Podcast Summary: The Goal Digger Podcast

Episode 931: Small Changes, Big Shifts: My Evolution Happening Behind the Scenes
Host: Jenna Kutcher
Guest: Marissa – VP of Operations
Date: November 17, 2025

Overview

In this special episode, Jenna Kutcher hands the interviewer’s mic to her longtime collaborator and right hand, Marissa (VP of Operations), for an intimate, unscripted conversation about the ongoing evolution of Jenna's business—and herself. The episode offers behind-the-scenes insights on the pivots, mindset shifts, team changes, and personal growth that fuel the “life-first” approach Jenna’s known for. It’s equal parts strategy, confession, and raw honesty—peppered with personal stories, leadership lessons, and even a rapid-fire hot seat Q&A.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Power and Process of Pivoting

• Pivoting is “like breathing” for Jenna—an integral part of her entrepreneurial DNA. She never shies away from changes, whether it’s moving from photography to digital entrepreneurship or restructuring her business goals.
  • “I think that I have always been someone who is so multi-passionate that my pivots don’t even feel like pivots. It just feels like an extension of who I am.” (05:30, Jenna)
• The pivot process always begins with a period of letting go—paring back to make space for something new.
  • Jenna shares that before any major shift, she feels a need to release or “peel back to enough” so new evolution can unfold. (06:34)

2. From Chasing Growth to Protecting Peace

• This past year, instead of focusing on “more,” Jenna and Marissa intentionally shifted towards protecting peace and aligning business with their personal values and life stage.
  • “It was one of the first years in business where I wasn’t trying to outdo myself or the company. I was finding a comfortability in not chasing more.” (08:12, Jenna)
• Marissa describes the challenge of detaching from the usual “push for more,” and how that changed her approach to both work and identity.
  • “I actually had to step back and pause my own identity and think through, okay, am I chasing more because I feel like I need to?” (09:54, Marissa)

3. Re-Evaluating the Audience: The Survey & The 'Sarah' Avatar

• Undertaking a deep audience survey reconnected the team with who their Ideal Client Avatar (“Sarah”) really is now, and what she truly needs—primarily, small steps and proof that transformation is possible.
  • “So many of us, myself included, we just need proof that we can change, that we can take action, that our dreams aren’t crazy… I love proving to somebody that they can do it.” (13:07, Jenna)
• The insight: Their actual audience hadn’t dramatically changed, but the team is more connected than ever to who they’re serving and how.
• At the heart of Jenna’s mission now is giving women back their time—creating systems that support the life they dream of rather than overwhelm them.
  • “At the heart of them is getting people back their precious time.” (14:38, Jenna)

4. Doing Less, But Better: Inspired by "10x is Easier Than 2x"

• Jenna shares the book "10x is Easier Than 2x," and the concept that real exponential growth often comes from eliminating the noise and doubling down on only what works.
  • “The 2x is where all of the more and the noise lives... But if you wanted to 10x anything, there would likely be one or two clear things you’d focus on. The rest is excess.” (21:40, Jenna)
• Both hosts discuss their cyclical, “seasonal” approach to business—balancing optimization and rest, and pausing to celebrate unseen wins.
  • “The real work that drives results is the work that's not clapped for and not seen.” (24:49, Jenna)

5. Leadership and Team Evolution: Navigating Change with Empathy

• Jenna reflects on unexpected team changes this year, learning to balance her deep empathy for people with decisiveness as a leader.
  • “Sometimes loving is letting people go. That is the most loving thing you can do—for you, for them, for the company.” (27:10, Jenna)
• Marissa emphasizes the importance of finding a community or person to challenge and support you—especially for solopreneurs.
  • “I think it is so powerful to have a human in your life like that when you are building a business, because we all know how lonely entrepreneurship can feel.” (29:43, Marissa)

6. Interpersonal Dynamics and Human Design

• Jenna and Marissa talk openly about their collaborative rhythm and how tools like Human Design brought self-awareness, respect, and efficiency to their partnership.
  • “We’ve built this really beautiful dichotomy where we know where to challenge one another and we also know when to just go for it.” (33:54, Jenna)
• Human Design differences—Jenna as a Manifesting Generator, Marissa as a Projector—are openly discussed, and how they’ve learned to check in and “honor each other’s energy and timing.”
  • “It allows me from an operational standpoint to pad in time... nothing is ever urgent, but it allows me to just plan in a way that better supports that.” (36:25, Marissa)

7. Staying Grounded Amidst the World’s Noise

• Jenna shares her recent commitment to reducing mindless social scrolling and curating her inputs using the Clear Space app:
  • “It’s greatly reduced my consumption... If you go to click on any sort of app you’ve limited, it asks you ‘are you sure you want to go in?’ How many minutes do you want to devote? It’s brilliant.” (43:10, Jenna)
• She stresses getting deeply involved in community offline, maintaining real relationships, and focusing on tangible change in “your own backyard.”
  • “If we start in our own backyards, won’t we be bettering the communities we’re raising our kids in?” (45:36, Jenna)

8. Legacy, Impact, and Creating From the Soul

• Jenna’s definition of legacy: creating meaningful work that stands on its own, beyond strategy, and would feel right if it were her last.
  • “If this were my last piece of work, do I stand with it? Does it matter?” (47:53, Jenna)
• She strives to ensure her work, brand, and business practices reflect her heart and beliefs—not just her skills or accomplishments.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On pivoting with intention:
  “Before any big pivot usually comes this need and desire to let go of something... pair everything else back to make space for what is to come.” (06:19, Jenna)

• On redefining success:
  “What is the point of more? Like, what is more better, and what is going to serve me and the mission?” (08:34, Jenna)

• On audience clarity:
  “I love beginners... I love proving to somebody that they can do it.” (13:07, Jenna)

• On actionable clarity:
  “The real work that drives results is the work that's not clapped for and not seen, and it's not easily illustrated in an Instagram reel.” (24:49, Jenna)

• On the power of a supportive partnership:
  “You, Marissa, are like my North Star of leadership and being a boss... Sometimes loving is letting people go. That is the most loving thing.” (27:25, Jenna)

• On human design and working style:
  “We check in with each other in a beautiful way... If you want to run with this, you run with this. I'm not going to stand in your way.” (36:07, Marissa)

• On boundaries:
  “I have such fierce boundaries around my kids and time with them. I have not missed a damn thing, and that is so rare.” (55:36, Jenna)

• On legacy and meaning:
  “I want my job and the work I do to be the least interesting piece of me.” (56:34, Jenna)

Important Timestamps

• 02:04 – Marissa introduces the episode’s “tables-turned” interview format
• 05:26 – On personal evolution and the comfort with pivoting
• 08:12 – Focus shift: seeking peace over endless growth
• 11:01 – Insights from the audience survey and redefining the ideal client
• 21:40 – Jenna’s 10x/2x revelation: eliminate the noise, double down on what works
• 26:31 – Honest talk on team changes, leadership, and empathy’s double-edged sword
• 33:54 – How Human Design improved their working relationship
• 43:10 – Clear Space app and protecting your mental bandwidth from social media
• 47:38 – Defining legacy and creating from the soul, not just for strategy
• 51:27 to 56:53 – Hot seat Q&A: rapid-fire, candid questions about business, life, and quirks
• 56:34 – Jenna’s biggest shift in thinking about success

Hot Seat Q&A Highlights

• Launches:
  “Launching live is not overrated. You get to connect with people and get instant feedback.” (51:27, Jenna)
• Instagram withdrawal:
  “Have I thought about quitting Instagram this year? Not once, a million times!” (51:55, Jenna)
• Entrepreneur therapy:
  “Yes, every entrepreneur should go to therapy. It will show you exactly what you need to work on.” (52:09, Jenna)
• Team’s description:
  Marissa: “Majestic. You’re very powerful in your energy and at your heart.” (52:44)
• Guilty work snack:
  “Sour candy. I can’t quit it!” (53:07, Jenna)
• Alternate career path:
  “I love working at the soup kitchen… but birth doula too!” (54:38, Jenna)
• Fiercely protected boundary:
  “Just time with my kids. I haven’t missed a thing.” (55:36, Jenna)
• Best business move almost missed:
  “Writing a book. I thought I never would, but it’s a big piece of my legacy.” (55:50, Jenna)
• Biggest mindset change:
  “My job is the most interesting part of me — I no longer believe it. I want it to be the least interesting.” (56:34, Jenna)

Tone and Takeaways

The episode is warm, candid, often humorous, and deeply personal—teammate banter meets business therapy. Jenna and Marissa blend strategy with real talk, inviting listeners behind the filter to see what sustainable, values-aligned entrepreneurship really looks like.

Listeners are encouraged to:

• Welcome change and pivots, big or small
• Prioritize peace and alignment over perpetual growth
• Invest in community and mentorship/support
• Embrace both soul and strategy in their businesses
• Set boundaries, especially around time and personal energy
• Remember that real legacy comes from what you mean to others, not just what you do

Resources & Recommended Actions

• Clear Space App – For mindful social media usage
• Book: “10x Is Easier Than 2x” by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
• Podcast: “How I Built This” with Guy Raz

For more, visit goaldiggerpodcast.com for show notes, tools, and resources. Don’t forget to share the episode and leave a review if you found it valuable.