Purpose + Profit Podcast

Navigating the Sunshine Slowdown in Business Jess Sato uses the metaphor of driving into blinding sunlight to describe how accomplished women can feel stuck when the path forward in their business becomes unclear.  Lack of clarity often leads them to wait in ways that look like productivity but is actually inaction. She argues that waiting for clarity, the right time, or readiness is still a choic...

Stop Using Someone Else’s Recipe and Evolve Your Business Framework Jess Sato shares how a cupcake hobby became her business, When Cookie Met Cupcake, and how moving from borrowed recipes to her own signature vanilla bean buttercream (and later cake and cookie recipes) helped it grow.  She parallels this with how founders often start by adopting proven frameworks from well-known entrepreneurs, but...

Escaping the “Fine” Trap Before Your Business Breaks Using tornado preparedness from growing up in Oklahoma, Jess Sato argues that the worst time to make clear decisions is during chaos, and that business owners (especially accomplished female founders) often wait until things are visibly broken to seek help.  She names this pattern the “fine trap,” where clients, revenue, and work seem fine but s...

Jess Sato revisits the “watershed idea” and pushes back on the common entrepreneurial narrative that feeling stuck means you need an identity shift before results can follow.  Drawing on more than two decades of work with accomplished women, she argues that many aren’t lacking ambition or capability; they’re wrestling with an unresolved, conviction-driven idea that keeps resurfacing and is hard to...

Jess Sato returns to the Purpose and Profit Podcast to explore why certain ideas won’t leave us alone, calling this experience “unfinished purpose,” a costly, gnawing incompleteness that success and busyness can’t quiet.  Using the Continental Divide as a metaphor, she describes a Watershed Idea™ as a conviction-driven insight that channels years of lived and professional experience so nothing is...

From Period Poverty to Economic Power: Why Menstrual Equity Matters Jess Sato introduces period poverty through the experience of a student lacking menstrual supplies and explains that it is not only a hygiene concern but also an education, public health, gender equity, and economic issue.  She notes that an estimated 500 million women and girls globally lack adequate menstrual products, sanitatio...

The Power of Clarity in Uncertain Times In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato explores the vital role of clarity amidst global volatility and uncertainty.  Drawing from personal experiences in various authoritarian regimes, Jess emphasizes the importance of understanding and standing by one's core values, particularly in leadership and business.  The discussion highligh...

Starting the New Year with Intention and Precision Jess Sato discusses the pressures and urgency often felt at the start of a new year. She emphasizes the importance of easing into the year with intention and avoiding the instinct to make rapid changes.  Jess shares her experience of becoming the President of the Board for HeartProfit and talks about the significance of discerning what still matte...

Strategic Readiness for Founders: The Essential Framework This episode focuses on the critical aspects of strategic planning for business founders.  The episode highlights the importance of strategic readiness, featuring Jess Sato's experience with the U.S. military and Boeing.  Key points include assessing the state of the business, aligning personal life with business goals, evaluating busi...

Conviction-Driven Leadership: Lessons from 'Wicked' This episode concludes a four-part series on the Friction of Success with a focus on conviction driven leadership, inspired by the musical 'Wicked'.  Jess Sato explores the transformative power of conviction, sharing personal experiences from her time at Boeing and examples from her clients.  She emphasizes that true leadershi...

Re-architecting Your Business for True Alignment and Growth In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato shares practical advice on identifying and addressing the 4 types of friction she often sees in business. Drawing from personal experiences and client stories, Jess introduces a three-phase framework for rebuilding a business to align with evolving convictions, values, and visio...

Decoding Business Friction: Aligning Growth with Evolving Vision In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato delves deeper into the concept of the friction of success in business. Drawing from personal anecdotes and professional observations, Jess explores how misalignment in conviction, clarity, demand, and impact can signal the need for strategic evolution.  She emphasizes viewi...

Navigating the "Friction of Success" in Your Business In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato recounts the lessons learned from her childhood experiences in her grandfather's autobody shop and her mother's transmission rebuild, drawing parallels between these stories and the need for business owners to recalibrate successful businesses when they start feeli...

Navigating Economic Downturns: Adapting Your Sales and Marketing Strategy In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato continues the discussion on managing business growth during economic slowdowns. She addresses the common question of whether to lower prices and explains why maintaining your value and adapting your message is more effective. Jess outlines four psychological buyer...

Navigating Business Stagnation: Strategies for Renewed Growth In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato addresses a common issue faced by business owners: stagnation and slowed growth.  Offering personal insights and referencing industry data, she explores why businesses experience cycles of rapid growth and slowdowns. Jess highlights the importance of clarity in messaging, the...

In this unique host takeover episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato hands over the mic to Shaw Teasley.  Jess shares insights from her recent trip to Egypt, exploring the powerful connections she felt and the enriching interactions with female entrepreneurs across various sectors.  The conversation delves into themes of legacy, alignment, and the global sisterhood, shedding light on...

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Egypt: Stories of Impact and Legacy Jess Sato continues her journey from Egypt, shifting her focus from the ancient legacies of women leaders to the modern women building Egypt's future. Highlighting inspiring stories of women like Asmaa, Laila, Iman, Soha, and Nirvana, Jess underscores how these women are transforming their communities through bold ideas and...

The Power of Big Ideas and Ancient Legacy from Cairo, Egypt In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato broadcasts live from Cairo, Egypt, revisiting a country that shaped her early years and global perspective.  Jess shares her transformative experiences as a female business owner and teacher at the American University in Cairo, conducting workshops for female entrepreneurs and l...

BONUS Episode of The Purpose and Profit Podcast with Lisa Katona Smith In this special episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Lisa Katona Smith, TEDx speaker, educator, and author of Parallel Recovery shares her journey from teaching to pioneering an approach that supports families facing mental health and substance use challenges.  Jess and Lisa discuss the importance of person-focused langua...

Navigating the Precipice: Unleashing Your Big Idea In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato concludes a three-part series on women navigating the messy middle in business.  Highlights include insights into the frustration and disconnect business owners often feel, with emphasis on the pivotal moment before transformative change, aka the precipice.  Jess shares the compelling jo...

In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato continues the series on real-life women who have overcome misalignments in their businesses to achieve rapid growth.  Highlighting the importance of clarity and effective messaging, Jess shares the story of Jennifer Nelson, a successful realtor who struggled to communicate her value concisely.  Through targeted messaging strategies, Jenn...

In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato discusses what happens when you realize you're building the wrong business.  This is the first episode in a three-part series, featuring high-achieving, purpose-driven women who sought Jess’s guidance to realign their ventures. Jess shares the story of Jen Morris, who transitioned from a successful health and wellness business to fo...

In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato explores the concept of the "upper limit problem," a term coined by Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap.  Jess explains how this subconscious ceiling can affect your messaging and overall success. She shares her personal experience with overcoming her big idea threshold and emphasizes the importance of speaking unvarnished t...

In this episode of the Purpose and Profit Podcast, Jess Sato delves into the concept of the "big idea", addressing common fears and misconceptions surrounding it.  She shares her personal journey of wrestling with her own big idea and offers insights into the hurdles of clarity and permission. Jess encourages entrepreneurs to recognize the truths they've been holding back and provid...

BONUS #3: Creating Clarity in Chaotic Times In the final episode of a special three-part series, business growth and visibility strategist Jess Sato emphasizes the importance of clarity in navigating business uncertainties.  Jess delves into why internal clarity is crucial in volatile environments, offering actionable questions to help business owners gain focus and alignment. She shares personal...