Chronic Boss Unfiltered

From Paralyzed Overnight to Powerhouse Pharma Exec with Jess March

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What if your chronic illness wasn’t a liability—but one of your greatest leadership advantages?

In this episode of Chronic Boss Unfiltered, Lilly sits down with Jess March, pharmaceutical executive, patient advocate, mom, and longtime leader in the rare disease space. Together, they unpack what it really looks like to build a meaningful, high-impact career while living with multiple chronic conditions—and why lived experience belongs in the room where healthcare decisions get made.

Jess shares how waking up paralyzed at 29 with multiple sclerosis forced her to reimagine everything she thought her life would be—and how that journey ultimately sharpened her ambition, deepened her leadership, and transformed the way she thinks about work, advocacy, and impact.

You’ll hear why:

  • Your lived experience is not a weakness—it’s strategic insight
  • Advocacy should not be a side hustle, especially in healthcare
  • Patients need to be in leadership rooms, not brought in after decisions are made
  • Disclosure at work is deeply personal—but can also unlock connection and community
  • Energy management is a form of intentional leadership
  • Boundaries are not a sign that you’re less ambitious—they’re how you protect your health and sustain your goals

    • And perhaps most powerfully of all: Jess explains why chronic illness didn’t take her ambition away—it clarified it.

    This conversation is part career conversation, part leadership lesson, and part reminder that chronic illness may change your path, but it does not define your potential.

    If you’ve ever wondered:

    Can I still be ambitious after a diagnosis?

    How do I navigate disclosure in a corporate environment?
    Can chronic illness actually make me a stronger leader?

    This episode is for you.

    In This Episode, We Cover:

     1:17 Jess’s MS diagnosis and waking up paralyzed at 29

    5:30 How she built a 25-year career in pharma and rare disease
    9:21 Why lived experience is a strategic advantage in healthcare
    11:30 Why advocacy is not a side hustle
    14:11 Navigating disclosure at work with chronic illness
    17:35 Energy management, spoon theory, and sustainable success
    20:59 Boundaries, ambition, and protecting your health
    24:40 What patient leadership in healthcare should really look like
    27:40 Advice for people with chronic illness who want to lead and advocate
    31:08 What being a chronic boss means to Jess

    Connect with Jess March

    ✨/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-march/
    ✨/ Chronic Boss Hub: https://chronicboss.com/jessica-march/ 

    Mentions

    ✨ / Multiple Sclerosis Association of America: mymsaa.org 
    ✨ / Autoimmune Association: autoimmune.org 

    Connect with Chronic Boss:

    🖤 / https://chronicboss.com/

    🖤 / instagram.com/chronicbossco/
    🖤 / https://www.linkedin.com/company/chronic-boss/
    🖤 / https://www.tiktok.com/@chronicbossco

     Connect with Lilly:

    🖤 / https://lillystairs.com/

    🖤 / https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillystairs/
    🖤 / https://www.instagram.com/lillystairs

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    Chronic Boss UnfilteredBy Lilly Stairs