Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Lee Ward.
Jessie Lee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started in entrepreneurship really young – I always liked to be a hustler, but that’s because I came from nothing. I grew up in a small farming town in Western Maryland and we didn’t have much. I would sell green peppers and tomatoes from our garden on the side of the road since I didn’t know how to make lemonade and always liked the competitive nature of things like selling Girl Scout cookies or wrapping paper for school fundraisers. It’s probably why I am still such a sucker to say “yes!” to those kids who are bold enough to ask.
Nine years ago, I was a college graduate living in my mom’s basement and commuting 2 hours to work a day in a pathology lab. I was barely getting by, a story I know so many people have as their reality, it’s nothing special. One day my mom asked me for another $300 in rent to stay there and I had to embarrassingly tell her “I don’t have it”. She told me to start an at home business, which I knew nothing about except for being sure they were all scams.
I had never been invited to a Super Saturday, or to an at home meeting, or a party or anything of the like and so I had no idea what to look for. I googled “At home businesses that make the most money” and after applying for a credit card and only getting accepted for $500, I went ahead and bought the very first kit I saw.
I was a mess. I think that’s the key to successful entrepreneurship. Be willing to do it messy. Be willing to mess up. Be willing to be made fun of. Be OK with being misunderstood. And be accepting of that maybe being a longer process than you want. I made a little over $50,000 my first year of direct sales in the process of being fired from the pathology lab and I thought to myself “wow if I can do this, anyone can do this”. I wasn’t popular, I wasn’t well-liked, I was kind of loud, I was definitely weird. I did smile a lot, though, and I think that got me places.
I left that company after 4.5 years to transition into Network Marketing and I left at the very top of the company, on their Senior Board of Directors, and as a top earner. I just knew there had to be more in life for me. A pivotal book that shook me and solidified my decision one chilly day in Chicago was “Secrets of Six Figure Women” by Barbara Stanny. I honestly recommend that to any man or woman who feels like they’re holding themselves back and they aren’t sure why. One line in that book changed the entire trajectory of my life.
Sparing you the gory details, in 2015 at 26 years old I joined my first Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) company. I rocketed to the top of the compensation plan in a company that was essentially dead. This was the justification I needed to dispel any rumors ever of this being a pyramid scheme. I came in after the company had been around for 30 years and became the #1 earner in less than 15 months. I was 26 years old when I made my first million dollars, and could hardly believe this business model.
In 2017 I decided to align myself with Pruvit, the ketogenic company, and use the company, and my company The Empire within the company as a platform to explode. Yes, the technology and products are unbelievable, but really the team culture is what excites me more than anything. Again, in my first ten months I became a million-dollar earner, but what really makes me gleeful is the global expansion as we have the fastest growing team not only here in Texas and America, but also in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia and Asia.
I truly believe the coaching, training, mentorship, events, incentives and love our team provides has created a safe-space for men and women (a lot of women, ha!!) to truly thrive without cold messaging or other trashy sales tactics that have been so frowned upon by the masses over the years.
From my MLM income, I also am a diversified investor, active in the local community, and am very passionate about rescuing animals and advocating for women. I live in Frisco, Texas with my two gorgeous rescued pups, and my partner Oleksandr.
I look forward to the future here in the DFW, as so much of our lives expand as we know it in the best place in America to live! By far, if you ask me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think for women in particular, it’s going to be tough and you better exercise a lot of grit, not quit. I have gone through so many wild things – I have been called every name, I have had people say I must have slept my way to the top, that I must have bought a position and everything in between! Even when I moved here to Dallas, I parked my car at the Cowboys Club and some man came out and spoke to Valet’s about how my custom Porsche must have been bought by my husband. Newsflash, I don’t have one. That was bought by my hard work and skills, too!
I went through a setup and termination, I went through social media blasting and hatred, I went through so much but if I can be totally transparent with anyone reading this, first of all the obstacle is always the way. Create a solution. Secondly, anything that happens in your life is happening for you, not to you. Grow from all of the bad things in your life. Your life is a direct reflection of what you will settle for, not what you want. So decide what you want, decide the vision of your life, and do not settle.
If you are just starting out, please surround yourself with people who build you up, and don’t tear down your dreams. I know this can be hard especially if the naysayers are your friends and direct family, but I promise you it is so important. Get yourself to events, personally develop yourself and create the life of your dreams. If a girl from small-town Maryland can make this all happen, I swear you can too.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am known for developing people from absolutely nearly nothing into so much more. I know that might be a bold statement, but I have seen so many bent (I don’t believe anyone is broken) women blossom and grow into strong, empowered, successful women. You don’t need personality. You need to be coachable, leadable and teachable and strong systems. I am known for my systems in this profession.
What sets me apart from others is honestly just how I love. I am known for culture. I am known for being all heart even with the success. I am known for loving people where they are even if that means they are never a top performer. I don’t care about your money. I care about your family and I am playing for legacy.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I think women are perfect for absolutely anything they want to be. Be willing to show up. Be willing to get uncomfortable. Be willing to feel small in a room until you feel big. It’s all perspective. The world is changing. I don’t think it’s too far off that men and women aren’t even just equals, but women surpass men. Quite frankly, women are better at a lot of things men are shown as being better at. Relationships? By far – which means you are better naturally at sales! Just as one example.
Contact Info:
- Address: Jessie Lee Ward
5200 S Colony Blvd, #561173
The Colony, TX 75056 - Website: www.heyjessielee.com
- Phone: 3017171537
- Email: askjessielee@gmail.com
- Instagram: imbosslee
- Facebook: imbossleeimbosslee
- Twitter: imthebosslee
- Other: www.jessieleepodcast.com www.jessieleeward.com
Image Credit:
Bryson Gamble; Lesley Howell
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