Meet Jaime Perez

We recently connected with Jaime Perez and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaime, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

Despite having worked in some of the most prestigious hospitals in the country and helped thousands of families navigate unexpected challenges with their kiddos feeding and speech when I opened my own clinic it was easy to get sucked into imposter syndrome. I was so confident in my clinical skills, but running a business was new and with social media it was so easy to see what everyone else in my industry was doing. Imposter syndrome got the best of me for a little bit until I realized what was fueling it, social media. I made a conscious decision to intentionally change my algorithm by unfollowing any account that made me question myself and follow those that inspired me. Pretty soon my whole social media feed was scripture, inspiring quotes, and fellow business owners I knew personally and collaborated with. When I started focusing on what God had for me, on my individual journey and passions and began to see others successes as their path and not view it as my failure or lack of progress I dropped the imposter syndrome. I have spent the last 13+ years supporting babies and kiddos in neonatal intensive care units, hospitals, and clinics all over the country. My career has added value to so many lives and that is something to celebrate. It is so easy to take our job and just look at it as something you have to do, but when you reframe it and look at it as what you GET to do and approach life with gratitude it becomes easier to shut out all the noise and focus on what is uniquely yours to grow and pursue.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Jaime Perez, is a dedicated speech therapist and certified lactation counselor with over a decade of experience working with children in neonatal intensive care units, pediatric hospitals, and outpatient clinics. Her passion for helping babies led to the opening of Thriving Joy Pediatric Therapy in Lutz, Florida where Jaime provides holistically-minded, genuine care for families experiencing challenges with breast or bottle feeding, transition to solid foods, communication development and more. Her shift to private practice stemmed from a personal struggle with breastfeeding and the universal challenges of parenthood. This experience, coupled with my professional background, inspired her holistic, family-centered approach. She focuses on empowering parents, addressing the root causes of challenges, and advocating for holistic paths of care. She strives to ensure every family feels listened to, valued, and confident in their care plan. Thriving Joy Pediatric Therapy has grown exponentially over the last two years and is celebrating the opening of their specialty infant feeding and tongue tie clinic in Wesley Chapel, Florida this year as well as the expansion of their Lutz, Florida clinic.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Growing a business has truly challenged me and I have found that to succeed I have really needed to dig deep into my faith, remember my why, and set clear boundaries. It can be so easy to get stuck in doubt and play small out of fear, but I am really pushing myself to lean on my faith daily to make bold moves, hard decisions, and trust that each move I make has a purpose regardless of how it works out. I have also found it so important to remind myself why I started this business to begin with; to help families and support my own family. When I remember my why I make decisions that are inline with my long term goals and that fill my cup. When I do not keep my why at the forefront I begin to burn out from taking on things that aren’t meant for me. Lastly, and most challenging, I have learned that boundaries in business are so important. There is not an infinite amount of time in the day and I can’t say yes to everything or I won’t have space for myself and my family. It is easy to be consumed with growing something you created, but boundaries are needed to avoid burnout and give you space to work on the business and not just in it all the time. Boundaries are also needed so that I maintain personal time with my family, who are my number one priority. I find that daily time in solitude, even if it is just 10 minutes, to get my thoughts straight is important. Also having to-do lists and clear action items that are a priority each day keep me on track.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

My faith is the center of everything for me. I am still growing in this area as I was not raised with faith, but it is my refuge. When I am overwhelmed I find a quiet place, often in nature, breathe deeply and pray. Many times when I am in solitude I have my very best ideas and thoughts which I will take a few minutes to journal about. If I am feeling overwhelmed those feelings are typically coming from the pressures of the world around me or the pressures I put on myself so disconnecting from technology, noise, and the hustle helps me settle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thrivingjoy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivingjoytherapy

Image Credits

Luxe Content Co
Angela P Photography
Danielle Nicole Photography