Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Williams.
Hi Jess, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In the spring of 2024, I got laid off from the video game industry. It was one of those moments that knocks the wind out of you. For a little while, I let myself sit in the uncertainty. But underneath the fear, there was also this quiet idea I had been tinkering with for months, SoloQ.
SoloQ started as something deeply personal. I’ve always loved games, progression systems, and the feeling of leveling up. But I struggled with traditional planners. They felt rigid. Guilt-inducing. Like paperwork instead of possibility. So I began designing something that treated real life like an adventure. Small wins. Skill trees. Story. Momentum.
When I lost my job, I realized I had two choices. I could wait for someone else to decide what came next for me, or I could take a bet on myself.
That summer, I launched SoloQ on Kickstarter. I was nervous. I was hopeful. I was very aware that I was putting something personal out into the world. And then something incredible happened. The campaign funded at over 360%. People connected with it. They saw themselves in it. They wanted planning to feel like play too.
Now I’m running my online store, shipping planners to customers who are leveling up their own lives, and building the next SoloQ planner set to launch later this year. It’s bigger. Bolder. A little more ambitious. Just like me.
Getting laid off felt like an ending at the time, but rejection doesn’t have to be an end, just a redirection.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I was laid off, the hardest part wasn’t just losing my job. It was losing the identity that came with it. For almost 15 years I had a career, a clear path, a place inside something big. Suddenly I was just… me.
There was real fear tied to that leap. Financial fear. Launching a Kickstarter sounds bold and exciting in hindsight, but at the time it felt like wiring money I didn’t really have to printers I had never worked with, refreshing ad dashboards late at night, and hoping I hadn’t miscalculated shipping costs. Every decision felt heavier because it was mine alone.
And then there was the imposter voice. The one that whispers, “Who do you think you are doing this?” Even after funding over 360%, that voice didn’t disappear. Success didn’t magically erase doubt. I still had moments where I wondered if this was a real business or just a beautiful experiment.
But maybe the most vulnerable part was making a personal idea so public. SoloQ isn’t just a planner. It’s my love of games, progression systems, and turning small wins into momentum. It’s deeply personal. Putting it out into the world meant risking rejection, not just of a product, but of something that felt like me.
That season stretched me in ways my previous career never did. It forced me to rebuild my confidence from the inside out, trust my instincts, and bet on myself when it would have been easier to retreat. And in doing that, I found something even more valuable than stability. I found ownership.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I build brands around stories people care about.
For most of my career, I’ve worked in video games helping big franchises show up in the world in a way that feels exciting, clear, and true to what fans love about them. That means I help shape how a game is presented, how it launches, how it partners with other brands, and how all the moving pieces stay aligned. I’m known for being the person who can take something complex with a lot of opinions and turn it into a focused plan that people can actually execute.
I’m especially proud of helping guide major game launches and collaborations that fans were unsure about at first. My job is to make sure they felt authentic and true. Seeing a skeptical community turn into an excited one is something I’m really proud of.
What sets me apart is that I understand both the big-picture vision and the small details. I can think strategically, but I’m also willing to roll up my sleeves and do the work. At the end of the day, I care about creating things that feel meaningful to the people using them.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There is no version of this story where I did it alone.
When I decided to launch SoloQ, some of the first people to jump in were my friends. Chante Goodman, one of my best friends, immediately offered to help with social media and marketing. No hesitation. No questions. She just said yes. She brought energy, ideas, and momentum at a time when I really needed someone in my corner. She’s the kind of person who shows up fully, and SoloQ is better because of her.
Paul Barneveld helped shape the visual identity of SoloQ in a way that made it feel real. He took what was living in my head and translated it into something cohesive and strong. That foundation gave the brand confidence and clarity from day one.
Brad Morton, an incredible writer, wrote the first SoloQ campaign. He helped bring to life the vision I had for SoloQ in a way that resonated deeply with people. That storytelling mattered. It helped people understand that this wasn’t just a planner. It was your story.
My friends and family showed up in a massive way. They backed the Kickstarter. They shared it. They told other people about it. They checked in on me during the hard weeks and celebrated the wins like they were their own. I don’t think I’ll ever fully be able to express how much that meant to me.
And most importantly, my husband, Kyle Harris. He believes in me in a way that still humbles me. He has listened to every half-formed idea, every spiral, every “what if.” When I was laid off and unsure of what came next, he was the one who reminded me that I could build something of my own. He didn’t just support SoloQ. He supported me. And that belief is the reason I had the courage to bring it to life.
Pricing:
- SoloQ, Standard Edition – $50
- SoloQ, PDF Version – $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soloqplanner.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soloqplanner/
