Meet Jenny blackham | Founder and CEO of MDL Notebooks

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenny blackham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I felt stuck. The idea for MDL came after my first startup failed. I had just returned to the US from Portugal, where I had tried to launch an eco-friendly fashion and home decor brand. While unpacking after a lot of work travel, I noticed I had four notebooks and journals: a mindset journal, a professional notebook, an ideas notebook, and a manifesting journal. I realized that many sections in two of my journals were unused because the exercises weren’t relevant to my life. Often, I didn’t bring all of them when I traveled, leaving me feeling scattered and stuck. And I was traveling weekly.

My mindset was focused on what I lacked. I wasn’t reaching my goals because I’d write them down in a notebook or on my phone but rarely revisit them, and I wasn’t taking consistent action. Something had to change. So, I got real with myself and started focusing on peer-reviewed data around goal setting and mindset.

I recognized a real need for a simpler, more consistent, and achievable way to drive meaningful change and live the lifestyle I envisioned. I found myself yearning for a notebook that was easy to use, impactful, and eco-friendly—qualities that my current notebooks and journals just didn’t offer. This realization led to the creation of MDL Notebooks. With a focus on simplicity, evidence-based exercises, and consistent small actions, MDL Notebooks are designed to be practical and help users achieve their goals in a sustainable way.

In creating MDL Notebooks, I transformed my journey from frustration to fulfillment. By simplifying my approach, focusing on small daily actions, and ensuring portability, I found a method that truly works.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The reason why MDL Notebooks stand out is our commitment to simplicity and practicality. In a world that often equates doing more with achieving more, we recognize that this approach can lead to overwhelm and procrastination. Therefore, we focus on a few specific, evidence-based methods to help with mindset and goals, emphasizing that simplicity fosters consistency. By avoiding the obsession with tracking everything, MDL Notebooks enable you to do less to achieve more.

This simplicity translates into small daily actions. People often underestimate what can be achieved through consistent daily efforts. Over a year, these small steps can lead to significant change. Our notebooks are designed to help you harness the power of these small, consistent actions toward your specific goals.

In addition to simplicity and practicality, we prioritize eco-friendliness. MDL Notebooks are environmentally friendly, unlike many other options available. They come with three eco-friendly inserts that allow you to manage different areas of your life in one place, eliminating the need to carry multiple notebooks and journals.

Our notebooks are also designed for portability. Recognizing that important thoughts and reflections can occur anytime and anywhere, MDL Notebooks allow you to capture these moments, address negative thoughts, and reflect while on the move.

Finally, the stylish design of MDL Notebooks ensures that you will want to carry them everywhere. Unlike my previous journals and notebooks, which were not stylish and often left at home, MDL Notebooks are perfect for a coffee shop or a professional meeting, encouraging consistent use.

With over 20 years in healthcare, my passion has always been to help patients access the medications they need. Now, I am channeling this passion into creating a community that helps people achieve their goals and desired lifestyles. Building this company was not easy; I faced failures and took breaks to recharge. However, by believing in my vision and ensuring the numbers made sense, I persevered. Dreams can come true, and you can live your desired lifestyle.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, that depends on which city I am at. 🙂 In NYC, the morning starts with coffee at my favorite coffee shop, followed by a workout. After that, we would enjoy a healthy breakfast, sharing wellness, fashion, and aging tips. The day continues with some shopping, a glass of wine, more shopping, and then meeting up with friends for drinks and food—sushi, tacos, or pizza paired with an adult beverage or two. This routine would repeat, but I’d also include a spa day, meditation classes, museum visits, and lounging on the couch just chatting away about life. In Utah, for sure hiking, skiing, and snowboarding with fireball shots!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friends and family have been my greatest support. My mom, a dedicated journaler, taught me the importance of capturing life’s moments and the benefits of writing out my thoughts. My dad, through his hard work and commitment growing up on a turkey farm, instilled in me the value of perseverance. And my friends and family, have always encouraged and pushed me to pursue my dreams. During this time, I also listened key podcasts, such as Ed Mylett, Mel Robbins, How They Built This, and Skinny Confidential. I would say to myself, I will be on these podcasts in the next few years talking about my journey and inspiring the next round of founders.

Website: https://www.mdlnotebooks.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdlnotebooks/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mdl-notebooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MDLNotebooks