In 1997 I finished my Communications degree at the University of Delaware while raising a 17-month-old and eight months pregnant with my second kid. I was 23 and running on spite and stubbornness, which, it turns out, is a perfectly viable fuel source.
After that I sold digital advertising before most people knew what digital advertising was — literally cold-calling print advertisers and trying to explain the internet to them, which went about as well as you'd expect. I learned how to package digital and print advertising - which paved the way for what came next.
(Not the LinkedIn version. The actual one.)
This is me - the real version.
I thought - well, if I only have 25 years left, I better spend it on what I like to do. And what I learned in sales is...I'd rather be designing the materials than out there hustling. So I took a little money she left me and got a Master's Certificate in Graphic Design, and started my own design firm. I got clients by saying "yes!" to everything, and then I learned how to do EVERYTHING. I went from print to web to social media, and started speaking and teaching that as well. A friend invited me on her podcast, which she ran like a talk show.
I wanted my own talk show.
My mom died. She was 54. I was 30.
I'm telling you that because it's true and because it's part of the story. You can't talk about what it takes to keep building something without talking about what it costs. And because — if you've hired me to speak or you're thinking about it — it's in several of my talks and I'd rather you know upfront than be surprised.
My daughter died of a heroin overdose.
2016
one of the first ad agencies exclusively for independent podcasters — and ran campaigns for HelloFresh, Thrive Market, Xero, Cornell, and Talkspace before selling it in 2017.
Started j/k media agency
2015
A Facebook community for women podcasters, with my friend Elsie Escobar. We had no idea it would become what it became. It became the largest community for women and non-binary podcasters in the world: 21,000 members, a live conference, sponsorships from NPR, SiriusXM, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Sennheiser, and Shure, and in 2025, a Hall of Fame induction.
Co-Founded She Podcasts
2014
I wanted to be interviewed on more podcasts - but very few were interviewing women. Even those hosted by women! They were all interviewing the same people over and over.So I started my own. Lady Business Radio was the first women's entrepreneurial show - EVER - to interview only women.
Started my podcast - Lady Business Radio
2013
How I got here
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
The very first podcasting conference in the USA just for women. There were NO men speakers and 50% of the lineup was either a woman of color, LBGBTIQA+, or both.
Launched She Podcasts LIVE!
2019
After taking time off to have the gastric sleeve surgery and lose 90lbs of weight/stress/heartache, I was honored to be inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame, an award chosen and voted on by my peers.
Inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame
this is when it all changed
2025
raised for first women's podcasting event
200K
hours of podcasting on the internet (help us)
500+
currsnt she podcast members
21,000
Some other things that are true: I have ADHD and high-functioning autism (so do my three kids). I've been married for 21 years to a genuinely kind and supportive man. I write a Substack. I have strong opinions about microphones, the healthcare system, and school dress codes, and unpopular opinions about greeting cards, Chick-fil-A and birthday party games.
I speak. I write. I host. I make people laugh. I tell the truth.
That's the whole thing.
Little tidbits:
Copy freely. You're welcome.
Jessica Kupferman has been in podcasting since before most people knew what podcasting was. She co-founded She Podcasts, built it into a community of 21,000, got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025, and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and the Washington Post. She speaks. She writes. She makes people laugh. She tells the truth.
Short Bio for Programs & Introductions
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