Leading Beyond Overextension into Empowering Others: Positive Self-Growth with Jena Henderson

In this episode of the Healthy, Hurried Human podcast, hosts Michelle and Katherine welcome Jena Henderson, a seasoned executive in the franchising industry, for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, burnout, and self-growth. Jena shares her career journey—from franchise operations to becoming COO of a private equity firm overseeing multiple brands—and the hard lessons she’s learned about overextension and the power of delegation.

With honesty and clarity, Jena unpacks how burnout has impacted her both mentally and physically, and how learning to build and trust effective teams became a game-changer. The discussion also explores the unique cultural challenges within the franchising world, where leaders often feel pressure to be constantly accessible. Jena shares how she combats that by fostering a work environment rooted in vision, strategy, and aligned people. The episode concludes with reflections on generational perspectives around work and a moving moment of gratitude for Michelle’s influence on her growth as a leader.