Jessica, an Army veteran, knows all too well what difficulties come with that line of work. She spent a grueling 14 years in the military – most of them while America was actively fighting wars in two different countries.
It was no surprise that she came home with medical issues. The only reason she left the military was after spinal surgery that didn’t heal enough for her to remain on active duty. She is now a 100% disabled veteran.
But that wasn’t her only obstacle. She suffered through a significant amount of trauma from multiple sources.
“I have experienced childhood trauma, military trauma, and even sexual assault,” Jessica said.
The trauma combined with the medical issues led to a host of challenges like anxiety, depression, insomnia, migraines, numerous surgeries, and post-traumatic stress… just to name a few.
But it wasn’t until she rediscovered art that she fought her way out of it.
“I started just doing art as therapy for my PTSD, anxiety, and depression,” Jessica said. “Art found me again, I really enjoyed it in my youth.”
Jessica’s art is wide-ranging. She has a passion for creating fine art using a variety of paints and techniques to develop many stunning pictures. And she has now taken her art to another level.
“As I began to create, my husband encouraged me to try to sell my pieces. There is only so much room for paintings to be stored,” she said.
Jessica’s New Entrepreneurial Journey
And she did. But unlike most of Trudy’s Great American Women who have a proven history of business success, Jessica’s entrepreneurial journey is just beginning.
“At the beginning of this year I buckled down, decided on one type of art to continue to create, came up with a plan, and took out a business loan,” Jessica said.
But she is confident in her ability and has already laid down the groundwork for success, she just needs to follow the path she set for herself.
And that is the same path she wants to encourage other women who have a similar dream to follow, especially those who’ve dealt with trauma.
“The best advice I can give is to join a networking group of like-minded individuals. They don’t have to be doing the same thing you are but if they have similar goals that is what you need. DO YOUR RESEARCH, there are so many resources available for women who are starting a business. And be prepared to hear ‘no’ a lot, but don’t let that stop you. There is always another way to get to where you want to. Just keep working, adapting, and networking,” she said.
Truly inspiring words.
To check out her work go to her Instagram page @master_of_none_artistry, visit her website www.masterofnoneartistry.com, and follow her Facebook page.
Who is Trudy Jacobson?
Trudy is an entrepreneur and leader. Her path to success and entrepreneurialism started in the trucking industry decades ago. She encountered numerous obstacles in the male-dominated industry- like discrimination. She was even conned out of a lot of money in a fraudulent scheme. Despite all that, Trudy always fought hard and pushed forward. Once she realized she was capable of anything, she went on to start her own company and excelled. Now she empowers other women to do the same and to learn from her experience. Trudy now highlights their stories for the world to see in the Great American Women Series. Trudy wants women everywhere to know they can achieve their goals.
