What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.

105: Jessica's kidnappers demanded $45 million


Listen Later

I find it so interesting that sometimes we can take what seems to be a really small action, but it ends up being something really big.

Back in 1998, I was living in Maine with my wife and our two young kids. I was working at a regular office job. Then one day, I needed to have some printing done. This was before the days of the high-quality inkjet printers, so it was common to go to a local print shop and get whatever you needed to have printed.

While I was paying for my stuff, I noticed a small piece of paper on the counter. Someone had left a little note that said “I need tutoring in Microsoft Word. If you can help, call this number.” And I thought, yeah I know Word, maybe I can help. So I took the note and called her later. I ended up going over there and we spent a couple of hours going through the various functions of Word, and how to do things. And she paid me.

So I thought, maybe this is a sort of side hustle that I could do in my spare time to make a little extra money. That’s how my computer business, called The Computer Tutor, got started. And it turned into a full time job doing computer instruction and computer repair, for over 20 years. And that whole thing started just by me happening to notice that little piece of paper on the counter in that print shop.

Today you’ll hear my conversation with Jessica. Back in 2011, she was on the phone with one of her co-workers. During that conversation, she made a decision that she wasn’t all that comfortable with. And at the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. 

But that seemingly small decision ended up changing the whole direction of her life.

Jessica’s book, Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Sixhttps://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Odds-audiobook/dp/B00CJCVR6S/ref=sr_1_1

Surviving Survival by Laurence Gonzalez https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Survival-audiobook/dp/B00COR27P8/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1

Jessica’s podcast “We Should Talk About That” https://www.westatpod.com/

Jessica’s website: https://www.jessbuchanan.com/

Speaking engagements: https://www.jessbuchanan.com/speaking

Jessica on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-buchanan-tedx-speaker-nyt-bestselling-author-05ba7364/

Jessica on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jessicacbuchanan/

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp – online counseling. Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS.

This episode is also sponsored by Ghostbed – get 30% off sitewide at Ghostbed.com/WHAT.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.By Scott Johnson & Glassbox Media.

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

1,636 ratings


More shows like What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.

View all
RISK! by RISK!

RISK!

5,567 Listeners

This Is Actually Happening by Wondery

This Is Actually Happening

10,459 Listeners

Sword and Scale by Sword and Scale

Sword and Scale

62,210 Listeners

Criminal by Vox Media Podcast Network

Criminal

37,491 Listeners

The Secret Room | True Stories by Ben Hamm

The Secret Room | True Stories

2,892 Listeners

Family Secrets by iHeartPodcasts

Family Secrets

5,022 Listeners

Something Was Wrong by Broken Cycle Media

Something Was Wrong

25,621 Listeners

Music City 911 by Music City 911

Music City 911

915 Listeners

Strictly Stalking by PodcastOne

Strictly Stalking

2,522 Listeners

I Survived by A&E / PodcastOne

I Survived

5,769 Listeners

WHEN DATING HURTS by Evergreen Podcasts

WHEN DATING HURTS

335 Listeners

Nobody Should Believe Me by True Story Media

Nobody Should Believe Me

2,842 Listeners

Betrayal: Weekly by iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts

Betrayal: Weekly

7,787 Listeners

What Came Next by Broken Cycle Media

What Came Next

634 Listeners

You Probably Think This Story’s About You by Brittani Ard

You Probably Think This Story’s About You

1,527 Listeners