The 100 Jobs Project

In this episode, Ashleigh —the owner of both Little Jenna’s Grooming & Pawdicure—shares how she turned a love of animals into opening a brick-and-mortar grooming shop, expanding into mobile grooming and even grooming show dogs! We talk about her first jobs, working from her garage, and taking the leap to finding and renovating a physical space.

Ashleigh shared her process for hiring and training her employees, learning how to manage people, and how having a supportive partner helped her grow. 

Plus, she shares how she found her way into competitive dog grooming (and what it felt like to win her very first competition!).

Throughout the episode, we chat about balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, chasing the next step, and redefining how to balance life through different seasons.

Whether you’re considering opening your own business, curious about the behind-the-scenes of dog grooming or competitions, or just figuring out how to balance competing priorities your life, this episode is full of honest insights and encouragement.

🐩 Check out Little Jenna’s Grooming: https://www.littlejennas.com/ 

🐾Check out Pawdicure: https://pawdicure.com/
📍Find Ashleigh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allbreedashleigh/

In this episode, I sit down with Vanessa Gordon, Luxury Event Planner and Producer, CEO and Founder of East End Taste, to talk about how she built a media brand rooted in culinary culture, refined travel, and unforgettable experiences—both in the Hamptons, and all over the world.

Vanessa shares how she found her way from teaching into publishing and events, turning her love of storytelling and the East End lifestyle into a thriving digital publication and the exclusive annual Hamptons Interactive Brunch.

This conversation is a behind-the-scenes look at entrepreneurship, event production, and building a life that supports both ambition and family. We get into the rhythm of her work — what the off-season looks like versus the intensity of event days — and how much planning, coordination, and calm-under-pressure it actually requires.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Vanessa broke into publishing and built a niche media brand
• How she builds relationships with her clients (along with the NDAs required to work on high profile events)
• What running large-scale events looks like behind the scenes
• The difference between off-season prep and day-of event execution
• How to reset after demanding days, city commutes and international events

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to pull off beautiful, high-profile experiences, this episode is for you 

Find Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessapgordon/ 

Explore East End Taste: https://www.instagram.com/eastendtaste/ 

A few months ago, I set off to interview 100 “regular”women about their jobs. I wanted to chat with REAL women (not just the executives, CEOs, “experts” and famous people we so often hear from on podcasts) about how they balance work, life goals, friendships, hobbies, finances, relationships, and so much more. 

Today, after sharing TEN recorded conversations with ten amazing women—all building lives in wildly different career fields—I’m pausing to recap what I’ve learned from these amazing women so far…because what’s the point of talking with people if we don’t actually take a second to remember and learn from them?
So whether you’re just finding the show or you’ve been listening since episode one, this recap brings together the biggest takeaways, themes, and moments that stuck with me—and might stick with you, too.

✨ Perfect for new listeners, longtime listeners, or anyone feeling a little stuck and looking for perspective. Thanks for being here! 

You can find me at 100jobsproject.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/100jobsproject 

EPISODE LINKS: 

010 – SALES BY DAY, ROMANTASY BY NIGHT: What it takes to lead a sales team & publish swoon-worthy novels https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qTW495uxDrgo1jmQQMcDy?si=s6IjN7lsTS6MUHGqc-tOJg 

009 – FLYING TO KILIMANJARO, SCUBA DIVING IN FIJI, & 30 YEARS IN THE SKIES: A Day In The Life of a Commercial Airline Pilot https://open.spotify.com/episode/0bw8pngdpNv1C6728Hdjfd?si=1bYjIU4JTc-ETL7B5fVmPQ 

008  – CELEB STUDDED PARTIES, ICONIC BRAND DEALS & A WEDDING IN MALTA—Inside the Life of a Digital VP in NYC https://open.spotify.com/episode/3O4ZTUWSl0r2Aci40IZIZ4?si=lYRMrLOsSD6uK-eOYcvgHA 

007 – INDIA, HARVARD, AND THE $25K CHECK THAT CHANGED IT ALL—The Roadmap To A Career in Instructional Design https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zZF1ABCL0i5xAn3yS5P1e?si=BxpTJSDAR_6TxP7oISBcrA 

006 – DESIGNING SPACES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL SOMETHING—Inside the Work of an Interior Architect https://open.spotify.com/episode/3VLrR8gDkFeiYkAp4x7ZBU?si=zuG6HZ-3Q0Gi74wjpJpYEA 

005 – THERAPY HOUR—The Story Behind Helping Others Heal https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DcBubiPwAQff99kFLHuFd?si=BkE0SEjYQSy58QgPPzLSfg 

004 – SKINCARE, CELEB PATIENTS & A TYPHOON IN GUAM—The Path of A Dermatology PA https://open.spotify.com/episode/3WyGjNTNrHuUb7VCXqozDu?si=VIn4ztd8RIW5_fxHR8mWew 

003 – FROM GOLDMAN SACHS TO GROWING TALENT—A Day in the Life of a Senior Campus Recruiter https://open.spotify.com/episode/0T8R9v4LTz6B7JF9rt8m3O?si=3TG1aIwwTSWU5XgxvsxBaQ 

002 – DESIGNING BAGS FOR PELOTON, ADIDAS, & TRIDENT GUM—Behind the Scenes With An Operations Project Manager https://open.spotify.com/episode/0mTlHlxXOuxH88G1kZeGoC?si=o3dTUepNRCmYOlxQoeQxaQ 

001 – I SENT INFLUENCERS TO THE MALDIVES—Inside the Life of a Social Media Manager I Sent https://open.spotify.com/episode/2TVTcyc09pCFQCQq4WD9eP?si=-cH_XB_PQ8O3ukpB6jvNuQ 

In this episode, I sit down with Tetyana, who grew up in Ukraine and came to the U.S. to study finance in college. Today, she leads a sales team of business development reps across two states — and when the workday ends, she’s writing and self-publishing romantasy novels with thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

We talk about her childhood in Ukraine, summers spent on her grandparents’ farm, the challenges of studying in a new country, and how she balances a demanding career with creativity, fitness, life and motherhood.

We cover everything from the lip gloss she keeps in her work bag to the realities of self-publishing and promoting a novel. Along the way, we explore how passion and discipline collide to create success in both her career and creative life.

Links:

📚 Tetyana’s books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3Z2F44

📸 Follow Tetyana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukrainiangirl/

💻: Connect with Tetyana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tetyana-walker-b7059449/

What does a 30-year career in the cockpit really look like?

In this episode, I sit down with Madeleine, a United pilot who has been flying professionally for over three decades. We talk about how her love of aviation started at just 16 years old after her very first flight lesson over the San Francisco Bay Area — and how that spark turned into a lifelong career.

Madeleine shares what it was like moving across the country to study Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle, waiting tables at a pizza place to make ends meet during her early flying jobs, and eventually starting a plane management and charter business with her husband. After selling the business, she made the leap back into commercial aviation — returning to what she truly loves.

We also talk about navigating career pivots during COVID, exploring new opportunities (including a potential master’s degree), and how that period of reflection ultimately brought her back to flying.

Along the way, Madeleine shares:

• What a pilot’s schedule actually looks like
• How flight routes are assigned
• What she packs for work
• Memorable flights and destinations
• The mentors who supported her as a woman in a male-dominated field
• Balancing family, health, and time off
  

*A quick heads up: there are a few patchy audio moments due to Wi-Fi issues during recording — but this conversation was too good not to share.

In this episode, I’m joined by Eri, a Digital VP at MSL, Publicis Groupe’s global public relations and integrated communications partner. Based in New York City, Eri has built her career in media agencies and influencer marketing, working across categories like travel, beauty, CPG, and kitchen & home goods.

Eri shares her global upbringing—born in Hawaii, attending international schools in Singapore and Hong Kong, and moving to the U.S. for college in Oregon—and how those experiences shaped her career path. We talk about how a Rent the Runway ambassadorship influenced her to switch her major from journalism to public relations, what it was like moving to NYC with no connections, and how she approached negotiating her first salary.

We also dive into the real-life side of career growth: stepping into leadership and people management, staying connected to loved ones while living abroad, avoiding burnout in fast-paced agency roles, and balancing work while planning a destination wedding in Malta. Plus, quick lunch hacks (Trader Joe’s fans, this one’s for you).

Whether you’re curious about digital media or PR careers, influencer marketing, or navigating big life moves alongside professional growth, this conversation offers honest insight and practical perspective.

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Blake, M.Ed., CPLP, CEO and Lead Instructional Designer at Blake Learning Solutions, to hear the incredible journey that led her to co-running her own business. Sarah shares how she went from studying journalism in undergrad, working at a non-profit, and almost taking the wrong job, to quitting everything and moving to India to teach at a charity school while figuring out her next career move. From there, she navigated her way to DC, got accepted into Harvard’s instructional design Master's program, worked in LA (including giving the creators of Rings of Power their first writing job!), and landed her first government client contract—before eventually returning to DC with her husband to start a family and run their own consultancy with a staff of over 40 people.

We also dive into navigating work through personal loss, prioritizing what matters outside of work, and finding purpose in your career. Along the way, there’s a surprising $25K check that changed her life, a debate about the best Diet Coke, and practical advice for anyone considering a career in instructional design—or thinking about pivoting into something entirely new.

2026 is arriving and with that, new goals and intentions for the year! Today we're taking another quick break from interviews to chat about how I'm approaching goals and life this year. We get into ten specific steps (I know, it sounds like a lot but in reality it's pretty simple!) I'm taking now and throughout the year to reset, refresh and evaluate progress.

We'll be back with more interview starting next week! Can't wait to see you throughout the rest of 2026.

Happy Wednesday! Today we’re pressing pause on regular interviews to talk about that beautiful, quiet space between Christmas and New Year’s — aka Twixmas — because anyone exploring careers or future paths can benefit from a little reset!
In this episode, I’m sharing a few simple things I’m doing to unwind, reconnect, clear mental clutter and start exploring 2026 goals…without actually setting any yet.

What does it really mean to design spaces that make people feel something?

In this episode, interior architect and creator Jenn Pearson shares the winding path that led her to a career in design — from falling in love with interiors as a kid in Texas to discovering interior architecture after being rejected from a different program at Virginia Tech. Jenn opens up about early career uncertainty, the power of networking, supplementing her early salary through fashion and lifestyle blogging, and how setbacks helped shape a career that feels truly aligned.

We talk about navigating relocations as a military wife, building a creative career while becoming a new mom, and what the day-to-day work of an interior architect actually looks like today — including remote work, corporate vs. residential design, and the tools she uses (hello, Revit and material samples). If you’ve ever been curious about interior design, architecture, or careers that don’t follow a straight line, this episode is for you.

Follow Jenn on Instagram @jennrog