045: Jessica Rhodes, CEO of Interview Connections

Jessica Rhodes is the founder and CEO of Interview Connections, the premier source for booking outstanding podcast guests. The Interview Connections team of Booking Agents works with podcasters to find and book guests for their shows. They also represent dozens of highly qualified guest experts to connect them with podcast hosts for interviews.

Before Jessica was a business owner she was an activist at a non-profit.  She loved doing the passion work and thought she would climb the ladder in the non-profit world.  But life changed, when she found our she was pregnant she decided to start her own business so she could have more flexibility with her work and be home with her son.

Jessica is the host of the hit weekly web TV show, Interview Connections TV, she’s the host of the Rhodes to Success podcast and she is the co-host of The Podcast Producers, a ten episode audio series about the art and business of podcasting.

Jessica is a regular speaker at Dream Biz Academy and has shared the stage with dozens of top podcasters at Podcast Movement and Podcast New England. She is married and is the proud mom to a very busy toddler named Nathan, and is expecting her second child in August 2015.

We had a wonderful time chatting with Jessica. We talked about so much in this one-hour episode! About business, life, family, how she knew working for a non-profit was all about the passion and she knew she couldn't commit the same dedication after starting a family. We also chat about fun things like friends and living in the small state of Rhode Island.  A topic both Jessica and Danielle can talk about! ;)

As we do every week, we start out by asking Jessica what success is to her, and her answer is of course awesome! She shares that success is about more than just money.  It's about feeling like you made it yet still wanting to go further.

"My definition of success is being in a place in your life where you feel like you have made it, but there is still fun work to be done to make it even better."

We talk a lot about when success shifted for Jessica.  For her it was when she transitioned into being a mom. Before becoming a mom Jessica says a lot of her identity and goals were centered around things outside of herself.

"When I became a mom everything changed...because then it became about making sure my kids have a good life and raising kids that are going to have a positive impact on society."

Jessica also shares that it's important to make sure you celebrate the small things/moments in life. Appreciate the little joys in life.  After becoming a mom life slowed down and she looked at life in a different way.

"You have to look at the little things in your life and not those big huge goals you aspire to because when those big huge goals are your definition of success it takes a long time to get there... it is kind of hard to reach success because it take so long"

We also talk about owning an virtual/online business versus a brick and mortar store front, the book Strength Finders 2.0 as well a the Podcast Junkies episode with Lou Mongello.

Check out Season 1 of The Podcast Producers and look out for Season 2, coming soon!