What happens when the life that looks successful on paper no longer feels fulfilling on the inside?

In this episode of Real Women's Work, Jen sits down with business and mindset coach Lesa Frye for an honest conversation about ambition, burnout, identity, purpose, and redefining success as women move through different seasons of life.

Before becoming a coach, Lesa spent decades building a highly successful real estate career — selling 41 homes in her first full-time year and becoming a top producer in a competitive industry. But behind the success was exhaustion, pressure, and the realization that achievement alone wasn't enough.

Together, Jen and Lesa explore:

• the difference between success and fulfillment
• hustle culture and burnout
• mindset and self-worth
• why boundaries matter
• the pressure women feel to be everything for everyone
• what it means to build a "peaceful business"
• how to stop operating from survival mode
• and why it's never too late to create a life that actually feels aligned

Lesa also shares the deeply personal moments that pushed her toward coaching, the concept of the "Inner CEO," and why she believes women can have successful businesses and lives they love.

This conversation is thoughtful, grounding, and full of reminders for anyone who has ever looked successful externally while quietly feeling overwhelmed inside.

In This Episode

• Why success and fulfillment are not always the same thing
• The emotional reality of hitting a ceiling in corporate life
• Transitioning from corporate America into real estate
• Selling 41 homes in one year — and the cost of that success
• The unseen work behind real estate
• Why mindset drives everything
• The fear many women feel around wanting "more"
• Burnout, overwhelm, and hustle culture
• Creating balance and boundaries without guilt
• What Lesa means by "The And Life"
• The power of self-worth and self-forgiveness
• Building a business that feels peaceful instead of chaotic
• Family, purpose, legacy, and redefining success later in life

Memorable Quotes

"You cannot beat yourself up into success."

"We can have highly successful businesses and lives that we're obsessed with."

"It's not about the stuff. It's about the relationships."

"Take the mask off."

"What if it does work?"

Connect with Lesa Frye

Website: lesafrye.com Podcast: The Balanced Business Woman LinkedIn: Lesa Frye

About Real Women's Work

Real Women's Work is a podcast about how women work, live, lead, build, struggle, pivot, and grow — and what their stories reveal about being human. Hosted by Jen Keefe.