Jen Gotch
EntrepreneurDirector
United States
Jen Gotch is an entrepreneur and creative director who co-founded the lifestyle brand ban.do in 2008 and later served as its creative director and chief creative officer. She has also used her public platform to discuss mental health and emotional wellbeing. [2]
Career and work
Gotch began her creative career working in film-set art departments and later moved into food and prop styling, art direction and editorial photography. In 2008, she co-founded ban.do, initially as a small accessories company that later developed into a broader lifestyle brand. [2]
Over 12 years with ban.do, Gotch served as creative director and later chief creative officer and ambassador. She also hosted the podcast Jen Gotch Is OK… Sometimes and published the memoir The Upside of Being Down in 2020. [2]
What has been publicly discussed
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Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
Los Angeles Times“Anxiety is taking over. Jen Gotch’s new book can help. So can trash dancing” Documents her Bipolar II diagnosis, hypomania and mental-health history.
Jen GotchWork History Gotch’s own professional history covering her early creative work, ban.do, podcast and memoir.
Los Angeles Times“How I Made It: Jen Gotch wants Bando to be about more than cute accessories — like mental health advocacy” Covers her search for effective medication, career and advocacy.
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Forbes“9 Female Founders On Mental Health & The Self-Care Tips That Work For Them” First-person comments about medication, therapy, EMDR, psychiatry, meditation and exercise.
The Washington Post“Jen Gotch is okay — sometimes. But with her new podcast and Ban.do, she’s nailing it” Covers depressive periods, public disclosure and mental-health advocacy.
The Washington Post“How Jen Gotch’s new memoir helped prepare her for the pandemic” Covers her mental health and state of mind in 2020.
CBS Los Angeles“The Key Is Understanding Our Emotions, Having Emotional Intelligence” Interview about emotional intelligence, workplace culture and her memoir.
Yahoo“Bipolar fashionista opens up about the common challenge of her mental illness” Reproduces Gotch’s first-person account of realizing she might have bipolar disorder, receiving the diagnosis and returning to medication.
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Recommended books and other resources about Jen Gotch and their experiences.