Mandy Ansari Jensen, Founder of Modern Girl Media and Our Virtual B.F.F.

Mandy at home in New York City. Photographer: Lauren Listor

“You’re never wasting time. You’re always just learning. You can always take what you’ve done and turn it into the next iteration of your life.”

You probably already know Mandy Ansari Jensen. With nearly 400,000 Instagram followers, the digital marketer and content creator is widely recognized for her vibrant online presence and inviting personal brand. But in this interview, Mandy opens up in a way that might surprise you. She shares the twists in her career path, how she manifested her partner after heartbreak, and what it means to create a life you’d want to relive. Our “virtual BFF” lets us into her home and her heart.

I wasn’t totally clear on how to describe all that Mandy does to others. So I asked her! “First and foremost, I’m a marketer,” she says. “A digital marketer who’s passionate about making the world feel smaller and more connected through technology.” As the founder of boutique agency Modern Girl Media, she’s worked with everyone from Michelle Obama to Bumble. Smartly, the agency work keeps her sharp and informed—and what she learns there, she brings back to her own brand.

I caught up with Mandy just a few weeks before she gave birth to her first child. In our interview, Mandy reflects on growth, grief, career pivots, and the many ways she’s learned to trust her timing.

A Creative From the Start

NonyO

I’ve been dying to have this conversation with you because I find you fascinating and inspiring.

Mandy Ansari Jensen

The feeling is mutual. I’m so excited to be in vibrant company—not just with you, but with the company you keep. I feel honored to be here.

NonyO

Thank you! Can you give us a quick overview of how you arrived at what you do today?

Mandy

My path has had a lot of pivots. I’ve always been intellectually curious and entrepreneurial. I’m 39 now, but my first “business” was when I was 12—designing wallpapers for classmates’ computers. Then came custom MySpace skins and Blogspot themes. I just loved creating online.

I give credit to my dad—he’s a computer scientist and was deep in the early days of the internet. But I also wanted my own identity. So, for a while, I wanted to be a magazine editor. That dream took me to New York. I also worked in education—kindergarten teacher, second grade, and eventually a school principal.

I really had to navigate all my different interests. The older I get, the more I realize I don’t need to ditch any of those interests. I just have to find ways to incorporate them in a way that’s sustainable, feeds me, supports my mental health, and doesn’t just keep me busy for the sake of being busy.

From Principal to Pivot

NonyO

What came after being a principal?

Mandy

I was only 24 and managing a school with 378 kids. It was a lot. While I loved working with children, I found myself thriving more in curriculum development, marketing, and team building—things that lit me up differently. And suddenly, I was spending more time with adults than with kids, which wasn’t the dream.

I had to stop and ask, “What drew me here in the first place?” And it kept coming back to marketing, storytelling, and 360-degree communication.

NonyO

And connecting with people—that’s one of your best skills.

Mandy

Thank you. I realized I couldn’t keep doing something that burned me out. I wanted to evolve without feeling like I’d “wasted” the years behind me. Which, by the way, is a lie. You’re never wasting time. You’re always just learning. You can always take what you’ve done and turn it into the next iteration of your life.

But at the time, I felt stuck. I still had this yearning for a bigger life—in New York or San Francisco.

NonyO

You wanted the shine, the glamour too.

Mandy

Yup. And I’m Middle Eastern. I grew up in a Christian home. I had this image in my head—get married at 22, have kids by 25. I realized very quickly, oh, that’s not happening.

I was also dealing with a lot of imposter syndrome. I’d changed my major from journalism to early childhood development, then got a master’s in psychology. I kept thinking, “Why did I do that? Now I can’t use any of it.”

But so much has changed. Education doesn’t pigeonhole us the way it used to. But I didn’t know that then. I believed that I had messed everything up.

I grew up in the Bay Area, in Silicon Valley. It was around the time startups were booming. I started realizing that the only limit being placed on my career was the one I was putting on myself.

Mandy at home in New York City. Photographer: Lauren Listor

Glowing and Glam

“If someone’s doing something that lights a fire in you, don’t spiral—reach out. Ask them how they did it! ”

A Self-Taught Marketing Breakthrough

NonyO
Did you have a clear vision of what was next, or were you just letting yourself be open to something new?

Mandy

I didn’t have a crystal-clear vision. But I did feel something brewing.

I had started a program called Little Athletes, which brought extracurriculars to campuses—especially for working parents who couldn’t make those after-school hours happen. But what excited me most was branding the program—building the website, obsessing over the fonts and colors.

That love of branding pushed me to volunteer for a nonprofit. One thing led to another, and I took a leap into digital marketing, teaching myself how to code with YouTube open on two screens. I taught myself how to write HTML, CSS, JavaScript—because this was before Wix and Squarespace. I built their website from scratch.

Four years later, I tripled my income working at a San Francisco skincare startup. And it all happened because I put in the time to become self-taught.

On Starting Before You’re Ready

NonyO

Yes! One of my last newsletters was about how we think we must be great before starting. But in reality, you get great because you started.

Mandy

One hundred percent. We have to let go of the idea that everything has to be perfectly lined up before we move. Most people—CEOs included—are figuring it out as they go. Starting messy is still starting. You grow by doing, not by overthinking.

NonyO

So what would you say to women who’ve pivoted but are struggling because their peers seem to be moving faster?

Mandy

One of my personal mantras is: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And listen—the world is already hard enough. I’m not going to hand over my joy to a narrative that isn’t even rooted in truth. Because here’s the reality: we’re usually comparing our behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel

I also love the reminder: “Don’t be bitter, get better.”

If someone’s doing something that lights a fire in you, don’t spiral—reach out. Ask them how they did it. Give them a compliment. You’d be surprised how often what looks effortless is actually the result of trial, error, and years of self-doubt they pushed through.

We only see a glimpse of each other’s lives. And the person you’re comparing yourself to? They’re probably looking at someone else wondering the same thing.

There’s more than enough success to go around. Don’t let comparison distract you from your own momentum. Start where you are, with what you have, and never stop iterating along the way.

NonyO

And people are often flattered when you ask. It’s not weird to say, “I admire what you’ve built—how did you do it?”

Mandy

Totally. That’s something I came to understand deeply after losing my best friend—she died by suicide nine years ago. She admired so many people from afar, and I saw how much it meant to her when someone took the time to say something kind. A small compliment could brighten her entire week. But it wasn’t just the words—it was also the content people shared that made her feel less alone. When someone was honest about their struggles or showed a side of themselves that wasn’t picture-perfect, it gave her comfort. It helped her feel seen.

That changed me. It made me realize how important both encouragement and authenticity are. When we only share the glossy parts of life, we risk creating a highlight reel that makes others feel like they’re the only ones struggling. But the messy parts—the hard moments, the behind-the-scenes—that’s where real connection lives.

Since then, I’ve made it a mission to compliment five strangers a day. During COVID, I took that online. Whether it’s a kind comment or sharing something vulnerable, it’s about showing up in a way that reminds others they’re not alone.

If you see something beautiful—someone’s outfit, their post, their words—say something. You never know how much someone might need to hear or read it.

Mandy in her daughter’s nursery. Photographer: Lauren Listor

Mandy in her daughter’s nursery. Photographer: Lauren Listor

“By the time I met my husband, I wasn’t looking to be chosen. I already knew I was the prize. I wasn’t dating to fill a void—I was dating to find someone who could match the life I was building.”

Creating Your Own Evidence

NonyO

One of the things I’ve done for years is keep an “accomplishments file.” Anytime someone says something nice in an email, or I kill it in a meeting, or even just have a great conversation—I write it down.

It’s a reminder of who I am when I forget.

Mandy

Same. I have a note on my phone called “Kind Words.” Anytime someone says something that sticks with me, I write it down. I use it when I do affirmations—because some mornings, I run out of nice things to say to myself.

That list reminds me of the beauty others see in me when I can’t see it myself.

Rewriting Her Story and Reclaiming Her Life

NonyO

A lot has happened in the last few years: meeting your partner, getting married, and now having a baby. Can you share how you met him?

Mandy

I left a four-year relationship at 31 and thought I had lost my chance to be a mom. It looked right on paper—same school, same culture, same interests. I remember sobbing in the car and saying, “I gave up my best years. My fertility window. You’ll move on and find someone younger, and I won’t get to have a child.”

After that breakup, I started doing everything I could to heal—therapy, psychics, shamans, soul cycle, journaling, traveling. Anything to feel peace again.

One session with a Reiki healer in San Francisco really shifted me. She asked what I was most afraid of, and I told her not being a mom.

Then she asked, “Okay, what if you meet the love of your life, and he can’t have children—what would you do?” I said, “I’d stay with him.”

So she said, “Then there are other ways to become a mother.” We came up with nine different ones. That completely reframed everything for me.

After that, I moved to New York, and I decided I was not going to date from a place of fear or scarcity. I’m going to live my life and trust that what’s for me won’t miss me.

Owning Who the F You Are

Mandy

My cousin, who’s 12 years younger than me, has the most honest outlook on life, and isn’t afraid to be blunt—saw me through one too many situationships. One day, he looked at me and said, “You need to stop dating men for you. Start dating men who will be good dads. If what you want most is a child, don’t waste time with guys who won’t be great fathers.”

That really hit.

After that, I stayed single for five years, and I thrived. I used to hate Friday and Saturday nights by myself. But once I got comfortable being alone, I realized how much I bring to the table. I wasn’t waiting to be validated or completed. I was growing into someone I genuinely loved being.

By the time I met my husband, I wasn’t looking to be chosen. I already knew I was the prize. I wasn’t dating to fill a void—I was dating to find someone who could match the life I was building, not distract me from it. And that mindset changed everything.

NonyO

Yes! Losing something often helps us see what we really have to offer. When I moved to France, I lost my title, circle, and resume. I was just... me. And I realized that “just me” was enough.

Mandy

Exactly. I had that same moment. I moved across the country, away from everything familiar, and still realized: “Oh, I’m still great company.”

I went home to California for the holidays. On New Year’s Eve, I made my whole family do vision boards. That same night, I journaled a super-specific list: I wanted a New Yorker who loved New York, who danced when food came out, who was nice to waiters. Everything.

Six days later, I matched with my now-husband on Tinder.

Because of COVID, we talked for five weeks before we met. But we had hours of phone calls, and I really got to know him. Once we met in person, we clicked instantly.

Restaurants weren’t open yet, so I suggested we go on a trip for Valentine's Day. I didn’t tell my family at first—they would’ve panicked that I was going to Mexico with a stranger—but I knew I’d either get clarity or I wouldn’t.

We went. It was great. We got engaged six months later and married the following year. I was 37 at the wedding, and I’ll be 39 when I give birth.

Color, whimsy, joy.

All Photos by Lauren Listor of Laurel Creative Agency

Becoming a Mom Without Losing Yourself

NonyO

Have you thought about the kind of mother you want to be? Especially after everything you’ve experienced—and everything society tells us we’re supposed to be?

Mandy

One of my best friends, whom I’ve known since we were two, visited recently. She now has three daughters. While talking, she said something that really moved me: “I always loved coming to your house growing up. Your mom never judged me. I could be myself there.”

She came from a home filled with academic, religious, and social expectations and told me that being in our house felt like a breath of fresh air. It gave her space to just breathe.

That moment stayed with me because it reminded me of how I was raised. I grew up in a home where I was never expected to be anything but myself. None of my quirks, curiosity, or creativity needed to be hidden. My parents didn’t just create that kind of space for me—they extended it to my friends and our family, too. They made our home a safe haven, a place where so many of my peers felt seen and accepted, even when they struggled to feel that way in their own homes for whatever reason.

That’s the kind of mother I want to be. I want to raise a child who never doubts they’re loved for exactly who they are. I want our home to be a place of emotional safety and creative freedom—where no one has to shrink or perform to be worthy of love.

To me, unconditional love isn’t measured by accomplishments. It’s measured by how safe someone feels to show up as their full, authentic self.

All Photos by Lauren Listor of Laurel Creative Agency

“Somewhere along the way, it became trendy to ghost people or cut them off the moment they’re ‘not serving you.’ I don’t love that.”

Evolving Friendships and Setting Boundaries

NonyO

How has your view of friendship evolved? Are you still open to making new friends?

Mandy

Absolutely—I’m always open to making new friends. I value friendship deeply. But here’s what’s changed: I no longer confuse access with closeness.

As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that true friendship isn’t about how often you talk or post each other—it’s about how honestly and respectfully you show up. I’m a recovering people pleaser, so learning to set healthy boundaries has been transformative. I really value the kind of friend who can say, “I’d love to see you, but I think you need some time to refill your own cup,” or “Let’s do something together that pours into both of us.” That’s what support looks like.

The best friends don’t just want your time—they want your well-being.

And here’s the other thing: I think honest, direct communication is everything. Somewhere along the way, it became trendy to ghost people or cut them off the moment they’re “not serving you.” I don’t love that. If we’re walking around cutting people off every time it gets hard, we’re not just dehumanizing one another—we’re missing opportunities to grow.

Friendships can evolve, fade, or even end—and that’s part of life. We age, our circumstances change, and not every connection is meant to last forever. But I believe every relationship offers a chance to reflect, learn, and move forward with more clarity and compassion. We shouldn’t throw those chances away.

One of my best friends, who passed away, once told me something I’ll never forget: “People are like planets in orbit. Sometimes they’re closer to you, and other times they’re further away. But they always come back around.” That perspective shaped how I move through relationships. I try to nurture the connections in my life with the understanding that we’re all part of the same solar system. People shift. Energy shifts. But kindness, grace, and growth? That’s what keeps us aligned.

What’s Next?

NonyO

What’s next for you?

Mandy

Learning to be a mom—while still honoring all the other parts of me.

I’ve spent 39 years building who I am. I don’t want to lose that. I want to find ways to balance this new role with the pieces of me I’ve worked hard to develop.

Of course, it’ll look different. The way I show up at work and in friendships—it’ll all shift. But I don’t want to disappear into motherhood.

My word for the year is “balance”. Some months may be heavy on parenting, some on career. But I’m not chasing perfection—I just want to stay grounded in who I am, even as I grow.

Final Word

NonyO

What quote defines your outlook on life?

Mandy
"Things are always working out for me, no matter how it looks at any given point in time." —Abraham Hicks

That one grounds me. It reminds me to trust the process.

Also, I got my first tattoo this year, in my late best friend’s handwriting. It says, “Amor fati.” The Latin phrase means “love of fate.”

Good or bad, whatever happens, is part of what was meant to happen. That idea has brought me a lot of peace.

You can find Mandy:

On her website or Instagram

Affirmations, writing, and note-taking are very important to Mandy.