Sparking Radiance

Genny Perez

Life has chapters that can leave us feeling dim, distracted, or even lost—but your Spark never leaves, it’s just waiting to shine again. I’m your host, Genny Perez—a Wife, Mom, and Friend who’s still figuring it out too. On Sparking Radiance, I share real stories, encouragement, and honest conversations as we grow through each chapter together. This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about choosing light, little by little, starting right from where you are.   Come join me, and let’s Spark some Radiance together!

  1. 2D AGO

    Redefining Success After Failure with Joshua Hernandez

    Send a text What if everything you built—your business, your title, your safety—disappeared overnight? We sit down with financial educator and 20-year entrepreneur Joshua Hernandez to explore how identity survives disruption and how resilience is forged through honest reflection, calculated risk, and the decision to begin again. Joshua shares the rise of his early career, buying his first home at 25, and the hard crash of 2008 that forced him to surrender the house and strip back to essentials. Instead of chasing pride, he chose process: buffers for downturns, leaner overhead, diversified income, and scenario planning that keeps cash flow steady when markets shake. He explains why risk is necessary, how to keep it calculated, and what “protecting the downside” looks like when you’re leading a people-centered business. We dig into daily practices that compound trust—showing up, keeping promises, and treating clients like family—because integrity is the best growth engine. Mindset threads through every chapter. The Magic of Thinking Big, The Greatest Miracle in the World, and What to Say When You Talk to Yourself didn’t just inspire him; they shaped a method for testing ideas before going all in. Joshua’s blueprint for aspiring founders is clear: test the waters to validate demand, then compress your learning curve with a mentor who has already walked the path. And beyond the spreadsheets, there’s a human turn—how salsa dancing at rock bottom led him to his future wife and a life of travel that expands perspective and fuels better decisions. If you’re rethinking success, rebuilding after loss, or simply ready to align ambition with a life you actually love, this conversation will give you tools and heart. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a spark, and leave a review to help more listeners find us.  What’s one risk you’re ready to take this week? Follow Josh on instagram @joshuaehernandez.  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    29 min
  2. Do it Afraid! with Melissa Fournier

    12/05/2025

    Do it Afraid! with Melissa Fournier

    Send us a text Ever told yourself it’s too late to start? Meet Melissa Fournier, a wife and mom who walked into a women’s jiu-jitsu trial at 50, got hooked on the mats, and then decided to compete just four months later.  We dig into what  jiu-jitsu actually demands—submissions, leverage, and controlled pressure—and why technique beats brute strength at every level. Melissa opens up about training through fear, rolling with new partners, and learning to trust a respectful gym culture. With a shoulder injury, a volatile knee, and the normal bruises of live rounds, she still built cardio for four-minute bursts and focused on skill over weight cuts. The night before the tournament, she didn’t even know if she had a match. When one appeared, it was a woman 30 pounds heavier with multiple tournaments under her belt. Every advisor put the decision back in her hands. What happened next is the heart of the episode: she introduced herself to her opponent, grounded the moment in humanity, and chose to “do it afraid.” The first round ended fast with an arm lock. The second stretched to two and a half minutes of grit and defended grips. She lost the bracket and won something bigger—no lingering what-if, no quiet regret. We talk about identity change, adult learning, the power of community, and how to set goals that push without breaking you. If you’re craving a late start, a career pivot, or just one brave habit, this story gives you permission and a simple plan: show up, stay curious, and stack small reps. If this conversation sparked something, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review so more people can find us. Your next brave step starts now. Follow Melissa on Instagram @eddienpnutsmom  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    29 min
  3. Being You Begins with Noticing You - With Dr. Massiel Perez-Calhoon

    11/18/2025

    Being You Begins with Noticing You - With Dr. Massiel Perez-Calhoon

    Send us a text What if self-care wasn’t a luxury at all, but a set of small, repeatable habits that protect your health and energy every single day? We sit down with Dr. Massiel Perez-Calhoon—professor, author, and founder of Do Well at Being You—to flip the script on what it means to take care of yourself without the guilt or the fluff. Forget the stereotype of spa days and scented candles. We explore micro habits you can weave into real life in minutes and why those tiny choices make a big difference. Dr. Perez-Calhoon shares her journey from personal trainer to educator and researcher, including her work on workplace wellness and why people struggle to participate. She breaks down the pillars of sustainable self-care: stress and emotional regulation, physical health and disease prevention, restoration and sleep, relationships and community, boundaries and purpose, and self-respect anchored in your values. We talk about using breathwork before meetings, affirmations to prime focus, water breaks between tasks, stretching during errands, gratitude lists on commutes, and lunch walks that reset the nervous system. These aren’t add-ons; they’re a blueprint for avoiding burnout. We also get practical about preventive care. Annual checkups, blood pressure tracking, and paying attention to “silent” signals like fatigue or muscle twitches can catch problems early. Dr. Perez Calhoon underscores how ignoring the body’s dashboard is like driving with the low-oil light on—something will give. By responding sooner, we model healthy behavior for kids and colleagues, we protect our relationships, and we make better choices with our limited time. The message is simple: adapt your routines to the season you’re in, trade minutes for habits that compound, and let purpose and joy be part of your daily currency. Connect with Dr. Massiel Perez-Calhoon @dowellatbeingyou Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a nudge toward sustainable self-care, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. What micro habit will you start today? Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    32 min
  4. The Confidence to Begin Again with Fernanda Bell

    10/30/2025

    The Confidence to Begin Again with Fernanda Bell

    Send us a text What if the life that looks perfect on paper feels hollow in your chest? That’s the tension Fernanda faced after years of doing everything “right”—earning, achieving, collecting the markers of success—yet coming home to quiet emptiness. Her answer wasn’t another hustle hack. It was a hard reset: strip away the noise, sit in silence, and rebuild on unshakable principles. We dive into her path from a strict Latin upbringing and early single motherhood to a bold pivot that cost her comfort but returned her identity. Fernanda explains why values and wants can shift, but principles like honesty, service, and reliability keep you grounded through every season. She shares the surprising power of intentional isolation to hear your own voice in a world that never stops talking, and how clarity often starts with naming what you refuse to carry forward. Creativity threads through her story. After two decades in fashion styling, she found new energy by weaving that eye for design into real estate and interiors—turning houses into sanctuaries that hold laughter, prayers, and growth. We get practical too: a three-step confidence builder (get quiet, choose five goals in five months, curate your circle), why small wins compound faster than big resolutions, and how to spot environments that feed performance over purpose. Her take on style is refreshingly honest—pairing accessible pieces with thoughtful investments and honoring designers’ craft over labels—because integrity looks good on everyone. If you’re navigating a career pivot, craving real confidence, or trying to make your outside life match your inside truth, this conversation offers a blueprint you can use today. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. What are you ready to let go of so you can make room for what fits? Connect with Fernanda @realtor.fernandabell  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    42 min
  5. Mindset is a Choice: When Humility becomes a Hiding Place - With Justin Grajeda.

    10/20/2025

    Mindset is a Choice: When Humility becomes a Hiding Place - With Justin Grajeda.

    Send us a text What if happiness wasn’t luck but logistics? We sit down with Justin Grajeda, a real estate entrepreneur and coach who turned a decade of anger into a daily practice of clarity, gratitude, and growth. He doesn’t romanticize positivity; he operationalizes it. From the first glass of water and a sunrise walk to strength training, sauna time, and an audiobook, Justin shows how feeding the mind before the body sets the tone for the day—and why skipping those anchors makes stress louder and choices harder. We get into the deeper pivot points too. Therapy opened the door, and a core lesson crystallized: motion creates emotion. By changing posture, breath, and pace, he primes confidence and momentum on command. In business, he translates that insight into systems: documented processes for rentals, flips, and client work that buffer chaos and protect attention. When turbulence is expected, you don’t panic—you execute. That same mindset applies to digital life and relationships, where decluttering inputs shapes a healthier algorithm for your mind. Justin also challenges a sneaky limiter: performative humility. He tells the story of dressing down to avoid “showing off,” only to realize he was shrinking his identity. Upgrading his environment wasn’t vanity; it was alignment with the person he was building. From there he lays out five practical steps anyone can use: mindset, goals, budgeting, lifestyle, and a quantum leap—picking a bold target and reverse engineering it with small, consistent actions. Whether you want more peace, better health, or scalable income, the throughline is choice. You don’t have to stay where you are, and you don’t need permission to start. If this resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend who could use a reset, and leave a quick review. Tell us: which habit will you automate this week—and what leap are you aiming for next? Find Justin on Instagram @Justincoaching_ or via TikTok @Chulis El Inversionista.  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    36 min
  6. Breaking Generational Curses, Finding Beauty Within, and Choosing Hope

    10/11/2025

    Breaking Generational Curses, Finding Beauty Within, and Choosing Hope

    Send us a text What if the cycle stops with you? We sit down with Sonya—a mother, makeup artist, and ministry leader—to unpack how a painful turning point became a call to break generational curses and build a new legacy. From confronting family trauma to reshaping identity through Scripture and daily prayer, she shows how ordinary practices can open the door to extraordinary healing. The conversation is raw, faith-filled, and grounded in wisdom you can use today. Sonya shares the simple prayers that pulled her through the hardest nights: “Lord, get in front of me and pull me; get behind me and push me; get me to the next breakthrough, to the next finish line,” and “Lord, you know what I need to see and hear.” We explore why healing happens in stages, how to remember your “why” when you’re exhausted, and why God’s strength often shows up right where yours runs out. We also dig into her platform “Rahab to Royalty,” a redemptive lens inspired by Joshua 2 that reminds us no past disqualifies a person from purpose, influence, or belonging in God’s story. And because confidence is both spiritual and practical, Sonya brings her decades of beauty experience to offer a fast, effective four-step routine—mascara, blush, tinted gloss, and brow gel—that helps you show up with presence even on busy days. This isn’t about vanity; it’s about aligning outer presence with inner worth and letting your life radiate from the inside out. If you’ve felt alone, mislabeled, or stuck in a loop, this episode offers tools, testimony, and hope that change is possible and closer than you think. If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a quick review so more people can find it. Your story matters—let’s spark radiance, together! Connect with Sonya @thebeautywithinministries and rahabtoroyalty.com  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    27 min
  7. Even in Loss, Love Remains - With Genny Perez

    10/02/2025

    Even in Loss, Love Remains - With Genny Perez

    Send us a text When my pause became a pivot when our family lost Lexie, our beagle and first baby. I open season two with the full story—what happened at the vet, the seven days we were gifted, and why grief didn’t follow any tidy stages. This isn’t a eulogy; it’s a field guide to holding purpose, parenting, and small business dreams alongside a very human heart. In this episode, I talk about the many faces of loss—pets, loved ones, relationships, health, jobs, community—and why the five stages of grief are more a weather report than roadmap. I share how broken heart syndrome showed up in my body, the research that helped me normalize the chaos, and practical ways to support someone in the first weeks: listen to their story, handle small tasks, press pause on big decisions, and invite reminiscing so memory can heal. You’ll hear the sentence that gave me peace in the car, the songs that turned into prayers, and the rituals that brought us back to the present when the house felt too quiet. Lexie left us with everyday wisdom: unconditional love doesn’t keep score, simple joys are not small, presence can do what words can’t, and living in the moment is a muscle we can train. That’s the energy I’m bringing back to the show—gentle courage, honest reflection, and tools that work on hard days. If you’re grieving or walking with someone who is, consider this your place to breathe and rebuild one simple practice at a time. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find a little light when they need it most. *Hone, Lucy PHD. (2017). Resilient Grieving. The Experiment, LLC.  Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    32 min
  8. Don't Quit Now! With Genny Perez

    11/14/2024

    Don't Quit Now! With Genny Perez

    Send us a text How often do you find yourself ready to throw in the towel as the year winds down? Join me, Genny Perez, on the Sparking Radiance podcast, where we'll unpack the secret to turning those feelings of defeat into fuel for perseverance. Using Albert Einstein's timeless wisdom, "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow," we explore the art of holding steady when the going gets tough. Whether you're chasing health goals, building a business, or nurturing personal relationships, the final stretch of the year can be a crucial time to build momentum for a brighter new year. Let's dive into the science of motivation and the real-life strategies that keep us moving forward. We'll uncover the mental tricks that can make even the biggest goals feel within reach, such as breaking them down into bite-sized tasks and reigniting the passion that first inspired you. With insights from Charles Duhigg's "The Power of Habit," we'll discuss the role of self-discipline in achieving lasting success, drawing parallels to how Starbucks trains its employees to maintain consistency through cultivated habits. Throughout the episode, do not miss the inspiring stories of individuals like J.K. Rowling and Sarah Blakely, who transformed rejection into triumph by refusing to quit! These stories serve as powerful reminders that persistence, self-compassion, and a positive mindset can turn setbacks into stepping stones. Tune in and discover how to transform the urge to give up into a journey of growth, resilience, and achievement, because mastering perseverance is the key to unlocking your true ability to Not Quit! *Duhigg, Charles. (2013). The Power of Habit. Random House Books. Follow me on Instagram - @sparking.radiance

    30 min

Ratings & Reviews

About

Life has chapters that can leave us feeling dim, distracted, or even lost—but your Spark never leaves, it’s just waiting to shine again. I’m your host, Genny Perez—a Wife, Mom, and Friend who’s still figuring it out too. On Sparking Radiance, I share real stories, encouragement, and honest conversations as we grow through each chapter together. This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about choosing light, little by little, starting right from where you are.   Come join me, and let’s Spark some Radiance together!