56. Rediscovering Passion & Purpose

How do you reclaim your identity after years of putting others first?

Motivational speaker, certified coach, and restaurateur Jennifer Mentesana joins Ian Bowen to share her powerful journey from chasing financial stability to rediscovering her passion and purpose.

 

In this deeply relatable episode, Jennifer opens up about:

1. Pivoting from her dream of broadcast journalism to media sales to pay off student debt.

2. The wake-up call that made her leave a lucrative but unfulfilling career.

3. Supporting her husband’s restaurant dream—and the devastating closure during COVID.

4. The “breadcrumb” moments that led her back to coaching and podcasting.

5. How hitting rock bottom at 50 became her catalyst for reinvention.

 

Key Takeaways:

1. Adversity reveals opportunity. Losing their restaurant led Jennifer to innovate with take-and-bake pizza kits—a lifeline during lockdowns.

2. Your past passions hold clues. Jennifer reconnected with her love for performance and public speaking to build her coaching business.

3. Self-care isn’t selfish. Prioritizing “me time” (even 30 minutes daily) is critical for intuition and joy.

4. Midlife reinvention is possible. Jennifer’s story proves it’s never too late to pursue your purpose.

5. Motherhood and ambition can coexist. Modeling self-fulfillment teaches kids resilience and independence.

 

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Jennifer’s multifaceted career (coach, speaker, restaurateur)

05:30 – From journalism dreams to media sales: Pivoting for survival

12:45 – The strength-finder quiz that exposed her misaligned career path

20:15 – Leaping into the restaurant business with a 1-year-old

28:40 – COVID’s gut punch: Closing their second location and losing $500K

35:50 – The pivot: Creating pizza kits to serve struggling families

42:10 – Hitting a wall at 50: “Who am I outside of mom and wife?”

50:00 – Rediscovering coaching and launching her podcast

58:30 – Practical tips for busy women to reconnect with themselves

1:05:00 – Why adversity is the making of you (and how to reframe failure)

 

Connect with Jen Mentesana:

Website: https://jenmentesana.com/

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@jenmentesana7449/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-mentesana-b62121161/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen_mentesana/

 

Connect with Ian Bowen:

Website: https://thepositivepersistence.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen?lang=en

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk