Meet Jennifer Oliver O’Connell | Writer,-Contributor, Investigative Journalist, and CCO (Chief Creative Officer) at As the Girl Turns Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Oliver O’Connell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor(s) behind my success and the success of my brand are intertwined and work in concert. They are, Creativity, Consistency, and Commitment. Since I was a child, I have learned to view every task, opportunity, and movement through the lens of creativity, even in traditional or analytical settings. Through that creative lens, I have been able to find solutions, problem solve, troubleshoot, and forge unique pathways for myself and my brand that I might not have otherwise seen or encountered. I remain Consistent not only in leading with that creative bent, but Consistent in incubating and growing my realm, paying particular attention to where I can further challenge, hone, and refine my skills and talents. That Consistency is anchored in Commitment, to the integrity of my work product, the stability of my personal relationships and business partnerships, and Commitment to persevere through obstacles, and follow every project through to completion.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I write on Politics, Pop Culture, and the American story for RedState.com and on my As the Girl Turns Substack page. I also do radio and television analysis, participate on panels, and do public speaking. I am a featured contributor on the CONK! News podcasts, and I have been a featured analyst/commentator on TNT Radio’s “The Steve Hook Show”, “The Grace Curley Show,” “The Larry O’Connor Show,” “All American Radio with Jennifer Kerns,” KMOX’s “The Mark Reardon Show,” “The Heidi Harris Show,” SiriusXM Patriot’s “Stacy on the Right,” and other radio, cable, and streaming news programs.

Besides covering the local, state, and national political landscape, much of my writing surrounds interesting individuals, projects, organizations, and reinvention, with some Yoga-inspired workshops and programs thrown into the mix. The variety of life encounters and insights I have gained through the years have allowed me to build a platform where I can offer my unique perspective, expertise, and give the reader an opportunity for transformation through information and inspiration. While I have been building my brand for over 30 years, I incorporated As the Girl Turns Inc. in 2020.

I am also a published author. I was a scholar/contributor to the 2018 Outstanding References Sources List (RUSA) and American Book Fest 2017 Award-winning women’s encyclopedia: “Women in American History, A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection.”

In my various writings I have studied, interviewed, and featured individuals who, through ordinary and extraordinary means, have made huge accomplishments in their professions and in the world. One of those interview subjects, an entrepreneur and music producer named Benjamen Janey, asked me to collaborate with him on his memoir, “The Making of An American Hip-Hop Tycoon.” The book was published in September of 2022 and is available on Amazon.com.

The journey has never been smooth, and there were times when I had to pave the road myself. But after 41 years of writing, I am experiencing the fruit of Creativity, Consistency, and Commitment. I am proud of the wealth of published work, a reputation that has caused me to be in demand, and a new book to highlight and promote!

What have I learned? That persistence and consistence reap a sure reward. Even with tremendous talent or creativity, you become truly accomplished at what you do by simply doing the work. Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and I have taken this particular exhortation of Solomon to heart:

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 New International Version)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living near the Pacific Coast has its privileges, one of them is the series of beaches you get to visit. Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente are all at my doorstep whether for sunrise, an afternoon soak, or a sunset.

I am a Foodie, spend a great deal of my time in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, and some of my favorite restaurants are there. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals, and places like the Broken Yolk Cafe in Orange, Early Bird in Fullerton, and Hot Cakes Caffee in Newport Beach serve it up delicious and would definitely be hit. With the wealth of delicious Vietnamese food in Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and Westminster, Pho is perfect for lunch. My faves: Luc Dinh Ky in Westminster, and Pholicious in Fountain Valley. Highway 1 has some really cool coffee shops, 602 Coffee House is one of my favorites. If I need a spot closer inland, MoonGoat Coffee in Costa Mesa is my go-to. In terms of dinner, for barbeque Old Crow Smokehouse in Pacific City is wonderful, and they have great live music most evenings and weekends. Dos Amigos on Brookhurst is another nicely appointed bar/restaurant that is kick back and casual, with delicious Mexican food offerings.

For high-end shopping or just to mall crawl and people watch, nothing beats South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Keeping in line with the factors that fuel my success, my first shoutouts go to three people: For Creativity, I am forever grateful to my sister June who was my biggest fan and my most consistent cheerleader. She gave me encouragement and space to embrace creativity and run with it, and I am saddened that she did not live to see what her investment has accomplished. For Consistency, my friend, mentor, and former pastor Roger Barkley gets a huge nod for being an active presence and fierce believer in my potential and an ally in seeing that potential realized. For Commitment, my husband Lynn, who has been there and continues to be with me through it all and maintains a safe and warm nest for me to launch from, and land into.

I am also grateful to Douglas E. Welch and Dr. Rosanne Welch, who allowed me to partner with them on some stellar collaborations in the career, reinvention, and educational spaces. My former editor at Communities Digital News, Jacquie Kubin, who opened up doors of opportunity for my writing beyond expectation, to Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar and Team RedState for allowing me to thrive and contribute my voice and talent to their substantial platform, Jim Peters and Hank Reardon over at CONK! News, and WRKO Radio Host and Author Grace Curley, who let me drop by to dish about politics, my viewpoints, and my work, and my book co-author Benjamen Janey (“Making of An American Hip-Hop Tycoon”) who trusted me to partner with him on his own story of success.

A big shout out to the television, radio, and streaming opportunities that have allowed me to lend my voice, my opinion, and my analysis to their topics and programs, and publications like LA and SDVoyager who have, on multiple occasions, given me the opportunity to spotlight the work that I do, and the causes that I care about.

Thank you.

Website: https://asthegirlturns.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/asthegirlturns

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/joliveroconnell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/asthegirlturns

Facebook: https://facebook.com/asthegirlturns

Youtube: https://youtube.com/jennifer.oliver.oconnell

Other: https://redstate.com/authors/jenniferoo https://asthegirlturns.substack.com

Image Credits
Andrea V. Photography (Headshot-Sacramento Presser (red shirt) Jennifer Oliver O’Connell