Conversations with the Inspiring Jessie Dore

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Dore.

Jessie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was 11 years old, I went door to door with handmade brochures soliciting my babysitting services. Looking back, it couldn’t be more obvious that entrepreneurship has always been in my DNA.

I grew up with an entrepreneur for a father, so it’s no wonder I’ve always believed that anything is possible if you can conceive it and stay dedicated. As a young adult, I was involved in as many creative pursuits & educational opportunities as possible. I joined the workforce early and by age 17, I was in management roles that later afforded me opportunities to grow rapidly in my career.

I attended Colorado State University (go Rams!) & when I reached graduation to earn my Bachelor’s in Communications and Merchandising, I was in a Director-level position with an organization I had been growing with throughout my college experience. Seeking new opportunities to push my own status quo, I pivoted into corporate America in Denver. It wasn’t long before I was a top sales performer in the nation within my marketing company, working as a liaison and traveling from state to state to mentor and educate other teams. While I loved the people I met and grew alongside, deep down I knew this wasn’t my final destination. My inherently creative side was yearning to be nurtured.

Between my ability to sell products and a calling to be creative, an idea came to me: why not create & sell my own products? So I left my corporate job and became a master of the side hustle while establishing my first business, Euphoric Junket. At the time, the craft beer industry was initially taking off and I had learned the art of soy candle making, so my product was born upon the merge of these two. I launched my beer-inspired candle company online while simultaneously negotiating with retail partners to sell my candles in stores. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t make a multitude of mistakes; but I pressed on and within a few years, Euphoric Junket was a top-performing Shopify store and sold in retailers nationwide.

Alas, with growth comes change. Other dreams began to surface, and I felt myself being pulled to other opportunities. While I continued to scale Euphoric Junket, I outsourced some of my efforts to other rockstars so that I could take on new pursuits. I’ve always loved the spirit of hospitality and truly believe the next best thing to traveling is meeting people from different backgrounds, so it only made sense to go for my lifelong dream of running a bed & breakfast. Before long, I was an Airbnb SuperHost. During the same period, I was called to help my family’s business grow as well. Little did I know the doors this would open for me as both a creative and strategic young woman.

In all three of the businesses I was scaling simultaneously— Euphoric Junket, Airbnb, and my family’s business— there was a common thread primarily responsible for the results hitting the bottom line. That thread was great imagery. Picking up a camera completely changed the game for all of my pursuits, and gave me the confidence to recognize that I could hone this craft as its own business. At this point, I felt the doors to my candle company & Airbnb slowly closing as new doors to the world of photography and consulting opened.

After a series of challenging life events and journey of personal healing, I realized I could no longer pull myself in 4 different directions, especially when they were no longer aligned with the woman I was becoming.

I went all-in on scaling my family’s business through marketing and community outreach efforts, while simultaneously taking on as many photography & consulting projects on the side. I built a network of truly supportive people, mentors and mentees alike, who have encouraged my myriad of pursuits over the years. I owe much of my success to the people who validated my talents, who trusted me and gave me the chance to build my portfolio.

Today, I have the unique opportunity to pursue all of the creative & strategic endeavors that light me up from the inside out. I’ve kept my lifestyle photography business rolling, and am currently spearheading a digital agency that takes on marketing projects of all sizes, from logo design/rebrands to website design + social media campaign planning.

It’s been quite a journey through the land of entrepreneurship, paved with many bumps along the way. But if there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s that you’ll never fully arrive, because the path is forever winding.

Has it been a smooth road?
No one— I repeat, NO ONE— is exempt from the challenges that life brings. We move, we shift, we experience heartbreak, we run our own mental health into the ground with overthinking and not holding enough space for ourselves. It’s all part of growing up, especially in the beginning of our journey as we are still figuring ourselves out. Many people look at my lifestyle and see success, but may I remind you that often those who produce the greatest results have weathered storms we can’t even imagine. Without all of the bumps in my path, I would never be able to flex my grit muscle so strong in times of adversity.

Let’s put it this way: I joined the workforce early because I had no choice. I lived on my own while my friends still had curfews and I was working until the early morning hours to afford my expenses. I moved halfway across the country for college without knowing anyone, and worked full-time while completing my coursework without financial assistance. I sacrificed my spirit for my career out of college, and almost lost the relationships that matter most to me. I took the leap to start my own business with minimal savings, and learned some of the hardest lessons in business that laid the foundation for the rest of my life. I ignored my intuition in my intimate relationship, and allowed it to cripple me both personally and professionally. I had to learn to let things go in order to invite the new. I had to allow myself to be seen even when it was hard and vulnerable. I’ve become all too familiar with watching my loved one’s get sick, and learning to press on when forces are simply outside of my control.
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My path has been far from smooth, but these challenges are what build character. These struggles are what connect us. And at the end of the day, the greatest reason for my success has been connection.

Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
I’m sure by now you’ve picked up on the fact that I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur. After scaling a handful of businesses, I’ve figured out a thing or two about how to establish a brand & consistent lead generation. Now I’m on a mission to help other small businesses become THE go-to resource in their niche.

As a lifestyle photographer & brand strategist, I’m probably hyping my clients behind my camera lens, or in a yoga pose behind my computer screen while I curate messaging and expand communities.

Who are my people? They’re the dreamers and doers looking to confidently launch their next vision or cast a wider net.

I’m beyond proud of the brands I represent not just for the work we produce, but for everything we stand for. Brydge is a creative agency unlike any you’ve ever worked with— because we’re less focused on being an “agency” and more focused on being your teammate. We understand the startup life because we’ve lived it. We’ve worked with big names and with small names. With names somewhere in the middle and with brands that don’t even have names yet. At Brydge, we welcome challenges to the status quo. Here, we’re thinking outside of the box— and we like it out here. We’re an agency, but we’re doing sh*t differently.

Brydge is currently taking on marketing projects of all sizes. Let’s make magic together!

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
First of all, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, even if you don’t feel ready. If you put yourself in environments that challenge you, you’re bound to grow. People will undoubtedly see something in you & encourage your talents. They’ll likely be a huge impetus for some of your greatest breakthroughs.

I cannot recommended local meet-up groups enough. For me, my local Chamber of Commerce has been a game changer. I’ve surrounded myself with business owners who have years of experience beyond me, who not only have extensive wisdom but believe in sharing what they know with the next generation of leaders. Get out there, friend— you have everything to gain.

Contact Info:

• Website: JessieDore.com + BrydgeAgency.com
• Email: Hello@JessieDore.com + Jessie@BrydgeAgency.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jessiedore_

Image Credit:
Jessie Dore

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