Always Marketing: How Jennifer Bushong Built a Dream Career Through Passion, Purpose, and People

In this inspiring and full-circle episode of Fanatical DreamHer, host April Kemp welcomes Jennifer Bushong, CEO of JBE Marketing Group and founder of Inspire Northwest, to share a powerful story decades in the making. From her early career in corporate sales and media to executive leadership roles, festival production, arena management, and ultimately launching her own marketing firm, Jennifer's journey is a masterclass in persistence, positivity, and purpose-driven leadership. Listeners will hear how Jennifer continuously invested in education, embraced every season of growth, and trusted her vision—eventually creating not only a thriving marketing agency, but also a transformational conference experience designed to uplift and empower others. This episode is filled with wisdom on entrepreneurship, mentorship, resilience, self-talk, and the courage it takes to keep reaching for your dream—even when the path takes unexpected turns. Key Discussion Points (with time stamps): (00:02–01:10) Introduction to Jennifer and her leadership journey (01:37–02:56) When Jennifer knew she wanted to own a marketing company (03:28–07:00) Career backstory: sales, media, festivals, arenas, and building expertise (07:45–09:27) Passion for events and bringing people together (09:27–11:42) Creating Inspire Northwest and pursuing a long-held dream (12:02–13:46) Education, credibility, and lifelong learning (14:06–16:40) Pivotal moments: launching JBE, COVID-era leadership, turning 50 (17:34–19:35) Positivity, faith, self-talk, and daily rituals (20:19–21:46) The emotional impact of Inspire Northwest (23:11–25:35) Mentorship, relationships, and asking for support (27:03–27:34) Advice for young people dreaming of entrepreneurship (28:36–29:47) Thinking outside the box and writing down the vision (31:02–31:56) Final advice: why it's all worth it Notable Quotes: "Marketing is in the middle — everything comes together with the people." "Always marketing — because we are always marketing." "Don't worry about the outside noise." "Fear is false expectations appearing real." "Write it down. Write the vision down." "Your network is golden." "It's worth it. Just try." Takeaways: Every experience builds toward your ultimate dream — nothing is wasted. Education, curiosity, and credibility are lifelong pursuits. Mentorship evolves into partnership over time. Positivity and self-talk are leadership tools, not just personality traits. Writing down your vision helps bring it to life. Entrepreneurship requires resilience, humility, and community. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in you can change everything. Connect with Guest: • Website: https://www.jbe-marketing.com/ • Instagram: @jbemarketing Connect with Us: • Follow April Kemp on Instagram: @fanaticaldreamher • Stay updated on new episodes: https://www.fanaticaldreamher.com/ • April's email: [email protected] Join the DreamHer Community: Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode inspired you. Don't forget to tag us with your favorite takeaways using #FanaticalDreamHer on social media!