"What's more important—helping someone write a cold email or paying attention to a kid who's excited to come home and tell you the score on their test?"

In this episode, I speak with Jen Allen-Knuth, founder of DemandJen, sales educator, LinkedIn powerhouse, and rescue dog evangelist. We talk about what it means to truly show up—not just in work, but in family, in grief, and in life. Jen opens up about becoming a stepmom to four kids, how that role helped her finally disconnect from hustle culture, and what losing her dad taught her about hard work, legacy, and humor.

We also cover her unexpected rise as a dog rescue advocate, the real reason she left corporate roles, and how a conversation with Amy Volas finally pushed her to bet on herself. This one’s for anyone figuring out how to find meaning outside of metrics—or just trying to stop writing cold emails long enough to live a little.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:49) Internet friendships and social anxiety

(04:24) Balancing work and personal life

(05:28) Step-parenting and personal growth

(18:34) From Dalmatian to Pit bulls

(20:20) The ferret named Ernesto DePantolano

(21:05) Discovering the world of rescue dogs

(22:33) Using social media for a cause

(24:05) Balancing work and passion

(24:39) Volunteering and making a difference

(27:36) Advice to younger self

Connect with my guest:

Jen Allen-Knuth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demandjen1/

Explore DemandJen: https://demandjen.com

Connect with me:

Kyle Lacy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylelacy/

Explore Docebo: https://www.docebo.com/

Produced by our partner, Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=pod&utm_campaign=rev-diaries