Meet Jen Madden | Life Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jen Madden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
About a year ago, I had a glimpse of how my future was going to unfold. I had achieved a lot of success – well, the way most people define success – and I realized if I kept doing what I was doing, my life was going to be just fine.

It was at that moment that I realized I didn’t want a fine life. I wanted an amazing life – a life that I created based on what I wanted not what other people wanted for me. So I put my plan in motion. I quit my job, moved to the town that I wanted to live in, and started my own business as a Life Coach.

I realized that no matter what happened with my business, I had my own back and I would do whatever it takes to be successful. I was worth the risk…and I haven’t looked back!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
They say your biggest struggle becomes your greatest gift.

My first diet was at the age of 10. My mother, with the best of intentions, put me on a diet thinking that would prevent me from having a lifelong struggle with my weight. Unfortunately, she set me up for a lifelong dieting obsession. I dieted unsuccessfully for over 35 years. And then one day, I finally had enough. I was exhausted and I was hungry. I was done trying to fix myself. I figured this was the body I was destined to have so it’s about time I start to learn to love it.

I found life coaching at the same time I stopped dieting. I applied the tools I learned during my life coach certification program to break up with diet culture and learn to love and accept myself exactly as I am.

As a Life Coach, this is the work I do with women. I teach them how to stop dieting and start living the life that they want. Women use so much mental energy when they are dieting. They are obsessed with every morsel of food they eat, how much they exercised, how many calories are in this vs that, and the list goes on and on.

When women let go of dieting, they free up that mental energy. They can now shift that energy to focus on creating the life they thought being thin would give them.

It wasn’t easy for me to choose this niche. I had to overcome a lot of shame and judgment I had about myself. I also had to learn to let go of what other people thought about me and the work I am doing. We are socialized to believe fat is bad and thin is better. Unfortunately, this message is not only wrong, but it is also dangerous.

The more I work with clients the more I know this is important work. I also know the more I am vulnerable and share my struggles, it gives other women permission to do the same.

It is such rewarding work to help women create a life they never thought was possible for them!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Milwaukee is such a fun city to explore. It is an unexpected delight for out-of-town visitors.

Here are a few of my favorite things:
~ A walk along the lakefront. Lake Michigan is breathtaking with its many shades of blues dotted with sailboats.
~ Milwaukee Art Museum – Not only are the exhibits amazing, but the building itself is also a work of art.
~ A walk around the 3rd Ward to grab lunch and a drink (or two) at the Milwaukee Public Market.
~ Attending SummerFest also tops the list – it’s known as “The World’s Largest Music Festival”
~ Of course, if you’re a baseball fan, you’ve got to catch a game at Miller Park.
~ Beer is a must. My favorite place to grab a beer and pretzel is at Von Trier. It’s Milwaukee’s best German Bar.
~ A stroll through Lake Park is a delight. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed NY’s Central Park
~ If you are into motorcycles – actually even if you’re not – check out the Harley Davidson Museum
~ A walk down Brady Street and lunch at Gloriosos Italian Market. Their meatballs are to die for!
~ Drive along Lake Dr and delight in the beautiful homes
~ And did I mention beer? 🙂 There are a ton of breweries to check out and make sure you grab a brat if you’re hungry!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Chris and I met at a work event almost ten years ago. At the time, I thought he was a funny and interesting guy who asked bold questions. Little did I know that our friendship would change the trajectory of my life.

During our very first interaction, he asked me if I was ever going to have a baby. I was 38 and single. The question made me laugh. “Who asks such a question?!?” Some may have been insulted, but I was intrigued.

Throughout our entire friendship, he has always challenged me to question the norm. He always knew I had more to offer the world and encouraged me to take a risk on myself.

I had deeply ingrained beliefs about my role in life. I thought of myself as a career woman. My focus was to build my career to a C-Suite position and live happily ever after.

The problem was that I wasn’t happy. All the decisions I had made thus far were based on others’ expectations of me and not want I really wanted. I started to look at my life beyond the illusion of society’s definition of success and I didn’t like what I saw.

Chris helped me realize that I really did have a say in how I lived my life. It seems like a silly thing to write but I didn’t know it at the time. But I believed him and I started to make changes to slowly create the life I wanted – including owning my own business.

Chris is my biggest cheerleader and BS meter. He celebrates my success and calls out my hypocrisy – sometimes all in the same breath. I am grateful for our friendship. I’m not sure I would be where I am in my life without him.

Website: www.jenmadden.com

Instagram: @jenmaddencoaching

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenmaddencoaching