Page 38 - BusinessWest January 6, 2021

Women in Business
A Matter of W
for a new challenge — and some meaning.
Self-worth
Jessi Kirley Brings Dignity and
Collaboration to Her New Venture
hen Jessi Kirley took the reins at the Family Business Center in 2018, she was looking
By Joseph Bednar
“I had a major what-matters-most moment,” she said. “I had just lost my dad
to cancer, my own health was suffering, I’d been working in the medical field for 20 years, and I was facing burnout and overperformance. When my dad died, I ended up quitting my job — what mattered most was reconnecting to my health and wellness.”
The FBC, known for its dinner forums, morning workshops, peer-advisory groups, custom consulting, and other programs cultivated under the long-time leadership of Ira Bryck, proved a gratifying role, but it — like so many companies and organiza- tions across the U.S. — became a financial victim of COVID-19 and closed its doors last spring.
“That was another moment when I asked myself, ‘what really matters?’” Kirley said.
“Here I am again, two years later, during a
Kirley
Continued on page 40
38 JANUARY 6, 2021 WOMEN IN BUSINESS BusinessWest