about amy jo
Author, Speaker, Founder/CEO, Podcast Host and Innovation Advocate
Amy Jo helps people do difficult things. She guides them down the black diamond slopes of business and life. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Renegades Write the Rules, Investor, host of the Why Not Now? Podcast and founder of the Renegade Accelerator.
Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Amy Jo began working for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns during their 2005-06 season. These were the wild wild west days of social media and there were no rules or regulations in place.
After her boss at the Suns singled Amy Jo out as a “Renegade” (Amy Jo took this as a positive, not a negative) Amy Jo had her first Why Not Now? idea.
In that moment of bravery, she took the leap and founded one of the first ever social media agencies to help corporations, celebrities and sports entities humanize their brands online through social communication channels. Amy Jo has worked closely with world-renowned brands such as Hilton Worldwide, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal to successfully humanize their presence.
Her motto: humans connect with humans, not logos. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, and Baron Davis, NBA player, invested in Amy Jo's agency, and after a successful seven-year run growing the business in ten different countries, Amy Jo exited that company in 2016.
With a social media following of more than 1 million people, Amy Jo was named the third most powerful woman on Twitter by Forbes and has spoken to thousands of entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, brands and individuals at events around the globe, sharing her Renegade Mentality philosophy, tools and life lessons.
As a young female building her career in male-centric industries, Amy Jo has developed a passion for helping women thrive in business and leadership. Most recently she founded Why Not Now? Media and launched the Renegade Accelerator: an intensive two month training program designed to assist female founders and entrepreneurs reach their full potential in business, and life.
Recently Amy Jo became a Mom for the first time. Lincoln, a little Renegade in the making, has already made his mark on the world in a big way. In true Renegade fashion, Amy Jo lives in the forest with her husband Richard, Lincoln and their two Aussie Shepherds.
Client portfolio includes: Hilton Worldwide, Shaquille O’Neal, Motorola, NHL, FOX Sports, The X-Factor, Chicago White Sox, UFC and Dana White, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Los Angeles Kings, Jabbawockeeez, Doubletree by Hilton, Tony Hsieh CEO of Zappos.com, Monte Carlo Resort & Casino, KC Royals, Dolby, Poo Pourri, Bumble Bizz, Staples, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and many more.
Amy Jo is also a contributor to news outlets including the Harvard Business Review, AdWeek, Huffington Post and Sports Business Journal. She has been featured in top-tier media outlets including Vanity Fair, TIME, Forbes, The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN SportsCenter, USA Today, MSNBC, Newsweek and many others.
