We lost 6 close family members in 9 years. Through the grief, our family grew closer, and that truth eventually stopped paralyzing me and started propelling me forward.
Jane Bodnar- Gober · In Her Own Words
In Conversation
Jane Gober for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Jane Bodnar- Gober: Speaker: Jane Gober , Owner - Your Best Life HypnosisWhat does being an Influential Woman mean to you?Jane Gober : For me, being an inspirational woman is something that I take a tremendous amount of pride in. I spent the vast majority of my career in high tech, in really big global corporations, and a few years ago, I decided to completely pivot and become a hypnotist and neurolinguistics practitioner to help working moms. Because I want to be the person to help other generations go through what I went through and give them support and give them guidance. So, I have already been told that I'm inspirational in the guidance that I give my clients, and it brings me joy every day. So, what I would say to younger career women is, you are much braver and stronger than you think you are. Don't. Hesitate to ask for help, whether it's from someone like myself or a mentor or someone else who's been on that journey. It can have a tremendous impact on everything that you do, both personally and professionally. So I think we're all hesitant to ask for help. It feels like we're weak if we ask for help, but I actually think we're strong when we ask for help. We're strong when we admit that we've got challenges that we want to overcome. And I welcome everyone to take that advice and ask for help, however that fits for you. Thanks.What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?Jane Gober : My biggest piece of advice, and it's the advice I give all the time, is don't hesitate to reach out and get support. And support can come in many, many forms. It can come in the form of having a mentor or joining some sort of a mastermind, or having a group that you're part of that you're aligned with. I'm part of a moms Panora group and they are incredibly supportive and have really been a tremendous, tremendous help in my life. I'm a neurolinguistics practitioner and hypnotist that's focused on helping working moms, and one of the reasons that I did that is because after years of a corporate life, I decided to pivot and give back and be able to be that person that I wish I had when I was going through that journey. Um, and provide support and guidance and coaching and counseling to help them be their best selves, whatever they're doing, whether it be at work, at home, with friends. So please, you know, whatever flavor works for you, don't hesitate to look for help and guidance. It's a very powerful thing you can do. It's a gift you can give yourself.
Her Story
About Jane
I started my hypnosis practice about three years ago after spending 30+ years in corporate roles, including two decades at Cisco Systems and positions at VMware and other tech companies. I originally wanted to become a psychologist and had two years of psychology degree completed, but life circumstances led me to pivot to business instead. After leaving the corporate world in 2020, I realized I wanted to return to my original passion for helping people. I discovered hypnosis as a way to do that without spending years and money on becoming a psychologist. I got my first certification from the National Guild of Hypnotists at a local Center for Wellness, then earned a second certification through the Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy in Toronto, and I've also trained in neuro-linguistic programming. I'm constantly taking more training and recently spent a week in Toronto for intensive hypnosis training. My niche is working with working moms because I was one myself and understand the challenges of balancing career and family. I help clients overcome anxiety, phobias, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and even allergies using hypnosis and NLP techniques. I'm also adding group hypnosis sessions to my practice to help more people at a lower cost. What I love most about this work is that it's a tangible way to really help people, often resolving issues in just a couple of sessions.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jane
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being willing to pivot when things weren't working and taking advice even when I didn't want to hear it. Early in my career, when I was struggling to find a job after relocating, my former CEO told me to temp even though I thought I was too senior for that. I didn't like the advice, but I trusted him and did it anyway, and that's how I ended up at Cisco Systems for 20 years. That experience taught me that sometimes you have to be open to unconventional paths and trust that things will work out. Later in life, when I left the corporate world, I worked with a coach who asked me what I'd always wanted to do, and I was willing to explore hypnosis even though it seemed like an unusual choice. I think my success comes from being willing to take risks, follow my passion, and not being afraid to do something different from what everyone expects.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my former CEO at the needlecraft company when I was struggling to find a job after relocating to Philadelphia. He told me I should temp, and I thought he was crazy because I had been a director with staff and departments reporting to me. But he walked me through it logically, asking if I was making any money, meeting anybody, getting out of the apartment, or keeping my skills sharp. When I admitted I wasn't doing any of those things, he said, 'So, you have a better offer? Good, temp. Trust me, it won't kill you.' I didn't want to hear it, but I took his advice, and that decision led me to Cisco Systems where I ended up working for 20 years. That advice taught me that sometimes you have to set your ego aside and do what's practical, even if it doesn't match your self-image, because you never know where it might lead.
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