“I tell my story on UnPickled,
hold space for your stories on The Bubble Hour podcast,
and use the lessons learned to write books that help others.”
Jean McCarthy
Jean McCarthy is an award-winning business owner, author, and podcaster from Alberta, Canada who is best-known as a champion of personal growth and recovery advocacy.
Jean has written several books on recovery, including a self-help series (UnPickled Holiday Survival Guide, 2019; UnPickled Prepare to be Alcohol-Free, 2022; UnPickled Recovery DIY, release date TBA), and a collection of poetry (The Ember Ever There: Poems on Change, Grief, Growth, Recovery, and Rediscovery, 2020).
Take Good Care: Recovery Readings Inspired by The Bubble Hour Podcast was released in November of 2022.
Her blog UnPickled (9,000+ followers) chronicles Jean’s alcohol-free lifestyle since her first day of sobriety in 2011. Thousands of readers credit UnPickled as a motivating factor in their decision to quit drinking.
Jean joined The Bubble Hour podcast as a co-host in 2013. She took over the weekly program as its sole producer and host in 2016. The show has a devoted and enthusiastic listenership with more than 4.3 million downloads. In 2022, Jean launched a spin-off podcast, Tiny Bubbles.
At a gala in New York City, Jean was named recipient of the 2017 SheRecovers Hope Award in recognition of her efforts to help others seek positive changes in their lives.
Jean’s professional background is multifaceted, ranging from construction to coffee to the performing arts.
She co-founded a homebuilding company and built over 700 projects during her 20+ year career. Her work has been nationally recognized with numerous industry awards, including Builder of the Year and ranking among Canada’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs by Chatelaine and PROFIT magazines.
Innovative side-projects color Jean’s resume, as well. She is credited with setting up an independant coffee house, an outdoor farmer’s market, and a women’s clothing charity, as well as serving on numerous local and provincial boards. Recognition for this work includes a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, several Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Awards, CHBA Volunteer of the Year, and a Key to the City of Lethbridge.
Jean’s creative endeavors also include the arts. She spent several years performing as a singer/songwriter with two albums of original music to her credit. Fans of The Bubble Hour podcast are familiar with show’s theme song “I Own It,” a single from Jean’s 2008 album, Blessings and Burdens.
Although she no longer performs professionally as a singer, Jean continues to take the stage as a public speaker and event host.
Jean McCarthy 