Episode 187: Interview With Jaqueline Perez

Jacqueline “Jack” Perez is rewriting the script on aging. As the founder and CEO of Kuel Life, a digital platform dedicated to women over fifty, she’s building a movement that is part media outlet, part cultural shift—and entirely overdue. Her mission is clear: challenge outdated stereotypes, amplify real women’s voices, and show the world that midlife is just the beginning of something powerful.

A first-generation American, Perez was born to Cuban immigrants and raised in a household that blended two worlds. “The inside of my house was Little Havana. The outside was the United States,” she says. That duality forced her to mature quickly, often serving as a translator and problem-solver for her parents. “Even in single digits, I was fielding phone calls from the electric company,” she recalls. “It taught me to figure things out. I became a go-getter.”

That go-getter instinct has defined her life. Originally drawn to acting, she attended theater school before pivoting to economics and earning her MBA from the University of Chicago. Her corporate path seemed promising until she found herself at Hewlett-Packard, where she quickly realized, “I am not a corporate girl.” The bureaucratic distance between action and impact was too wide. “I didn’t feel like I was making a difference,” she says. By 1998, she left Corporate America behind and never looked back.

Perez has since launched three businesses, but Kuel Life is her most personal—and perhaps most revolutionary. It was born not from a market opportunity, but from a deeply human need. “When I was going through menopause, I had every symptom imaginable. I gained weight, lost joy, had anxiety,” she explains. “And there was no guidance out there. No one was talking about it, especially not in a way that felt empowering.”

Her frustration led her to ask a pivotal question: “If I’m struggling this much, what are other women going through?” The answer was staggering. Women were navigating not only menopause, but a cascade of life transitions—empty nests, aging parents, divorce, re-entering the dating world—and doing it largely in silence.

Kuel Life became her answer to that silence. The platform brings together hundreds of thought leaders in health, finance, beauty, style, relationships, and personal growth to create a vibrant, information-rich community. “I didn’t have anything to offer them at the beginning,” she admits. “The first site was a mess—built with scotch tape, Band-Aids, and buckets of tears. But the women I reached out to said yes, because they believed in the mission.”

That mission is unapologetically pro-aging. Perez is reclaiming midlife as a time of clarity, confidence, and power. “Aging isn’t something to fear. It’s something to embrace,” she says. “And we’re redefining what that looks like—how it feels, what it means, and how women live it.”

A major part of that redefinition is visibility. “The number one thing I hear from women is that they feel invisible,” she explains. “They walk into a bar and can’t get the bartender’s attention. Brands don’t market to them. Society sidelines them.” But Perez points out the irony: women over fifty control trillions of dollars in wealth and make the majority of purchasing decisions in their households. “We’re not talking toothpaste and toilet paper—we’re talking second homes, investment portfolios, and retirement planning,” she says. “This is an audience with power. And brands that figure that out are going to win.”

Beyond commerce, Perez is tapping into something deeper: relevance. “Relevance isn’t about age. It’s about purpose and confidence,” she says. “And when women reconnect with their purpose, they become unstoppable.”

Her platform is proof. From fashion tips that shatter the frumpy stereotypes of past generations to advice on dating with confidence and insight, Kuel Life gives women the tools to show up fully. And it’s resonating. “I tell women, if you want to wear the mini skirt at sixty, wear the mini skirt. Who cares?” she says with a laugh. “We’re done asking permission to be seen.”

The community also addresses deeply personal challenges—like navigating adult children, caregiving for aging parents, or rediscovering intimacy after divorce. “There’s nothing more harrowing than parenting a twenty-something,” Perez jokes. “You have no control and very little influence, but you still worry every day.” Kuel Life offers real, honest conversations around these transitions, giving women space to learn, laugh, and let go of shame.

For Perez, perhaps the most profound transformation has been emotional. “When I hit menopause, I lost my ability to feel joy. That was terrifying,” she says. “But once I addressed the hormonal imbalance and surrounded myself with a community of powerful women, I got it back. Now, I feel like myself again—but wiser, stronger.”

She’s also quick to point out the science behind the shift. “Estrogen plays a huge role in nurturing behavior,” she explains. “When it drops, so does the urge to care for others at the expense of ourselves. That’s why so many women in their fifties and sixties are done mothering—emotionally and literally. They’re ready for something new.”

And that new thing often looks like leadership, entrepreneurship, or creative reinvention. “This phase of life offers incredible freedom,” Perez says. “You’ve done the caretaking. You’ve played by the rules. Now it’s your turn to build, lead, and live without apology.”

Jacqueline Perez is not just championing a new narrative around aging—she’s living it. With Kuel Life, she’s given women a home to explore their next chapters with boldness and joy. And she’s not slowing down.

“The pro-aging revolution is here,” she declares. “We’re not trying to look thirty. We’re trying to feel powerful at fifty, sixty, seventy. And we are.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcA8K3VB-qY

🎧 To hear the full conversation with Jacqueline Perez, tune in to his episode on The Savoir Faire Audio Experience, streaming now.