Igniting Humanity-One person at a time
Published on July 26, 2023
We hold this space now and then for those who simply show up every day with a radiant, uplifting spirit coupled with a genuine willingness to give back. That said, as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of this award-winning global media digest and CEO/ReImaginator for 360° Nation, I was delighted to have the opportunity to get better acquainted with Lady JB Owen, Founder & CEO of Ignite Publishing™, focused on building a community of individuals devoted to raising the vibration of humanity while making a difference for future generations. She is also the CEO of JBO Global™ and Ignite Moments Media™.
Who is Lady JB Owen?
Lady JB Owen is a fearless female leader, internationally bestselling author, empowerment publisher, global brand builder, award-winning businesswoman, celebrated humanitarian, coveted speaker, trainer, and legacy mentor. JB’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to making a positive impact have led her to combine business with inspiration in an innovative way. Forbes Magazine has dubbed Lady JB the “Heart-Centered Publisher,” Entrepreneur Magazine has called her a “Female Entrepreneur Determined to Change the World,” and Apple News added her name to their “Top 50 Entrepreneurs to Watch.”
As founder and CEO of Ignite Publishing™, Lady JB has published over 700 authors from 47 countries. Lady JB is also the CEO of JBO Global™ and Ignite Moments Media™. She teaches global business owners how to tell their story in a way that makes them a world-renowned brand. She mentors on legacy and creating lasting impact for generations to come. Her award-winning, eco-friendly product, Lotus Liners™, was famously featured on Dragons Den. As a teacher and speaker, Lady JB inspires growth, fosters innovation, and sparks a paradigm shift in others. She has collaborated with industry greats like Les Brown, Forbes Riley, and Dame Doria Cordova.
In 2022, the Royal Order of St. Constantine the Great and St. Helen knighted Lady JB for her humanitarian and entrepreneurial efforts. Her humanitarian work includes building a school in Indonesia, creating the Ignite Humanity global movement, and cycling thousands of kilometers for charity. Her humanitarian work was further rewarded in 2022 when she was given the Ignite Humanitarian Award at the Be Great! Foundation.
Lady JB Owen combines purpose, passion, and possibilities in everything she does on her mission to Ignite every life on the planet and create a ripple effect of change. She believes that when we tell our stories, we transform our lives and the lives of those around us. JB’s desire is that we all tell our story, share our Ignite Moment™, and come together in unity and harmony with the desire to raise the consciousness of all humanity.
We’d like to hear about your professional journey up to now, and wisdom gained/lessons learned along the way, including any pivots/course changes.
I have been publishing books for the last four years, and really enjoying telling every author’s story. I started by telling my own story, my own personal journey, and I found that when I was vulnerable, authentic, and revealed my experiences, I was able to connect with people on a much deeper level. The connection and cohesiveness that came from the vulnerability of an authentic and genuine story built the kind of friendships that I felt were needed more in the world. Telling positive stories through the hero’s journey was what inspired me to start my company, be a visionary, and spark this movement of transformation, of the healing, connection, change, uplifting, and inspiration that happens when we tell our story.
Tell us about Ignite You, and the inspiration behind it.
I really felt that every single person on the planet deserves to live in the center of their greatness, and that to get there, we all just need an ignition point—a starting point that sparks our inner courage and pushes us forward to achieve greatness in our lives. When I thought about it, I realized that every single person has multiple Ignite Moments™ in many areas of their life. If they could look at those Ignite Moments and see the wisdom that came from them and glean the value and the lessons along with the blessings, they would see how all of these fabulous moments are just a daisy chain and a wonderful experience of becoming the greatest version of yourself.
What’s unique about it, and who is your ideal audience/participant?
What is unique about Ignite is that we don’t just take your words, put them in a book, and publish them. We are a caring community that focuses on the transformation that comes with publishing your Ignite Moment. Writing has the power to uplift, illuminate, heal, empower, and much more. We foster an environment where we encourage our authors to spark greatness within themselves through their storytelling, and to lean into the impact they’ll make on others by sharing with authenticity and heart.
Our ideal participant is someone who believes their story can have a greater purpose. Whether that purpose is to spark the next possibility in them, to inspire others, to be the catalyst of a great new adventure, or anything else, we want to invite people who are ready for more out of life—more connection, more wisdom, more transformation, more empowerment.
When did you launch Ignite You, and what’s been your biggest challenge so far?
We launched Ignite in February 2019. The idea was that we all have a story and deserve to be seen, heard, and belong. It was important for me to create a company where people felt community, camaraderie, and connection.
It’s hard for me to answer this question. I feel like with every great endeavor comes a great amount of work and effort. Every time I have a challenge, it’s just another opportunity for me to work through it. I’ve had challenges that have made me think and challenges that have made me work harder. I’ve had challenges that have forced me to learn new things. Maybe my biggest challenge has been working toward making sure every single person on the planet has an opportunity to tell and share their story. Even though that’s a challenge, I’m working toward making that happen with our new online platform called Ignitipedia, which will be a place where users can share their Ignite Moments and connect with like-minded people who have been through similar transformative experiences.
Any noteworthy surprises or ‘A-ha’ Moments along the way?
My biggest Ignite Moment came at a time in my life when I thought it was better to hide my story. I didn’t want anyone to know the truth of what I had been through. But in resisting vulnerability, all I was doing was holding myself back, hiding myself from my true potential, and not letting people see me for who I really was. Living that way just reduced my inner strength and hampered my possibilities. I had to understand that the lessons we go through and the trials we experience are really blessings and that we’re meant to grow from them and not shy away from them. I came to realize that a mistake does not define us; our past instead refines us. A mistake does not change or taint the entire experience. In fact, I’ve learned that nothing is a mistake. It all happens for a right and perfect reason—everything happens for our highest good.
What distinguishes your business from others in the same/or similar profession?
Ignite is like no other publishing house. We are more like a transformational haven—we don’t just put words on a page and pages in a book and books on a shelf. Our authors share a part of who they are and assign a new meaning to an experience in their life. They reframe moments that may at one time have been difficult, and change the limiting beliefs that held them back.
What makes us different is that we empower individuals and help them to heal. We show them a greater version of themselves. We map the way for them to achieve a goal that they’ve always wanted to achieve. Then, we help them take their story and offer it to others, which undoubtedly allows them to give back and support people in a way they’ve never done before. Many times they’re admired and acknowledged for the journey that they’ve taken. They see that their story has helped somebody else in a better way, which fundamentally changes them on a cellular level. This change is impactful because it’s now not what happened to them, it’s what happened for them—and what has happened for them happened so that they could help someone else.
What’s the next big thing and/or greatest challenge for Ignite You?
The next big thing for Ignite is that we are Igniting Humanity and working toward making a massive impact on the planet on a global scale. We know that if we’re going to Ignite Humanity, we’re going to Ignite it one person at a time, and it starts with you. Each and every one of us has the ability to make an impact on the life of someone else, and that impact grows and becomes a ripple effect. We want to build 12 schools in the next 36 months around the globe in different countries. We are also currently filming an Ignite Humanity documentary—everything we are doing going forward is for the betterment of Humanity.
As an experienced leader and entrepreneur, what’s non-negotiable for you?
One of the things I often say is there’s no such thing as no. NO just means New Option. NO just means Next Opportunity. I never believe that no is something that can hold you back. Someone’s no is just their no; it’s not your no. So when people say no to me, I smile because I know that it just means there’s a new opportunity right around the corner. If a person is a no person, then that’s a non-negotiable. I always say, “Anything and everything IS possible.”
How can our global audience learn more about you and Ignite You?
Visit our website, igniteyou.life, and find out about our books and the many programs that we offer. I’m passionate about legacy training and mentoring individuals to create a beautiful legacy in their life through their books, courses, podcasts, and speaking engagements, plus all the different ways that they can expand their message. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and our YouTube channel. We’re also on Traverse TV, where we share our Ignite Humanity Live TV show that we stream live every morning, Monday to Friday, sharing powerful stories of individuals and their Ignite Moments.
BONUS QUESTION: What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
People might be surprised to know that I love to cycle. My husband and I cycle tandem every summer. In 2020, we cycled 5,000 kilometers to the parliament buildings in Ottawa. In 2021, we cycled nearly 7,000 kilometers up the Top of the World Highway to Alaska. In 2022, we cycled 10,000km across Canada from Vancouver to Newfoundland. In 2023, we’re excited to be cycling from Canada to Mexico through three different countries as we raise money for charity and awareness that anything is possible—each and every one of us has the ability to Ignite the lives of others.
Cycling tandem is one of the most beautiful things you can do with another person, creating life-changing connections and intimacy. I often say tandem cycling forges a bond like nothing else. Being out in nature, seeing life not through a lens or a windshield, changes you fundamentally. I hope to be cycling tandem at 90 years old!
About the Reporter
DENNIS is the Founder & Chief ReImaginator of 360° Nation, encompassing a wide range of multimedia enterprises, including BizCatalyst 360° —the award-winning global media digest; 360° Nation Studios —dedicated to reaching across the world in an effort to capture, produce, and deliver positive, uplifting messages via blockbuster global events, and; GoodWorks 360° —a pro-bono consulting foundation focused entirely on providing mission-critical advisory services to nonprofits worldwide. Collaborating with his Chief Inspiration Officer (and wife), Ali, everything they do is “for-good” vs. “for profit”. Their mission over the past decade-plus has been to rediscover humanity at its best, influencing and showcasing it every step of the way. Together, they do their very best to figure out what the world is trying to be —then using all their resources to help it to be better every day in every way. They understand and embrace the notion that it’s not about me or you; it’s about caring for the people we serve and more responsibly stewarding the precious resources in our care. And they believe it’s about showing up, being present, and intentionally giving our invaluable gifts of time, talent, and treasure “for good”. Dennis is a contributing author to these Best-Selling Books. ♦ Chaos to Clarity: Sacred Stories of Transformational Change ♦ Journey Well, You Are More Than Enough ♦ The Four-Fold Formula For All Things Wellness: True Stories of the Heart, Spirit, Mind, and Body ♦ Voices of Strength ♦ Win the Wellness W.A.R. We Are Responsible.