By Caroline Arnold
In today’s corporate landscape, organizations often face complex challenges between staff and leadership. These problems are tough to tackle alone, which is where former U. S. Naval officer Jenny Jacobs steps in. As founder and CEO of Pursuit Consulting, Jacobs has made it her mission to assist Virginians with a wide range of workplace issues through leadership coaching.
Jacobs’ career did not begin in the consultation business. She joined the Navy when she was 19 and eventually became an officer, flying military helicopters and C-20s. Jacobs participated in two Western Pacific deployments to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and took part in Operation Enduring Freedom. When she was 30, Jacobs was diagnosed with breast cancer and became the first U.S. Naval Aviator to fly again after her diagnosis.
Jacobs says of her experience in the Navy, “I’m so grateful to the Navy for the experiences, the training, the education, the camaraderie and the trust that naval aviation places in young Americans.”
After leaving active duty and earning her second master’s degree in policy leadership at Georgetown University, Jacobs realized she had “a unique skill set which enabled me to help people see complex problems clearly, with viable solutions on the other side.” She founded Pursuit Consulting in 2024 to help leaders and organizations with issues that hindered success.
Pursuit offers three main coaching services: container coaching, catalytic coaching and micro-coaching. The container coaching service is designed for a group of five to seven people to discuss failures, successes, roadblocks and concerns on specific topics regarding leadership and the workplace. Catalytic coaching is similar to container coaching, but it is a one-on-one service which is personalized to the individual. Micro-coaching is offered for immediate, emergency consultations where sudden issues arise.
Jacobs’ time in the military influenced her outlook on leadership in corporate America. Inspired by how the military unites everyone toward one mission regardless of background, Jacobs hopes to implement the same mindset into the workplace.
Jacobs says, “I thought if I could bring that sense of teamwork and cohesion to corporate America and to nonprofit organizations, they would run much more effectively, their employees would be much happier, have greater job satisfaction, likely less turnover and the leaders and managers would have a much better leadership experience.”
Beyond coaching services, Pursuit partners with the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to help senior military officers transition from the military to the corporate world. In a bi-annual, 20-person cohort, the program assists veterans in discovering their post-military identity, creating a supportive structure similar to that of the military.
On the importance and purpose of this program, Jacobs says it prepares military leadership for a successful life post-military, it helps replace their military network with a civilian-based one and “it also keeps highly qualified and highly intelligent and skilled veterans in Virginia.”
Jacobs is a wife and proud mother of two children. In her free time, she loves paddleboarding, boating and surfing with her family. When it’s too cold to go for a swim, she and her family like to ski. They try to travel as often as they can to different beaches.
Whether relaxing with her family or helping people navigate the corporate landscape, Jacobs remains steadfast in her desire to help leadership and companies succeed. As the workplace continues to evolve, Jacobs is ready to ensure Virginia’s leaders never have to tackle these challenges alone.
TO THE POINT:
Pursuit Consulting
Address: 104 Hoylake, Williamsburg, VA 23188
Contact: Jenny Jacobs, founder and CEO
Phone: 808-349-0784
Email: jenny@pursuitconsulting.org
Website: pursuitconsulting.org
