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🎙 Success Unscripted – Episode 11

What if the very thing you were meant to do has been inside you all along—just waiting for you to finally say yes?

In this episode, I sit down with the incredibly talented and deeply inspiring Don the Cake Don—a self-taught cake artist who walked away from an 18-year corporate career to follow a dream he had been ignoring for years.

He found his purpose at 42.
He found peace in powdered sugar.
And his story will shift something in you.

✨ In this episode, we talk about:

• The cake that changed everything (yes, it looked like King Tut)
• Leaving a “safe” corporate career with zero bakery experience
• How he ended up making cakes for Shaquille O’Neal, Jennifer Lopez, the New York Mets, and more
• Healing childhood wounds through creativity
• Coexisting with imposter syndrome
• The power of trusting your gift—and betting on yourself at any age
• What real success looks like when it’s rooted in authenticity

🔥 Favorite Quotes:

🎂 Connect with Don:

🔗 Website: thecakedon.com
📸 Instagram: @the_cake_don

💬 Ready to step into your next chapter?

DM me or email Hello@jessicarivera.co to learn more about private coaching, corporate workshops, or bringing me in as a keynote speaker.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#SuccessUnscripted #DonTheCakeDon #CareerPivot #PurposeAtAnyAge #LeadershipCoach #CreativeEntrepreneur #JLoCake #ShaqCake #CoachJessicaRivera

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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In this raw and powerful episode, I sit down with my client Vanessa Cardona—entrepreneur, powerhouse, and people leader—to talk about what real success looks like when you stop performing and start becoming.

Vanessa opens up about growing up in a family business, hitting million-dollar milestones, and still feeling disconnected from herself. She shares what it’s like balancing motherhood, leadership, legacy, and learning to let go of the pressure to always be “on.”

✨ This episode goes deep. We talk:

• Navigating identity in family-run businesses
• The power of the pause in leadership
• Letting go of emotional autopilot
• Balancing work ambition with inner fulfillment
• Building real relationships (beyond surface-level)
• Breaking the habit of over-explaining and under-trusting
• Stepping into your soft era while still being a boss
• What it really takes to evolve into the 2.0 version of yourself

Vanessa’s story will remind you that success isn’t about what you check off—it’s about what you feel when you show up fully.

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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You’ve been told to stay humble, let your work speak for itself, and just keep grinding. But guess what? Your work isn’t a microphone—and silence isn’t a strategy.

The truth? High achievers don’t wait to be noticed—they make sure their impact is seen, heard, and valued.

In this episode of Success Unscripted, I’m calling BS on outdated humility and breaking down:
✅ Why the “humble” mindset is keeping you stuck, unseen, and underpaid
✅ The neuroscience behind self-advocacy (and how to train your brain for confidence)
✅ Practical strategies to own your success without feeling arrogant
✅ What top performers, athletes, and industry leaders do differently (spoiler: they don’t play small)

If you’re tired of being the best-kept secret, this episode is your wake-up call.

🎧 Listen now & step into your power.

📲 Connect with me on Instagram @jessicarivera.co and tell me how you’re owning your success!

🔗 Subscribe & Share
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#SuccessUnscripted #StopPlayingSmall #OwnYourGreatness #SpeakYourSuccess #Leadership #Confidence

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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Not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever. So why do we hold on to relationships, friendships, and even jobs that drain us?

In this episode of Success Unscripted, we’re getting to revisit an IG live I did where we got raw and real about:
🔥 The 4 unmistakable signs it’s time to stop trying
🔥 Why some people are stuck in an old version of you—and why that’s a problem
🔥 How self-accountability is NOT the same as over-explaining
🔥 The real reason you're forcing relationships that aren’t working
🔥 How to release people without guilt, resentment, or drama

If you’ve ever thought, "Why am I the only one putting in effort?"—this episode is for you.

💬 Drop a 🔥 in my DMs @jessicarivera.co if this hit home!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to Success Unscripted for bold, unfiltered conversations on leadership, influence, and knowing when to walk away.

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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In this episode of Success Unscripted, I sit down with Liz Agosto—a former client turned friend who went from executive assistant to COO of major organizations. She played the corporate game, followed the rules, and stayed "humble"—until she realized it was holding her back.

We dive into:
✅ Why playing small is keeping you broke, invisible, and stuck
✅ How self-promotion isn’t arrogance—it’s survival
✅ Why women, especially women of color, feel pressure to “stay in their place”
✅ How to build confidence, own your value, and speak up (without the guilt)
✅ The truth about external validation—and how to stop relying on it

If you’ve ever felt like you have to tone it down, shrink yourself, or let your work “speak for itself”—this episode is your wake-up call.

🚀 Listen now, step into your power, and OWN your success.

🎙 Tag @CoachJessicaRivera on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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We’ve all been there—frustrated, unseen, unsupported—yet when someone asks, “Are you okay?” we respond with the biggest lie in leadership: “I’m fine.”

In this unapologetically raw episode of Success Unscripted, I pull back the curtain on the hidden cost of that simple phrase. This isn’t just about venting at work or bottling up emotions—it’s about how silencing your truth slowly erodes your influence, authenticity, and personal power.

I’ll walk you through:

• Why “I’m fine” is the most expensive phrase in your vocabulary
• How fake politeness is killing your career—and what to say instead
• The secret to authentic communication that commands respect without oversharing
• The uncomfortable (but freeing) art of setting boundaries with bold clarity

If you’re ready to stop shrinking, start speaking, and lead with unapologetic honesty—this is the episode that will change the way you show up in every room.

🎧 Press play. Feel the shift. Your voice matters more than you think.

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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In this bold and unapologetic episode of Success Unscripted, I sit down with the powerhouse herself, Jules Mela (@iamjewelzz)—entrepreneur, former corporate queen, and living proof that success has nothing to do with titles and everything to do with authenticity.

We get brutally honest about the identity crises no one talks about, the guilt of outgrowing relationships, and why success isn’t about chasing money—it’s about finding you. Jules shares her journey from corporate comfort to entrepreneurial freedom, the breakdowns that led to breakthroughs, and how she redefined success on her own terms.

And here’s the powerful part—Jules opens up about how working with me as her coach became a turning point in her growth. She gets real about the uncomfortable moments, the hard truths, and how peeling back the layers helped her step into her most authentic, unapologetic self.

If you’ve been clinging to an old version of yourself, this is your sign to let go. Get ready to feel seen, heard, and inspired to shed what no longer serves you.

🎧 Press play. It’s time to get unscripted. 🚀

💬 I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Send me a DM on Instagram @CoachJessicaRivera and let me know what resonated with you. Let’s keep the conversation going!

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co

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Growth isn’t always about adding more. Sometimes, it’s about letting go.

In this unapologetically bold episode of Success Unscripted, I’m asking the question most people are too afraid to face: What part of you has to die in order for you to thrive?

The habits, mindsets, relationships, and identities that got you here won’t get you to the next level. That comfort zone you’ve been clinging to? It’s costing you more than you think.

I’m breaking down:

• Why success requires shedding old versions of yourself—even when it hurts
• The link between high standards and low anxiety (yes, you read that right)
• Why mourning the person you used to be is part of the process—and a sign you’re on the right track

This isn’t just a motivational pep talk. It’s the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. Because thriving isn’t about who you’ve been—it’s about who you’re willing to become.

Hit play now and let’s get real about what needs to go so you can grow.

Enjoyed this episode? or want me to cover a specific topic? let me know! message me @jessicarivera.co or check out my website JessicaRivera.co