Episode 181: Jill Salzman & her book, The Big But Book: A Graphic Novel About the Detours That Shape Us
ABOUT JILL
Jill Salzman is a business and personal coach who helps clients make more Money. Through defying expectations and breaking the rules, she succeeds in inspiring entrepreneurs to figure out what works for them by using meaningful action to create positive results. Jill is the author of The Best Business Book In The World* (*According To My Mom), Found It: A Field Guide for Mom Entrepreneurs, and her third book, The Big But Book: A Graphic Novel About the Detours That Shape Us was released on January 21, 2026. She’s shared the speaker stage with Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, Daymond John, Marilu Henner, and Desmond Tutu among others, and professed her Love of Eddie Vedder in her TEDx talk on 11/11/11. CNNMoney calls her a “mogul” and MSN Live says she’s a “Cool Entrepreneur We Love.” Forbes rated her a Top 100 Champion Small Business Influencer and voted her third business, The Founding Moms, one of the Top 10 Websites For Entrepreneurs. When she’s not speaking to audiences in patterned leggings or podcasting from her basement, she fruitlessly tries to convince her daughters that cassette tapes actually existed.
CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS
• Jill’s unconventional career path from music to law to entrepreneurship
• How childhood playfulness influences her business style and writing
• The role of joy and authenticity in effective leadership
• Recognizing Burnout and implementing self-care strategies
• The evolution of Jill’s publishing journey and her creative process
• Using humor and play to introduce joy in work and life
The MAIN QUESTION for you that comes out of my conversation with Jill is, To both avoid burnout and build upon your own unique energy, how do you incorporate joy and playfulness into the work you do and the life you live?
FIND JILL
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jillll
• Website: https://jillsalzman.com
• Substack: https://jillsalzman.substack.com
• Jill’s TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDAFMOHTl44
LinkedIn – Full Podcast Article:
CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Book Leads – Jill Salzman00:53 – Introduction & Bio04:08 – Who are you today? Can you provide more information about your work?09:34 – How did your path into your career look like, and what did it look like up until now?19:46 – How does the work you’re doing today reconcile to who you were as a child?26:35 – What do you consider your superpower?30:48 – What does leadership mean to you?37:34 – Can you introduce us to the book we’re discussing?43:20 – What’s changed in you in the process of writing this book?46:44 – What’s next for your writing?50:40 – What book has inspired you?53:58 – What are you up to these days? (A way for guests to share and market their projects and work.)
This series has become my Masterclass In Humanity. I’d love for you to join me and see what you take away from these conversations.
Learn more about The Book Leads and listen to past episodes:
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