s culture that supports 100 to 1000 employees:
– I crystallize a company identity that reflects the founder’s mission, vision, and company values.
– I coach employees into that new vision where beliefs and behaviors are in high alignment
– I architect and execute a culture strategy that brings everyone along for the ride.
In partnership with the clients I work with, we have successfully driven the following results:
– Reduced organizational attrition by over 80%
– Improved employee engagement by over 50%
– Improved manager approval ratings by over 60%
– Increased employee belonging by over 40%
I love:
– Data and best-in-class empirical research in organizational psychology.
– Uncovering the unique ethos of each client, what makes it remarkable, and how these qualities propel the company into its next phase of growth.
– Volunteering my time to nonprofit entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of making positive social change and global impact.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
My relationship with risk-taking has matured as I have gotten older. I would categorize myself as fairly impulsive when I was younger. Making risky bets made me feel alive but they were not always smart. This has greatly shifted as I got older. My decision to leave Wall Street was incredibly impulsive. I found my daughter screaming on the daycare floor mat unattended and alone twice and quit the next day. While it was the right decision, it was highly impulsive.
As a business owner, I take a calculated risks. I track my incoming revenue and “keep the lights” on expenses every week. Every year I make 3 big bets on moving my business forward. This often takes investment either in myself as the brand or in making the business run more smoothly like investment in software / streamlining business operations. Those bets are calculated. I have budgets and a clear idea of how much to spend and the expected ROI from those investments.
At this point, because I am fully stepping into who I am and what I am here to do making these decisions has become easier for me. My relationship with risk-taking had a lot more to do with my relationship with myself and my sense of self-trust over spreadsheets and dollars and cents (though those things matter too).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jenabooher.com/
- Instagram: @jenabooher.phd
Image Credits
Daniel @thedvimage
