Today we’d like to introduce you to Janifer Wheeler.
Hi Janifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In some ways, I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I have vivid childhood memories of charging my sister 5 or 10 cents to come into my room or to borrow books from my personal library. I charged her for homework assistance, playdates and to do her chores. I only got caught when she had to ask my mom for money!
There’s always been a bit of a rebellious, boldly confident, risk taker in my soul. Perhaps that was amplified by the fact that I am a preacher’s daughter, a Scorpio, and an older sister. I always felt like I knew my path, my purpose and had a plan for achieving my goals. At 18, I was college bound and ready to become an elementary school teacher.
Like anyone, I experienced obstacles. It was hard to find a teaching job after college so I used my administrative skills to land an office manager job that eventually turned into a Property Manager job – handing me a great deal of responsibility but not without reward. I learned a lot about running a Class A office building and earned the equivalent of a BS in Business Administration through on-the-job experience.
This opportunity led me to a new role. I became the Director of Administration for the daycare my son attended. It was an ideal situation as I desperately wanted to be a part-time, stay-at-home mom. Having just one son, I didn’t want to miss anything & I didn’t.
These two experiences helped me realize that in addition to mad teaching skills, I also had a talent for helping small businesses grow and expand through organizational structure, process development and employee training.
Over the next few years, I taught elementary school in two states, got a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, created a Parent University model for our local school district, presented at National conferences, and discovered that I had more gifts than the classroom could contain.
In 2012, I retired from teaching. As I approached my forties, I knew that I was out of whack….that as much as I had planned and strategized and followed expectations, I was missing something. I was happy as a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, but as a WOMAN, I was unfulfilled and felt like I was trapped on a hamster wheel. My professional life felt stale. I was overworked and underpaid. That’s when I decided to embrace my own BadAssery & step out fully into entrepreneurship.
Starting, owning and running your own business is hard, but the lessons learned thus far have led to so much personal and professional growth. I now understand that the Hustle & Grind philosophy is BS. JOY is a much more lucrative life and business strategy.
Now that I’m off the hamster wheel for good and living life above the JOY line, I am much more satisfied with my choices and where they’ve led. I have more time, freedom and flexibility in my life and business, which leads to lots of JOY!. I mean after all, if it’s not joyful, why do it?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not always been smooth. There have been bumps and obstacles, showing up mostly in unexpected ways such as moving a lot as a kid, loss of loved ones, financial setbacks, getting transferred to Texas & moving a family of three people & two dogs 1000 miles away from everyone we’ve ever known.
Like anyone, I have cried over missed opportunities, battled self-doubt and have been confused about which direction I should take.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As both an employee and an entrepreneur, I have experienced the chronic stress and overwhelm that lead me to burnout. Luckily, I found the JOY|Money Matrix™, founded by Lauren Fritsch. Changing my business model so that it was based on JOY changed my whole life. As a result, I became a licensed facilitator and founded The JOYFull BadAss Business Academy™. I’m on a mission to disrupt the hustle & grind mentality that makes us think owning a business means working ourselves to death. Not here. We know that JOY is a better & more lucrative business strategy.
Chances are, you created a business to have more freedom, flexibility and control over your life and work. You did not sign up to be a hostage to your own ideas or work a million hours a week.
That’s why we specialize in helping business owners avoid or eliminate burnout caused by chronic stress so you can unlock & amplify your JOYFull Zone of Genius. Knowing how to live above the JOY line maximizes ROI (return on financial investment and ROE (return on energy and emotional investment). Not only does the JFBBA give you new biz dev tools and strategies, but we also give you the confidence to use them.
We are very proud to offer our signature program, The JOY|Money Micro™, which helps you discover your JOYFull Zone of Genius and is the foundation for all other courses at the Academy. One of the best things about the JMM Micro is that it’s more than a workbook or a collection of videos… it’s a hands-on process that you can complete at home using the materials found in the JMM kit that’s shipped right to your door. No worries if you find you need help along the way, we host office hours, MasterHive™ groups and 1:1 Learning Labs.
Additional courses provide training on delegation, job descriptions/hiring & onboarding, team building, operating procedures & work instructions, workplace culture/DEIB, training design, and leadership development.
All courses are offered via micro modules, making the time commitment shorter and easier to integrate into busy schedules. Most lessons can be completed within 15-20 minutes and are appropriate for owners and employees.
E-learning isn’t the only way to access more JOY! You can also join the JOYFull BadAss Network.
No one walks alone at the JFBBA. That’s why we created a virtual community for female solopreneurs & small biz CEO’s called The JOYFull BadAss Network. Hosted through Mighty Networks, this is NOT a traditional platform & is not a Facebook or LinkedIn group.
There’s no cost to join, no SPAM and as a member, you will be part of an innovative, inclusive, supportive community of women contributing ideas and information on topics of shared interest.
Although we focus on biz growth, no topic is off the table if it helps our community members. Members may also share events & opportunities, ask questions & celebrate successes within the network.
You don’t have to break up with your business. Knowing your JOYFull Zone of Genius and consistently living above the JOY line will help you fall in love with your business again so that you can finally live the life you’ve always imagined.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memories usually include my paternal grandmother. I would spend a week or two with her during the summer and we had great adventures! She taught me how to crochet (I stink), how to give home permanents (they stink) and what constitutes a serious bargain at the thrift store! She always had Little Debbies, popsicles and frozen pizza. I felt special when I was with her and I will never forget that.
Pricing:
- JMM Micro™ $749-$1749
- Academy Courses $99-$499
Contact Info:
- Email: janifer@janiferwheeler.com
- Website: www.janiferwheeler.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janiferwheeler
- Other: JOYFull BadAss Network: https://bit.ly/JFBANetwork
Image Credits
Lauren Fritsch Ryan Hannasch Kurt Wheeler
