Jennifer E. Valdes is living proof that your past doesn’t have to define your future. From surviving abuse and homelessness as a teenager to becoming the CEO of multiple healthcare companies, her story is one of grit, healing, and hope. A proud first-generation Hispanic American, Jennifer has built her life around helping others find strength through struggle. Through her platform From Jenn to Generations, she’s created a space for women to share their stories honestly, without shame, and to see that vulnerability is actually a form of power. In this heartfelt conversation, Jennifer talks about her journey from survival to success, what leadership really means to her, and why love, empathy, and courage are at the heart of everything she does.
HELLO JENNIFER E. VALDES, WELCOME TO ABOUT INSIDER! YOU TELL OUR READERS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, IN YOUR OWN WORDS?
I’m Jennifer E. Valdes — a mother, CEO, creative, and survivor.
My journey has taken me from the edge of survival to building multiple healthcare and media companies that empower others to find hope and purpose. I’m driven by a belief that pain can be recycled into power, and that leadership is really just love in action. Through my podcast, From Jenn to Generations, and my companies, I aim to show that you can heal, build, and rise — no matter where you start.
YOU’VE SAID YOU ESCAPED ABUSE AND HOMELESSNESS AT JUST 15. WHAT WAS THAT TIME LIKE, AND HOW DID IT SHAPE YOUR VISION OF LEADERSHIP AND SELF WORTH?
It was survival — raw and unfiltered.
At fifteen, I didn’t have anyone to protect me, so I learned to protect myself. Those nights sleeping wherever I could find warmth taught me that leadership begins with self-trust. When you’ve had nothing, you stop chasing approval — you chase stability, safety, and peace.
That season of my life taught me empathy and resilience. I lead today not from a place of power, but from understanding what it feels like to have none.
AT 17, YOU BECAME A SINGLE MOTHER. HOW DID CARING FOR YOUR CHILD SHIFT YOUR DREAMS — FROM ASPIRING ROCK STAR TO HEALTHCARE ENTREPRENEUR — AND WHAT KEY LESSONS FROM MOTHERHOOD STILL GUIDE YOU?
Becoming a mother so young grounded me. My daughter became my “why.” Music was my escape, but caregiving became my calling. I realized healing others — physically and emotionally — was a different kind of artistry.
Motherhood taught me patience, adaptability, and grace under pressure. It showed me
how to lead with heart and make decisions that build legacy, not ego. Every company I’ve built has been guided by that instinct to nurture and protect.
YOU BEGAN AS A CAREGIVER AND ROSE TO BECOME CEO OF MULTIPLE HEALTHCARE COMPANIES. WHAT WAS THE TURNING-POINT MOMENT IN THAT JOURNEY?
The turning point came when I realized I didn’t just want to take care of patients — I wanted to take care of caregivers too.
I saw so many compassionate people burning out in a system that didn’t nurture them. I wanted to change that. That vision became Heaven Sent Senior Care and later, Angel Care Hospice and Golden Soul Home Health. I built companies that run on empathy and efficiency — where staff feel seen and patients feel loved.
WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST UNEXPECTED OBSTACLES YOU ENCOUNTERED WHILE BUILDING YOUR BUSINESSES — AND HOW DID YOU RESPOND?
Honestly, it was learning to trust again — especially in business partnerships. I came from a background where control was survival. But scaling a company requires delegation, trust, and faith in others’ abilities.
When things went wrong, I used to take it as a personal failure. Now I see mistakes as mirrors — they reflect where systems or communication need improvement, not where I’m inadequate.
YOU’VE FACED FAILURES AS WELL AS SUCCESSES. CAN YOU SHARE A STORY OF A FAILURE THAT TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING ESSENTIAL — AND HOW YOU USED THAT LESSON TO PIVOT?
One of my biggest failures was expanding too quickly early on.
I wanted to help everyone, everywhere, all at once — and I stretched my team too thin. It forced me to slow down, restructure, and prioritize sustainability over speed.
That failure taught me boundaries — in business and in life. Sometimes slowing down is the most powerful move you can make.
WITH YOUR PLATFORM FROM JENN TO GENERATIONS, YOU AMPLIFY WOMEN’S VOICES. WHAT SPARKED ITS CREATION — AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE SHARING VULNERABILITY WITH INSPIRING EMPOWERMENT?
From Jenn to Generations was born from a breakdown that became a breakthrough. After surviving domestic violence, rebuilding my companies, and rediscovering my identity, I wanted to create a space where women could share truth without shame.
Vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s connection. I share openly because every time I do, someone messages me saying, “I thought I was the only one.” That’s when I know I’m doing the right thing.
AS A FIRST-GENERATION HISPANIC AMERICAN AND SURVIVOR, CULTURE AND IDENTITY MATTER DEEPLY. HOW HAVE THOSE ROOTS INFORMED YOUR JOURNEY — AND THE ADVICE YOU GIVE TO OTHER WOMEN RECLAIMING POWER?
My heritage reminds me that strength runs in our blood.
Being Latina taught me the value of community — we heal through connection, food, laughter, and storytelling. But it also taught me to challenge the silence that can exist in traditional families around abuse and trauma.
My advice to women reclaiming power: don’t shrink yourself to make others comfortable. Honor your culture, but also rewrite the parts that hurt you. You can love your roots and still grow beyond them.
MENTAL-HEALTH ADVOCACY SEEMS CENTRAL TO YOUR MISSION. HOW DO YOU INTEGRATE YOUR OWN HEALING JOURNEY INTO HELPING SURVIVORS OF TRAUMA, AND WHAT OUTCOMES HAVE YOU OBSERVED?
Healing is not linear — it’s layered.
I’ve integrated my own therapy, faith, and creative expression into the programs I build.
Whether it’s training my caregivers to recognize trauma responses or sharing coping tools on my podcast, I make sure healing is at the heart of everything.
I’ve seen survivors go from silent to outspoken, from hopeless to leaders themselves. That transformation is why I keep going.
LOOKING AHEAD: WHAT NEW PROJECTS OR COLLABORATIONS ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR FROM JENN TO GENERATIONS?
We’re expanding into visual media — documentary-style storytelling that blends interviews, music, and art. I’m also collaborating with organizations focused on women’s education and economic independence.
There’s a book in the works, too — part memoir, part manifesto — about rebuilding from rock bottom with purpose and grace.
QUICK ONES:
Go-to playlist or podcast:
Anything from Evanescence to Hozier — and, of course, From Jenn to Generations. I’m also a sucker for motivational and psychology podcasts.
Favorite way to unwind:
Cooking while music plays, candles lit, phone off. It’s my form of meditation.
Advice for readers walking a similar path:
You are not what happened to you — you are what you choose to become after. Survival is step one. Building a life that feels like peace — that’s the real victory.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
Yes.
Don’t wait for permission to start over.
No matter where you are — broken, healing, or thriving — your story is still unfolding. And someone out there needs the version of you who refuses to give up.
Thank you.
