Meet Jen Fitzgerald

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Fitzgerald.

Hi Jen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
One of my earliest memories happened in preschool at three years young. I was unable to communicate with my teacher due to a stuttering impediment. My parents placed me into speech therapy to overcome this impediment. As a preteen, I even took modeling and acting classes to gain confidence that was lacking due to insecurities behind my background as a stutterer. If you were to speak to me today, you would never know I used to stutter, but it’s a significant part of my background that explains why I love to speak. I don’t take speaking for granted because there was a time I could not speak. From early childhood, I understood the importance of speaking that led me to pursuing a career as a professional speaker. 

I may have been a shy child, but I always craved being in the spotlight. I loved playing games like Charades and acting out scenes from books in English class. When I was 14 years young, I went to a youth conference that solidified my desire to be a professional speaker. I sat in an audience of thousands of people listening to speakers on stage, motivating the audience through sharing vulnerable stories. It was incredible how they were simultaneously entertaining and relatable, and their only prop was a microphone! At this moment at this youth conference, I instinctively knew I wanted to be the speaker on stage one day. I have always been the person in my friend group who “says it as it is,” and I knew I could channel this skill into a speaking career. After that youth conference, I was an audience member to speakers who would visit my high school. I continued to be inspired by their ability to captivate an audience with their stories and wisdom. The more I sat in the audience, the more I wanted to be on stage. 

Fast forward to my early twenties. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, a minor in Theatre Arts, and Certificate in Journalism. I still wanted to pursue a career in professional speaking but yearned to get some life experience first. One month after graduating, I met a high school counselor at a wedding who brainstormed my career path in a unique way. Instead of asking me what job title or salary I wanted, she asked me what I like to do. I told her I love public speaking, event planning, traveling, counseling, and working with high school students. She said working in college admissions would be the perfect fit as it combines everything I love to do into one job. That was the “light bulb” moment I needed. Hundreds of applications and dozens of interviews led me to work for Virginia Commonwealth University. After one year with VCU, I transitioned to The American University of Paris, where I was employed for seven years. In both roles, I was a regional admissions counselor that lived in California but recruited students to attend these universities located outside of California. Over these eight years in admissions, I built a network of colleagues from various regional groups, including Regional Admission Counselors of California (RACC). Being an admissions counselor was incredibly rewarding as I guided students through the admissions process, but some of my favorite moments in these positions were when I was on stage giving presentations. I gave a huge variety of presentations: 90-second introduction to the university at high schools, a 5-minute overview of the university at counselor luncheons, 30-minute essay workshops, and 1.25-hour case studies to rooms full of students or parents. I even presented on study abroad opportunities in front of hundreds of colleagues at conferences. Throughout this real-world experience, I realized I made a positive impact on others through my talent in public speaking, a talent which gives me fulfillment and purpose in my career. At this point, I hadn’t pursued it full-time yet, but it was time for a change. 

In November 2023, I began reading “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. This book is all about reigniting and nurturing one’s creative side. Some people draw. Others paint. Some take photos or dance. I speak. From the first entry in my “morning pages” (AKA journaling for 30 minutes every morning), I wrote about my dream to be a professional speaker. One month later, I reconnected with the person who used to be the Director of Greek Life at LMU when I was a student. He’s now a professional speaker. We had an informational interview where he encouraged me to join the National Speakers Association (NSA)- Southern California Speakers Academy to learn the business of speaking. I joined on December 29, 2023 (my parents’ 33rd wedding anniversary), and my first class was on January 3, 2024 (the 10-year anniversary of meeting my husband). How symbolic of new beginnings! 

The NSA Speakers Academy has been an incredible stepping point for my career. I am surrounded by other professional speakers going through the same journey as me, but in different stages. I gained knowledge about the speaking industry that led to the confidence to start my business. I also gained courage to ask questions even though it means being vulnerable. I crafted a speech on building relationships that is customizable to various audiences and recently launched my website. I’m so proud of myself for being a verb… someone who is acting on their goal instead of dreaming about it. By being a verb, I am becoming a noun, a professional speaker! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Reflecting on getting to where I am today, my biggest block was myself. I used to chase the W2 because it meant stability and security. Tax season would be easier to process, and I could turn off work over the weekends. Although I admire the entrepreneurs on Shark Tank (one of my favorite TV shows), my lack of direction made me scared of failure. “How does someone become a professional speaker in the first place? There isn’t a clear path like becoming a doctor or teacher. What if I start this business, make mistakes, and don’t get hired? I’ll look like a failure in the eyes of my family and friends.” These fear-oriented doubts were in my head before taking the leap of faith. What encouraged me to take the leap of faith was thinking about how these fear-oriented doubts would turn regret-oriented if I didn’t take action on my dream. In 50 years, I would instead be asking myself, “What if I was brave enough to pursue a professional speaking career? I could have been on stage inspiring a crowd of 3000 people! If there was one thing I could change about my life, what would it be? I wish I would have become a professional speaker.” Once I acknowledged that I was curious about the entrepreneurial route and had the opportunity and time to do so, there was no doubt I needed to pursue professional speaking. 

To this day, I still experience peaks and valleys (an analogy a fellow professional speaker introduced me to). Peaks are the highs when I feel inspired and motivated. Valleys are the lows when I feel stuck or at a standstill. The valleys are important to gain greater appreciation for the peaks. I always make decisions about my business when I’m at a peak. 

Being an entrepreneur where I am the product is unfamiliar terrain, but I surround myself with people who support me. My colleagues from the Speakers Academy inspire me in their pursuit of this career path and answer my many questions with grace and patience. My colleagues from higher education support me through writing testimonials and expressing words of encouragement. My family and friends have been nothing but positive as they voice they are proud of me for pursuing this career path. I realized through sharing this endeavor with others that everyone believes in me. The only person keeping me from pursuing this goal was myself. I use the past tense strategically there because that is not the case anymore. I am acting on my dream, so it becomes my reality. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional speaker who gives keynotes and leads workshops focused on building relationships. I work with organizations who want to maximize interpersonal communication through building relationships with clients and networking with colleagues. This means different goals for different audiences. For admissions counselors, it may mean personalizing recruitment efforts with the goal of boosting enrollment numbers. For high school students, it may mean becoming familiar with universities during the admissions process. For college students, it may mean networking with employers to land internship and job offers.

Although my background is in higher education admissions and enrollment, the concept of building relationships can be applied to all audiences: new mothers who seek camaraderie through the joys and challenges of motherhood, real estate agents trying to increase the amount of homes they sell, doctors and nurses who want to make sure their patients feel comfortable in their care… Everyone needs to build relationships for personal and professional reasons, and I customize my presentations to match the needs of each audience. At the end of the day, it’s the people that give you purpose!

What sets me apart is my history as a stutterer and background as an admissions counselor in higher education. As an admissions counselor, I was in a very unique role working with all different perspectives and generations in various locations around the world. 

I am most proud of myself for overcoming stuttering, building relationships in my personal and professional life, and the bravery I fostered behind starting my own business. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking 

Network with the intention to get to know people through building relationships. Build relationships with people you are authentically drawn to. You may be surprised at how much your relationships can help you in the future. I built relationships with friends and colleagues alike simply because I wanted to get to know them for who they are. Years later, when I needed help with something that required their skillset, I was able to ask them for help without feeling awkward because that relationship was already established. This happened with everything from colleagues who turned into friends after tabling next to each other at college fairs to my friends from elementary school helping me build my business while using skills from their professional careers. Help is available as relationships evolve. 

All in all, I make connections with the sole intention of building relationships. This is only done in an authentic way if the relationship is built with positive intentions in the first place. This means you must build relationships with people based on who they are, not what they can do for you. You’ll find that many people you connect with simply because you like them have skills or connections you may need in the future. With all this said, don’t forget that it goes the other way around; you must offer your skills and connections to others as well. 

Finding a Mentor 

Do you remember the exact moment when your acquaintances turned into friends? The transition from acquaintance to friend happens so naturally that it’s difficult to identify the exact moment it happens. This is how it should feel when finding a mentor. A mentor is not someone who you hire. It is someone you establish a relationship with (see networking above) that understands you so well that you feel comfortable going to them for advice. My best advice in finding a mentor is letting it be natural through the building relationship process. Make sure to be respectful of their time as well. You can even offer advice to your mentor as they can learn through your perspective! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jenfitzgeraldspeaks.com
• Instagram: @jenfitzgeraldspeaks
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jenfitzgeraldspeaks

Image Credits
Miki & Sonja Photography