This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz — helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
• YouTube: @AFoundersLife
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
• Instagram: @afounderslife
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70mfiPVuefpTnQHskflEqc?si=d8f658731c9248ba
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-founders-life/id1780849489

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Jeanne Achille
•Website: devonpr.com
•Website: https://www.jeanneachille.com/
•LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanneachille/
•Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devongroup/

What happens when corporate ceilings stop your growth—but frustration becomes your fuel? For Jeanne Achille, it led to founding The Devon Group, a technology PR and marketing firm that’s been helping global brands launch, scale, and evolve for over 30 years.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Jeanne shares her journey from corporate executive to founder, how she built a people-first company culture, and why balance and awareness are key to sustained success. She also opens up about family, mobility, health, and the lifelong process of checking in with yourself.

🔥 What you’ll learn in this conversation:

• How frustration led Jeanne to entrepreneurship
• What it takes to build a company that lasts decades
• Why awareness and reflection matter for leaders
• The importance of mobility, health, and self-care for longevity
• How to balance work, family, and self-awareness
• Why no one succeeds alone — and how to build the right support system

👉 Subscribe now for more founder stories, raw lessons, and inspiration.

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Intro & sponsor (Thankz)

1:16 – Meet Jeanne Achille: founder & CEO of The Devon Group

2:11 – From recruiter to PR founder: frustration that fueled a 30-year business

3:16 – How Devon Group helps clients with launches, rebrands & IPO milestones

4:36 – Defining family: three daughters, extended relatives, and “fur babies”

7:05 – Health & mobility: yoga, farm-to-table nutrition, and lessons from her nurse mother

9:14 – Fun: Broadway, avant-garde theater, and global travel for jazz and art

10:05 – Defining balance: awareness, reflection, and daily self-check-ins

13:05 – Pivotal moment: starting a business on a Wednesday—and getting 3 clients by Thursday

14:11 – Advice for entrepreneurs: don’t do it all yourself; hire key partners early

16:06 – Where to find Jeanne (devonpr.com, LinkedIn, and socials)

👉 Don’t miss an episode — subscribe & join our community of founders redefining success.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

Subscribe Now!

youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1