The Heart (and Hustle) Behind Jollity
Whether you first met Jenn Hess during the Sofo Studios era or just recently discovered her magic touch at Jollity Studios, you should know one thing—Jenn has been a behind-the-scenes powerhouse since way before the merger made it official. In fact, she’s been part of the Jollity story since 2018. Now, as Co-founder, COO, and interim CEO of Jollity Studios, she’s not just running the show—she’s optimizing it, beautifying it, and somehow still managing to answer your email at 7:03 a.m. (probably from another continent).
Her core principles?
- Work hard, play hard
- Do it right the first time
- No egos here
- Transparency always
If I don’t know something, I’ll tell you, and we’ll find out together. If I messed up, I’ll own it, and we’ll move forward together. Let’s put our energy towards something productive.
This is how Jenn leads—with honesty, humor, and a high-functioning to-do list.
From Freelance to Full-fledged CEO
Jenn’s career kicked off with Sofo Studios in 2013. Originally focused on freelance design, it quickly evolved into a web development and hosting company. And just like your favorite sitcom crossover episode, Sofo and Jollity kept showing up in each other’s storylines—collaborating, consulting, and even covering for each other’s CEO duties during family leave or surprise life curveballs.
Lauren and I had been working together for so long—collaborating in business for over 6 years, but sharing the same circles since 2002... I joke that we were basically ‘living together’. It was time to get ‘married’. So we did. Jollity and Sofo got ‘married’ (merged) in 2023.
The merger not only made things official—it supercharged both companies. With Jenn at the helm alongside Lauren, Jollity Studios gained new capabilities, a fresh wave of operational structure, and a COO who could also hop into design, project management, or billing whenever needed.
Talk about a Swiss Army Knife in sneakers.
A Career Built on Curiosity and Grit
Jenn’s ability to wear a million hats (and somehow make it look easy) is rooted in a diverse background. She started agency-side, taking on roles from Account Manager to Designer. She then jumped into the client-side world, managing marketing projects at a financial services company, where she did what she does best—revamped processes and proved better results were just a few well-organized spreadsheets away.
Her resume reads like a greatest hits album of marketing, design, and management—and every step along the way helped shape the powerhouse COO she is today.
True to form, [in my first client-side marketing position] it took me about 2 weeks to master the core job responsibilities… and then promptly take on 10 more. I love to improve processes and create workflows that work
Jenn’s Secret Sauce (Hint: It’s People + Processes)
My first job was at a small agency. When it’s a small group, everyone does everything. The owner takes messages and gets coffee. The account manager helps with invoicing... Now as a business owner myself, I am mindful of each person’s strengths and interests, and identifying when it’s time to bring in more humans to help.
Now, with Jollity thriving, Jenn’s role continues to evolve. From operations to sales to overseeing team workflows, she’s the steady hand (and dry sense of humor) that keeps things moving smoothly—even when things get chaotic.
She’s deeply invested in making things work—not just for clients, but for the whole Jollity team. From hiring the right people to refining internal systems, Jenn’s all about building a place where smart, creative folks can do their best work and have fun doing it.
Beyond the Inbox: Jenn in the Wild
When Jenn’s not running operations, designing workflows, or making bold new color-coded Google Sheets, she’s… well, still moving fast.
She’s a globe-trotter, Pilates enthusiast, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner—because who wouldn’t want their COO to also know how to grapple?
Jenn’s also fluent in French, studied modern Greek, and yes, she will attempt to pronounce your name correctly the first time. She currently lives in Rabat, Morocco, where she works remotely on U.S. hours while raising two tiny adventurers—Henry (4) and Josephine (1)—with her husband Ryan, who serves in the U.S. Air Force. The family’s next stop? Montgomery, Alabama, summer 2025.
She calls Denver home, but let’s be real: wherever she is, that’s where the action’s happening.
The Jollity Way
Jenn brings a rare blend of left-brain logic, right-brain creativity, and a no-nonsense approach to getting things done. She’s proof that you can run a company with empathy, honesty, and maybe a little sass—while building something meaningful along the way.
And at the end of the day? She’s not just running the team. She’s building a company culture that reflects her core values: hard work, zero ego, honest collaboration, and a whole lot of Jollity.
Want to learn more?
Get more info about the team or Jenn’s current activities. Feel free to explore the Jollity Studios website or schedule a quick chat with Jenn. (Just maybe not before coffee.)
