An Inside Look at JESS3 Bootcamp

It’s officially my first day with JESS3 and I suddenly find myself in a gym on steroids. To my right are kettlebells and my fellow Vice President, Becca Colbaugh. To my left is a menacing rope hanging from the ceiling (thought: Am I supposed to climb that?) and the woman instrumental in my new professional journey with JESS3, President & COO, Leslie Bradshaw. Welcome to JESS3 Bootcamp.

24 hours before, I had flown into a steamy, 105 degree Oklahoma City to start my first week with JESS3 for a senior leadership orientation. I knew I was in for long hours, information overload, and colleague bonding — but what I left the OKC with far surpassed any initial expectations.

During my first morning in the beautiful JESS3 OKC office, I sat in on a number of conference calls — all with major brands that were on my “Must Work With” list — and listened in as these companies talked excitedly about their engagements with JESS3 and the beautiful work that was inevitably going to come out of the partnership. It was love at first sight.

The afternoon brought lunch with Becca and Leslie as we talked future company strategy and growth, then on to serious “head-down” laptop jamming as deliverables, client emails, and proposals were created and lead by one, but collaborated upon by all. The end of the workday came sooner then expected, then it was time. Running shoes laced, water bottle filled, deep breath. Bootcamp time.

There’s nothing like finishing off your first day at your new job sweating profusely next to your new colleagues as Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” blares over the gym stereo system. Along with 20 other brave souls, we completed hundreds of squats, burpees, push-ups, and crunches. “You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it.” 60 minutes of pure bootcamp adrenaline.

I left OKC after four intense days, but there was no reprieve in sight. It was off to Portland for Intel’s amazing Be Social Summit, then across the country for critical meetings in Orlando that had the potential to shape the future of JESS3.

My JESS3 Bootcamp experience was nothing like any previous professional orientation I’ve been through, but again, JESS3 is no ordinary company. I’m now slowly starting to understand the agency lingo (notice my use of “jamming” before, e.g. the act of serious productivity), have a new-found respect for Sonic drive-throughs (there are more Sonics in OKC than Starbucks in Seattle), and realize that if I’m going to make it at JESS3, I better understand the origin of the Nyan cat. But best of all, bootcamp proved that I’m working with a world-class team and the smartest people I’ve been lucky enough to call colleagues. I’m now a firm bootcamp believer.



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