Taking Five

Luz Perez Brown
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Entrepreneurship

Taking Five is the podcast for warm-hearted founders navigating the messy middle of business—where things are working, but you know they could work better. Hosted by Luz Perez Brown, operations strategist, designer, and founder of Willow and Jax, each episode features honest conversations with creative service providers who've made brave pivots, set boundaries, grown their businesses slow and steady, and learned to trust themselves along the way. You'll hear real stories about reinvention, sustainable growth, choosing the uncomfortable path, and what it really takes to build a business that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. If you're ready to rethink the rules, slow down to speed up, and build with more intention, this is your invitation to take five.

  1. Oct 22

    Ep. 05: Pitching It into the Future, How Tia Hughes Filters Where to Put Her Attention

    In this episode, I’m sitting down with my friend Tia Hughes, founder and principal designer of Duelle Made, a studio for interior designers and homeware brands. Tia’s built a business around the tension between rhythm changes and strategy, and she shares how she figured out which projects actually move the needle right now and which ones can wait until 2027. Tia lets us in on why she tells clients to pause before the holidays, how she rebuilt her relationship with Instagram after it started to feel like a chore, and why Pinterest is her platform of choice for design-led brands. We also get into: The trend she’s seeing with client feedback now that AI is in the mixHow one curated iPhone photo session brought more ease into her messagingWhy she pushes through the summer months but slows down through the holidaysThe “will this move the needle now?” filter that sent half her to-do list to 2027 If you’ve ever felt behind because you’re trying to do everything at once, this one’s for you. Connect with Tia Hughes: Website: https://duellemade.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duellemade/ Mentioned in this episode: Design Digest: Tia’s newsletter: https://duellemade.myflodesk.com/mn36ljubou The semi-custom brand collection: https://duellemade.com/semi-custom-brands Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly, and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You’ll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

  2. Oct 8

    Ep. 04: If I Left a Cult, You Can Start a Podcast: How Adrienne Cruz Built a Business on Audacity

    In this episode, I'm sitting down with Adrienne Cruz, podcast manager, launch strategist, and, fun fact, my podcast editor. (Though up until this recording, we'd only ever talked over email and DMs.) Adrienne spent years teaching high school English in Puerto Rico before a TikTok sent her down a rabbit hole that turned into a fulfilling business. Adrienne shares what it looked like to build that business in the margins of a full-time job, the "cringe" pitch that turned into a long-term client, and how walking away from a controlling church taught her that fortune favors the brave. We also get into: How calling herself a Podcast Manager before she was ready turned into a steady client rosterWhy she'd still be teaching today if the paycheck had matched the workHow leaving the church proved she had the audacity to make movesWhy hustling on nights and weekends is totally worth it, but only in the right seasons If you've ever tried to build something new in the hours between dinner and the next morning, this one's for you. Connect with Adrienne Cruz: Website: https://adriennecruz.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriennecruzpod/ Mentioned in this episode: Saturday Morning Launch Plan: Adrienne's podcast launch program The Podcast Starter: her free resource for developing a podcast concept Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly, and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You'll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

  3. Sep 22

    Ep 03: Homesteading and KPIs, How LoriAnn Kuntz Turns Personal Goals into Profit Goals

    In this episode, I'm chatting with LoriAnn Kuntz, the owner and CEO of Profit Priority, a full-service accounting and fractional CFO firm for creative business owners. LoriAnn's a homeschooling mom of two and a Midwest farmhouse renovator who believes profitable and peaceful aren't mutually exclusive. LoriAnn shares how she grew Profit Priority from a side hustle into a team of eight, and why she moved past the once-a-year accounting model to support clients all year round. We talk about what happens when you hit the revenue number you thought would fix everything and still feel stretched thin, and how to reverse-engineer your business goals from the life you're actually trying to build. We also get into: Why seeing your clients once a year feels like ghostingChoosing simple growth over copying someone else's business modelHow to build a cash cushion before you need oneWhat homestead life teaches her about slow seasons If you've ever hit a revenue goal and found yourself working just as hard as before, this one's for you. Connect with LoriAnn Kuntz: Website: https://www.profitpriority.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loriannkuntz.co/ Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You'll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

  4. Sep 9

    Ep. 02: Raising Twins, How Jade Pruett Scales Two Companies with a Toddler of Her Own

    In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jade Pruett, founder of Hello SEO and co-founder of MetaMonster, who is scaling two businesses at the same time while raising a two-year-old. Jade shares how a ChatGPT rabbit hole led to a blog post, which led to a co-founder offer, and what it actually took to stop being the person who answers every email. We talk about building systems before you hire, training an intern slowly instead of looking for someone already perfect, and the identity shift that has to happen before you can hand off the work you're best at. We also get into: The ego death of the founder, or what happens when being the expert becomes the thing holding you backHow Jade isn't a tomboy but landed squarely in bro tech, and what she does with that nowUsing AI, and the equally important work of learning when not to use itKnowing you're in a season of push, and knowing exactly where to go for support in it If you've ever suspected you're the bottleneck in your own business but couldn't figure out what to hand off first, this one's for you. Connect with Jade Pruett: Website: https://helloseo.com / https://metamonster.ai Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadefromhelloseo Mentioned in this episode: MetaMonster, WhisperFlow Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly, and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You'll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

  5. Sep 1

    Ep 01: Back Behind the Mic: Stepping Out from Behind the Brand

    In all honesty, Taking Five was only ever meant to be a limited series, but the conversations turned out to be too valuable to walk away from, so here we are at season three! A few things have shifted since the last episode, starting with my move to Alexandria, something I've been bittersweet about but am starting to see through a new lens. I've also started building my personal brand with Nicole Hart, since the projects I've taken on have outgrown the Willow + Jax umbrella. Here's the spoiler: Willow + Jax has served me so well, but it's time to step out and expand into who I've been becoming. This episode is a soft reset, an honest look at what it means to rebuild in a new city and make room for all the pieces at once. The thread running through this season is that a creative business is built best when you get still enough to hear your own goals through the noise. I'm sharing what's changed on my end, why I'm stepping out from an established brand, and what I'm building next. Ready for your own soft reset? Reclaim is a free 4-day async workshop to help you step back into your business with clarity and direction, designed to fit in the margins of life. We start Monday, September 14th. Save your spot: https://willowandjax.myflodesk.com/reclaim If you're catching this one later, come find me on Instagram! I'm documenting the pivot as it happens, so that's where you'll see all of this play out in real time. Follow along: https://www.instagram.com/hellolucybrown/ Connect with Luz: Website: https://www.willowandjax.com In the DMs: https://www.instagram.com/hellolucybrown/ Mentioned in this episode: Nicole Hart, personal brand mentor: https://thenicolehart.com/ My conversation with Kaileen Elise: https://apple.co/4cWRayj

  6. Apr 28

    Ep: 7 Finale: Letting Go of the Plan and Entering the Chat

    Starting a podcast wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, but here we are, wrapping up Season 2, and I'm so proud of what Taking Five is becoming! In this episode, I'm sharing some behind-the-scenes moments of what it was like to start, fine-tune, and eventually trust what was happening naturally. I talk about what it looked like to loosen my grip, and why the messy, fumbling parts are necessary to get to the other side. If you can see what's waiting on the other side for you but haven't quite stuck the landing yet, pull up a chair. This one's for us. In this episode, we talk about: Why overpreparing almost got in the way of the podcast I actually wanted to makeWhy I had to go back to Kaitlyn Parker with my tail between my legsWhat "Life of Leisure" means to me this season and how it shows up in the way we build This season wouldn't have been what it was without some really incredible guests. Go show them some love: Dalia Soles at Design Assisted https://www.instagram.com/designassisted/ Intuition Coach Kaileen Elise Sues https://www.instagram.com/kaileenelise/ Krista Reynolds at Krista Reynolds Photography https://www.instagram.com/kristareynolds.photography/ Haley David Wilson at Money Rebel https://www.instagram.com/themoneyrebel/ Personal Brand Mentor Nicole Hart https://www.instagram.com/thenicolehart/ Thank you for being here this season, truly. Now go take five, boo. You've earned it.

  7. Apr 15

    Ep 6: Claiming Your Seat, How Nicole Hart Helps Women Build a Personal Brand Worth Being Known For

    In this episode, I'm chatting with Nicole Hart, the founder and personal brand advisor behind Heart Brand Studio. Nicole helps women get crystal-clear on their mission, claim the seat only they can claim, and show up in the world in a way that feels true to them. We talk about what it really means to build a personal brand from the inside out, why hiding behind your business brand is costing you more than you think, and the difference between visibility and performance. We also get into: The $20 moment in the back of an Uber that changed everything for her businessWhy barrel jeans and talking head videos belong on the same list of things to stop forcingHer approach with personality tests to reveal more than just your strengthsPutting her ranty pants on at 11 pm to post a story about something that wouldn't leave her alone If you've ever felt like you're shouting into the void or wondered what it would look like to finally let people know who you actually are, this one's for you. Connect with Nicole Hart: Website: https://thenicolehart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenicolehart/ Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You'll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

  8. Mar 31

    Ep 5: Decentering Money, How Hayley David Wilson Left a Thriving Business and Started Over

    In this episode, I'm joined by Hayley David Wilson, founder of Money Rebel, a business development and education hub for women entrepreneurs. Hayley spent nearly a decade scaling a customized cleaning company from a college dorm room in Iowa before walking away at its peak to build something that checked more than just the money box. We talk about what it really looks like to leave something that's working, the slow realization that a business can be profitable and still feel completely wrong, and what she calls "decentering money" — and why it's not as scary as it sounds. We also get into: The Liquid Death rabbit hole and why the dumbest idea is sometimes the best oneHow a commercial client bailing a week before their contract changed everythingStaring out the window with coffee in silence as the ultimate flex of a toddler momWhy Frozen 3 is basically a masterclass in patience, trust, and long-game thinking If you've ever opened a check, felt nothing, and quietly wondered what that means, this one's for you. Connect with Hayley David Wilson: Website: http://moneyrebelco.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themoneyrebel/ Podcast: https://moneyrebelco.com/podcast Never miss an episode: New episodes drop regularly and the easiest way to stay in the loop is by subscribing below. You'll get episodes delivered straight to your inbox, plus occasional resources and behind-the-scenes insights. 🎧 Come take five with us: https://www.willowandjax.com/podcast

    Ep 5: Decentering Money, How Hayley David Wilson Left a Thriving Business and Started Over
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About

Taking Five is the podcast for warm-hearted founders navigating the messy middle of business—where things are working, but you know they could work better. Hosted by Luz Perez Brown, operations strategist, designer, and founder of Willow and Jax, each episode features honest conversations with creative service providers who've made brave pivots, set boundaries, grown their businesses slow and steady, and learned to trust themselves along the way. You'll hear real stories about reinvention, sustainable growth, choosing the uncomfortable path, and what it really takes to build a business that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. If you're ready to rethink the rules, slow down to speed up, and build with more intention, this is your invitation to take five.

Information

  • Creator
    Luz Perez Brown
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Luz Perez Brown