From a surprise layoff to building her own hospitality marketing business, Jessica Kruebbe proves that sometimes losing your dream job is the best thing that can happen to you.

In this episode, Jessica breaks down how she:

• Went from being Director of Marketing overseeing 15 restaurant locations — to getting laid off overnight

• Landed her first client two weeks before the layoff (and turned it into a full-time business)

• Built her “Mini CMO” brand helping small restaurant groups scale like pros

• Moved across the country — twice — to chase opportunity and growth

• Balanced faith, self-doubt, and new beginnings while launching her business

• Learned how to price her value, set client boundaries, and say “no” with confidence

• Discovered that success isn’t about money — it’s about impact and freedom

• Built an internship program and started mentoring young marketers

• Is redefining what productivity looks like by rejecting endless meetings

• Plans to grow her “nontraditional agency” through collaboration, not corporate chaos

If you’ve ever been laid off, scared to start something new, or waiting for the “perfect moment” — this episode will remind you that sometimes, your next chapter begins when the old one ends.

Guest: Jessica Kruebbe — Hospitality Marketing Strategist / CEO of Jessica Kruebbe Marketing Strategy

📍 Nashville, TN

IG: @jkmarketingstrategy

Timestamps:

00:00 Cold open – “I didn’t choose to do this… they laid me off.”

01:14 Why “Mini CMO” brands are changing hospitality marketing

06:10 The layoff that sparked her business

07:33 Finding faith and freedom through entrepreneurship

10:06 What a “Mini CMO” actually does

12:24 Pricing yourself and learning your worth

18:05 Setting client boundaries and learning to say no

20:15 Why social media marketing is her least favorite job

23:53 One year in business — what success really looks like

25:28 Killing meetings and reclaiming productivity

28:04 Why money isn’t the goal — impact is

31:30 Lessons from failure, faith, and new beginnings

33:35 Advice for anyone ready to take the leap

Welcome to The Breakout Bunch — where real stories from real entrepreneurs come to life.

Hosted by Austen Tucker, this show cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of what makes business owners tick. These are honest, unpolished conversations with self-made founders who are in it for more than just the money—they’re chasing purpose, impact, and something bigger than themselves.

New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.