But somehow, you’re still not getting the leadership role.

In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas sits down with Cindy J. Lone, executive neuroleadership coach and founder of Latinas at Work, to talk about what can get in the way when you’re ready for a promotion or leadership opportunity but still find yourself questioning your abilities, overworking, or trying to prove yourself.

As part of the Summer of Leadership series, Jessica and Cindy explore the connection between self-doubt, confidence, brain science, and career growth—and how the patterns that helped you succeed can sometimes keep you from stepping into the next level.

In this episode:

• Why “imposter syndrome” doesn't fully explain self-doubt
• How negativity bias affects confidence and decision-making
• Why working harder isn't always the path to a promotion
• How an evidence list can help you recognize your leadership
• Why over-functioning and people-pleasing can affect career growth
• How to build self-trust using facts instead of forced positivity
• Why rest and space can make you a better strategic leader
• How to identify what gives you energy and what drains it
• What to focus on when preparing for a leadership role
• Why “fake it till you make it” isn't the answer

If you've been thinking, “I know I'm capable of more. Why am I still not getting the opportunity?” this conversation will help you look at your career growth and leadership development differently.

🎁 Start with Paid & Promoted

Paid & Promoted is Jessica's free 5-day coaching experience for ambitious women of color who want to position themselves for their next promotion or leadership opportunity.

You'll learn how to recognize your leadership, document your accomplishments, communicate your value, and make your work more visible.

👉🏽 https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8

About Cindy J. Lone

Cindy J. Lone is an executive neuroleadership coach and founder of Latinas at Work with 20+ years of corporate experience across finance, operations, and strategy.

👉🏽 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinasatwork/
💬 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindylone/

Work With Jessica

Jessica Lynn Rojas is a career growth strategist, certified coach, and healthcare consultant helping ambitious women of color navigate promotions, leadership, visibility, career strategy, and higher pay.

👉🏽 Coaching: https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling

📩 Email community: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas

⭐ Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more ambitious women of color find the show and these conversations about career growth, leadership, and building a successful life without sacrificing yourself.

So why does it still feel like someone else keeps getting the promotion?

In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast, Jessica Lynn Rojas talks with Alison Hemmings, career strategist and former executive recruiter, about what really happens behind the scenes when companies decide who gets hired, promoted, and given bigger leadership opportunities.

After more than 10 years in executive recruiting, Alison saw firsthand that the most qualified person isn't always the person who gets the opportunity. Now she helps professionals land six-figure roles and make strategic career moves.

As part of Jessica's Summer of Leadership series, this conversation explores why women of color can work hard, build experience, and still feel overlooked for promotions and leadership roles.

Jessica and Alison talk about:

• Why hard work and qualifications aren't always enough to get promoted
• What hiring managers look for beyond your resume
• Why women of color can struggle with visibility and self-promotion
• The difference between visibility and relationships
• How your network influences career opportunities
• Why some leadership opportunities never make it to a job posting
• How cultural conditioning around humility can affect how you communicate your value
• What executive presence actually means
• Why documenting your accomplishments matters
• How to prepare for your next leadership opportunity before the position opens

If you've ever thought, “I'm doing everything right. Why am I still not getting promoted?” this conversation will help you think differently about your career strategy.

🎁 Paid & Promoted

A free 5-day experience for ambitious women of color who want to recognize the leadership they're already demonstrating and start using that evidence to prepare for what's next.

👉🏽 https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8

About Alison

Alison Hemmings is a career strategist and former executive recruiter with 10+ years of experience behind the scenes of hiring and promotion decisions.

https://www.alisonhemmings.com
https://linkedin.com/in/alisonhemmings

Work With Jessica

Jessica Lynn Rojas is a leadership and career coach for ambitious women of color in corporate who are ready for their next leadership role.

👉🏽 Coaching: https://jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling
📩 Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/

⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review The Ambitious Woman of Color Podcast to help more women of color navigate career growth and leadership on their own terms.

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.

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
• The difference between describing what you did and showing how you think
• How to identify the “leadership read” inside your existing work
• How to build a Leadership Evidence Portfolio for interviews, performance reviews, promotion conversations, and career growth
• Why leadership positioning is built before a leadership opportunity opens

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:
https://jessicalynnrojas.myflodesk.com/e84wuxmmh8

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:
https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/scheduling

Join Dear Ambitious WOC:
https://www.jessicalynnrojas.com/email-list

Follow Jessica:
https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/

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.

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:
• Why hard work alone is not a leadership strategy
• How to increase your visibility and communicate your value
• How to track your impact and leadership so you are prepared for promotion conversations

👉🏽 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:
• Leadership positioning
• Workplace visibility
• Communicating your value
• Career strategy for your next level

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.

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:
• Why high performers can still be overlooked for leadership roles
• The difference between working hard and positioning yourself for growth
• Why being reliable can sometimes keep you stuck in your current role
• How women of color can build visibility without changing who they are
• How to document your impact and leadership before opportunities appear
• How to become the obvious choice when leadership roles open up

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:
• Why hard work alone is not a leadership strategy
• How to increase your visibility and communicate your value
• How to track your impact and leadership so you are prepared for promotion conversations

👉🏽 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:
• Leadership positioning
• Workplace visibility
• Communicating your value
• Career strategy for your next level

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.

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
• Why job hopping can accelerate income and leadership opportunities
• How women of color are over-conditioned to prioritize loyalty over leverage
• The role of networking and referrals in getting unblocked in your career
• How to position yourself so you’re seen as “next up” for leadership
• Why waiting for internal promotion cycles keeps women stuck
• How to use the next 6 months to land a promotion or new role
• Strategic career moves that increase income without burnout
• The difference between reactive job changes and intentional career design

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

📱 Instagram

🔗 LinkedIn

🎧 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
• Building visibility so your work leads to opportunities (not just more work)
• Strengthening your authority in interviews, promotion conversations, and leadership spaces
• Creating a clear, strategic plan for your next role, promotion, or pay increase

👉🏽 Book a 1:1 sales call:
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC
📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas

Subscribe, rate, and review to support more women of color building strategic careers, increasing income, and getting promoted without burnout.

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
• Anxiety, workplace stress, and mental health in high-achieving professionals
• The pressure to constantly prove yourself in corporate environments
• Cultural conditioning, productivity, and self-worth
• Being "the only one" in leadership and professional spaces
• Why slowing down can be a strategic career move
• Redefining success beyond titles, salary, and external validation
• Boundaries, saying no, and protecting your energy at work
• Practical ways to build a career that supports your life—not consumes it

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
• Increasing your visibility so your work is recognized, credited, and rewarded
• Building leadership presence and authority in high-stakes conversations
• Creating a sustainable career strategy that leads to promotions, higher pay, and leadership opportunities without burnout

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
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC
📱 Follow on instagram: @jessicalynnrojas

⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build successful careers without sacrificing themselves in the process.

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
• Why high achievers burn out even when they're successful
• The connection between self-worth and overworking
• How burnout affects career growth and salary negotiations
• The hidden emotional labor women of color carry
• Why rest feels uncomfortable—and why it's necessary
• Setting boundaries without guilt
• Building a successful career without sacrificing yourself

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.

Website
Instagram

Free Salary Negotiation Checklist

Self Worth Accelerator Waitlist

Previous Episode with Evie:
Págame: How to Negotiate Higher Pay Without the Burnout

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:
• Stopping the patterns that lead to burnout
• Increasing visibility and leadership presence
• Advocating for higher pay and promotions
• Creating sustainable career growth without sacrificing your health

Book a Sales Call
Join Dear Ambitious WOC

Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and review to help more women of color build careers that don't require burnout.

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:

• why first-gen women of color feel behind financially even when earning more

• the money story shaping career decisions

• survival mode vs wealth building

• salary negotiation + under-asking patterns

• saving vs building wealth

• using debt strategically

• visibility + authority and income growth

• how career impacts long-term wealth

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/
📱 https://www.instagram.com/building.gen.wealth/

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:

• paid at the level they’re already operating at

• seen as leadership instead of “the reliable one”

• moved into roles that match their level (promotion or external)

• recognized for their impact in decision-making rooms

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

📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/

⭐ If this episode resonated, follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps more women of color find this work

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
• Physician burnout and emotional exhaustion
• The hidden cost of overworking in healthcare
• Navigating systemic barriers in medicine
• Identity, self-worth, and leadership for women of color
• Creating a freedom-first career through telemedicine
• Leaving traditional career paths without abandoning your purpose
• The mindset shifts required to build differently
• What women of color physicians are normalizing that they shouldn’t be
• Boundaries, visibility, and protecting yourself while growing

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:
• Positioning you for leadership and advancement
• Making your work visible and tied to results
• Navigating high-stakes conversations with confidence
• Building boundaries that protect your health while you grow
• Creating a sustainable strategy for long-term career success

✨ Book a consult
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC

📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas

Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review to support the podcast!

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:

• Building a legal career as a woman of color
• Pivoting within law (environmental → immigration)
• Navigating bias and being underestimated
• Imposter syndrome at different career stages
• Setting boundaries and protecting your mental health
• Developing your own advocacy and leadership style
• Managing clients and emotional labor
• Leading and mentoring women of color
• What it really takes to move into leadership

About Moona Siddiqui
Moona Siddiqui is a Managing Immigrants’ Rights Attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), where she leads legal advocacy for immigrant communities across California.

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
Connect with Moona on LinkedIn
Free Immigration Legal Consultation (CAIR):

Work With Jessica
If you’re a woman of color in law or a similar high-stakes field—and you’re doing high-level work but not being seen, paid, or promoted accordingly—this is exactly what I help with.

Inside 1:1 coaching, we focus on:

• Making your work visible and tied to results
• Positioning you as a leader (not just reliable)
• Navigating high-stakes conversations with authority
• Building a strategy that moves your career forward

✨ Book a 1:1 consult
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC
📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas

Subscribe & Review
Subscribe so you don’t miss the rest of the Industry Series.
Leaving a 5-star review helps more women of color find this podcast and see what’s possible.

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:

• How LaQuana went from accounting to luxury real estate
• What it takes to break into the luxury market
• Navigating being underestimated as a woman of color
• Mindset shifts for high-end clients
• How to position yourself as the obvious choice
• Building visibility and access in your industry
• Overcoming imposter syndrome in high-ticket spaces
• Growing in commission-based careers where relationships drive income

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
✨ Real Estate Charm School: https://realestatecharmschool.com
📱 Instagram: https://instagram.com/ms.mcneil

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:

• Making your work visible and tied to results
• Positioning you as the one trusted with clients and decisions
• Shifting how you show up so you’re promoted and paid accordingly
• Building a strategy that moves your income and career forward

✨ 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
https://www.instagram.com/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.

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:

• How Betty went from UC Berkeley to flight attendant to licensed pilot
• The real cost of flight training and how to access scholarships and funding
• What it's like being one of the only Latinas in the cockpit
• Navigating a male-dominated, hierarchical industry as a woman of color
• Building flight hours, certifications, and experience step by step
• Why mentorship, community, and advocacy matter in this industry
• What aspiring pilots need to know before they get started
• How to stay committed to a path that wasn't designed with you in mind

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
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC  https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list
📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/ 

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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:
• Being laid off after maternity leave and what that really brings up
• How to take a career break without losing your edge
• The identity shift that happens when you step away from work
• Why your experience still counts—even after a pause
• Reframing career breaks as part of your story, not a setback
• Navigating fear, scarcity, and “falling behind”
• Building a career that supports your life
• Exploring new paths, income streams, and leadership opportunities
• Returning to work at the level you actually deserve

About Tatiana Washington
Tatiana Washington is a partnerships and revenue leader with 10+ years of experience driving growth for mission-driven organizations. She’s known for building strategic relationships, scaling impact, and advocating for more sustainable, flexible career paths for women.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-washington/

Work With Jessica
If your career didn’t go according to plan—a layoff, a break, a pivot—and now you’re trying to figure out your next move without starting over, this is exactly the work I do with my clients.

We get clear on where you are and where you want to go.
We position your experience so it reads like an asset—not a gap.

We build a strategy to re-enter, pivot, or level up—based on your life right now.

And we shift the identity piece so you stop second-guessing and start making moves with confidence.

✨ Book a 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling

📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

📱 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/

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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.
In the relationship that no longer fits.
In the version of success you were taught to want.

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.
But because staying was costing her who she was becoming.

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
→ How cultural expectations keep women of color in careers and relationships they’ve outgrown
→ The “stay and sacrifice” mindset
→ Reframing leaving as self-trust, not failure
→ Navigating family and community pressure
→ Building self-trust through daily decisions
→ Creating a life that reflects who you are now

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
🌐 Website: https://ranirising.com/

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
• Navigate cultural expectations without guilt
• Make decisions from self-trust, not obligation

You don’t have to choose between success and yourself.

✨ 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 https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/ 

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A quick 5-star rating and review helps more ambitious women of color find this podcast and realize they’re not alone.

You’ve done everything “right.” The degree. The job. The promotions.

But now something feels off. And the hardest part is not knowing if you should stay or choose something different.

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
• How to pivot your career without starting over
• Reactive vs. intentional career changes
• Letting go of “I’ve invested too much to change”
• How guilt, fear, and expectations keep women stuck
• Learning to trust your intuition, not just logic
• Giving yourself permission to want something different
• Practical ways to get clarity on your next move

About Iris Canela
Iris Canela is a Latina life coach and podcaster who helps high-achieving women of color stop over-proving and start living with intention, presence, and truth. She supports women in trusting themselves, owning their voice, and creating aligned careers and lives.

Connect with Iris
Instagram: @risingwithiris
Work with Iris: https://soljourney.co/
Newsletter: https://rising-with-iris.kit.com/a37479e160
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iriscanela/

Work With Jessica
If this episode hit because you know you’ve outgrown where you are but keep second-guessing yourself, this is the work I do with my clients.

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
https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling

📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC
https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

📱 Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas
https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnrojas/

Subscribe & Review
If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. A quick 5-star rating and review helps more women of color find this podcast and feel seen.

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:
00:00 Burnout beyond workload
02:43 From burnout to self-awareness
06:18 Unlearning limiting beliefs
09:59 Cultural pressure and overworking
13:32 How trauma shows up in the body
17:04 Big T vs. little T trauma
19:42 The mind-body connection
24:48 Reconnecting with your body
28:11 Nervous system regulation
34:57 Integrating healing into daily life
38:41 Owning your worth and leadership
41:22 Guided sound bath + breathwork meditation

About Shena Moreau
Shena Moreau is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, trauma therapist, and founder of Valorous Wellness. She helps women reconnect with their mind and body through evidence-based and holistic practices so they can heal, regulate their nervous system, and step into the life they’re meant to live.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinglifewithshe/

Book a consultation: valorouswellness.com

Work With Jessica
If this episode made you realize your burnout might be deeper than your workload, this is the work I do with my clients.

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

📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

📱 Follow on Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalynnwellness/

Subscribe & Review
If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.
A quick 5-star rating and review helps more women of color find this podcast and feel seen in their experience.

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
• The difference between going through the motions and being in flow
• Why fear of making the wrong decision keeps people frozen
• Letting go of timelines and the need to control outcomes
• Self-awareness, curiosity, and trusting yourself when the next step isn’t clear

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
Instagram: www.instagram.com/siempre.evolving

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@siempre.evolving

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:
https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling

Join Dear Ambitious WOC:
https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

Follow @jessicalynnwellness:
https://www.instagram.com/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.

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.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Why marriage and motherhood often trigger identity shifts for ambitious women
• The pressure women of color feel to “handle everything” without asking for support
• Why avoiding hard conversations can cost you opportunities and growth
• How to advocate for yourself at work, including asking for raises and new opportunities
• Navigating career growth while managing family responsibilities
• The mindset shift around being called “selfish” when prioritizing yourself
• Setting boundaries that protect your time, energy, and mental health
• Why your career path should be intentional, not something you passively accept

About Nanci Sanchez
Nanci Sanchez is a first-generation Latina life coach, wife, mom, and corporate professional. She supports Latina wives in the early years of marriage who are balancing full-time careers while quietly feeling unseen, unheard, or disconnected from themselves.
Through her coaching, Nanci helps women reclaim their voice, rebuild confidence, and advocate for themselves without guilt.

Connect with Nanci:
Instagram: @thenancisanchez https://www.instagram.com/thenancisanchez/

Work With Jessica
If this episode resonated and you’re navigating career growth while managing the expectations that come with relationships, family, and leadership, this is exactly 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, and career pivots while building boundaries, confidence, and clarity around what success actually looks like for you.

✨ 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 resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.
A quick 5-star review helps more ambitious women of color find this podcast.

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:
Is it me? Am I just not trying hard enough?

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
• Masking and the hidden cost of “holding it together”
• Late ADHD diagnosis and what changes afterward
• Why traditional productivity advice fails ADHD brains
• Energy management and working with your brain, not against it
• Redefining discipline in a way that actually works
• Common ADHD myths and why ADHD is highly treatable

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:
Instagram: @xobrendamiranda

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
📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list
📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojas

Subscribe & Review

If this resonated, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.
A quick 5-star review helps more ambitious women of color find this podcast.

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:

• What the soft life really means for ambitious women of color
• Why rest and self-care often trigger guilt
• How stress, hormones, and gut health affect energy and focus
• Setting boundaries that protect your health and your goals
• Breaking free from toxic productivity and burnout cycles
• Simple, realistic wellness practices for busy women
• Redefining success beyond overwork and exhaustion

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:
TikTok | Website

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.

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:

• Why doing everything “right” still isn’t safe for women of color
• How burnout hides behind career success
• Choosing yourself, rest, and alignment without guilt
• Redefining success beyond titles and income

About Bianca Alba
Bianca Alba is a first-gen Latina, public health professional turned entrepreneur, and founder of This Latina Travels. She helps Latinas and first-gen women redefine success, pursue passion, and build lives rooted in freedom, joy, and community.

Connect with Bianca:

⁠Website & Newsletter⁠
Instagram⁠⁠

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
If this podcast resonates, subscribe and leave a 5-star rating and a review to help more women of color find it.

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:
• How hyper-independence impacts relationships for ambitious women
• Why career success doesn’t always equal relationship fulfillment
• Cultural and first-gen conditioning around independence and self-worth
• The cost of always being “the strong one”
• Communication, boundaries, and modern partnership dynamics
• Redefining success beyond productivity and overwork

About Cynthia Flores
Cynthia Flores is a First-Gen Latina, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, speaker, media expert, and host of the Heal & Manifest podcast. She helps First Gen Latinas and women of color heal trauma, build self-worth, break generational cycles, and create healthy, supportive relationships.

Connect with Cynthia:
Website | Instagram

Work With Jessica
If this episode helped you recognize patterns of over-functioning, hyper-independence, or carrying everything alone while building a demanding career, this is the work I do with my 1:1 clients. I help ambitious women of color increase their income without burning out. We focus on promotions, raises, job changes, and career pivots through strategy, identity work, and nervous system awareness so you can earn more while actually having a life.

✨ 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 5-star rating and review helps more women of color find these conversations, and reminds them they’re not alone. 🤎

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:
• How eldest daughter conditioning shows up in leadership and work ethic
• Why over-functioning at work is often rooted in family survival roles
• The cost of always being “the capable one”
• How emotional capacity and nervous system awareness affect career growth
• Why rest and boundaries are required—not optional
• Shifting from self-sacrifice to sovereignty at work
• How negotiation and income growth are tied to self-trust and identity

About Miryam Valdrom
Miryam Valdrom is a Leadership & Capacity Strategist supporting high-achieving women—especially Latinas and women of color—who have been carrying too much for too long. Her work helps women expand their time, income, and impact by strengthening the emotional and identity foundations of how they lead.

Connect with Miryam:
• Private 1:1 Coaching / Partnerships
• Inner Pionera Quiz
• Instagram

• TikTok

Work With Jessica
If this episode helped you recognize patterns like over-responsibility, avoiding hard asks, or carrying more than your share, this is the work I do with my 1:1 clients.

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
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.🤎

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:

• How to build wealth without sacrificing your life
• Why self-care is a financial strategy, not a luxury
• The link between burnout, career decisions, and money
• Navigating family expectations and setting financial boundaries
• Transitioning careers to increase income sustainably
• Why side hustles should be intentional, not permanent
• How salary negotiation accelerates wealth building
• Why investing and paying off debt can happen at the same time

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 Garcia

Maideli 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
1:1 Money Coaching: Book Clarity Call
Teacher Transition Coaching: Book Clarity Call

Work With Jessica

Stop overworking. Start getting paid what you’re worth.
I help ambitious women of color make strategic career moves—raises, promotions, and pivots—without burnout or people-pleasing.

✨ 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

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Leaving a quick rating and review helps more women of color find these conversations, and reminds them they’re not alone.

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

• Why women of color are drawn to mission-driven and nonprofit work
• How “purpose” gets weaponized to justify low pay
• The systemic undervaluation of women of color’s labor
• Why job titles and compensation often don’t match responsibilities
• How to recognize when you’re underpaid (even if you love the work)
• What it really means to maintain integrity in your career
• Why financial freedom expands—not limits—your ability to give back
• Strategic ways women of color can protect themselves at work
• How to make an impact beyond nonprofit roles

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
Podcast: The First Gen Coach
Website / Work with Carla here

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:

• Advocate for higher pay without burning out
• Navigate promotions and pivots strategically
• Stop overworking to prove their worth
• Build careers that support their lives—not drain them

📅 Book a consult call ⁠here⁠

📱 Instagram: ⁠@jessicalynnrojas⁠ 

✉️ Join my ⁠email community

Subscribe & Review:
If this episode resonated, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss what’s next. If you loved the conversation, leaving a 5-star review helps other women find this podcast.

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:

• Why protecting your mental peace is essential for career success
• How burnout becomes a wake-up call for stronger boundaries
• What “Págame Energy” really means—and how to embody it
• Why self-worth (not scripts) is the foundation of negotiation
• How upbringing and money mindset impact negotiations
• Why doing more work without pay lowers your perceived value
• How to advocate for yourself without overexplaining or apologizing
• Strategies to prepare for layoffs before they happen
• Why severance packages are negotiable—and how to ask
• Using visualization and embodiment to build negotiation confidence

About Evie Prete:
Evie Prete is a Latina Salary Negotiation Coach, Speaker, and Host of The Págame Podcast. She helps women of color break free from scarcity and self-doubt to confidently negotiate salaries, promotions, and opportunities aligned with their true worth. Through her program, The Self Worth Accelerator, her clients have negotiated over $810,000 in salary increases—and counting.

Connect with Evie:

• Instagram
• Listen to her Podcast
• Join her newsletter & get her FREE salary negotiation checklist

Work with Jessica:
Ready to stop overworking and finally get paid for the value you bring? In 1:1 coaching, we go beyond tactics—we build the clarity, confidence, and self-trust to advocate for salary, raises, promotions, and severance without burning out or second-guessing yourself.

✨ 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 resonated, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss what’s next. If you loved the conversation, leaving a 5-star review helps other women find this podcast.

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:

• The biggest identity shift: moving from managing work to leading people
• Why leadership feels harder at senior levels—even when you’re qualified
• How being a woman of color adds complexity to leadership
• Why imposter syndrome doesn’t disappear—it shows up differently
• Navigating being the only woman of color in senior leadership
• Setting boundaries with your team and your boss without guilt
• Showing up authentically vs. code-switching
• Building self-trust in leadership decisions
• What they don’t teach you about Director-level leadership
• Emotional capacity required to lead, not just technical skills
• Practical strategies for women preparing for or navigating leadership

Key Takeaways:

• Imposter syndrome at senior levels isn’t about competence—it’s about environments that don’t reflect you
• The shift from doing the work to leading people is a major identity change
• You can be authentic and professional—you don’t have to code-switch
• Setting boundaries as a leader isn’t selfish—it’s strategic
• The higher you go, the more intentional you must be about self-awareness
• Leadership requires emotional capacity, not just skills
• You don’t have to prove you belong—you already do

Connect with Elvy Garcia:
Elvy is a certified life and leadership coach helping women of color rise in their careers without losing themselves.

• Instagram: @coachingwithelvy
• Book Private 1:1 Coaching Call: https://calendly.com/coachingwithelvy/1-1-private-coaching-sales-call

Work With Jessica:
If this conversation resonated, I work 1:1 with ambitious women of color navigating promotions, pivots, and raises—combining strategy and inner work so you can grow your career and life.

✨ Book a consult call: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
✨ DM me on Instagram: @jessicalynnrojas
✨ Join my Email Community: https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list

Subscribe & Review:
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. If you loved the conversation, leaving a 5-star review helps other women find this podcast.

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.”
A Master’s in Public Health.
A healthcare consulting job alongside Harvard-trained doctors.
First in my family to break into corporate America.

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:

• My first panic attack and living with anxiety
• Being the only Latina in elite corporate spaces
• A boss who questioned my intelligence
• Calling EAP after months of anxiety
• High-functioning depression
• Why therapy helped—but wasn’t enough
• How I made my career my identity
• Choosing myself and what changed after
• Why this podcast exists and who it’s for

Key Takeaways:

• High-functioning depression means you’re still performing while struggling
• Anxiety often comes from environments where you don’t feel you belong
• Career advice that ignores culture and identity is incomplete
• Rest and boundaries are learned skills
• You can be ambitious and have peace

Work With Jessica

I work 1:1 with ambitious women of color navigating promotions, pivots, and raises—without burning out.

• Book a consult: ⁠https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/scheduling
• Join my email community: ⁠https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-list
• DM me on Instagram: ⁠@jessicalynnrojas⁠

Subscribe & Review

Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
If you loved this episode, leaving a 5-star rating and writing a review helps other women find this podcast.

Next Episode

Leading as a Woman of Color at the Director Level with Elvy Garcia.

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.