#PeopleYouShouldKnow: Jacqueline Hughes

ICYMI

?? I recently started the #PeopleYouShouldKnow series to highlight a few incredible people I've had the chance to meet or catch up with recently. They're all brilliant and shine in unique ways, and I think everyone should know about them—hence the name of this series!

You can learn more about why I started this interview series and read my first several interviews here:

• Ashley Rudolph - executive coach and therapy dog volunteer
• Alexis Puchek - design leader and birder
• Andre Plaut - learning designer and magic aficionado
• Susie Hall - design community leader and builder
• Jully Kim - technology excellence leader and succulent cultivator
• Stephen Levin - ops leader and full-throttler

Ready for the next one?

Meet Jacqueline

By the time I arrived in Austin in 2014, the tech scene was buzzing. There were a lot of factors that contributed, but you can't underestimate Jacqueline Hughes 's impact.

You may not know it though. Jacqueline operates behind the scenes. She thoughtfully curates experiences supporting founders, VCs, and innovation leaders.

Jacqueline is the founder and long-time producer of Austin Startup Week (now Austin Tech Week). She curated experiences for Techstars's Austin program before leading events for the startup network globally. Jacqueline then transformed events at the Kauffman Fellows and recently went off on her own to work directly with clients like DivInc and VentureLab.

Jacqueline is intentional, industrious, and community-minded. As someone who knows the incredible effort that goes into creating impactful events and experiences, I'm cheering for Jacqueline to get her flowers and time in the spotlight.

In Jacqueline's words...

?? What are you a product of? ??

I was the first child, not only in my immediate family but also in my extended family—the first granddaughter to both sets of grandparents and the first niece to my eleven aunts and uncles.

I grew up in the spotlight, the leader of our family talent shows, doted on with praise, and inundated with questions about grades, extracurriculars, and friends. I was showered with attention, but also with more responsibility. When I first read about some of the typical traits that first born children often develop from their upbringing—reliable, conscientious, cautious, controlling, perfectionist, achievers – I thought, uh huh, that’s me!??

I’m also the product of an insatiable curiosity about people and culture, which led me to study the social sciences in college. I majored in Sociology, studying the impact of societal structures and cultural norms and their influence on human interactions, and minored in Psychology, focusing further on the nuances of human behavior.

?? What’s something about you that’s not on your resume? ??

I nerd out on participatory theater, comedy, and magic, where the audience is invited to co-create the show with the performers. The here-and-now nature of these shows, with each audience bringing its own energy, makes every performance feel like a one-time-only experience with a surprise awaiting around the corner, sometimes literally! I get a lot of inspiration for my work from these shows.??

Some of my favorite groups in this space include Austin's Rude Mechs, who recently created the dance theater experience Group Therapy; Emursive in NYC, known for Sleep No More, where the audience follows the stories and performers from room to room; the Neo Futurists, who challenge themselves to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes with the order dictated by the audience via menu card; and The Magic Lounge in Chicago, where even the bartenders are woven into the magic of the show.

?? What accomplishment are you most proud of? ??

I’ve spent the past 13 years producing best-in-class programs and events for Techstars and Kauffman Fellows, driving connections and accelerating growth for founders, VCs, and LPs across the globe. There are so many details that went into making our programs impactful for these communities, but one of the most important ones was the care we took in creating containers—not only the physical spaces, but the environments we designed and invitations we offered to help people feel safe, be real, be vulnerable, drop their guards, and go beyond surface level.?

There is no better privilege than being yourself, and I feel fortunate to help others find the space to?do that in industries where there’s a pressure to maintain a fa?ade of success. Getting to witness the magic that unfolded through these programs—the accelerated personal growth, self-discovery, lifelong friendships formed, and the radical impact that followed—makes me feel incredibly proud.

?? What are you working on now that you’re most excited about? ??

I left Kauffman Fellows last year, first taking much needed time off, before soft launching a fractional events practice, and I’m loving it. It’s been a joy partnering with exceptional teams, including former colleagues and Fellows, to support their communities and organizational goals through events.?

But, one of the things I’ve been most excited to work on and make more space for this year is myself. The best investment you can make is in people, and as I’ve gone on this solo journey, I’ve leaned into this—by investing in myself. I’m currently participating in a 12 week “Inner Work” program with a group of incredible women led by Michelle Florez and am heading to Poland next month for my second year at The College of Extraordinary Experiences, which is just as magical as it sounds. These investments have brought me so much energy and inspiration, and lately, I’ve felt like the world has been conspiring with me.

?? Stay in touch with Jacqueline!

Want to get in touch with Jacqueline and/or follow her work? Contact her via Linkedin or reach. out to her via email: [email protected].