Hi 👋🏼 I’m Jessica, the J behind JNoriJohnson, and this is Nori’s Notes, a space where I can (and will) share a plethora of personal and client stories, educational content, motivational messages, recaps, and behind-the-scenes as business owner.
The underlying theme of Nori’s Notes is to share experiences and knowledge with the intent of empowering other women to build the business they love.
Deciding to start your own business can be equal parts exciting and terrifying, and you will 100% make mistakes along the way. I know I did and still do. It’s part of learning and the growth you experience throughout your journey as an entrepreneur.
Nori’s Notes is here to help you in your own journey and my hope is for each blog post you read, there’s at least ONE takeaway for you to implement in your business as you bring your vision to life.
From Corporate Events to Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
My own journey as a solopreneur started in 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, while still working full-time in corporate special events.
For me, and maybe even for you, the pandemic meant living in career limbo – unsure if I, let alone my team, would still have our jobs as the year progressed.
Nori Event Co. was founded in May 2020 with the intention of transitioning full-time in the future. Little did I know, the future would come in October 2020 when my entire department was laid off.
What could have been seen as a career setback became a pivotal moment, allowing me to create a business environment that aligned with my values and lifestyle.
While my business and lifestyle have changed over the years, the intention to build my business around my life instead of my life around my life has only gotten stronger.
This intention has only grown over the last couple years and once I committed to a business pivot from events to operations, I knew I wanted to help other women business owners find clarity and confidence in their own businesses.
Aligning Business with Personal Vision
Have you had a light bulb moment? A moment where everything just clicked, and you knew deep down you were meant for something more in your business?
I had one of those moments in May 2023, where I was suffering a severe case of burnout, felt stuck in my situation, and spent more time working on someone else’s business than my own.
Looking back, I know I was disconnected from my “why” – the reason why I went into business in the first place. But this light bulb moment needed to happen because without it, I never would have pursued a change to align my business with my vision.
This re-alignment resulted from becoming a certified Director of Operations – a certification I had wanted to pursue since September 2021 when I had the opportunity to attend a training from The Ops Authority’s Natalie Gingrich.
Becoming a DOO allowed me to get really clear on my own mission, vision, values, and boundaries, which then led to pivoting my business from virtual events and project management to operations and strategic planning.
These skills plus my own experiences allow me to understand what other solopreneurs are facing in their business – wearing multiple (if not all) the hats, being unsure on where to invest your time and money, and most importantly, trying to find the right “balance” between your family and your business.
My refined mission is to help other women business owners build the business they love by getting clear on what’s important to them and then developing the strategic, operational plan to align those priorities with clear, actionable steps.
Your Partner in Strategic Planning
Collaboration is key to build a successful business, and it is at the center of my approach with clients.
When other business owners decide to book a VIP Day, we’ll work together to audit your business based on 7 strategic areas of business, identify potential roadblocks, and develop a roadmap to prioritize these goals and give you a clear path to success.
Strategic planning should be the cornerstone of every business. Without a strong foundation, how can you continue to grow in way that’s sustainable for you?
Every business might be different, but one thing remains the same. Your mission, vision, and values should drive your business decisions. This is where true alignment happens.
Plan The Work. Work The Plan.
This might be one of my favorite quotes, and completely appropriate for the focus of JNoriJohnson.
There is incredible power with a plan, and the most important part of having a plan is taking action. As my mentor, Natalie, says, “action creates confidence.”
Each blog post inside Nori’s Notes will end with this section, encouraging you to reflect on the topic or simple action steps to continue building the business you love.
- In what ways does your business align (or not align) with your personal vision?
- Have you experienced a light bulb moment in your entrepreneurial journey? If so, how did it change your path? Consider sharing this story with your audience.
- Do you have clearly defined core values? If so, are you keeping them in mind when making business decision?
This post was updated on February 18, 2025 to accurately reflect this stage of my business journey.
Nori's Notes 