Episode 104

Fired and Free with Jess Ferguson

Summary:

One Monday morning, after nearly 20 years on the air, Jess Ferguson walked out of the radio station for the last time.

In this episode, we sit down with the beloved co-host of the Frankie & Jess Show, and now the Frankie & Jess Podcast, to talk about what happens when the career you built your identity around suddenly ends. The grief of it, and the freedom of it… as she said: the 75% relief and 25% fear, and the faith that carried her through.

Jess opens up about the months of uncertainty, the husband who told her to bet on herself, the listeners and sponsors who followed her out the door, and why she would not trade any of it. She also shares her passion for supporting men's mental health through the I Love You Sis Project, the women's podcast, TheJessConnection, which she built just for herself, and why she is still not done building.

This one will make you laugh, maybe cry, and remind you that the next chapter is always worth the leap.

Key Takeaways:

  • 00:00 Welcome back and introducing the beloved Jess Ferguson, voice of Utah, co-host of Frankie & Jess, and a woman in the middle of her best chapter yet
  • 02:00 The morning they walked her out (75% freedom, 25% fear) and what it feels like when the identity you built for 18 years disappears overnight
  • 07:47 How the Frankie & Jess Podcast was born, why Kevin was the one who told them to bet on themselves, and what those three months of planning and waiting actually looked like
  • 13:51 How sponsors followed them out the door, why community is everything, and what it means to build a business with people you actually do life with
  • 20:18 The Jess Connection: why she finally launched her own women's podcast, what it means to stop hoarding other women's stories, and where to find it
  • 22:21 The I Love You Sis Project, decoding the men in our lives, and why being a safe place changes everything, for our kids, our husbands, and ourselves
  • 29:55 What she would tell anyone chasing a dream: money and titles are empty, peace is the prize, and the fifties are going to be fabulous

About Jess Ferguson:

Known for her warm personality, real-talk approach, and commitment to using her platform to lift others, Jess developed a reputation for being an authentic, strong female voice in a male-dominated broadcast world, bringing her laughter, empathy, and realness to the airwaves as part of the Frankie and Jess Show on 97.1 for nearly a decade.

Following her radio tenure, Jess and Frankie launched their podcast, the Frankie & Jess Podcast, in January 2024. In the first month of the podcast, they had nearly 200,000 downloads and have continued to connect authentically with followers in their over 350 episodes. Find them on Apple or Spotify.

In addition to her radio and podcast career, Jess has been a Sales Director with Mary Kay for more than 13 years. Through her leadership role as a Mary Kay Sales Director, Jess helps women build confidence, financial independence and champions women’s empowerment.

Hot off the press news! Jess just launched her women’s podcast called The Jess Connection. She shares incredible stories of the women she lives with. You can find it on Patreon.

Jessica resides in West Jordan with her husband, son, and 2 pit bull babies. She also loves Jesus and likes to cuss a little.

Episode resources:

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About your host

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Cristie & DeAnna

DeAnna Robbins is a lover of learning and connecting with REAL people. A Grandma of 4, mom of 4 and wife of one. Her role of being "middle aged" is the current Life Lesson. How to take care of aging parents, be a mom, step mom, wife and professional woman, oh the fun. DeAnna has seen the dark and ugly side of abuse, alcoholism and suffering but believes you are either a victim or a player. She chose to be a player.

Cristie North is a wife, mother of 6 and grandmother of 2. She just turned 50 and is learning to navigate the reality of empty nesting. She has endured trials of divorce, alcohol abuse, blended family and grief. She celebrates every part of her journey as her belief is that each challenge makes us the remarkable, complicated beautiful souls we are today. She has been in the mortgage industry for over 28 years and currently manages a top producing mortgage company in Salt Lake City, Utah.