Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Sumerak.
Hi Jessica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I didn’t have a direct career or life path, which has given me a unique perspective on the workforce. I’ve had to overcome a number of obstacles throughout my career, navigating neurodivergence, socioeconomic hurdles, single motherhood, and thriving in male-dominated industries. My journey included working my way up the retail leadership pipeline from the ground up, attending college in the evenings to earn my bachelor’s in Business Management while working 10-hour shifts, and later taking time off to raise my children while pursuing a master’s in Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology.
I’ve spent much of my professional life adapting to workplaces that weren’t designed with people like me in mind, constantly trying to fit within systems that valued uniformity over authenticity, hoping to find an organization that truly lived the values it displayed on pocket cards and website blurbs.
What I discovered through those experiences is that as organizations grow, many lose touch with the heart of what made them great in the first place. They struggle to include rarer personality types or diverse perspectives because they lack the internal architecture to understand and support differences. When a company is small, it’s easy to live its values. But as it scales and layers of management are added, the founder’s original influence gets diluted. Without intentional systems to sustain it, culture drifts.
While my passion has always been understanding how employee well-being affects productivity, I became fascinated by the research outlining how businesses can use psychology to meet the needs of their employees, which, when done well, simultaneously increases productivity and accelerates goal achievement. Unfortunately, this research isn’t mainstream or easily accessible, and not every company can afford to have an I/O Psychologist on staff to apply it.
That’s why I created Intentional Empowerment, to bridge those gaps. My work equips organizations with the frameworks and tools they need to preserve their purpose and values as they grow, evolve, and face new challenges. We help diagnose, treat, and prevent many of the human issues that lead to burnout, disengagement, and internal conflict, from poor interdepartmental communication to leadership misalignment.
My goal is to make the principles of I/O Psychology accessible to all organizations so they can leverage the best of both business and behavioral science to care for their most valuable resource: their people.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely been a journey of self-discovery. Launching Intentional Empowerment has been one of the most clarifying experiences of my life. Through building the brand, creating the content, and bringing my ideas to life, I’ve discovered where my true passion lies. My work sits in a unique space, right at the intersection of business consulting and digital content creation.
The challenge is that these industries are saturated, and what I’m doing often gets lost in the noise. While I use tools from both worlds to help businesses meet their goals, the heart of my work goes much deeper than that. We’re not just consulting or creating courses; we’re building culture frameworks and systems that have never existed before.
Intentional Empowerment is creating a new playbook, one that merges social psychology with business strategy, acknowledging the chaotic global environment in which organizations operate today. It’s about creating foundations that span departments and titles, bridging hierarchy, and honoring people as whole humans rather than asking them to leave parts of themselves at the door, something that’s expected but never truly possible.
We’re also pioneering ethical workplace programs designed to act as a lighthouse, attracting like-minded people to organizations that genuinely live their values. So when a new employee is hired, they can trust that those values aren’t just words on a wall but principles woven throughout the organization, creating a real sense of belonging.
My biggest hurdle has been differentiating myself in a world full of surface-level “solutions” and finding the businesses that truly want to invest in their foundation, not just their image. But every time I connect with a leader or team who gets it, it reaffirms that this work matters and that we’re building something revolutionary.
This sort of work can be easy to dismiss, especially as purse strings tighten due to economic pressures, but it’s actually imperative. Culture and ethics aren’t “extras”, they’re differentiators that determine whether a company weathers the storm or crumbles under it. Imagine a team of passionate, ethically aligned people all working toward the same goal; they’d be unstoppable. They’d adapt, innovate, and creatively pivot when challenges arise, instead of throwing in the towel or jumping ship for the next best thing.
We’ve been impressed with Intentional Empowerment, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Intentional Empowerment is more than a consulting business; it’s a movement to humanize the workplace and reimagine how organizations grow. We specialize in creating ethical, psychologically informed frameworks that help businesses bridge the gap between what they say they value and how those values are actually lived day to day.
Using principles from Industrial-Organizational Psychology, we translate academic research into practical, accessible strategies for real-world workplaces. Our goal is to make this knowledge, which is often locked away in universities or reserved for large corporations, available to all organizations, regardless of size or budget.
We’re known for developing systems that align people, processes, and purpose. From culture architecture and leadership development to communication repair and ethical program design, we help organizations diagnose, treat, and prevent the human issues that quietly erode performance: burnout, disengagement, misalignment, and broken trust.
What sets us apart is our human-centered approach. We don’t just focus on productivity metrics; we focus on the ecosystem that sustains them. Our work recognizes that healthy, ethically aligned workplaces don’t happen by accident; they’re built through intentional systems that balance business needs with the human experience.
Companies today hold immense power, and too often we hear phrases like, “It’s just business, don’t take it personally,” or, “You have to be a little shady to survive.” Layoffs have become the go-to move instead of the last resort, and it’s all been normalized. I’m here to denormalize that. Businesses are made up of people. This is how we make a living, support our families, and build our communities. We can do better, and I want to help those who want to get better.
My goal is to create a network of like-minded organizations that build together and support one another through shared ethics, growth, and accountability. I created Intentional Empowerment to lead the way, with intention, guiding principles, and a belief that business can be both profitable and principled.
To be transparent, my faith has guided me throughout this journey. While I don’t incorporate religion into my work unless a client requests it, my ethics and decision-making are shaped by my belief in God, and my calling to put His guidance back into the systems that sustain our livelihoods.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of our commitment to accessibility and integrity. Through our online store and digital courses, we offer tools and training at various price points, including free options for individuals or organizations facing hardship, because true change should never be limited to those with the biggest budgets.
At its heart, Intentional Empowerment stands for sustainable success, where ethics, empathy, and performance are not competing goals, but complementary forces. We’re here to help businesses scale without losing their soul.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I had to think about this one for a while, but when I was about eleven, my mom let me redecorate my room. I used to have a waterbed, one that I may or may not have poked a hole in with a colored pencil (and then promptly blamed my sister for… shhh, don’t tell anyone). After the chaos and cleanup from that little disaster, something beautiful came out of it.
My mom helped me completely redo my room. It had new furniture, light purple walls, and a cat-themed wallpaper border that I adored. I felt so seen, like my personality finally had a place to live. We didn’t have much growing up, so I knew how hard my mom had to work and save to make that happen, especially since she worked nights and time was tight.
What made it even more meaningful was that I hadn’t exactly earned it; I’d made a mistake, but she still chose to give me something special. That room represented more than just paint and furniture; it was love, grace, and creative freedom all wrapped together. I still remember how proud and grateful I felt every time I walked into it.
Pricing:
- Ethical Workplace Seal (Level 1): $25 annual registration — includes public listing and accountability pledge.
- Custom Workshops & Speaking Engagements: Priced upon request; tailored to organizational goals.
- Pay-What-You-Can: Free or reduced pricing available for individuals or organizations experiencing hardship.
- Consulting & Culture Architecture: Custom packages that are prices based on need.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://intentionalempowerment.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575195698422
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intentional-empowerment-llc/
- Twitter: https://x.com/IntentionalEmp
- Other: https://medium.com/@jsscbl2010
