Meet Jen Malloy: Jen Malloy | Owner of Craft & Communicate, a Senior Living Marketing Firm

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

Hi Jen, what do you attribute your success to?
It’s nearly impossible to say just one factor is behind the success of my business, or any business. It’s taken us five years to build what we have today; five years of dedication, of extreme focus, of understanding our why, of believing in our value, and of not giving up. All of those factors contribute to building a successful brand or business. If I was to single out one thing though, for me, it would be this wisdom from Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. When I left corporate America and created Craft & Communicate in 2016 with my husband Rich, it was Jim Rohn who I read every single morning. I knew the five people I was currently spending my most time with, aside from Rich, did not share my values. I knew that I would need to completely separate myself from my current job before I’d be able to move forward. So that’s what I did. Five years later, this company that my husband and I built is the success that it is due in part to being very selective about those five people. When I say “those five people” I want to be very clear that these people are not just those who you choose to bring onto your team. These five people are your clients, too. This is a hard decision in business, but please listen up: if you bring on the wrong clients, you could tank your business. If you bring on the wrong employees, and don’t make changes, you will tank your business. The five people you spend the most time with must challenge you. They must inspire you. They must be more capable than you in the areas that you lack. They must be committed to educating themselves and staying up to date on their craft. They must know and understand the goals of the business and be so committed that the business goals become their goals, too. And, they must be funny, because hot damn, creating a successful business is the hardest thing you will ever, ever do. If you surround yourself with the right people, and if you stay focused on your one unique goal, absolutely anything is possible.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Craft & Communicate is a senior living marketing and public relations firm that serves over 80 senior living communities across America. What sets us apart from other agencies of our size is that the owners (myself and my husband) work inside the business every day: myself in customer service, and Rich in web development and strategy. I worked for 10 years within senior living companies as the Creative Marketing Director before beginning Craft & Communicate, so I very much understand both the challenges within senior housing operators, and the challenges when working with outside agencies. What I love the most about senior living, and about marketing for senior living, is that we get to help people find community. So much of the time, seniors are alone and forgotten about. Here in America, we’re so obsessed with what’s flashy and sexy that we forget about where we came from and the wisdom that our elders hold. I like knowing that in a small way, we help people find friends, and find caregivers, and hopefully rediscover some value in their lives. Business-wise, nothing has been easy about creating our company. Marketing, and especially digital marketing, is very competitive, and there’s always someone knocking at our door, and knocking at our clients’ doors, trying to get in. Thankfully, we are committed to growth and learning. I read a business book every week. We provide advanced training courses for everyone on our team, and we ask that they each participate. If we stop learning, for even a moment, we lose traction. There’s never a day off, there’s never a dull moment, we’re never resting on our laurels. That’s hard, and it’s also exciting. And that’s why it’s imperative to love the business you’re creating. Because you will be living in it, every day and every minute of your life, from here on out. You have to love it. Thankfully, I got into senior living in my mid 20s. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I’m incredibly thankful for those who gave me opportunities along the way.

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.
Oh gosh, Fort Worth is an astounding city to visit. A day at the art museums: the Amon Carter, the Kimball, and the Modern, would be one of the most enriching days, followed by an evening at HopFusion for the best beer in Fort Worth and dinner at Wabi House for delicious ramen. If you have an extra day, and are here on a Saturday, the Farmer’s Market is cute and Press Cafe next door, overlooking the river, has a great selection of food. Sundance Square and the Water Gardens are perfect for an evening stroll. Istanbul is my go-to choice for dinner downtown. If you like architecture, you can’t beat Fort Worth. From the mid-century moderns in Ridglea Hills, Tangelwood and Westover Hills, to the tudors in Fairmount, Park Hills and Arlington Heights. When we first moved to Fort Worth from Nashville, I could not get over how incredible these neighborhoods are. And of course, the above-mentioned art museums designed by Philip Johnson, Tadao Ando, Louis Kahn and Renzo Piano: I mean, come on – what other city of this size has that amount of heavy hitters?? I’m vegan, so I have to give a shout out to Spiral Diner as well; if you like comfort food, there’s no way you’ll be able to tell that what you’re eating isn’t meat, and it’s in a neat, walkable area, too. The best part? Although we’re getting bigger, Fort Worth is still un-crowded, un-hectic, peaceful, and kind. It’s a beautiful city filled with culture and one that I’m proud to call home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s no way I would be where I am today, both personally and professionally, without my husband, Rich Malloy. When I say how important it is to surround yourself with funny, creative people, Rich is the first person who comes to mind. He’s my rock. He’s the smartest person I know, and happens to also be the best drummer this city could hope for. My parents Mike and Carol Brock are lifelong educators in Dallas. They are in their 70s and still both work full-time today, teaching and counseling. They are my inspiration when it comes to how to live a life of meaning, and how to find work you truly love – so much so that you can’t imagine retiring. My in-laws, Marge and the late John Malloy, who showed me not only how to create a successful business from the ground up, but also showed me what it’s like to live off the land, to grow organic vegetables, and to cook seasonally. My team: first and foremost, Blair Burney, you are a public relations powerhouse and godsend. Meredith Harris, you hold all of this together with a smile on your face. Jessica Rice, your attention to detail and design is what makes us stand out. Lauren Bigelow, your work ethic, creativity, and web development is unmatched. Simi Bhari, I don’t even know where to begin with your talent, your illustrations, your sense of humor, and for keeping us all grounded. Jordan Lewis, you’ve been with us from nearly day one and have kept us going strong during times of stress. Sarah Girard, I will never understand the magic that you make happen in advertising. Dave Flatley and Jeff Firnhaber, shout out for keeping our websites safe and secure, and to Joe Ramos, for designing so many of the brands we’ve able to support.

Website: craftandcommunicate.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbmalloy/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftandcommunicate
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3PUKM2H_O16z0DCCPXHUyQ

Image Credits
Diane Larkin and John Erwin