5 Things With Jennifer R. Hudson
We're BACK with another edition of our 5 Things series, featuring Jennifer R. Hudson, APR of Think Beyond PR ✨
We got the chance to ask strategic communications advocate, trainer, mentor, consultant, and speaker Jennifer the five things she wishes someone told her before she started a career in Communications, and here’s what she had to say!
It's okay to bug the women leaders around you.
I worked with amazing women business leaders in my 20s. I was in awe of their professionalism, strength and focus! And even though they were wonderful with me and took me under their wing in powerful ways I didn't even realize at the time, I was low-key kind of scared of them. Haha! I wish I'd gotten over myself and asked them more about their journey.
Everything counts.
The good, the bad, the wonderful, the tragic - it's all preparing you in ways you'll never imagine until you get there. The lightbulb will go off: "Ah! That's why I experienced that!" Soak it all in, learn and grow. There's something amazing ahead and you'll be perfectly prepared for it because of what you're going through right now.
My expertise has value. Charge accordingly!
I once heard Danielle Leslie say "Whatever you think you're worth, you're right." I had to disentangle myself from lopsided thinking to charge the fees I know strategic work is worth. It required me to dig deeper to understand the value clients were deriving from engaging with me.
Listen to your intuition. No, really - Listen!
Years of negotiating with that still, small voice inside caused me a lot of grief: business partnerships I knew i should not have entered into; clients I knew wouldn't bring me joy, but opted to work with anyway. These days I don't negotiate with intuition. I let it win.
Support your community.
I'm so inspired by the innovative and passionate start-up founders and nonprofit leaders in my community. I may be coaching them around strategic communications and core values, but they teach me just as much or more.
