Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Ambitious Woman of Color
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27. Why You Still Doubt Yourself Even After You've Become a Leader | 29 Jul 2026 | 00:18:13 | |
You nailed the interview. Then spent hours replaying everything you said. If you've ever overanalyzed an interview, performance review, promotion conversation, or leadership opportunity, this episode is for you. In Part 4 of the Summer of Leadership series, Jessica Lynn Rojas shares what happened after interviewing for a leadership role at her company and why trusting yourself after the interview can be harder than preparing for it. Because leadership isn't just about becoming qualified. It's about trusting the leader you've already become. In this episode you'll learn: • Why women of color often second-guess themselves after interviews • How to stop replaying conversations you can't change • Why self-doubt doesn't disappear with promotions • Three questions that build leadership confidence while waiting for results • How to trust your leadership evidence instead of your fear If you're working toward a promotion, leadership role, or executive position, this episode will help you build confidence that lasts beyond the interview. 🎁 Join Paid & Promoted Jessica's free 5-day coaching experience helps ambitious women of color become the obvious choice for leadership opportunities through career positioning, leadership visibility, executive presence, and documented impact. Join here: https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8 Work With Jessica Jessica helps ambitious women of color position themselves as the obvious choice for leadership roles—without overworking or waiting to be recognized. If you're preparing for your next promotion, leadership role, salary negotiation, or executive opportunity, 1:1 coaching helps you build the visibility, leadership strategy, executive presence, and confidence needed to move forward. Book a coaching consultation: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/email-list 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas ⭐ Follow, rate, and review the podcast to help more ambitious women of color build leadership careers on their own terms. | |||
| 26. Why Women of Color Don't Recognize Their Own Leadership Evidence | 23 Jul 2026 | 00:23:07 | |
You may already have years of leadership evidence. You just might not be calling it leadership. In Part 3 of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast's Summer of Leadership series, Jessica Lynn Rojas explores why ambitious women of color often dismiss their own leadership experience as “just doing their job.” After preparing for leadership interviews, Jessica realized she was arguing with her own evidence. Every story came with the same response: “That’s just my job. That doesn’t count as leadership.” But the leadership evidence was there. In this episode, Jessica breaks down why women of color often normalize the skills that make us strong leaders—systems thinking, executive communication, influencing without authority, navigating ambiguity, managing up, building trust, and seeing what others miss. She changed her approach to leadership interviews by asking: “What does this teach someone about how I think?” You'll learn: • Why high-performing women of color dismiss their own leadership evidence Jessica also walks through a real example from her own work: what looked like “fixing a workflow” was actually evidence of systems thinking, strategic prioritization, scope management, influencing without authority, and executive communication. 🎁 JOIN PAID & PROMOTED Paid & Promoted is a free 5-day coaching experience for ambitious women of color in corporate ready to become the obvious choice for leadership opportunities. Inside, you'll learn how to build visibility, communicate your value, and track your leadership evidence. You'll create an Impact Tracker and Leadership Tracker to document your value and leadership moments for interviews, performance reviews, salary negotiations, and promotion conversations. Join Paid & Promoted: WORK WITH JESSICA Jessica Lynn Rojas helps ambitious women of color in corporate become the obvious choice for leadership opportunities through strategic career coaching focused on leadership positioning, workplace visibility, executive presence, influence, authority, and career growth. Book a 1:1 consult: Join Dear Ambitious WOC: Follow Jessica: Subscribe, rate, and review The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast for practical strategies for career advancement, leadership development, and becoming the obvious choice for your next leadership role. | |||
| 18. Breaking Into Luxury Real Estate as a Woman of Color (What It Really Takes) | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:44:02 | |
Trying to break into luxury real estate—or any high-income, commission-based career—but feel like you don’t have the connections, exposure, or access? For women of color, real estate and similar industries come with an added layer: being underestimated, overlooked, and having to prove yourself before you’re given real opportunity. This episode is part of the Industry Series—where we break down what it actually takes for women of color to grow in high-barrier careers where visibility, relationships, and positioning drive income. In this episode, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with LaQuana McNeil, luxury real estate mentor and founder of Real Estate Charm School, to talk about what it really takes to break into the luxury market. From mindset and identity shifts to building exposure and positioning for high-end clients, this conversation breaks down the real strategy behind growing in a space that wasn’t built for you. If you’re in a commission-based role—or any career where income is tied to visibility, relationships, and access—this episode will show you how to stop being overlooked and start being seen as the one people trust with bigger opportunities. IN THIS EPISODE:
ABOUT LAQUANA: LaQuana McNeil is a luxury real estate mentor and founder of Real Estate Charm School, helping agents position themselves for high-end clients and elevate their income and brand. She transitioned from accounting into luxury real estate and now teaches women how to do the same—strategically and sustainably. ✨ Masterclass: Licensedtoluxury.com WORK WITH JESSICA If your income depends on relationships, visibility, and being trusted with bigger opportunities—and your work isn’t translating into more money or growth—this is what I help with. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on:
✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Subscribe so you don’t miss the Industry Series. If this episode resonated, a 5-star review helps more women of color find this podcast and see what’s possible. | |||
| 17. How to Become a Pilot as a Woman of Color: Real Steps, Costs, and Barriers Nobody Talks About | 21 Apr 2026 | 01:02:18 | |
Want to become a pilot but don't know where to start—or feel like it's not a career path for someone like you? Aviation is one of the most expensive, technical, and male-dominated industries out there. And for women of color, the barriers are even higher. Less representation. Fewer mentors. And no clear roadmap for how to break in without the right connections or background. But women of color are doing it. And this episode shows exactly what it takes. This is part of the Industry Series on The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast—where we break down how ambitious women of color are building careers in industries that weren't built for us, and what it really takes to move up. In this episode, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Betty Garcia—a licensed pilot who started as a flight attendant and is working her way to the cockpit at a major airline—for one of the most detailed, honest conversations about breaking into this field you'll find. If you've ever considered a non-traditional career path, felt pulled toward something bigger, or wondered if an industry like aviation is actually accessible to you—this conversation will change how you see what's possible. In this episode, we discuss:
About Betty Garcia Betty Garcia is a UC Berkeley graduate and licensed pilot with her private, multi-engine, and commercial certifications, currently working toward becoming a commercial airline pilot. With over a decade in aviation as a flight attendant at a major airline, she is passionate about opening doors for more women of color in this industry. 📱 Instagram: @lapilotabettygee: https://www.instagram.com/lapilotobettygee/ Work With Jessica If you're an ambitious woman of color who wants to grow in an industry that wasn't built for you—and you're tired of working twice as hard just to be taken half as seriously—this is what I help with. I work 1:1 with ambitious women of color to get promoted, earn more, and move up in their careers without burning out or shrinking themselves to fit spaces that were never designed for them. We get specific about what's keeping you from the next level, what you need to be doing differently, and how to show up in a way that makes the right people take notice—so your hard work actually turns into the title and pay you've earned. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling Subscribe & Review Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the Industry Series. A 5-star review helps more women of color find this podcast and feel seen in their experience. | |||
| 16. Laid Off After Maternity Leave: How to Take a Career Break & Come Back Stronger | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:45:53 | |
Worried that stepping away from your career will cost you everything you’ve worked for? For ambitious women of color, a layoff or career break—especially after maternity leave—doesn’t just feel like a pause. It can feel like you’re losing momentum, falling behind, or quietly wondering if you still “have it.” You did everything right. You built the career. You showed up. You delivered. Now you’re trying to figure out how to come back without starting over—or settling for less. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Tatiana Washington, a senior partnerships and revenue leader, to talk about navigating layoffs, taking a 7-month intentional career break, and returning to leadership at the same level—with clarity and confidence. If you’ve been in a season of pause, pivot, or unexpected change and thinking, “Did I just mess up my career?”—this conversation will meet you there. Jessica and Tatiana break down what it actually looks like to step away and come back stronger, how to move through the identity shift that comes with career breaks, and why your value doesn’t disappear just because your timeline changed. In this episode, we discuss: About Tatiana Washington LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-washington/ Work With Jessica We get clear on where you are and where you want to go.
✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
Subscribe & Review | |||
| 15. Did Everything Right But Still Unhappy? Choosing Yourself Over Culture & Expectations | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:41:56 | |
Have you ever done everything right—built the career, checked every box, stayed committed—and still felt disconnected from your own life? For many ambitious women of color, that feeling isn’t random. It’s what happens when you’ve been taught that staying is strength, sacrifice is expected, and choosing yourself comes last. So you stay. In the job that looks good on paper but drains you. And at some point, you stop asking:Do I actually want this? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Mohini Gima, a life coach who helps South Asian women rebuild their identity and choose themselves after major life transitions. Mohini shares her experience leaving a 14-year marriage and a successful career. Not because it was easy. This conversation is for you if you feel pulled between the life you built and the life you actually want. In this episode, we discuss: → Why doing everything “right” can still feel unfulfilling About Mohini Gima Mohini Gima is a life coach helping South Asian women reclaim their identity, rebuild after divorce, and step into their power while breaking free from cultural expectations. Connect with Mohini: 📱 Instagram: @iammohinigima https://www.instagram.com/iammohinigima Work With Jessica If this resonated, you don’t need to leave everything behind. But you do need to learn how to choose yourself inside your career. I help ambitious women of color grow into higher-paying, leadership roles without burning out or losing themselves. • Go after promotions and raises that align with your life You don’t have to choose between success and yourself. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
Subscribe & Review If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. A quick 5-star rating and review helps more ambitious women of color find this podcast and realize they’re not alone. | |||
| 14.Career Pivot Without Starting Over: How High-Achieving Women Can Change Direction With Confidence | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:59:04 | |
Do you feel like you’re outgrowing your career… but don’t know if you’re allowed to change it? You’ve done everything “right.” The degree. The job. The promotions.
For many high-achieving women of color, career paths are supposed to be linear. You pick something and stick with it. So when you start thinking about a career pivot or life change, it can feel like failure or like you’re wasting everything you’ve built. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Iris Canela, Latina life coach and podcaster, to talk about how to pivot your career and life without starting over or losing yourself. If you’ve been feeling stuck, questioning your path, or craving something different but talking yourself out of it, this conversation will feel like permission. Jessica and Iris break down why pivoting isn’t failure, how to stop waiting for burnout to force a change, and what it looks like to trust yourself even when your next step doesn’t make sense on paper. In this episode, we discuss: • Why career paths aren’t meant to be linear About Iris Canela Connect with Iris Work With Jessica I help ambitious women of color make career moves with clarity and confidence. Whether it’s a pivot, promotion, or new direction, we focus on helping you trust your decisions, stop operating from fear, and build a career that actually fits your life. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC 📱 Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review | |||
| 13. Burnout Isn’t Just Stress: How Unprocessed Trauma Shows Up at Work for Women of Color | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:47:41 | |
Why do you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or on edge… even when you’re doing everything “right” in your career? For many high-achieving women of color, burnout isn’t just about workload. It’s deeper than that. It can be unprocessed trauma stored in the body. You’re showing up, performing, hitting your goals—but your body is carrying stress, tension, and pressure that no amount of productivity hacks can fix. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas is joined by Shena Moreau, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, trauma therapist, and founder of Valorous Wellness, to talk about how trauma shows up in the workplace—and how to start healing in a way that actually supports your life and career. If you’ve ever felt like you can’t turn your mind off, your body is always tense, or success still feels heavy, this conversation will resonate—and we end with a special guided sound bath and meditation from Shena you can come back to anytime. Jessica and Shena break down how both big T and little T trauma impact women of color at work, why burnout can be a nervous system issue (not just time management), and how to start reconnecting with your body so success doesn’t come at the expense of your health. Chapters: About Shena Moreau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinglifewithshe/ Book a consultation: valorouswellness.com Work With Jessica I help ambitious women of color build careers that don’t come at the expense of their health. We look at how you’re operating at work, where stress and pressure are driving your decisions, and how to create boundaries, leadership strategies, and career moves that actually support your life. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
📱 Follow on Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnwellness/
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| 12. Stuck in a Career or Relationship You've Outgrown? Here's What to Do | 17 Mar 2026 | 01:02:32 | |
Have you ever felt stuck but couldn’t quite explain why? On paper, things look fine. You’re responsible. You’re performing. You’re doing what you’re supposed to do. But internally something feels off. Like you’ve outgrown where you are. Maybe it’s your job, a relationship, or the version of yourself you’ve been trying to maintain. And the hardest part? Not knowing whether you should stay and fix it or leave and start over. So you go through the motions. You tell yourself maybe you’re just being ungrateful or that it’s just a hard season. Meanwhile you feel more disconnected, more exhausted, and more unsure of what you actually want. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with her business bestie, Candelaria (Cande) González, a certified life coach who helps first-generation Latinas break free from unfulfilling careers and relationships to build a life they actually love. This conversation is for you if you’ve been questioning your next move, feeling stuck in your career or personal life, or sensing you want more but guilt and fear are keeping you frozen. If you’ve been waiting for permission to change or wondering if it’s okay to want something different, this episode will resonate. In this episode we discuss: • What feeling stuck actually means and how it shows up in careers and relationships About Candelaria (Cande) González Candelaria is a certified life coach who helps first-generation Latinas break free from unfulfilling careers and relationships so they can build a life they genuinely love. Connect with Cande
Work With Jessica If this episode made you realize you may have outgrown where you are in your career, this is the work I do with my clients. I help ambitious women of color in corporate position themselves for the promotion, salary increase, and leadership recognition they’ve already earned. Together we focus on advocating for your value, making your impact visible to decision-makers, and setting boundaries that support career growth without burnout. Instead of staying in roles where you’re overworking and overlooked, you start making strategic moves that move your career forward. Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: Join Dear Ambitious WOC: Follow @jessicalynnwellness: Subscribe & Review Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. A quick 5-star review helps more ambitious women of color discover the podcast and realize they’re not alone in feeling stuck. | |||
| 11. Why Marriage and Motherhood Don't End Your Ambition (They Test Your Identity) | 10 Mar 2026 | 00:46:28 | |
Can you grow your career, be present in your marriage, and raise a family without losing yourself? For many ambitious women of color, marriage and motherhood don’t make ambition disappear. But they do test your identity. Suddenly you’re navigating new expectations at home, shifting priorities at work, and the pressure to hold everything together. You’re showing up as the employee, the partner, the mom, the daughter, the leader. And somewhere in the middle of all that, your voice, goals, and needs can easily get pushed to the side. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas is joined by Nanci Sanchez, first-generation Latina life coach, wife, mom, and corporate professional, to talk about navigating career growth, marriage, and motherhood without abandoning yourself. Jessica and Nanci discuss the identity shifts that happen when women step into new roles, why many women feel guilty advocating for themselves, and how avoiding hard conversations at work or at home can quietly cost you opportunities and fulfillment. They also share practical insight on asking for what you deserve, setting boundaries, and building a career that supports your life, not one that consumes it. Subscribe & Review If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. | |||
| 10. You're Not Lazy, Your Brain Works Differently: ADHD in High-Achieving Women | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:49:12 | |
Why does everything feel so hard when you’re doing everything “right”? You’re high-achieving. You perform well at work. You hit deadlines. People see you as capable. But behind the scenes? You’re exhausted. Focus feels impossible. Organization is a constant battle. You buy the planner. You try the productivity system. You promise yourself you’ll “just be more disciplined.” And nothing sticks. So you start wondering: In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Brenda Miranda, LCSW, ADHD therapist and coach, who was diagnosed with ADHD at 30 after years of high performance and hidden struggle. This conversation is for ambitious women, especially women of color, who suspect they might be neurodivergent or who are tired of traditional productivity advice that does not work for their brain. We talk about what ADHD actually looks like in high-achieving women, why women are chronically underdiagnosed, and how masking ADHD at work often leads to burnout, shame, and collapse at home. If you’ve ever felt like you can perform at work but your personal life is falling apart, this episode will feel validating. In this episode, we discuss: • Why ADHD is often missed in high-achieving women About Brenda Miranda Brenda Miranda, LCSW, is an ADHD therapist and coach for late-diagnosed, ambitious women who want to understand their ADHD brain and get meaningful work done without burnout or self-abandonment. With 15+ years in mental health and her own lived experience with ADHD, she helps women regulate their energy and build sustainable success. Connect with Brenda: Book a 1:1 Sales Call: https://calendly.com/brenda-miranda/salescall Work With Jessica If this episode made you realize you might be navigating ADHD while building an ambitious career, or you’re simply exhausted from trying to “fix” yourself, this is the work I do with my clients. I help ambitious women of color grow their careers without burning out. We focus on promotions, raises, leadership growth, boundaries, and big career moves in a way that works with your nervous system and how you’re wired. No more forcing productivity systems that don’t fit you. No more proving yourself through exhaustion. You can build success in a way your brain and body can sustain. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling Subscribe & Review If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. | |||
| 09. Redefining the Soft Life: How Ambitious WOC Can Prioritize Themselves Without Guilt | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:53:19 | |
Can you take care of yourself and still be ambitious, or does slowing down mean falling behind? For many women of color, rest comes with guilt. You want more energy, better health, and space to breathe, but you’ve been taught that success requires constant output, overworking, and pushing through exhaustion. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas is joined by Samantha Minott, Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, health and wellness coach, and founder of Wellness Evolving, to redefine what the “soft life” actually looks like for high-achieving women. If you’re tired of toxic productivity, ignoring your body’s signals, or feeling like prioritizing yourself will cost you your career momentum, this conversation will resonate deeply. Jessica and Samantha unpack how ambition, wellness, and purpose can coexist without burnout. They explore how stress, cultural conditioning, and survival-based success patterns impact women of color’s health, and why self-care is not indulgent, lazy, or optional. The soft life, as they discuss, is intentional, grounded, and necessary for sustainable success. In this episode, we discuss:
About Samantha Minott Samantha Minott is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and founder of Wellness Evolving. After being dismissed by doctors at a young age, her personal health journey led her to functional nutrition and holistic wellness. Today, she helps women of color get to the root cause of hormonal imbalance through faith-based, sustainable wellness practices. Connect with Samantha: Work With Jessica If this episode made you realize you’re tired of building success at the expense of your health, this is the work I do with my 1:1 clients. I help ambitious women of color grow their careers without burning out. We focus on increasing your income, strengthening your leadership presence, setting boundaries that actually stick, and positioning you for promotions and higher pay without overworking to prove yourself. This is about building a career that funds your soft life. More money. More authority. More ease. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review If this episode supported you, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. A quick 5-star review helps more women of color find these conversations and reminds them they’re not alone. | |||
| 25. Promotion Season Starts Before the Job Is Posted | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:37:11 | |
Most women of color think promotion season starts when the leadership position gets posted. It doesn't. By the time an interview is scheduled, leaders have already been watching. They've already experienced how you think, how you influence decisions, how you navigate difficult situations, and whether they can picture you leading long before a title is ever available. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, leadership and career coach Jessica Lynn Rojas takes listeners behind the scenes of her own leadership journey after two leadership opportunities unexpectedly opened within her company. She's sharing how she's positioning herself for leadership in real time while preparing for two internal leadership opportunities. Because interviews don't make someone leadership material. They reveal who they've already been becoming. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why promotion season starts the day after your last promotion—not when a leadership role gets posted • The difference between preparing for an interview and preparing for leadership • Why women of color need different career strategies than simply working harder or waiting to be noticed • How to build visibility, executive presence, influence, and authority before leadership opportunities open • What Jessica learned after not getting a previous internal leadership role—and how it completely changed the way she approaches career growth • How an Impact Tracker, Leadership Tracker, and Story Bank help you prepare for interviews, performance reviews, salary negotiations, and leadership opportunities • Why positioning isn't something you say about yourself—it's something leaders experience from you over time If you're a woman of color in corporate ready for your next leadership role and wondering why others seem to move ahead faster, this episode is for you. Ready to stop waiting to be noticed and start intentionally positioning yourself for leadership? Join Paid & Promoted: A Free 5-Day Coaching Experience for Women of Color Ready to Become the Obvious Choice for Leadership Opportunities. You’ll learn: 👉🏽 Join Paid & Promoted https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8 Work With Jessica Jessica helps ambitious women of color get promoted, increase their visibility, and step into leadership without burnout or overproving. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on: Book a 1:1 sales call: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/email-list Follow @jessicalynnrojas: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/ ⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build leadership careers on their own terms. | |||
| 08. When Doing Everything Right Still Isn’t Safe: Burnout and Career Success for Women of Color | 17 Feb 2026 | 00:43:47 | |
You did everything right. Degree? Check. Career? Check. Hard work? Check. So why does success still feel exhausting, unsafe, or unsatisfying? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Bianca Alba, first-gen Latina, public health professional turned entrepreneur, and founder of This Latina Travels. They unpack why career success doesn’t always bring security or fulfillment for women of color, how burnout hides behind stability, and why doing everything “right” isn’t always enough. Bianca shares her journey through public service, burnout, an unexpected layoff, and the moment she chose herself—building a business and community rooted in rest, freedom, and self-trust. This conversation is a reminder: your worth isn’t measured by productivity, titles, or how much you can endure. In this episode, we discuss:
About Bianca Alba Connect with Bianca: Website & Newsletter Work With Jessica If you’re an ambitious woman of color navigating career burnout, overwork, or the pressure to constantly prove yourself, this is the work I do. I’m a career coach for women of color who want promotions, higher pay, and sustainable career growth without sacrificing their health or peace. In my 3-month 1:1 coaching program, we focus on salary negotiation, leadership presence, boundaries at work, and making high-stakes career decisions without burnout. ✨ Book a 1:1 Career Coaching Consult 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC 📱 Follow on Instagram Subscribe & Review | |||
| 07. Growing Your Career Without Growing Apart: Relationships for Ambitious Women | 10 Feb 2026 | 00:44:13 | |
Can you grow your career and keep your relationship thriving—or do you have to choose? For many ambitious women, career growth comes with tension at home. You get the promotion, and your partner feels threatened. You work longer hours, and they don’t understand why it matters. You prioritize yourself, and suddenly there’s guilt or pushback. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas is joined by Cynthia Flores, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and host of the Heal & Manifest podcast, to talk about what really happens when ambitious women start growing—and how to navigate love and career success without sacrificing either. If you’re high-achieving, used to handling everything on your own, or wondering why your relationships feel heavy, disconnected, or misaligned, this conversation will resonate. Jessica and Cynthia unpack how cultural conditioning, first-gen pressure, and survival-based success patterns shape how ambitious women show up in relationships. They explore why career success doesn’t automatically bring relational fulfillment, why hyper-independence can create distance, and what it takes to co-create partnerships that truly support your life and career. In this episode, we discuss: About Cynthia Flores Connect with Cynthia: Work With Jessica ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review Leaving a quick 5-star rating and review helps more women of color find these conversations, and reminds them they’re not alone. 🤎 | |||
| 06. The Eldest Daughter Tax: How Your Childhood Role Shows Up at Work | 03 Feb 2026 | 00:46:37 | |
In this episode, Jessica Lynn Rojas is joined by Miryam Valdivia Romero (Miryam Valdrom), Leadership & Capacity Strategist, to unpack the eldest daughter tax—and how early family roles shape how Latinas and women of color show up at work. If you’ve always been the responsible one, the fixer, the emotional backbone, or the person who “handles everything,” this conversation will feel familiar. Together, we explore how eldest daughter conditioning and cultural survival roles lead to over-functioning, people-pleasing, and burnout at work—while keeping women underpaid, overlooked, and stuck in roles that rely on their labor but not their leadership. This episode breaks down what it actually takes to move from being the dependable doer to a resourced, sovereign leader. We talk about emotional capacity, boundaries, rest, negotiation, and why reclaiming your agency at work isn’t selfish—it’s essential for sustainable career growth. In this episode, we cover: About Miryam Valdrom Connect with Miryam: Work With Jessica I help ambitious women of color earn more without overworking—through salary negotiation, promotions, job changes, and career pivots that increase income, authority, and choice without sacrificing your health. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review Leaving a quick rating and review helps more women of color find these conversations, and reminds them they’re not alone.🤎 | |||
| 05. Building Wealth on a W-2: Financial Strategies for High-Earning Women of Color | 27 Jan 2026 | 01:00:22 | |
Building wealth shouldn’t require burnout, constant side hustles, or sacrificing your well-being. In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Maideli Garcia, Latina money coach and financial educator, to break down what building wealth on a W-2 actually looks like for ambitious women of color. They explore how career strategy, mental health, family expectations, and self-worth directly impact income, savings, and long-term wealth — and why many high-achieving women of color feel financially stretched despite earning “good money.” This conversation challenges the belief that you have to overwork to get ahead and offers a more sustainable path to financial growth that doesn’t cost you your health, relationships, or peace. You’ll hear about:
This episode is for women of color who want financial freedom, career growth, and a life that actually feels good — not just impressive on paper. About the Guest: Maideli GarciaMaideli Garcia is a Latina money coach and financial educator who helps women of color and first-generation professionals save, spend, invest, and earn more — without sacrificing joy. After burning out in education, Maideli pivoted into tech and tripled her income. She now supports clients in breaking generational money cycles, building wealth, and rewriting their money stories. Work with Maideli Stop overworking. Start getting paid what you’re worth. ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review If this podcast supports you, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Leaving a quick rating and review helps more women of color find these conversations, and reminds them they’re not alone. | |||
| 04. Why Women of Color Are Systematically Underpaid—And How to Protect Yourself | 20 Jan 2026 | 00:41:49 | |
In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color, Jessica sits down with Carla Santamaria, career strategist and host of The First Gen Coach Podcast, to unpack why women of color are systematically underpaid—especially in mission-driven and nonprofit spaces. We explore how women of color are socialized into low-paying roles in the name of “giving back,” how purpose is often used to justify inequitable pay, and why being aligned with a mission should never require financial self-sacrifice. Carla shares her journey of more than doubling her salary in 10 months by leveraging transferable skills and pivoting industries from higher education to healthcare to tech. Together, Jessica and Carla discuss how women of color can recognize underpayment, protect themselves in inequitable systems, and build careers that support both their values and their lives. IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER
ABOUT THE GUEST Carla Santamaria is a community psychologist, career strategist, and LinkedIn educator who more than doubled her salary in 10 months by leveraging transferable skills and pivoting industries. A Honduran-born, Miami-raised, first-generation professional, Carla helps women build careers that support the lives they want to live. She is the host of The First Gen Coach Podcast and has been featured in Univision Noticias, PopSugar Juntos, and Latinas in Tech. CONNECT WITH CARLA Instagram: @carlasantamaria WORK WITH JESSICA If this episode resonated and you’re ready to stop being underpaid for work that matters, this is exactly what I support my 1:1 clients with. I work with ambitious women of color who want to:
📅 Book a consult call here 📱 Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas ✉️ Join my email community Subscribe & Review: | |||
| 03. Págame: How to Negotiate Higher Pay Without the Burnout | 13 Jan 2026 | 00:52:38 | |
What if getting paid more didn’t require working harder, sacrificing your mental health, or proving your worth over and over again? In this episode, Jessica sits down with Evie Prete, Latina salary negotiation coach and host of The Págame Podcast, to unpack the deep connection between self-worth, money, and mental health. Evie shares her journey from burnout in high-pressure environments to helping women of color confidently negotiate salaries, promotions, and severance rooted in self-worth—not hustle. They explore: how “Págame Energy” shifts the way women show up at work, why more work doesn’t equal more money, and how to prepare for layoffs before they happen. If you’ve ever felt guilty asking for more, feared rocking the boat, or believed you had to earn the right to negotiate—this conversation will change how you see your value. In This Episode:
About Evie Prete: Connect with Evie:
Work with Jessica: ✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling 📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe & Review: | |||
| 02. Leading as a Woman of Color at the Director Level | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:43:34 | |
What happens after you get the promotion? Stepping into a Director-level role as a woman of color isn’t just a title change—it’s an identity shift. Suddenly, you’re not just managing work, you’re leading people. You’re navigating power, visibility, and expectations—often as the only woman of color in the room. In this conversation with Elvy Garcia, certified life and leadership coach, we talk about what no one prepares you for at senior levels: how imposter syndrome changes, leading without shrinking yourself, and setting boundaries as a leader without guilt. This episode is for you if you’re aiming for leadership, newly promoted into a Director-level role, or already there navigating the challenges beyond the job description. In This Episode:
Key Takeaways:
Connect with Elvy Garcia:
Work With Jessica: ✨ Book a consult call: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling Subscribe & Review: | |||
| 01. Welcome to The Ambitious Woman of Color | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:32:28 | |
Seven years ago, I made a call I’d been avoiding for six months. I called my company’s Employee Assistance Program—from my desk at work—while still showing up every day, high-performing on the outside and drowning in anxiety on the inside. I had done everything “right.” And I was completely burned out. In this first episode, I share my story—from my first panic attack at 18, to the boss who questioned my intelligence, to the moment I realized I had made my career my entire identity. I talk about the years it took to understand the root of my burnout and what changed when I finally chose myself first. This is also why I became a coach—and why I created this podcast. Because the support I needed didn’t exist. Support that understood culture, identity, and the reality of being a first-gen woman of color in spaces not built for us. If you’re an ambitious woman of color who’s tired of choosing between the career and the life, you’re in the right place. In This Episode:
Key Takeaways:
Work With Jessica I work 1:1 with ambitious women of color navigating promotions, pivots, and raises—without burning out.
Subscribe & Review Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next. Next Episode Leading as a Woman of Color at the Director Level with Elvy Garcia. | |||
| Welcome to The Ambitious Woman of Color (Trailer) | 13 Dec 2025 | 00:01:45 | |
I'm Jessica Lynn Rojas, and I created the podcast I wish existed when I was climbing the corporate ladder as one of the only Latinas in the room. The Ambitious Woman of Color is for high-achieving women of color who want career success AND a full life—not one or the other. This is where we have the real conversations: How to build wealth when you're figuring out money on your own. How to set boundaries when your culture calls that disrespectful. How to rest without guilt. How to navigate being the only one. How to lead without losing yourself. Every week, I'm bringing you experts and women who get it. Negotiation coaches. Therapists. Financial strategists. Leaders who've navigated what you're navigating. Because your career impacts your life, and your life impacts your career. And you deserve strategies that work for ALL of you. Subscribe now. New episodes drop every week. This is the conversation we've been waiting for. | |||
| 24. The Rules That Helped Women of Color Succeed Aren’t the Ones That Get Us Promoted | 08 Jul 2026 | 00:21:45 | |
You worked hard. You built your expertise. You became the person everyone trusts. But if you’re still wondering why leadership opportunities are not coming your way, this episode is for you. In this episode of the Summer of Leadership Series, Jessica Lynn Rojas shares why the strategies that helped many women of color succeed early in their careers are not always the strategies that help us move into leadership roles. For many women of color, hard work was the path forward. It helped us prove ourselves, create opportunities, and succeed in spaces where we were often one of the few. But leadership is not just about doing more. Leadership opportunities are created when people see your impact, trust your judgment, and recognize you as someone ready for more responsibility. In this episode, Jessica shares: This episode is for ambitious women of color in corporate who want career growth, leadership opportunities, and promotions without sacrificing their health to get there. Join Paid & Promoted: Ready to stop waiting to be noticed and start intentionally positioning yourself for leadership? Join Paid & Promoted: A Free 5-Day Coaching Experience for Women of Color Ready to Become the Obvious Choice for Leadership Opportunities. You’ll learn: 👉🏽 Join Paid & Promoted https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8 Work With Jessica Jessica helps ambitious women of color get promoted, increase their visibility, and step into leadership without burnout or overproving. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on: Book a 1:1 sales call: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/email-list Follow @jessicalynnrojas: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/ ⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build leadership careers on their own terms. | |||
| 23. What Recruiters Actually See: Job Hopping & Networking for Women of Color | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:44:58 | |
In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, host Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Jenn Jamali, Money Coach and former tech recruiter at companies like Pinterest, Spotify, and Indeed, for a strategic conversation on career growth, job hopping, networking, and how women of color can use the “outside game” to increase income and get to leadership faster. This conversation is especially for women of color in who are ready to stop waiting for promotions, stop under-earning for their level, and start positioning themselves for leadership roles and higher income by the end of this year or early next year. Together, Jessica and Jenn break down what recruiters actually notice when reviewing your experience, why job changes can be a strategic wealth-building tool (not a red flag when done intentionally), and how networking and referrals often matter more than applying online when it comes to advancing your career. They also unpack how first-gen women of color are often conditioned to stay loyal, overprove, and wait to be chosen—and what shifts when you start treating your career like a strategic system instead of a waiting game. In this episode, we cover: • What recruiters actually look for when hiring and promoting About Jenn Jamali Jenn Jamali is a Money Coach who helps women freelancers, consultants, and entrepreneurs with variable income stop overspending and start building lasting wealth. 👉🏽 Website 🎧 Payday Club Podcast Work With Jessica If you’re a woman of color in corporate who is doing everything “right” but still feels overlooked, underpaid, or stuck waiting for your next promotion—this is where we shift that. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on: • Positioning your experience so recruiters and decision-makers see you as ready for the next level 👉🏽 Book a 1:1 sales call: Subscribe, rate, and review to support more women of color building strategic careers, increasing income, and getting promoted without burnout. | |||
| BONUS: How to Stop Proving Yourself and Build Success on Your Own Terms | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:45:27 | |
In this bonus episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, host Jessica Lynn Rojas joins Cafecito and Rise (now Rise Differently Podcast) with Iris Canela, a life coach helping high-achieving women of color and Latinas stop over-proving and start living with more intention, presence, and self-trust. Together, they explore burnout, anxiety, mental health, career pressure, and the hidden cost of tying your worth to achievement. Jessica shares her experience as a first-generation Latina navigating panic attacks, depression, workplace stress, and the pressure to constantly prove herself in corporate consulting—and how she rebuilt her career around wellness, leadership, and sustainable success. If you're a woman of color in corporate, healthcare, consulting, education, nonprofit, or another high-pressure career and you're exhausted from overworking, overperforming, and still feeling overlooked, this conversation is for you. In This Episode: • Burnout in women of color and why it isn't always caused by working long hours About Iris Canela Iris Canela is a life coach for high-achieving women of color and Latinas who are ready to stop over-proving and start living rooted in presence, intention, and truth. 📱 Instagram: @risingwithiris Work With Jessica Lynn Rojas If you're doing everything right but still feel stuck, overlooked, underpaid, or exhausted from carrying the weight of your career alone, this is where we change the strategy. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on: • Identifying what is draining your energy versus what is actually driving career growth This is not about working harder. It's about making sure your effort translates into the recognition, opportunities, and compensation you've already earned. ✨ Book a 1:1 Sales Call ⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build successful careers without sacrificing themselves in the process. | |||
| 22. Beyond Burnout: Why Women of Color Burn Out Faster & How to Build Careers That Last | 28 May 2026 | 00:48:30 | |
What if burnout isn't the problem—but the signal? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas and Evie Prete unpack burnout, career growth, self-worth, and the unique pressures women of color face at work. Burnout doesn't always look like working 80-hour weeks. Sometimes it looks like anxiety, overproving, people-pleasing, carrying everyone's problems, or feeling disconnected from yourself while still performing at a high level. Jessica and Evie share their personal burnout stories and discuss why women of color are especially vulnerable to burnout due to cultural conditioning, workplace bias, invisible labor, and the belief that worth must be earned through hard work. Together, they explore how burnout impacts salary negotiations, leadership growth, career decisions, and the ability to advocate for yourself. In this episode, we discuss: • Signs of burnout women of color often miss Key Takeaway: Burnout is often a sign you've been operating from survival mode instead of strategy. Sustainable success requires a different approach. About Evie Prete Evie Prete is a Latina Salary Negotiation Coach, Speaker, and Host of the Págame Podcast. She helps first-generation women of color negotiate higher salaries, advocate for themselves, and build careers rooted in self-worth. Her clients have secured over $1 million in salary increases. Free Salary Negotiation Checklist Self Worth Accelerator Waitlist Previous Episode with Evie: Work With Jessica If you're a woman of color who is overworking, constantly proving yourself, and still not seeing the pay, leadership opportunities, or recognition you deserve, I can help. Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on: Book a Sales Call Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build careers that don't require burnout. | |||
| 21. The Money Story Running Your Career: Money, Career Growth & Wealth for Women of Color | 19 May 2026 | 00:55:15 | |
What if the reason you feel behind in your career and your money isn’t because you’re doing something wrong, but because of the money story you were never taught to question? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Andrea Ramos of Building Gen Wealth for a conversation at the intersection of money and career for first-gen women of color — where income growth, career decisions, and wealth building are all happening at the same time. This episode is for the woman of color earning more than ever but still not feeling financially secure. The one second-guessing salary asks, investments, and whether she’s “ready” to ask for more. Together, Jessica and Andrea break down how survival-based money beliefs show up at work — staying in roles too long, under-asking in negotiations, and playing it safe even when your income has changed. Andrea shares her story of growing up as an immigrant daughter from Lima, Peru, raised on “always save,” until both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer just a month apart — forcing her to rethink financial security and leading her into investing and building Building Gen Wealth. Jessica connects this to career patterns — underpricing, delaying asks, and staying in roles that don’t reflect your actual level. In this episode, we cover:
About Andrea Ramos Andrea Ramos is founder of Building Gen Wealth, helping first-gen women of color move beyond saving and start building wealth through investing and money strategy. After immigrating from Peru as a child, a family health crisis reshaped her view of money and pushed her into investing and wealth building. 🌐 https://www.buildinggenwealth.com/ Work With Jessica If you’re a woman of color in corporate doing real work but your pay, title, and visibility aren’t matching it — this is the gap we fix. Inside 1:1 coaching, clients get:
This is not about doing more. It’s about your work finally being recognized and rewarded at the level it already is. ✨ Book a 1:1 sales call: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
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| 20. Building a Career in Medicine as a Black Woman: Burnout, Leadership & Freedom-First Careers | 12 May 2026 | 00:36:12 | |
What does it actually take to build a career in medicine as a woman of color — and what happens when the system that trained you starts breaking you down? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color, Jessica sits down with Dr. Kristine Goins, a board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Nomad MD, for an honest conversation about burnout, identity, leadership, and what it really looks like to build a career in medicine on your own terms. This episode is part of the Industry Series — where we spotlight women of color building careers in high-barrier industries and unpack what it actually takes to grow, survive, and thrive in them. Dr. Goins shares her experience navigating medicine as a Black woman physician, the emotional and physical toll of working inside systems that demand constant sacrifice, and the breaking point that pushed her to leave traditional medicine behind and build a freedom-first career through telemedicine. We also discuss the deeper realities women of color in healthcare face: hypervisibility, burnout, emotional labor, people-pleasing, and the pressure to overperform while still being underestimated. If you work in medicine, healthcare, public health, therapy, nursing, social work, or any demanding profession where you feel like your career is costing you your health, this conversation will hit deeply. In this episode, we cover: • Building a career in medicine as a Black woman About Dr. Kristine Goins Dr. Kristine Goins is a board-certified integrative adult and pediatric psychiatrist, digital nomad, and founder of Nomad MD. After experiencing severe burnout while working across multiple healthcare settings and leadership roles, she rebuilt her career around freedom, flexibility, and sustainability. She now helps burned out physicians replace their income remotely and build freedom-first careers through telemedicine and entrepreneurship. 🌍 Connect with Dr. Kristine Goins 📱 Instagram @thenomadmds Work With Jessica If you’re a woman of color in healthcare or another high-pressure field where you’re carrying invisible labor, constantly proving yourself, and still not being seen as leadership — this is exactly the work we do inside 1:1 coaching. We focus on: ✨ Book a consult 📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review to support the podcast! | |||
| 19. Building a Career in Law as a Woman of Color: What It Really Takes to Advance and Lead | 05 May 2026 | 00:42:58 | |
What does it actually take to build and grow a career in law as a woman of color? In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with immigration attorney and leader Moona Siddiqui to break down the real experience of navigating the legal field—from early career decisions to stepping into leadership. This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice. We talk about what it looks like to grow in a high-pressure, traditionally white and male-dominated industry while staying grounded in your values, protecting your mental health, and building a career that actually works for you. This episode is part of the Industry Series—where we highlight women of color building careers in high-barrier fields and unpack what it really takes to move up. Moona shares her journey from environmental law to immigration law, her experience across nonprofit, government, and private practice, and how she now leads a legal office primarily made up of women of color—intentionally creating a culture where people feel respected, valued, and heard. If you’re in law—or any demanding, structured career where advancement isn’t just about performance—this episode will give you a clearer lens on what actually moves you forward. In this episode, we cover:
About Moona Siddiqui With over a decade of experience, she has represented clients in complex immigration matters including asylum, removal defense, and humanitarian relief, and is committed to advancing access to justice and mentoring women of color in law. Resources & Links Work With Jessica Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on:
✨ Book a 1:1 consult Subscribe & Review | |||