We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacqueline (Jack) Perez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline (Jack), looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?

When I soft-launched Kuel Life I was a one-trick pony. The only person on staff, so to speak, I created all the content. Clearly, this was merely a short-term solution. Not an expert on many of the topics women in midlife & beyond care about, it was obvious I needed to find the subject matter experts. I did what any self-respecting, solopreneur with internet access would do. I began a pretty significant research effort. Okay, someone else might call it stalking – but it worked. I took it upon myself to find the right woman, wherever she is in the world, to join the roster of Kuel Life Thought Leaders. Today, five years later, our roster boasts over 60 women – from around the globe – who contribute regularly to the Kuel Life platform. They provide their wisdom, tips, tricks, life hacks, and more to our Community. From menopause to empty nest to gray divorce to fashion and skincare – we have all the hot topics for women in midlife & beyond.

Jacqueline (Jack), love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In my 50s, I began to notice the ‘disappearing act’ of relevant, useful, information and opportunities for women my age. Outside of a barrage of marketing messages that we should be using Botox, fillers, or cut our hair short; there didn’t seem to be much. Vibrant, energetic, ready for adventure, I was dismayed that most lifestyle websites target the ‘below 35’ age group. The few ‘age appropriate’ lifestyle websites I stumbled across were riddled with advertisements; making it near impossible to determine where the content ended and the marketing began. Enter Kuel Life.

Kuel Life delivers relevant, curated, content to women 45+. We share and empower each other with expert advice and stories from global experts and real women; women who are our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family. Women to whom we can relate. A virtual space where women come together in community and share their voices and experiences.

I am most proud of my Kuel Life Thought Leader roster. These women believe in the mission – to normalize aging for women. These are the real SHEroes at Kuel Life. These are the women who freely give away their deep subject matter knowledge and offer our women actionable advice on navigating these Second Act Seas. What sets us apart from the other offerings for women in midlife & beyond is our women. Where else can you access that much wisdom for free?

Our Kuel Life Community includes the support of women-driven brands. Putting our money where our mouth is, buying from other women, is key to having our voices heard. Kuel Life promotes products and services from vetted brands – all women-driven. When you buy from one of our Thought Leaders or Vendors, you are directly contributing to the sea change to which we are all dedicated. Aging is a normal process and no one need feel shame, alone, embarrassed, or confused…. Kuel Life has you.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In August of 2021 I was set to drop off my newly minted Freshman at University. But first, we stopped at a different type of drop zone – we opted for a tandem skydive together to commemorate the occasion. Guess who didn’t get to participate in the drop-your-kid-off-at-college rite of passage? Yup, me. The Universe had something else in mind. Unfortunately, my landing did not go smoothly and I ended up with three compression fractures in my spine. From perfectly able to literally flat on my back for months. There were many choices to be made at that juncture. How did I want to handle this significant setback? In an untypical fashion, I heeded all the neurosurgeon’s protocols and successfully ran and completed the Cooper River Bridge 10K in Charleston SC eight months later. If that is not the poster child of resilience, I am not sure what is. There were so many choices I could have made on how to respond to this unwelcomed mishap. From giving up to depression to victimhood to anger and retaliation at the skydiving facility and more, I had choices to make on how to respond. I decided that what would best serve me is gratitude. I chose to focus on the gifts presented to me through this accident. And, believe me there are always gifts present – you just have to be able to identify them.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Building a reputation is a long and arduous process. By definition, a reputation is created over many months and years. When building a reputation you need to be concerned with consistent, predictable behaviors. After all, the goal is to have the marketplace believe in you and your mission. Believe in you and trust you. Trust cannot happen without time and data points. There is no shortcut to a solid reputation. You have to do the heavy lifting. And heavy lifting can be very rewarding if you love what you are doing. For five years now, Kuel Life (me) has dependably provided curated content focused on normalizing aging from a roster of global Thought Leaders. That, coupled with steadily promoting women-driven brands, is Kuel Life’s raison d’être. Not once have we veered from this mission. Not once. Sure, we may employ new tactics or projects but only if they are aligned with the overarching purpose to normalize aging. My audience knows who I am because I am unwavering in my message and I make sure the word is spread through like-minded women. Because, after our own personal experience we trust our peers the most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kuellife.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuellife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuellife
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kuellife
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kuellife
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/kuellife/