Beyond the balance

Jessica Perez

Beyond The balance is your no-BS, heart-forward podcast for working and entrepreneurial moms who are tired of burnout, guilt, and feeling torn between career, family, and self. Hosted like a conversation with your business bestie, this show delivers honest stories, tough-love truths, and actionable takeaways to help you reclaim confidence, set boundaries, and design a life that actually works for you. From imposter syndrome to redefining success on your own terms, every episode reminds you that you’re not alone - and that your dreams still matter. This is a place where purpose, passion and podcasting come together. Subscribe, exhale, and get ready to pursue purpose, courage, and zero apologies.

  1. 5d ago

    Beyond the balance- Episode 25 (Torie Happe)

    In This Episode We Talk About What happens when you build a family exactly the way you want it and the whole world has an opinion about it? I sat down with my friend Torie Happe, VP of Business Development at Jump, the AI operating system taking over financial services, for a conversation that goes way beyond the boardroom. Torie and I met on the conference circuit, and I have watched her move with the fastest-growing companies in our industry while raising her son on her own terms. In this episode we get into the one-and-done decision and the guilt strangers love to hand you, the day her water broke at 21 weeks (with a Chick-fil-A craving she still hasn't let go of), and the real systems she and her husband use to keep their marriage, their careers, and their kid all standing. If you have ever felt pressure to have more, be more, or perform perfect, this one is going to hit different. Key Takeaways ✨ The size of your family is nobody's business but yours. ✨ Send the email. The CEO might actually write you back and change your whole career. ✨ Spend, save, give. Teaching kids to earn beats handing them everything. ✨ You are doing better than you think. Some days winning is just, he woke up breathing. ✨ Be a villager if you want a village. Community is built, not found. Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who chose one and is tired of defending it. For the woman who built a career she refuses to lose herself in. For anyone carrying the weight of the perfect Pinterest mom and ready to set it down. If you have ever let a stranger's opinion make you second-guess your own family, this one is for you. CONNECT WITH JESSICA PEREZ Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting CONNECT WITH TORIE HAPPE LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/torie-happe FOLLOW & SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Follow the show so you never miss an episode ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 25 (Torie Happe)

  2. Jul 21

    Beyond the balance- Episode 24 (Iyana Harris)

    In This Episode We Talk About She rode the bus to college with her baby in a car seat. Twenty years later, she walked away from the firm that changed her life to build her own. In this episode I sit down with my girl Iyana Harris, Co-Founder of Catalyst, and we go deep on what it really takes to bet on yourself. Iyana grew up in Phoenix as a first generation American with a single mom, no car, and no roadmap. She became a mom at 19, earned her degree with her son sitting beside her in lecture halls, and spent 18 years climbing from a customer service desk to VP of Business Development before leaving corporate to co-found her own consulting firm. We talk about the false safety of a W2, the circle of trust every woman needs, why she plans from A all the way to Z, and the season she is in now: the one where she finally puts herself first. This one is honest, bold, and exactly the reality check you need if you have been sitting on a dream waiting for it to feel safe. It never will. Do it anyway. Key Takeaways ✨ The W2 paycheck is a false sense of security. Your loyalty has to be to you. ✨ Ask yourself: is this a five minute problem or a five year problem? Spend your stress accordingly. ✨ If you are in the room, you are supposed to be there. What is meant for you is meant for you. ✨ Betting on yourself does not mean being reckless. Iyana hired a coach, saved money, and planned from A to Z before she jumped. ✨ Everything you want is on the other side of fear. Ask for help. Vulnerability is earned wisdom, not weakness. Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who has been carrying everyone else since she was young and is wondering when it gets to be her turn. For the woman with a steady paycheck and a restless spirit who knows she was built for more. And for every mama who needs to hear that starting over, starting late, or starting scared still counts as starting. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Iyana Harris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iyanaharris Website: https://startwithcatalyst.com Follow & Support the Podcast ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5 star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 24 (Iyana Harris)

  3. Jul 14

    Beyond the balance- Episode 23 (Sarah Morales)

    In This Episode We Talk About Sarah Morales did not graduate high school. She was a single mom fighting for her self-worth when a mentor couple hired her to host open houses and refused to let her quit, even after she failed the licensing exam more times than she wants to count. Almost 23 years later, she and her husband Jesse run Morales Group Real Estate, a top 1% husband and wife team serving Arizona’s luxury market, with their adult kids stepping into the business beside them. In this conversation we go deep on the leap of faith that changed everything: selling it all in their best year ever to take a pastor position in Washington, losing it in the pandemic, and rebuilding from nothing. We talk about working with your spouse without losing your marriage, why there is no real 50-50 at home, the art of the win-win negotiation, and the moment Sarah got teary telling her younger self it was okay to heal. This one is honest, faith-filled, and full of the kind of wisdom you only earn the hard way. Key Takeaways ✨ Self-worth is not a prerequisite for starting. It is what you build along the way. ✨ A business your kids want to join is proof you built something worth trusting. ✨ There is no 50-50 at home. There is communicating before resentment moves in. ✨ The best negotiation is the one where both sides walk away feeling like they won. ✨ Give yourself space to heal. Strong women grieve too. Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who started with less than everyone else in the room and wonders if she belongs there anyway. For the woman building a business with her spouse and trying to keep the marriage and the margins healthy. For anyone who has ever felt God pulling her toward something that made no sense on paper. And for every mama who needs permission to heal from who she used to be so she can become who she is meant to be. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Sarah Morales Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarah.moralesrealtor Website: https://moralesgroupaz.com Follow & Support the Podcast ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalanc

    Beyond the balance- Episode 23 (Sarah Morales)

  4. Jul 7

    Beyond the balance- Episode 22 (Lacey Shrum)

    In This Episode We Talk About: Lacey Shrum did everything the safe way. Law degree, compliance career, steady paycheck. Then she watched how fast that safety could disappear and decided to build her own thing instead. Today she is the founder and CEO of Smart Kx, a fintech company serving registered investment advisors, and a mom of four running a household on structure, boundaries, and zero apologies. We get into the pivot from lawyer to tech founder, why corporate security is an illusion, how she protects her energy between the work week and the weekend, and the money lessons her kids are learning just by watching her work. If you have ever felt that pit in your stomach telling you there is something more, this conversation is your nudge. Key Takeaways: ✨ Corporate safety is an illusion. The paycheck feels cozy until the arm gets cut off. ✨ Cut the variables. One sport per kid, one clear plan, and hold the line. ✨ Run the play. Structure makes kids more confident and moms less frantic. ✨ Buffer your transitions. Gentle Fridays and slow Mondays prevent burnout. ✨ This season is short. Saying no right now is not saying no forever. Who This Episode Is For: This episode is for: the mom sitting in a corporate job with a business idea she keeps talking herself out of. The one who thinks she needs permission, a perfect plan, or fewer kids before she can bet on herself. Lacey has four children and a law degree she pivoted away from. Your excuses just ran out. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Lacey Shrum LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/laceyshrum Website: https://smartkx.io Follow & Support the Podcast: ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #Beyondthebalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 22 (Lacey Shrum)

  5. Jun 30

    Beyond the balance- Episode 21 (Danielle Mckinley)

    In This Episode We Talk About What happens when an eight-year-old girl makes a promise to herself that she will never be financially trapped? She grows up, builds a SaaS company, helps lead it to a nine-figure exit, and then discovers that the money she chased for safety never actually made her feel safe. Danielle McKinley joins me for a raw, fire conversation about the money stories that drive us, the boundaries we have to enforce to protect the lives we are building, and why becoming a mom was the catalyst that changed everything. If you have ever hit a goal and thought, "This is it? This is what I worked for?", this one is going to hit differently. Key Takeaways ✨ Your money story is running your life, your marriage, and your business, and most of us have no idea what ours is ✨ The people who push back the hardest on your boundaries are the ones who need them the most ✨ If you are on time, you are late. Arrive early, show up as your best self, and stop letting chaos run your schedule ✨ Entrepreneurship is the biggest personal development journey you will ever sign up for ✨ You do not need to scale and exit to be credible. You need to decide what freedom looks like for you Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who is making good money but still feels stuck. For the woman who keeps hitting income ceilings and cannot figure out why. For the overachiever who built everything she thought she wanted and is wondering why it does not feel the way she imagined. If you are teetering between corporate and entrepreneurship, if your boundaries need reinforcing, or if you just need to hear someone say "give yourself grace," press play. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Danielle McKinley Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifebydanielle LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danielle-m13 Website: https://daniellemckinley.com Follow & Support the Podcast ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 21 (Danielle Mckinley)

  6. Jun 23

    Beyond the balance- Episode 20 (Molly Pierce)

    In This Episode We Talk About Molly Pierce is the CEO of Track That Advisor, a fintech and education company helping financial advisors understand their numbers and scale with clarity. She is also a wife, mom of two wild and wonderful boys, an Arizona native who grew up on a dairy farm with 4,000 cows and six siblings, and the kind of woman who wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and has already crushed Pilates and a three-mile walk before most of us hit snooze. In this episode, Molly and I get into what it really looks like to build a business, raise kids with intention, and stay connected to your spouse when life is moving at full speed. We talk about the power of your village, why being a villager matters just as much as having one, and the family motto that guides everything she does: get in the arena. Key Takeaways ✨ You cannot ask for a village if you are not willing to be a villager first ✨ Get in the arena. Even if you fail, you dared greatly. That is the point. ✨ Being honest with your kids about your own fears builds braver kids ✨ Genuine human connection will be the new currency in a world full of AI and noise ✨ Your marriage does not need to look like anyone else's. It just needs to have fun in it. Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who is juggling a career, a marriage, little kids, big dreams, and wonders if she is doing any of it well enough. If you have ever compared your motherhood to someone else's highlight reel or felt guilty for wanting more, Molly is going to make you feel seen. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Molly Pierce LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Website: https://trackthatadvisor.com Follow & Support the Podcast ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 20 (Molly Pierce)

  7. Jun 16

    Beyond the balance- Episode 19 (Katie Levine)

    In This Episode We Talk About Katie Levine went from interning at Vogue and assisting Annie Leibovitz to becoming one of the first female assistants on that team in a decade. She has photographed celebrities, shot magazine covers, and built a career most people dream about. And then she became a mom. In this episode, Katie and I get into the identity shift that blindsides you when motherhood collides with a career you spent 18 years building. We talk about what it really looks like to restructure your business, your friendships, and your expectations when the old version of you no longer fits. Key Takeaways ✨ Losing yourself after baby is real and finding yourself again starts with one intentional choice at a time ✨ Your brand is not your bio. Know who you are before you book the shoot. ✨ Perfection will keep you stuck. Progress will set you free. ✨ Friendships shift after kids and that is not a reflection of your worth ✨ Outsource what drains you so you can stay in your genius zone Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who used to feel like a powerhouse and now can't always find her in the mirror. For the woman rebuilding her identity one decision at a time while running a business, protecting a marriage, and keeping tiny humans alive. If you have ever whispered "I miss who I used to be," this one is for you. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez1123 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Katie Levine Instagram: https://instagram.com/katielevinephoto Website: https://www.katielevinephoto.com/ Podcast: Beyond My Lens Follow & Support the Podcast ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #BeyondtheBalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 19 (Katie Levine)

  8. Jun 9

    Beyond the balance- Episode 18 (Rhiana Whitmire)

    In This Episode We Talk About What does it look like to rebuild your relationship with money, raise a financially savvy kid on your own, and still show up fully in every area of your life? Rhiana Whitmire is doing all three. In this episode, we get real about money habits, single motherhood, the power of community, and what it means to rise after loss. Rhiana is writing a series of financial literacy books for kids ages 3 to 16, leading alongside me at WIFS, and raising her daughter with the kind of intentionality that only comes from doing the hard work on yourself first. This one is going to hit. Key Takeaways ✨ You cannot out-earn bad money habits ✨ Narrating your financial decisions out loud is one of the easiest ways to teach kids about money ✨ The village is not optional. It is the strategy. ✨ Fear is real. Put it on the shelf and go anyway. ✨ Being a single mom means you hold all the balls Who This Episode Is For This episode is for the mom who is navigating money stress, doing it mostly alone, and wondering how to raise kids who are smarter about finances than she was (basically all of us). It is also for every woman who has let fear make the decision for her one too many times. Connect with Jessica Perez Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessicaperez LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-perez-consulting Connect with Rhiana Whitmire Instagram: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiana-whitmire/ Follow and Support the Podcast: ⭐ Follow the show on your favorite podcast platform ⭐ Leave a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a mom who needs it #Beyondthebalance

    Beyond the balance- Episode 18 (Rhiana Whitmire)
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Beyond The balance is your no-BS, heart-forward podcast for working and entrepreneurial moms who are tired of burnout, guilt, and feeling torn between career, family, and self. Hosted like a conversation with your business bestie, this show delivers honest stories, tough-love truths, and actionable takeaways to help you reclaim confidence, set boundaries, and design a life that actually works for you. From imposter syndrome to redefining success on your own terms, every episode reminds you that you’re not alone - and that your dreams still matter. This is a place where purpose, passion and podcasting come together. Subscribe, exhale, and get ready to pursue purpose, courage, and zero apologies.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Perez
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jessica Perez