Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Salerno.
Hi Jennifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My career has taken a few unexpected turns, but looking back, storytelling has always been at the center of everything I’ve done.
I started my professional career in broadcasting, spending six years working in television news. It was an incredible foundation that taught me how to communicate, connect with people, think quickly and, most importantly, recognize what makes a story worth telling. I loved the storytelling side of the industry, but as social media continued to grow, I started to see this entirely new way for businesses and organizations to tell their stories and connect directly with their communities.
From there, my career shifted from traditional media into the rapidly growing world of social media. I took on a role managing social media for one of Atlantic City’s casinos, which gave me the opportunity to experience storytelling from the brand side. Instead of telling a story during a newscast, I was learning how to tell a brand’s story every single day, how to create content people wanted to engage with, build a community online and give a business a personality beyond its walls.
That experience ultimately gave me the foundation and confidence to take a leap and start Social Jam Corp., my own social media marketing company. What began as a career pivot has now grown into a business I’ve been building for six years. Today, I work with businesses and organizations throughout our community, helping them find their voice, strengthen their brands and tell the stories behind what they do.
Along the way, life gave me another story I never expected to tell.
Motherhood, and particularly our family’s experience navigating my oldest son’s rare kidney disease, changed my perspective on storytelling completely. I saw firsthand how sharing something difficult can create connection, build community and inspire people to show up for one another.
That experience eventually led me somewhere I never imagined when I first stepped in front of a television camera: becoming a children’s author. I wrote When Life Gives You Lemons, a children’s book inspired by my son and our family’s journey, with a message about taking something difficult and finding a way to turn it into something meaningful and sweet.
Today, I’m a business owner, marketer, storyteller and now a children’s author. On paper, those may look like very different chapters, but to me, they’re all connected. Whether I was telling someone’s story on the news, telling a brand’s story through social media, or putting our own story onto the pages of a children’s book, storytelling has always been the thread running through it all.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think some of the hardest seasons have shaped both the person and business owner I am today.
I started Social Jam at a time when I was also building my family, so from the beginning, entrepreneurship and motherhood have always existed side by side for me. There’s no real separation between the two when you own a business. You’re answering emails during nap time, working after bedtime and constantly trying to figure out how to give your clients, your family and yourself enough of your attention.
Then, when my oldest son, Anthony, was two years old, he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. That changed everything. Suddenly I wasn’t just balancing motherhood and running a business; I was navigating hospital stays, treatments, specialists, medications and the uncertainty that comes with having a child with a chronic illness, while still trying to keep my business moving forward.
There have been plenty of times when I’ve worked from hospital rooms, taken calls between appointments or stayed up incredibly late because the work still had to get done. Owning my own business has certainly brought challenges in those moments, but it has also given me something I’m incredibly grateful for: flexibility. I’ve been able to build a career while still being present for my children during the times they’ve needed me most.
That experience has also changed what success means to me. I’m proud of the business I’ve built, but I’m equally proud that I’ve been able to use the skills I developed through my career to advocate, raise awareness and give back. In many ways, even becoming a children’s author grew out of one of the hardest parts of our lives.
So no, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. There have been seasons of exhaustion, uncertainty and trying to figure things out as I go. But some of the things I’m most proud of today were created during those seasons. I’ve learned that sometimes the path you never planned for ends up giving your work, and your life, an entirely new sense of purpose.
We’ve been impressed with Social Jam Corp, 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?
Social Jam Corp. is a social media marketing company built around something I’ve always believed: every business has a story worth telling, you just have to figure out how to tell it in a way that makes people care.
I work primarily with small businesses, local organizations and community-focused brands, managing everything from social media strategy and content creation to photography, video, copywriting, graphic design and day-to-day account management. But what I do goes far beyond simply “posting on social media.” I really get to know the businesses I work with, their people, their customers, their personality and what makes them different, and then find creative ways to translate that online.
My background in broadcasting has played a huge role in how I approach social media. I’m always looking for the story, the hook and the human element behind a business. Social media changes constantly, but people still connect with people. Some of the best-performing content isn’t necessarily the most polished; it’s the content that feels genuine and gives people a reason to stop scrolling, laugh, learn something or feel connected to a brand.
I think what sets Social Jam apart is how personal it is. I don’t want my clients to feel like another account on a roster. When I take on a business, I become invested in it. I’m celebrating their wins, showing up at their events, learning their industry and constantly thinking about what we can do next. In many cases, I’ve worked with clients for years and have truly become an extension of their team.
What I’m most proud of is that Social Jam has grown largely through relationships, referrals and word of mouth. I’ve been fortunate to work with so many incredible businesses and organizations throughout South Jersey, and there’s something really special about walking into a local restaurant, store or event and seeing people engaging with a business that I’ve helped build a presence for online.
Six years into owning Social Jam, I still genuinely love the creative side of what I do. No two clients are the same, no two days are the same, and social media certainly never stays the same. I think that’s part of what keeps me excited about it.
What’s next?
I think I’m at an interesting point in my career because, for the first time in a while, I’m allowing myself to be open to what comes next.
I absolutely plan to continue growing Social Jam and working with the businesses and organizations I’ve built such meaningful relationships with, but I also feel like my career is evolving into something bigger than where it started.
Becoming a children’s author was never part of my original career plan. When Life Gives You Lemons came from such a personal place, but seeing the way people have connected with the story has made me realize how much I want to continue using my voice and my experience to make an impact. I would love to continue writing, grow the book beyond what it is today and find new ways to support and advocate for families navigating childhood illness and rare disease.
I’m also learning that growth doesn’t always have to mean doing more. As a business owner and mom of three, I’m constantly reevaluating where my time and energy can make the greatest difference. I want the next phase of my career to be intentional, continuing the work I love while making room for opportunities that allow me to tell meaningful stories, connect people and give back.
If my career so far has taught me anything, it’s that some of the most important chapters are the ones you never planned for. So I don’t know exactly what the next one looks like yet, but I’m excited to see where it leads.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.socialjamcorp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_hennifer?stkn=N3lhYjM3dGFiYjds&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ErVVGq3pD/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennimullen?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
