We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jennifer Wilson. Check out our conversation below.
Jennifer, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I always start my day with coffee, which I have on a timer so it’s ready when I wake up around 5 or 6 a.m. most mornings. From there, I usually open the Calm app. I do a five-minute meditation, log my sleep, write down three things I’m grateful for, and select my mood for the day.
After that, I spend some time reading. Right now, I’m reading Brené Brown’s newest book, Strong Ground. It’s a leadership book, and I’m learning so many valuable things from it. I then spend about 15 to 20 minutes writing. Most mornings, that looks like journaling about the day before and reflecting on things I noticed or want to process.
Once that’s done, I usually head out for exercise. Most mornings, that means either hot yoga or a morning run with friends. I typically start work around 8:30 a.m.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jennifer Wilson, and I’m the founder and owner of L.A. Social Karma. I’ve been in business for 15 years, though I didn’t originally set out to become an entrepreneur. My background was in sales, and I actually started the business by accident after losing a job. It was right around the time social media was first gaining traction, and I began working with a few local restaurants. Before I knew it, I had built a small business. Fifteen years later, L.A. Social Karma has grown into a team of four, and so much has changed in both the industry and the way we support our clients.
At L.A. Social Karma, we work with small to mid-sized businesses to help them stay consistent with their marketing. Our core services include content creation, social media management, email marketing, social media ads, graphic design, and ongoing marketing support. What really drives our work is helping business owners do the unglamorous but essential parts of marketing. There aren’t many secrets to it. It’s about showing up consistently, sending the emails, creating the content, and doing the work month after month. Many small businesses don’t have the time, bandwidth, or internal resources to do it all, and that’s where we come in. We also love partnering with in-house marketing teams, especially when marketing departments are often a team of one and need an extra hand with strategy, content, or design.
Outside of work, exercise is a huge part of my life. I’m an avid runner and have been running since I was a kid. Over the years, I’ve completed multiple marathons, several 50-milers, three 100-mile races, and a number of 100Ks. These days, I’m not focused on long-distance racing, but you can often find me on the local Santa Monica trails or taking hot yoga classes several times a week. Exercise gives me clarity, energy, and a great way to spend time with friends.
I’m also a lifelong learner and naturally curious. I love reading, taking classes, and diving into new areas, with my current focus being learning everything we can about AI. I was also in the military many years ago, which shaped a lot of my discipline and work ethic. At the end of the day, I’m someone who loves learning, building, and helping businesses grow
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, and even early in my career, I believed that my dyslexia and difficulty with writing would always hold me back. I worried that it made me harder to hire and less qualified in more traditional work environments. What I’ve learned through owning a small business is that struggling in one area doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It just means you need support.
Over time, I’ve come to see my dyslexia as a strength rather than a limitation. Having a dyslexic brain has helped me see things differently and approach problem-solving in a more creative, big-picture way. Running a business also taught me that no one person needs to have every skill set. You can build a team where different strengths complement each other. If writing isn’t your strong suit, you can hire someone to help, ask for support, or use tools like AI to assist with writing and editing.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me far more about who I am than success ever could. I’ve learned that firsthand through running. I’ve attempted five 100-mile races and only finished three. At the time, those failures felt awful, but in hindsight, they were the experiences I learned the most from. When things aren’t going well, you learn who you are, how you show up, and what you’re capable of when it gets uncomfortable.
I’ve seen the same thing in business. It’s easy to feel confident when you have plenty of clients and money coming in. It’s a very different experience to lose a large client and still show up every day to do the work. A few years ago, we lost a major client, and we’ve been in a rebuild phase ever since. That period forced us to take a hard look at our systems, how we support our clients, how we price our work, and how we operate as a business.
Those harder seasons made us stronger and better prepared for the next upswing. What I’ve learned is that both running and entrepreneurship are a lot like a roller coaster. There are highs and lows, and the most important thing is to stay on the ride.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I think my public version is pretty close to who I am in my private life. I believe that being direct and honest is a form of kindness, so I try to communicate clearly and have hard conversations with people I care about. I’ve been told many times that one thing people appreciate about me is that I’m very direct and that they always know where they stand.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me when I’m gone is that I was kind, I was a good friend, and I kept my word.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lasocialkarma.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer.c.wilson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lasocialkarma/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lasocialkarma
