Calling all small business warriors who feel chained to their business! Do you run your business or does your business run you? You’ve poured your blood, sweat and tears into it and it is time to set yourself free. I’m Bobby Mascia – owner of a wealth management firm, family office, manufacturing business, 18 store Dunkin Franchise, and de facto business coach. My goal? To liberate your business— whether it be operationally, prep for a sale, a legacy handover, or self-management. The roadmap to this freedom is something we will uncover together in Business Unchained.” Join me as I learn about fellow entrepreneurs, dissecting their past, present, and future.
About Dr. Jenny Woo
Dr. Jenny Woo is an educator, entrepreneur, and founder/CEO of Mind Brain Emotion, a company incubated at Harvard Innovation Labs that helps children and adults build emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and communication skills. With a Ph.D. in cognitive science and a master’s from Harvard, she has worked in human capital consulting at Deloitte, talent strategy at Cisco, and career coaching at UC Berkeley.
She is the creator of award-winning card games, including 52 Essential Conversations and 52 Essential Coping Skills, used in 50+ countries. Her work has been featured in CNBC, Forbes, FORTUNE, Fast Company, and more.
As a mother of three, Dr. Woo is passionate about helping families and professionals navigate modern challenges, build resilience, and create meaningful connections.
Reference Links:
Mind Brain Emotion Social Media
Dr. Jenny Woo Social Media
Episode Highlights:
What if the key to raising successful, resilient children isn’t about perfect grades or packed schedules—but something far more profound? In a world dominated by social media, academic pressure, and emotional recessions, how do we ensure our kids grow up with the emotional intelligence to thrive?
In this episode of Business Unchained, host Bobby Mascia sits down with Dr. Jenny Woo to discuss her journey from corporate consulting to creating tools that help families and workplaces develop essential human skills.
[07:54] ”When I say village, it doesn’t have to be a lot of people, but you really need that relationship. It could be a partner, a friend, a mentor to just help you stay on track and keep going.” — Dr. Jenny Woo
[09:46] ”We are experiencing an emotional recession. We don’t quite know how to talk to each other anymore.” — Dr. Jenny Woo
Dr. Woo explains how her company creates tools like conversation cards to help families and workplaces build emotional intelligence.
At its core, Dr. Woo’s story is about the power of emotional intelligence, resilience, and the belief that success isn’t just about academic or professional achievements—it’s about building meaningful connections and leading a balanced, fulfilling life.
In this episode:
About Gillian and Jason Schuler
Gillian and Jason Schuler are the dynamic duo behind Awakened Films, a New Jersey boutique production company & studio that creates memorable commercials, corporate films and nonprofit fundraising videos. In 2008, amidst economic hardships, they embarked on their entrepreneurial journey filled with equal parts trepidation and exhilaration. Jason and Gillian’s story is an archetype of the power of vision and the resilience required to bring dreams to life. They dive into their adventure of running a creative business as a husband and wife team and they get real about the tough stuff, like how to deal with losing a bunch of money and how this little idea grew into the thriving video marketing studio they operate today.
Episode Highlights:
In today’s episode of “Business Unchained,” we have the pleasure of sitting down with Jason and Gillian Schuler, the husband and wife duo behind Awakened Films. Our conversation is lighthearted but also deeply inspiring.
Their philosophy centers on servanthood and maintaining an impeccable reputation, which is essential for sustaining a thriving business. As the business grows they embrace the benefits of family in business, fostering a legacy of integrity and cohesion.
“We’re husband and wife; we love each other, but we also like each other, so we get along, we enjoy having an adventure together, and we complement each other.” – Jason (07:14).
Gillian and Jason unashamedly delve into the heart of what it means to build a business with purpose, passion, and a people-first approach.
“Character is more important than talent; talent only gets you so far, but character can be that next part that takes you from good to great.” –Gillian, (15:42).
The Schulers talk about how they managed to roll with the punches and pivot with the markets. And, they chat about how important it is to keep a good vibe in the company. They look back at the lessons learned; how taking risks has paid off, and how sticking to their values makes a difference in the community and for the next gen coming up. It’s a pretty inspiring listen if you’re into the whole entrepreneurial spirit thing!
“Whenever there’s dramatic change in the world, opportunity is right around the corner. When the tide goes out, you also see whatever’s been hidden.” – Jason, (42:23)
“Somebody else’s ceiling can be our floor, and we build from there.” – Gillian, (50:37)
Reference Links:
Schuler Social Media
Awakened Films Social Media
