The Rooms Got Bigger, but I’m the Same Girl
Jessica Hunter, senior media executive in Australia, building a career around curiosity, asking the right questions and creating opportunities rather than waiting for them.
The post-podcast Q&A following Episode 7 of Ticking Junction, “Too Many Questions.”
Jen: Before recording, was there anything you were unsure about sharing or talking about?
Jessica: A few workplace stories stayed off the record. Let's just say some lessons are best shared over a wine, not a microphone!
Jen: After having this conversation, did you realise anything about your own journey that you hadn’t connected before?
Jessica: How little I've actually changed. At 15, I was teaching lawyers and barristers how to use Microsoft Word because I saw a gap and figured I could fill it. Today I'm doing the same thing at a bigger scale: spotting what's missing, asking questions and helping people see what's possible. I'd always thought of my career as separate chapters, but listening back, it's really one story. The rooms got bigger, but I'm the same girl.
Jen: You’ve built so much of your career by asking questions and creating opportunities. Has recording this episode changed how you think about that part of yourself?
Jessica: I used to worry my questions made me annoying. Now I see them as one of my greatest strengths. People genuinely value being asked about their world, and a good question builds trust faster than any pitch. It's how I sell, how I lead and how I develop talent. 'Too many questions'? I'll take that as a compliment.
Jen: We spoke a lot about confidence and doing things even when you’re scared. Is there anything you’re currently saying yes to that still scares you?
Jessica: I'm stepping into governance and working towards a board role in the not-for-profit or purpose-driven sector, which calls on a very different skill set from leading a commercial team. It means shifting from operating to overseeing, and from driving results to asking the right questions at the right level.
Jen: If you could go back to the 17-year-old version of you who sent that shoe to Dolly, what would you tell her now?
Jessica: Go you, girl! Keep sending the shoe. The ideas that feel a little ridiculous are often the ones people remember. You don't need permission to reach out, and you don't need to wait until you feel ready. When someone inspires you, tell them loudly and proudly, even if they seem completely out of reach. Everyone wants to feel seen, and you never know which message will open the door.
Jen: You talked about giving people “10 seconds more.” Since recording, have you caught yourself using that idea differently in a conversation?
Jessica: Yes, and funnily enough, most of all at home. Once a month, my husband and I play a game where we tear up pieces of paper and write down questions for each other, with a bottle of wine to calm the nerves. We each guess what the other's answer will be, then hear the real one. After nine years together, we're still learning new things about each other and still curious. Giving each other those extra 10 seconds, to really listen rather than assume we already know the answer, has become one of my favourite parts of our relationship. It's a good reminder that curiosity doesn't stop once you know someone well. That's often when it matters most.
Jen: Was there anything we didn’t get to during the episode that you wish I’d asked you?
Jessica: I wish you'd asked what advice I'd give you, as someone still finding your groove. It would be this: don't rush to have it all figured out. Stay curious, keep asking questions and say yes to things that stretch you, even when you can't see where they lead. Build relationships before you need them, and back yourself even when no one else is watching. The path rarely looks clear from the start. It only makes sense when you look back. And the fact that you're already asking questions like these tells me you're further along than you think.
Jen: Now that the episode is out, what do you hope someone listening takes away from your story?
Jessica: That you don't need to have it all figured out. Ask the question, send the email, give people 10 seconds more. Most opportunities aren't handed out, they're uncovered by being curious and a little bit brave. Don’t take no for an answer. Try, and try…again.
Haven’t heard Jessica’s full story? Watch or listen to Episode 7 of Ticking Junction: You Don’t Find Your People. You Build Them. on Spotify or Youtube Now :)
FOLLOW TICKING JUNCTION
Stay up to date with us by following @TickingJunction on Tiktok, Instagram, Spotify, Youtube, & Facebook
CONNECT WITH JESSICA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-ann-hunter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_ann_r/
BOOKS JESSICA RECOMMENDS:
How to Know a Person by David Brooks
StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
