Jennifer Lee is the founder of Artizen Coaching and the author of Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way and the bestseller The Right-Brain Business Plan, which has helped tens of thousands of entrepreneurs around the world launch their creative businesses.
After spending 10 years climbing the corporate ladder and getting tired of living her dream “on-the-side,” she took the leap to pursue her passions full-time. Jennifer has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, U.S. News & World Report, Whole Living, Family Circle, Cloth Paper Scissors Studios, and Choice.
She received her coaching certification and leadership training through the prestigious Coaches Training Institute. She is also a certified yoga instructor, a certified Expressive Arts Facilitator, and holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from UCLA and an M.A. in Communication Management from USC. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and sweet husky-lab mix.
How has your experience as an artist changed you? How has your personal vision for your life reflected through your business?
Being an artist helps me tap into my intuition and gives me an outlet for self-expression. Both of these things are key to how I live my life and run my business. My personal vision and values include creativity, authenticity, fun and play, connection, and self-care and all of these things and more show up in my work and my brand. My business is definitely a reflection of what’s important to me and what I’m passionate about.
When have you been unexpectedly vulnerable?
There have been times during my Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit when I’ve been deeply moved in the moment and trust that people will benefit from an authentic and raw sharing from the heart. For example, one year my dog went missing during the summit. Through teary eyes and a shaky voice I explained how I was willing to look stupid and go way outside of my comfort zone to make sure we got her back safely (thankfully we did) because I really wanted people to know how crucial it is for them to do what it takes to go after what they really want.
How do you start your day?
I’m not a morning person so it definitely takes me awhile to get my day started. I usually like to wake up to my own internal clock rather than to a blaring alarm. Sometimes I’ll listen to a guided meditation to help me get grounded and/or I’ll do some journaling. A couple days a week I go to a morning Pilates class. If I’m feeling really healthy, I’ll whip up a green smoothie!
The lesson in my life that keeps repeating?
The lesson that keeps repeating in my life is to create more space and embrace ease. I tend to have an ambitious and competitive streak that can compel me to take on too much or set ridiculously high expectations for myself. I can only keep that pace for so long before I get burnt out, exhausted, or start to have health issues. So I constantly am finding the balance between going after my big visions and finding the ease, simplicity, and spaciousness to make the forward movement sustainable.
How do you make space for play? What is your favorite form of play?
Play is one of my top core values and I like to infuse it into my work whenever I can whether that be through using a colorful visual or creative metaphor to explain a business concept or just to make things more fun. Also, my dog is a fantastic teacher of play and I love how she encourages me to frolic around with her. I also love to play with paints at my studio. I create these huge intuitive paintings that give me permission to make a mess, make ugly art, and just enjoy the process.
What does being brave look and feel like?
To me being brave is when you feel the fear but choose to move forward anyway because something bigger is calling to you. As for how it feels for me, it’s the mix of excitement, anxiousness (the butterflies in the stomach and sweaty palms) that comes from taking a risk and a feeling of groundedness when I know that I am on the right track and am taking inspired action in alignment with my big vision. Some examples of when I have to conjure up bravery are when I am taking the stage, when I’m trying something totally new, or when I need to say no and hold firm to my boundaries.
What is pulling you forward? Your motivation for what you do? What do you wish everyone to know?
What pulls me forward and motivates me to do what I do is my passion for creative self-expression. I want people to know that you get to “Be Uniquely You!” in your life and your business.
Describe a time when you walked through the doors of passage? What helped with the mending? Or how did you navigate this passage?
Leaving my day job after 10 years of climbing the corporate ladder was definitely a major passage for me. I had a cushy salary and a prestigious role that I worked hard for but the work was sucking the life out of me. I had known for a few years that I would eventually take the leap, but it took me awhile to gain the confidence to step out on my own. A few of the things that helped me navigate through the transition included developing a support network of other creative entrepreneurs, working with coaches, and trying out new things to help me find my own voice.
What lights you up? Turns you on? Makes your heart quicken? What are you saying a big YES to these days?
Creativity, beauty, and spaciousness are my big yeses right now. More time to play in my studio and connect with my inner muse.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild precious life?
Live life in full color as authentically and creatively as I can.
