Unhinged Founder

Melinda Jackson
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Unhinged Founder is an entrepreneurship podcast that goes beyond highlight reels and motivational soundbites. Hosted by Melinda Jackson (founder of Melinda Jackson Public Relations and a GRAMMY and EMMY award winning storyteller) this show brings you the raw, unfiltered reality of building a business. Expect vulnerable conversations with founders, women entrepreneurs, small business owners, clients, and leaders who inspire unfiltered storytelling. This is not your typical “girl boss” podcast. Unhinged Founder is funny, emotional, messy, and brutally honest—because that’s what building something from scratch really feels like. Whether you’re launching a startup, growing a small business, navigating PR and branding, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes stories of entrepreneurs, this podcast will give you the truth behind the chaos. Subscribe to Unhinged Founder for weekly episodes that pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be a founder.

  1. 1d ago

    Self-Published, Went Viral, and Got Her Master's Abroad — She Is Not Playing It Safe

    You may have already seen the video. Amanda Wilson, author and content creator from North Carolina, posted what she thought would be a simple family moment: announcing at her birthday lunch that she'd been accepted to a master's program in creative writing in Glasgow, Scotland. Her aunt kept eating. The internet had feelings about it. But there's a lot more to Amanda's story than one viral moment. She and Melinda talk about her self-published debut novel Mixed Tapes and Mixed Emotions — a mid-2000s coming-of-age story about a homeschooled girl navigating a public university, religious deconstruction, emo boys, and everything she was never taught growing up in a conservative bubble. Amanda wrote most of it during one of the hardest years of her life: battling depression, going through a divorce, and holding onto writing as the one thing that got her out of bed. She designed the cover in Canva. Published it on Amazon with no editor, no budget, and no industry connections. Queried agents, got polite rejections, and kept going. Sold one copy last year — to someone she knew. And then went viral, and sold 150 more to complete strangers. They also get into the millennial experience of graduating into a recession, the housing market that was never built for them, and what it means to finally bet on yourself when the people around you don't quite get why you have to leave. Mixed Tapes and Mixed Emotions is available now on Amazon. TikTok & Instagram: @so.im.amanda Book: Mixed Tapes and Mixed Emotions is available now on Amazon. - https://amzn.to/4znqpwA Donate to her GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bridge-the-gap-to-my-masters-at-glasgow

    Self-Published, Went Viral, and Got Her Master's Abroad — She Is Not Playing It Safe

  2. Jul 21

    Summer Check-In: The Business Slowdown Is Normal and You're Going to Be Fine

    Melinda from Unhinged Founder is back with a podcast update. Hear why the show went on hiatus and what comes next for the brand. After a long break from the mic, Melinda returns to discuss the reality of managing a growing business alongside content creation. This update offers a transparent look at the chaotic nature of the entrepreneur journey and the practical reasons why life sometimes forces a pause in podcasting. Whether you are a long-time listener or new to the Unhinged Founder community, this episode provides clarity on the current state of the show. Melinda explains the challenges of balancing a busy schedule with consistency and sets expectations for future episodes moving forward. Subscribe for weekly founder life breakdowns, and comment below what topics you want to hear Melinda cover next.

    Summer Check-In: The Business Slowdown Is Normal and You're Going to Be Fine

  3. Apr 9

    When You're Done: How to Pivot Your Career, Ditch People-Pleasing, and Trust Your Gut in Business

    LauraAura built a branding agency for 16 years… then sold it and started completely over as a keynote speaker and coach. In this conversation, she and Melinda Jackson go deep on people-pleasing, identity shifts, trusting yourself when it doesn't make sense on paper, and why the pay-to-speak model is garbage. Also: beef in a sports bra went LinkedIn-viral, and it actually says something important about personal branding. Come for the business talk, stay for the chaos. Unhinged Founder Ep. 18 Links Connect with LauraAura —lauraaura.com — https://www.instagram.com/thatlauraaura/ — The Gutsy Podcast Connect with Melinda Jackson: — https://melindajacksonpr.com — https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr Podcast Production: — https://airwavearcade.com #WomenInBusiness #CareerPivot #PeoplePleasing #FemaleFounder #TrustYourGut #EntrepreneurMindset

    When You're Done: How to Pivot Your Career, Ditch People-Pleasing, and Trust Your Gut in Business

  4. Mar 25

    Why Women Entrepreneurs Feel Lonely (And How to Fix It)

    Building a business as a female founder can feel isolating, overwhelming, and misunderstood—but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, Crissy Fishbane, co-founder of Her Healthollective, shares how she built a thriving community for moms while navigating burnout, boundaries, and the emotional weight of entrepreneurship. We dive into the real challenges women in business face: loneliness, people-pleasing, client relationships, and the pressure to be everything for everyone. Chrissy breaks down how to build a community-driven business, create meaningful connections, and lead with intention without losing yourself in the process. Unhinged Founder Ep. 17 Links Connect with Emily Burnette — https://herhealthcollective.com/ — https://www.instagram.com/her_healthcollective/ — Mama Needs A Moment Podcast Connect with Melinda Jackson: — https://melindajacksonpr.com — https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr Podcast Production: — https://airwavearcade.com #femaleentrepreneur #womeninbusiness #femalefounders #entrepreneurlife #businessgrowth #mompreneur #leadership

    Why Women Entrepreneurs Feel Lonely (And How to Fix It)

  5. Mar 12

    How Female Founders Can Elevate Their Personal Brand Through Style

    Your wardrobe might be saying more about your business than you realize. In this episode of Unhinged Founder, Melinda sits down with personal stylist and color consultant Emily Burnette to unpack how personal style influences confidence, leadership presence, and personal branding for women in business. Emily spent years working in the fashion industry in both New York and Los Angeles, styling clients, working with luxury brands, and navigating the intense world of celebrity fashion. Now she helps women entrepreneurs and professionals develop a style that reflects who they are and where they’re going in their careers. Melinda and Emily talk about the psychology behind clothing, why color analysis has exploded again online, and how women can use style as a tool for visibility and confidence in business. They also get honest about the darker side of the fashion industry, the pressure inside celebrity styling, and why so many people misunderstand what a real stylist actually does. Unhinged Founder Ep. 16 Links Connect with Emily Burnette — https://emilyburnette.com — https://www.instagram.com/emilyburnettestylist — https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyburnettestylist Connect with Melinda Jackson: — https://melindajacksonpr.com — https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr Podcast Production: — https://airwavearcade.com #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalBranding#WomenInLeadership #FemaleCEO #EntrepreneurLife

    How Female Founders Can Elevate Their Personal Brand Through Style

  6. Mar 4

    Why Female Founders Struggle to Show Up Online

    Building a personal brand as a female founder can feel uncomfortable, awkward, and even terrifying. Most women entrepreneurs know they need to show up online, but few actually feel confident doing it. In this episode of Unhinged Founder, Melinda sits down with brand storytelling photographer Roxanne Engstrom to talk about the real reason so many women in business struggle with visibility, personal branding, and showing up confidently online. Roxanne shares how she went from teacher to international storyteller and photographer after living overseas in East Africa, and how that journey shaped her approach to ethical storytelling and brand photography for women entrepreneurs. They dive deep into the reality of building a business while raising kids, navigating burnout, pivoting careers, imposter syndrome, pricing your work, and the pressure female founders feel to look successful online. Roxanne also explains why most brand photos fail, what actually makes personal branding work in 2026, and how female CEOs can show up with clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Unhinged Founder Ep. 15 Links Connect with Roxanne Engstrom: — https://hawaimages.com — https://www.instagram.com/hawaimages — https://www.instagram.com/roxengstrom Connect with Melinda Jackson: — https://melindajacksonpr.com — https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr Podcast Production: — https://airwavearcade.com #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalBranding #FemaleCEO #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenSupportingWomen

    Why Female Founders Struggle to Show Up Online

  7. Feb 25

    Reinventing Your Life After Divorce as a Female Founder

    Reinventing your life after divorce as a female founder isn’t reckless — it’s radical self-trust. It’s choosing alignment over comfort, identity over conditioning, and courage over staying small. In this episode, Melinda sits down with Jackie Smythe to talk about what it actually looks like to leave a 13-year marriage, sell everything you own, move to Tulum, and rebuild your life and business from scratch at 41. Jackie shares her journey from building a successful fitness brand in New York and Philadelphia to burning out, discovering human design, and stepping fully into a new chapter as a transformational entrepreneur. They talk about people-pleasing, emotional regulation, self-worth, money mindset, starting over after 40, and why so many women in business stay in situations long after they’ve outgrown them. They also get into identity shifts, nervous system regulation, trusting your intuition, moving abroad, building community as a female founder, and what happens when you finally stop modifying yourself to make everyone else comfortable. Unhinged Founder Ep. 14 Links: Connect: — Jackie Smythe’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamjackiesmythe — Melinda Jackson Public Relations: https://melindajacksonpr.com — MJPR’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — Melinda Jackson’s LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr — Airwave Arcade (Podcast Production): www.airwavearcade.com #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #FemaleCEO #StartingOverAt40 #DivorceRecovery #EntrepreneurLife

    Reinventing Your Life After Divorce as a Female Founder

  8. Feb 18

    The Girl Boss Lie No One Is Talking About

    Building an authentic brand as a woman founder isn’t about beige websites and copy-paste marketing formulas; it’s about unlearning the bro-marketing playbook and showing up fully as yourself. In this episode, Melinda sits down with brand strategist Hunter Myers to talk about what it actually takes to build a business that feels aligned, profitable, and real. Hunter shares her journey from corporate design to launching her own branding agency, the pressure women face in the “girl boss” era, and why so many female entrepreneurs feel stuck trying to follow someone else’s blueprint. They get into imposter syndrome, MLM culture, overpriced masterminds, personal branding, dating-as-marketing analogies, and why relational marketing will outlast every hype trend in 2026 and beyond. Unhinged Founder Ep. 13 Links: Connect with Hunter & Verdure Design Co.: — https://verduredesignco.com/ — https://www.instagram.com/verduredesignco/ — https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-myers-verduredesignco/ — https://www.linkedin.com/company/verdure-design-co/ — Melinda’s Website: https://melindajacksonpr.com — Melinda’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/melindajacksonpr — Melinda’s LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/melindajacksonpr — Airwave Arcade (Podcast Production): www.airwavearcade.com #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalBranding #AuthenticMarketing #FemaleCEO #EntrepreneurLife

    The Girl Boss Lie No One Is Talking About
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Unhinged Founder is an entrepreneurship podcast that goes beyond highlight reels and motivational soundbites. Hosted by Melinda Jackson (founder of Melinda Jackson Public Relations and a GRAMMY and EMMY award winning storyteller) this show brings you the raw, unfiltered reality of building a business. Expect vulnerable conversations with founders, women entrepreneurs, small business owners, clients, and leaders who inspire unfiltered storytelling. This is not your typical “girl boss” podcast. Unhinged Founder is funny, emotional, messy, and brutally honest—because that’s what building something from scratch really feels like. Whether you’re launching a startup, growing a small business, navigating PR and branding, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes stories of entrepreneurs, this podcast will give you the truth behind the chaos. Subscribe to Unhinged Founder for weekly episodes that pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be a founder.

Information

  • Creator
    Melinda Jackson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Melinda Jackson Public Relations 2025
  • Show Website
    Unhinged Founder