Jenna Dillon
Jenna Dillon is an Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, and CEO/Founder of Executive Performance Institute for Coaching (E.P.I.C.) She works with high-performing individuals and top-tier organizations, helping accomplished and aspiring leaders achieve greater levels of fulfillment and success in their lives, careers, within their organizational cultures, and as industry influencers. Jenna’s skills as an Executive Coach have earned her a spot on the Coach Foundation, one of the most recognized names in the coaching industry, as well as being a Top 15 Coaches in LA 2023 & 2024 list.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I was a very active kid, involved in many clubs and extracurricular activities; choir, dance, school theatre, community theatre, voice lessons, piano lessons, you name it. I quickly became familiar with a full schedule of many passions and people I loved being around. Community oriented became a big value growing up. My favorite class in high school by far was Sociology I & Sociology II. While I chose to study Dance & Business Management in school, I informally was studying publications in psychology and sociology in college; not realizing all of my choreography works in my dance career were inspired by my learnings from psychology & sociology concepts.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
Someone in a mastermind group suggested that I hire a business coach. Having never heard of a business coach, I was open to exploring what they do and how they could help me (at the time deciding what type of business practice to start/build). Within three sessions of working with my coach, it was evident that this was something I not only could see myself doing, but that I believed I was built for this; both via my interests/passions and complementary skills leading up to this more. I asked my first business coach how to get formal training in this, and the rest is history.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
You have the capability to influence and reinvent what true leadership is by bringing in your strengths as a woman, worker, and what you learn from all your mentors, colleagues, etc along the way. There is a direct correlation between your self-awareness & self-confidence, and how effectively and deliberately you can own/model your leadership style. Invest in doing the work in understanding (in chronological order) you, and your environment, then things can fall into place.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
It’s timely and relevant. With this comes more intentionality and responsibility for female leaders to model this well and understand what the stakes and risks are in their leadership.
What’s the most important thing you have learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
The most important thing for me to learn in my journey was in my late 20s when I realized how horribly I was treating myself, and how I was responsible for, thus, allowing others in my life to treat me the same way.
If I had a personal motto, it would be something like: Be You. All of You.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Be Curious. Be Humble. Lean In.