Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizbeth Perez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lizbeth. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I come from very humble beginnings. I was raised by a single mother, living in low-income housing. My mother was a housekeeper and every day, I would see how hard she would work for such little pay; therefore, I remember, as a child thinking to myself “there’s got to be more to life than this.” I was only 14 years old when I saw the necessity at home to help my mother pay the bills. In 1999, there was a program called Hire A Youth. I immediately applied for the program and got hired as a receptionist. By the age of 16, I was working for H&R Block as a receptionist and the following year, at age 17, H&R Block offered to send me to school to get licensed as a tax preparer. At 18, I went to Grossmont College and completed the OPT (Office Professional Training) program. That program helped me acquired the skills needed to become an insurance agent. At age 19, I got married and soon after had my first child.
By age 23, I already had three children and was working for State Farm as an insurance agent. One day, my boss came to my desk to congratulate me for being the top sales rep for the month. She said “Congrats! You made 30 sales. Next month, I’d like to see 40 sales.” She turned around and went back to her office, sat down, and continued flipping through her Vogue Magazine. At that moment, I realized that the one that was making the business flow was me, not her. That same day I realized the potential I had to run my own agency. By the end of the day, I went into my boss’s office to put in my two-week notice. She was very upset and let me go that same day. That’s when Liz Perez Financial was created. Since then, I’ve purchased my first home, traveled the world, purchased my dream car and have three employees. It’s very important to me to know your worth because once you realize your worth, nothing is impossible. I’ve had my agency for five years now and we are the ultimate Boss Babe office. My job now is to influence women to become entrepreneurs and chase their dreams. I hold entrepreneurship meetings twice a week to help motivate and inspire others to go after their goals and dreams. Besides being the CEO of a financial services company, I also model and I am a TV host for “Imagen Bella”, a TV show that empowers women where I give tips on health and fitness. I’m currently working on a project with a local radio station, getting together a women empowerment event focusing on the Latino community. I’m also in charge of a nonprofit organization where we feed more than 400,000 people yearly and help give shelter to the elderly.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course, there were struggles. In the beginning, there were times when I had to pay all the overhead and was left with no pay for myself. Many times, I thought about acquiring a part-time job to create income for myself. I never got a chance to apply for another job because every time it came to mind, more referrals would come through the door. My advice to women when starting a business is to not get discouraged. After the storm, the sun always comes out,working hard always off.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Liz Perez Financial Services – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
We are a one-stop shop agency. We offer all lines of insurance, tax preparation services, notary, and immigration consultation. What sets me apart from others is my personality. The way we treat our clients is in a personable manner. I’m most proud of my staff for treating my clients like family. Immediately after entering the office they offer coffee, water, cookies or a cup of tea.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I honestly feel that women have evolved and showed society that we too can be amazing leaders. Especially in my industry, we have become an inspiration to other females by becoming CEO’s of our companies and being brave enough to break the mold.
Contact Info:
- Address: 535 Broadway Ste 101, El Cajon, CA 92021
- Phone: 619-328-2815
- Email: lizperez@lizperezfinancial.com
- Instagram: @thebaddestboss1
- Facebook: @lizpereztaxes
Image Credit:
Francisco Vargas, Melissa Burgos, BereaVision and Miguel Perez
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
