Meet Jo Dodd | Author, Speaker & Book Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jo Dodd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jo, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
I think the most important thing I’ve done as a parent is to be transparent with my sons. Since starting my own venture as an author and entrepreneur in 2020, I purposefully made them a part of the journey. My youngest sons were given ‘roles’ within my business – Joseph is the Director of Bear Hugs and Belly Laughs, Ethan is the Director of Dreams. They have been there for the rollercoaster ride of becoming an entrepreneur. They seen me fail, and they’ve watched me learn and grow from my mistakes. They’ve seen me step outside my comfort zone over and over again and they’ve watched me celebrate my wins along the way. I hope that in bringing them along on this journey, I’ve given them some life lessons that they will carry with them forever.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I created Jotopia Productions, LLC in 2020 during the pandemic after being furloughed from a leadership role in Corporate America. I had always dreamed of publishing my own books and decided to make the most of my forced ‘time off’ and create something from it. During that time, I obtained a coaching certification and educated myself on the book publishing process. I have since published five books in three years, I’ve achieved the Amazon Best Seller flag in several categories and was featured with my youngest son, Joseph on Good Morning America online for our children’s picture book called “We All Like Different Things and That’s A-OK With Me!” Joseph has some health and learning challenges and I’ve found that writing books is a great outlet for him to grow his confidence. We recently published his first chapter book in a series, The Secret Adventures of Boomer & Rang, the Incredible Time-Traveling Twins, which ranked as an Amazon best seller in the Children’s Time-Travel Category! Joseph used to be afraid to raise his hand in the classroom. Now, he’s a best selling author and is excited about potential interviews for his book series. He has big, bold goals and I’m here to help him reach them! We’ll be writing the 2nd book in his series over the holidays this year!

In 2022, I published a one-of-a-kind picture book for Moms called “Dear Mama Bear with the F*cked Up Hair.” This is not a silly book with a shocking title, it’s a poignant, dark, sometimes humorous story that addresses the many ups and downs and challenges of motherhood. It’s a heartfelt poem for mothers who need to feel seen, heard and less alone. This book is based on my own story of silently battling and ultimately overcoming depression.

In the past few years, my family and I have faced some major challenges, and in hindsight, starting a business at the same time may not have been the best move, but in many ways, I needed the creative outlet to support my mental health.

Last year, I made a tough decision to go back to the corporate world as my business was not yet bringing enough revenue to support my family. While ‘going ‘back’ to work may have seemed like I was admitting defeat, I saw it as a slight detour in the journey. I purposefully chose a role that was not as demanding as my former position which allowed me the time and mental capacity to work on Jotopia in the evenings and weekends.

As a working midlife mom to four sons, who has overcome depression and fought her way through some hard times, I am passionate about helping other midlife women realize their dreams. I’m currently writing a book for this audience called MenoSHINE. Tearing Up the Script: A Fearlessly Funny & Bold Memoir with Game Changing Tips for Midlife Women Ready to Rewrite the Rules.

I’ve recently launched an initiative to help other women tell their stories. When we share our stories, we’re shining a light for others who may be lost in the tunnel. I’ve created a 7-step PUBLISH process and work with clients to help bring their best selling books into the hands of those that need them!

I have big dreams for my business in 2024. It’s time to shine my light brighter than ever before. Jotopia is a place where I can find the sun even on my darkest days. It’s a creative outlet where I share my passions and at the same time help other women realize theirs.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

It really depends on the time of year and weather of course, but here are some of our favorite places to take friends whenever they come to Atlanta: – The King Center is always a must
– Wandering around Little Five Points, or renting bikes and spending a warm afternoon on The Beltline
– Driving to North Georgia and visiting Gibbs Gardens in the spring and/or fall is always wonderful
– Local to us, downtown Woodstock has a weekend market and some lovely boutiques
– Also local to us is the Marietta Square with boutiques and antique shops and The Marietta Square Market which has a great variety of cuisines
– A walk along the Chattahoochee is always a must
– One of our favorite local restaurants is Fish Thyme in Kennesaw

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A fellow entrepreneur, and one of my best friends, Erin Ramsey. Though we live thousands of miles apart (she’s in California) we speak via Voxer almost every day. The world of entrepreneurship can be lonely and disheartening. Erin is such a light and is always there to inspire and motivate me whenever I need it. Her business is You’re Such a Catch where she helps women nurture their most important relationship, the one with themselves. Erin has a top 1.5% globally ranked podcast and is working on a clothing line including CAPS (hats which stand for Confident Authentic Positive Self-Image, which have an affirmation on the inside rim.) www.youresuchacatch.com

Website: www.livinginjotopia.com

Instagram: @jo_of_jotopia

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livinginjotopia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livinginjotopia

Image Credits
Meghan Doll Photography https://meghandoll.com/ Maura Roberts Photography https://maurarobertsphotography.com/ Sarah Lovell Illustrations https://www.sarahlovellart.co.uk/ Jennifer Novak Landers Illustrations https://fullyexpressedpotential.com/