Some people tell a story.
Jessica Danel lives one.
In this episode of The Jeff Robertson Show, Jessica brings raw honesty, sharp humor, and hard-earned perspective from a life that has forced reinvention more than once. She built a million-dollar preschool business from scratch, navigated major family and parenting challenges, and rebuilt again through education, career pivots, and storytelling.
This conversation hits home for anyone who has ever carried a lot while trying to keep showing up.
Meet Jessica Danel
Jessica Danel is a wife and mom of three, author of Bucket List from a Redneck Girl, former childcare entrepreneur, and the host of the podcast Just Saying with Jessica Danel.
She built a childcare brand with serious momentum, then made difficult decisions that reshaped everything. Jessica also shares her lived experience with trauma, family pressure, parenting through special needs, and what it takes to keep moving when life refuses to play fair.
What We Cover in This Episode
A childhood shaped by misunderstanding
Jessica opens up about growing up labeled the wrong way, pushed into situations that never fit her reality, and learning early that resilience sometimes starts before you even have words for it.
A near-death car wreck that changed everything
She recounts a drunk-driving crash that ended with her car exploding, and the kind of split-second survival that rewires your view of life.
A community rocked by a high school shooting
Jessica shares the impact of a school shooting connected to her own high school community, and how those moments leave permanent fingerprints on the people who live through them.
Building a preschool empire from the ground up
Jessica explains how she started small, scaled fast, and eventually launched a large facility with major enrollment, major staffing, and major financial pressure.
She also talks through timing, risk, and what it feels like to build something beautiful, then watch outside forces squeeze it.
The hard pivot
A business sale, legal friction, and the emotional fallout pushed Jessica into a new season. She did not stay down. She rebuilt through formal education and career reinvention.
Parenting, special needs, and the daily grind
Jessica shares what it looks like to parent through medical complexity and developmental challenges while still working, still leading, and still trying to keep the family steady.
Writing, podcasting, and turning story into purpose
Her book and podcast give her a platform to tell the truth, laugh at the absurdity, and help others feel less alone.
Why This Episode Matters
Public life and social media love the highlight reel.
Jessica brings the receipts behind the scenes.
This episode speaks to the parent who feels stretched thin, the entrepreneur who took a hit they did not deserve, and the person who knows they need a new chapter but has not found the courage to write it yet.
Jessica proves something simple.
You can rebuild without permission.
Where to Find Jessica Danel
- Website: Jess Saying
- Podcast: Just Saying with Jessica Danel
- Book: Bucket List from a Redneck Girl (available through her site)
Work With Jeff Robertson
If you want help with leadership, clarity, execution, and building the next version of your life or business, connect here.
