Jocelyn Espejo Helps Business Scale With Strategic Storytelling

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Meet Jocelyn Espejo, aka Jo the Brand Amplifier and founder of Branding by Jo, a boutique branding agency in sunny Central Florida.

Jo specializes in scaling businesses with strategic storytelling & visuals. She works with female entrepreneurs—particularly coaches, speakers, and service-based business owners—to align their brands with who they truly are, helping them attract ideal clients, scale with ease, and build lasting legacies. From brand photography and videography to social media management and website design, Jo and her team take care of all the visual details to ensure your brand truly shines.‍

Who are your customers?

Female Coaches, authors, speakers, and service-based business owners who are finding success but feel their branding no longer represents who they are or where they want to go.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Before founding Branding by Jo, I earned my MBA and spent 16 years in operations management, where I developed strong leadership and strategic skills. For 10 years, I ran a side hustle in photography, which allowed me to explore my creative side. After going full-time with my business, I was able to blend my corporate experience with my creative passion and fully niche down to branding—helping female entrepreneurs elevate and align their brands to scale with confidence

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I grew tired of sacrificing time with my kids to build someone else’s empire. I realized it was time to step into faith over fear and pursue a life where I could prioritize my family while building a successful business on my own terms. Starting Branding by Jo allowed me to create a career that aligns with my passion and purpose, while giving me the freedom to put my family first and make a meaningful impact.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, I grew up thinking success would be achieved by going to college, getting a job and working my way up.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

When I first launched my business, my marketing strategy focused on building a strong online presence. I built my website to establish credibility and showcase my portfolio, and I started advertising and posting consistently on social media to share examples of my work. My goal was to highlight my expertise and attract clients who aligned with my vision. While this approach worked, it was painfully slow and didn’t consistently attract my ideal clients.

Once I discovered the power of personal branding—incorporating storytelling and allowing people to truly connect with me—the game changed. Clients began to see not just my work, but the person and passion behind the brand, and that’s when my business really started to grow.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

The biggest challenge I’ve encountered so far has been shifting from a service provider mindset to truly embracing the role of a business owner and leader. Early on, I focused heavily on perfecting my craft, but I realized that growing a sustainable business required me to step into a CEO mindset—prioritizing strategy, delegation, and creating systems to scale.

What I’ve learned is the importance of aligning my brand with my values and vision while also building a strong foundation through processes and a supportive team. It’s also taught me to trust myself and lean into the power of personal branding to attract the right clients. Challenges will always come, but with every challenge, I’ve grown more confident in my ability to lead and adapt.

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

The accomplishment I’m most proud of to date is consistently scaling my business year over year. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the growth that comes from blending my business expertise and creative passion, all while staying aligned with my vision.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you'd like to celebrate with our community?

This past year has been a transformational one for my business!  I transitioned from focusing solely on photo and video services to becoming a full-service brand agency, which has been a dream come true.

I also launched my first online course and introduced new offerings like my coaching program and Done-For-You Rebrand Intensives. These have allowed me to blend strategy and creativity to make an even bigger impact on my clients’ businesses, helping them align their brands, attract ideal clients, and scale with confidence.

It’s been an exciting year of growth and evolution, and I’m proud to celebrate these milestones with this amazing community! 

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

The future is all about growth and impact! Over the next few years, I’m excited to continue expanding the agency services at Branding by Jo to provide even more value and support for my clients. My goal is to help female entrepreneurs not only align their brands with their vision but also scale their businesses with ease and confidence.

You can also expect to see new tools, resources, and offerings that blend strategy and creativity to help clients amplify their brands and reach their ideal audiences. I’m committed to growing the agency in a way that deepens the impact I can make, and I can’t wait to see where this journey leads. Stay tuned—there’s so much more to come! 

What is your top productivity tip? 

Top Productivity Tips:

Done is better than perfect. Don’t let perfectionism slow you down—focus on making progress and improving along the way.

Time blocking. Plan your day by scheduling dedicated time blocks for specific tasks. This helps you stay focused and avoid multitasking.

Batch create content. Group similar tasks, like creating social media posts, emails, or blog content, and tackle them all at once to save time and maintain consistency.

Delegate and outsource. Focus on your zone of genius and hand off tasks that can be done by others to free up your time for what truly matters.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

I try to avoid burnout by attempting to align my decisions with my priorities—moments with my kids always take precedence. I’ve learned to give myself grace because life isn’t always perfectly balanced. When I notice I’m sliding off course, I pause, reset, and realign. It’s about staying intentional and prioritizing what truly matters while creating space for both rest and growth.

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

My approach to work-life balance is rooted in alignment and flexibility. I focus on aligning my work with my priorities, with moments spent with my kids always coming first. Rather than striving for perfection, I aim for intentional integration—recognizing that some seasons will require more from my business, while others allow me to lean more into family life.

When I start to feel off balance (because it happens!), I pause, reset, and realign. It’s all about staying intentional, giving myself grace, and creating a life where both my family and business can thrive together.

Are you a Mamaprenista? If so, please share your best advice for simultaneously managing a business and a family:

The best advice I can offer to mompreneurs is to focus on alignment, not perfection. Prioritize what truly matters to you—whether it’s family moments, business goals, or self-care—and make intentional choices that reflect those priorities.

One practical tip: set boundaries and embrace flexibility. Schedule non-negotiable time for your family, just as you would for an important client meeting, but also give yourself grace when things don’t go as planned.

Lastly, remember that it’s okay to ask for help. Whether it’s delegating tasks in your business, leaning on a support system, or outsourcing at home, you don’t have to do it all. Your success comes from the quality of your presence, not the quantity of your to-dos.

You’ve got this!

What's the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

Calendar, Amazon, Target…

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

Depends on what I'm doing: Calendly for scheduling, Honeybook for CRM,

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

My advice for aspiring Entreprenistas is to be intentional. Every decision you make should align with your goals and vision for the future. One of the most powerful strategies is to put yourself in the room with women who are already where you want to go. Surrounding yourself with mentors, peers, and trailblazers will not only inspire you but also open doors to opportunities, wisdom, and connections that can help you grow both personally and professionally.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!

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