The Story Behind the Hustle

Author Biographies

Meet the Author

Short Bio

Jackie Reau is an entrepreneur, storyteller, connector and CEO of Cincinnati-based Game Day Communications, which she co-founded in 2002. With more than 25 years in media and marketing, she has built a career turning bold ideas into opportunities. Her debut book, The Power of Hustle, shares her playbook for building influence and a career you love.

Standard Bio

Jackie Reau has spent her career proving that the best opportunities rarely come with an invitation. Sometimes you have to create them yourself.

As CEO and co-founder of Game Day Communications, a Cincinnati-based media and marketing agency launched in 2002 with former ESPN anchor Betsy Ross, Jackie has helped shape stories and experiences surrounding major moments in sports, entertainment, business and community life, including Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Bengals' Super Bowl run and the Flying Pig Marathon.

An Ohio University graduate with degrees in journalism and sports administration, Jackie has served on nonprofit and university boards, taught college students and built a career connecting people, ideas and opportunities.

Her debut book, The Power of Hustle: A Playbook for Building Influence, Opportunity, and a Career You Actually Love, challenges conventional career advice. Her philosophy is simple: hustle isn't burnout. It's curiosity, preparation, relationships and the courage to begin before you're ready.

Extended Bio

Jackie Reau has built a career out of asking one deceptively simple question: What if?

What if you stopped waiting for the perfect job and created your own opportunity? What if your curiosity became your competitive advantage? What if one conversation could change the direction of your career?

As CEO and co-founder of Game Day Communications, Jackie has spent more than 25 years turning those questions into action.

In 2002, she joined former ESPN anchor Betsy Ross to launch a Cincinnati-based media and marketing agency focused on sports and entertainment. The business began with an idea sketched out over dinner, no investors and plenty of ambition. More than two decades later, Game Day has helped tell stories surrounding Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Bengals' Super Bowl appearance, the Flying Pig Marathon and major moments in arts, tourism and civic life.

Before Game Day, Jackie built her communications career at The Christ Hospital and the Cincinnati Art Museum. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Ohio University and has studied at Harvard Business School. Jackie is also an educator, mentor and community leader who serves on the boards of the Cincinnati Art Museum, CancerFree KIDS, Flywheel Social Enterprise and the Ohio University Foundation.

She's completed four half marathons, visited all 30 Major League Baseball parks and learned that some of life's best business lessons happen far outside the boardroom.

Her debut book, The Power of Hustle: A Playbook for Building Influence, Opportunity, and a Career You Actually Love, distills decades of lessons about initiative, emotional intelligence, relationships, resilience and creating opportunity. Jackie believes hustle has been misunderstood. It isn't about working yourself into exhaustion or collecting impressive job titles. It's about building a life and career around what matters, becoming valuable to others and having the confidence to make the ask.

Her message to the next generation: Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.

Five Things to Know

Five things to know about The Power of Hustle

1. Hustle isn't burnout. It's initiative, preparation, curiosity, relationships and creating meaningful opportunities.
2. It's built on real experiences. The book draws on Jackie's career in media, sports, entertainment, entrepreneurship and community leadership.
3. It's designed for action. Readers receive practical exercises and frameworks, including Curiosity Mapping™, Opportunity Mapping™ and The Hustle Map™.
4. It's especially relevant to emerging talent. The book helps students and young professionals move from uncertainty to intentional career development.
5. It's more than a book launch. The 100 Hustle Challenge aims to connect 100 college students with professionals holding their dream jobs for 15-minute informational interviews.