Elevated Leadership with Jena Young

A teenager’s first job can teach them far more than how to earn a paycheck. It can build confidence, credibility, judgment, communication skills, resilience, self-respect, and the ability to handle responsibility when other people are counting on them. But parents play an important role in whether that experience actually helps their teen grow. In this episode, Jena draws from years of hiring, man...

What actually makes a teenager stand out? It’s usually not being the smartest, most talented, most outgoing, or most impressive person in the room. In this episode, Jena speaks directly to teens and shares five simple rules that can change how they show up in school, work, relationships, interviews, and everyday life. You’ll learn why: successful people are willing to look awkward before they look...

What if the goal of parenting a teenager isn’t to manage them more effectively but to help them manage and lead themselves? In this episode, Jena breaks down five practical shifts parents can make now to help teens build the confidence, communication skills, resilience, judgment, and self-awareness they’ll need in adulthood. You’ll hear why the parenting job description changes during the teen yea...

Teenagers today aren’t less capable, but they are getting less practice. In this first episode of Season 3, Jena introduces a new direction for Elevated Leadership: helping parents prepare teens for the human side of adulthood. Technology has made life easier in countless ways, but it has also quietly removed many of the everyday interactions that used to teach young people how to communicate, adv...

What makes a teen stand out? It has far less to do with GPA than many people think, and much more to do with how they show up and connect in person. In this trailer, Jena Young introduces Standout Teen , a special season of the Elevated Leadership podcast created for parents raising teenagers. She explores why interpersonal skills like making a strong first impression, advocating for yourself, car...

Jena closes out Season Two with a powerful conversation on one of the greatest tests leaders face: uncertainty. From global crises like COVID to everyday business disruptions, she explores how leaders can steady the ship when fear and confusion run high. Jena shares a clear communication framework for leading when answers are limited, highlights common traps to avoid, and offers practical strategi...

In this episode, Jena shares her hard-earned lessons on what it really takes to build and retain a strong team. Drawing from her own experience as a business owner, she invites leaders to reflect on four key questions: Are your values clear and alive in your workplace? Are you honest about the type of roles you’re offering: starter, stepping stone, or career? Do you know what your employees truly...

In this episode Jena dives into the four essential messages every leader should communicate to their team. She explores why clear, heartfelt communication is the foundation of a thriving workplace. Discover how to build trust, empower your employees, and create a positive culture by ensuring your team hears what truly matters—from honest feedback to genuine encouragement. Whether you’re a seasoned...

In this week’s episode, Jena shares three powerful themes that keep showing up in her own life and in the lives of the leaders she works with. These lessons are simple, but they hit hard: Rejection is Protection – why setbacks can actually steer you toward better opportunities. A Calm Mind Requires a Calm Body – how regulating your body is the key to clear, effective leadership. No One Will Care a...

In this episode of Elevated Leadership with Jena Young , Jena sits down with her Director of Operations, Bo Jennings, for a candid and insightful conversation. Together they tackle three big topics every leader faces: how to let go of employees while staying grounded, how to show up for your team even when you don’t feel your best, and how they, along with Jena's business partner/husband Jeff...

Being a middle manager means living “in the middle of it all,” balancing the needs of your staff with the expectations of ownership, while keeping service and culture strong. In this punchy, insight-packed conversation, Jena sits down with Jasmine Burne, Hospitality Director for Side Street Hospitality. Over the last 10 years, Jasmine has grown with Side Street Café and its sister businesses, movi...

In this episode, Jena shares her favorite “rules of thumb” for effective leadership. She rattles off practical leadership principles, from actionable advice on handling lingering issues, restructuring hard-to-fill roles, and navigating the tricky territory of toxic top performers. She also revisits the classic “hire slow, fire fast” mantra, emphasizing the value of thoughtful hiring and decisive a...

In this episode, Jena explores the Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ intense audition and training process. Drawing on her background as a dancer and leadership expert, Jena examines how Director Kelli Finglass and Head Choreographer Judy Trammell navigate tough decisions, hold high standards, and lead with both empathy...

In this inspiring and down-to-earth conversation, Jena sits down with Piper Rama, a Division I volleyball player for the ASU Sun Devils, to hear her perspective as a Gen Z athlete navigating high performance, pressure, and team dynamics. Piper shares powerful insights on staying connected to your why , the value of aligning around a common goal, and what it means to show up fully in the present mo...

As a leader, it can feel like everyone needs something right now : a decision, a conversation, a complaint, a meeting. In this episode, Jena Young unpacks the emotional toll of being perpetually “on call” and offers a grounded, empowering guide for how to protect your time and energy without becoming cold or unavailable. Pulling from her own introverted leadership style and real-world lessons as a...

If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or spinning your wheels about the same issue again and again, Jena will introduce you to a simple but powerful tool called The 5 Choices, a framework that helps leaders (and humans!) move from frustration and victim mode into clarity and intentional action. Whether you’re navigating a difficult conversation, a draining job, or a lingering personal struggl...

In this episode, Jena dives into a raw and rarely discussed topic: growing pains. Whether you’re evolving personally or leading a growing business, the discomfort of stretching beyond who you used to be is real and normal. Jena breaks down why growth feels so disorienting and lonely at times, the energetic shifts happening under the surface, and how to recognize the signs that you're in a gro...

In this raw and insightful episode, Jena breaks down the deeper, often overlooked reasons why leadership can feel so challenging—even for seasoned professionals. Drawing from years of consulting and coaching experience, Jena identifies common themes that quietly derail leaders and shares the foundational mindset shifts that help turn things around. This episode isn’t about pointing fingers—it’s ab...

Your mindset is either your greatest limit—or your greatest leverage. In this episode of Elevated Leadership , Jena shares five of the most powerful mindset shifts that not only shape stronger, more grounded leadership, but also transform how you live. These are not fluffy affirmations or one-size-fits-all mantras, they’re real, hard-earned shifts that bring clarity, courage, and relief. You’ll he...

In this episode, Jena dives into two common leadership traps that trip up even the best leaders — The Emotion Loop and The Me Myth. These inner challenges can turn tough situations into overwhelming dramas, keeping you stuck in frustration, self-doubt, or ego-driven reactions. She will share what these traps look like, why they happen, and simple, practical steps to break free and lead with clarit...

Do you ever feel like a camp counselor or referee, constantly caught in the middle of gossip and petty drama at work? You’re not alone. In this episode, Jena dives into why drama thrives in small teams and how leaders often get pulled in—even when they don’t want to be. She shares her own early leadership struggles with gossip and the costly hidden payoffs that keep us stuck. Most importantly, she...

(#15) In this episode, Jena explores the hidden struggles behind why leaders resist delegation—even when they know it’s necessary. Drawing from her own leadership journey and insights from a recent workshop, Jena dives deep into the identity challenges, fears, and mindset shifts that keep leaders stuck doing tasks they’ve outgrown. She unpacks common barriers like perfectionism, fear of failure, a...

(#14) Welcome back to Elevated Leadership! In this episode, Jena explores the subtle but damaging effects of passive-aggressive leadership. She breaks down how indirect communication creates confusion, erodes trust, and saps team energy. Jena explains why passive-aggressiveness often stems from fear, insecurity, or habit, and offers practical steps to recognize and shift this behavior—whether it s...

We are thrilled to bring Enneagram Expert, Lisa Hancock, to Elevated Leadership. Her knowledge in all things Enneagram, coupled with conflict mediation, make her an expert in managing the inevitable tough times that come in leadership. In this episode she shares the 3 Social Stances that every one of us fit into: Assertive, Withdrawn and Responsive. Understanding your social stance allows you to c...

In the final episode of Season 1, we bring all of the tools together for one massive topic and life reframe. How can we accept and even embrace the hard challenges that we face in life? It does feel impossible at times, but we will break down what these waves of struggle and uncertainty really boil down to.  Uncertainty, difficulty and challenge are a guarantee in life, so why do we spend so much...