Getting Back to Business with Nancy McSharry Jensen and Sarah Duenwald

When Nancy McSharry Jensen and Sarah Duenwald were preparing to re-enter the workforce after taking career breaks, they each realized that women face significant challenges when trying to find a new job after a break. To help with this, Nancy and Sarah co-founded The Swing Shift, a company dedicated to lifting barriers that impede women from finding meaningful work. The Swing Shift provides workshops, coaching, accountability, educational resources and other tools to help women with the job search. Most recently, the two women also co-authored a new book, Back to Business: Finding Your Confidence, Embracing Your Skills, and Landing Your Dream Job After a Career Pause. 

Before becoming co-founder and CEO of The Swing Shift, Nancy spent her career helping businesses expand, working with the International Data Corporation to open new businesses and launching products like SharePoint at Microsoft. She also worked as an account director at Sterling Communications. Nancy has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, at Seattle’s F-Bomb Breakfast Club and at the Female Founders Alliance Champion Awards. 

Sarah, who’s now co-founder and head of operations, programming and partner relationships at The Swing Shift, has extensive experience working with growth operations in the technology consulting industry. She managed teams at ADP and for a gaming technology consulting company. Sarah’s work has been honored with awards including multiple Presidents’ Clubs. 

In This Episode: Nancy and Sarah explain why it’s so important for companies to help women transition more effectively when re-entering the workforce, especially in the midst of COVID-19. They also offer practical advice to women who are looking to find a new job after a career break or to pivot into a new industry.

Episode Highlights:

• How The Swing Shift is equipping women to navigate career transitions (02:07)
• The importance of a personal brand (13:37)
• Nancy and Sarah’s story of creating The Swing Shift (25:53)
• How COVID-19 is affecting working moms (30:22)
• Important steps for preparing to reenter the workforce (37:44)

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored in part by Piccolo Marketing, providing outsourced marketing professionals for business owners.  Piccolo Marketing is our go-to resource when it comes to comprehensive marketing strategies and execution. Learn more here.