Fearless Authenticity with Jeanne Sparrow

“We’re only as good as the friends that we keep.” Words to live by from Conagra SVP and CCO Jon Harris. His friends are his prized possessions so he nurtures those relationships and takes care of his people. But it’s not only his friends who benefit from his generosity and grace – he’s learned over the years that you have to be kind to everyone because you never know what battles they’re fighting...

She says it was a labor of love from the start. Tennis trailblazer Katrina Adams has turned her passion for the game into a phenomenal career well beyond the court, being a leader, a decisionmaker, a voice for the growth and development of tennis. She talks with Jeanne about her love of competition; why staying in the sport of tennis as an executive was the only natural path for her; how she works...

I’m gonna be Finesse; that’s my power. Finesse Mitchell has made his career his own from the start – as an actor, comedian, author, host, podcaster, and now president of the Laugh Factory. He’s passionate about it all, and says he’s just scratched the surface of everything he wants to do. He shares with Jeanne the best two words of advice he’s ever received; why taking charge of The Laugh Factory...

Bonnie DeShong is a radio pioneer in Chicago. Her signature “Hey Baby” is part of her strong legacy as a co-host with some of the biggest names in Urban Radio, sharing her gifts, and speaking her mind. She reveals to Jeanne where her trademark greeting came from, the best advice she ever received from Chicago media legend Merry Dee, her philosophy for keeping it real, what it was like being a woma...

“Dreams don’t come true, they are true.” J. Ivy is living proof of his mantra. He is living his dream as a writer; a 2022 Grammy-nominated writer and performer for his spoken word album “Catching Dreams: Live at Fort Knox Chicago.” His creative calling started in high school and hasn’t stopped. He shares with Jeanne why he believes following your instincts is a key to success; how fearless authent...

Literally being thrown in the deep end of the pool at age 4 gave Amy Guth her outlook on life: I’m at my best when I just jump in and try it. And try it she has, leading her to the be queen of truth bombs. She shares with Jeanne what her superpower is, why she believes in the power of “starting;” why she thinks challenging narratives is so important, especially surrounding women; her secrets to su...

She’s always been a fierce defender of parents and children. Now, Heidi Stevens is helping build a better support system for parents as the Creative Director of Parent Nation at the University of Chicago. As a columnist at the Chicago Tribune, she told  important stories about all the people doing good in and around the city. She isn’t afraid to share her own stories of struggle or call out the wr...

Her first elected office was serving on the local school council for Kenwood Academy on Chicago’s South Side. After representing the 5th District in the Illinois House of Representatives for two years, Juliana Stratton became the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 2019. During her career, whether starting a mediation firm, working for several governmental agencies, or serving the state, her g...

She got her first big break imitating Bart Simpson on the radio! And now, she’s one of only a few women who lead a morning radio show, waking up listeners on WLIT-Chicago. Melissa Forman has been a beloved Chicago TV and radio fixture since 1999, providing laughs, love, and lots of smiles. She shares with her former TV co-host Jeanne her secrets to success; why she doesn’t take things personally;...

She started out wanting to be a doctor but then fell in love with computer science. Brenda Darden Wilkerson turned that passion into purpose; from building computer programs at Chicago Public Schools to leading a global organization that works to bring intersectional gender and pay parity to the tech industry. She shares with Jeanne why she quit pre-med and jumped wholeheartedly into computer scie...

Radio was a family affair for Marv Dyson. With both his parents and siblings already on-the-air, it wasn’t hard for him to make the leap. But he kept to the business-side, starting in sales and ending up as general manager, hiring some of the biggest names in Urban Radio. He shares with Jeanne how he made that climb; the best advice his dad gave him about making decisions; how he created the histo...

Known as the WordSmyth, there really isn’t a mode of creative communication Malik Yusef hasn’t conquered or contributed to. The avant-garde spoken word poet is a thoughtful deep thinker, always looking to connect on a human level with his audience. He shares with Jeanne about his thirst for life; that to become a visionary, you must always embrace the vision; the important difference between liber...

She calls herself an overnight success twenty-some years in the making. Tracy Clark knew she wanted to be a writer from a young age and pursued it relentlessly, even though she got rejection letter after rejection letter for her mystery novels. She shares with Jeanne what kept her going; why she credits her devotion to learning as a key to her success; how and why she pays it forward for up-and-co...

From his humble beginnings as a radio DJ in Bermuda, Elroy Smith built an Urban Radio empire in Chicago that lead the country for years. His success stemmed from his basic philosophy: If there’s no connection, how can they relate to you? He shares with Jeanne how he became a programming visionary and beloved boss in a demanding industry; why being authentic is the only way to find your audience; a...

From an early age, George Wallace knew he wanted to be a comedian but he took a bit of a circuitous route to get there. He never stopped laughing along the way though, never worried about making a lot of money or even being at the top of his profession. He shares with Jeanne his secrets to a happy, successful life, what he learned from his comedy friends like Redd Foxx and Jerry Seinfeld, and the...