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What does it really take to build a bold life—and keep building when life gets messy?

In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Jennifer Torney, Global Vice President at TAPFIN (a ManpowerGroup company), to talk about the moments that shaped her confidence, career, and leadership style.

Jennifer shares how a major family shift during college forced her to grow up fast, how sales taught her to bet on herself, and why her mom’s advice—“People will fire somebody to hire you”—changed the way she walks into every room. We also talk about competitive figure skating, the discipline behind success, modern career advice (including why the trades are booming), and what it’s like raising a daughter in today’s social media world.

If you’ve ever had to pivot, rebuild, or take a step back just to move forward—this one will hit.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Jennifer went from college uncertainty to corporate leadership
• Confidence lessons that change how you show up in interviews
• The discipline and mindset behind high performance
• Mom guilt, work travel, and choosing what matters most
• Parenting and protecting kids in a social-media-first world
• Career advice for young adults: AI, tech skills, and the trades
• A real “bench to bold” story about being sued, laid off, and bouncing back

🎧 Listen now and share this episode with a woman who needs a confidence reset.

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Welcome + meet Jennifer Torney
00:45 – What TAPFIN does (in plain English)
02:00 – The moment Jennifer had to “buck up” in college
03:10 – Why grit + resilience are the real success formula
05:00 – From California to Chicago: taking the leap
05:45 – “People will fire somebody to hire you” (confidence mindset)
07:00 – What Jennifer actually does as a global VP
08:00 – Why she loves solving problems + winning
08:45 – Competitive figure skating + discipline
10:50 – Moving to Charlotte: family, lifestyle, and priorities
14:05 – How she decompresses + staying grounded
16:00 – Parenting an only child + being present in the pre-teen years
17:40 – Social media, personal brand, and the scary part for kids
21:00 – What’s next: career growth, leadership, and mom guilt
24:15 – Advice for young adults: tech/AI + consider the trades
28:45 – Jen’s “bench to bold” moment: sued, laid off, humbled—and rebuilt
31:00 – Closing thoughts + thank you