In this episode of Tell Us Your Story… Welcome to the Arena, we sat down with Jamie Perez, founder of Beyond Words Production. Her journey moves from a quiet childhood in South Sacramento to the bright lights of TV news in the Midwest, then through a legal and personal storm, and finally back home to rebuild. What emerges is a masterclass in courage, identity, and the kind of storytelling that makes people care.
From Quiet Kid to Newsroom Pro
Jamie grew up in South Sacramento’s Greenhaven Pocket. A straight-A student and “do the work first” kid, she found her voice not in conversation, but on paper through poetry. Home life, however, was emotionally turbulent. As she put it, she learned early to self soothe and search for meaning on her own.
College opened a door. A counselor spotted her love of writing and nudged her toward journalism. Internships at KCRA and Good Day Sacramento sealed it. Broadcast was the path.
“People forget facts. They never forget how a story made them feel.”
After finishing at Cal State Northridge, she landed her first TV job in Sioux City, Iowa, earning $22,000 as an MMJ. She did everything: pitch, shoot, write, edit, publish, and go live on deadline. Later, she moved to Madison, Wisconsin, reporting at a CBS station for seven years. She loved the craft, the community impact, and the chance to turn breaking events into human stories that rallied support.
The Breaking Point and a Hard Pivot
COVID froze hiring and extended her contract. Over time, the daily drumbeat of crime and politics pulled her away from the work she loved most. She left news for a community startup, only to be forced out within a month by a non-compete threat from her former station. Savings dwindled. Health insurance vanished. It was a gut punch.
A nonprofit leader who knew her work quietly created a video storyteller role so she could land on her feet. That stability let Jamie plant a new seed: Beyond Words Production, a heart-forward video storytelling studio for businesses and nonprofits. Once her non-compete expired, the work took off. Year one hit six figures.
Leaving to Live: Safety, Self-Respect, and Starting Over
Amid the business success, Jamie was navigating an abusive relationship. She made the hardest call, left the home and assets she shared, and returned to California to rebuild from scratch. It cost her dearly in dollars and comfort, but it restored something more important.
Pull-quote: “You can always make more money. You cannot make more time.”
Back home, she threw herself into rebuilding. Multiple networking events a day. Teaching. Sharing. Crying between meetings. Wiping tears. Walking in with a smile. Repeat. She chose momentum and healing at the same time.
Arena Lesson: Why Beats What
Jamie teaches clients the same principle that guided her best work in news: your story is not your product. It is your why.
- Facts are forgettable. Feelings travel and stick.
- Use your limited video minutes to make people feel, not to read a spec sheet.
- Move audiences from awareness to empathy to action.
This is why Beyond Words Production centers every piece around motive, meaning, and impact. House fire coverage became a community lifeline when she focused on the family’s loss and linked a GoFundMe. That is the power of emotional clarity.
Arena Insight: Make the Camera a Bridge
What Jamie creates is not a one-and-done social clip. Her videos have shelf life.
How clients use them
- Website About pages and home pages
- Fundraising events and galas
- Grant applications and board presentations
- Email newsletters and QR codes on cards and brochures
- Workshops, stage intros, and community spotlights
How she can help
- Done-for-you video storytelling for businesses and nonprofits
- Story consulting for teams that want to learn the craft and apply it across social, web, and email
“If you believe, you help other people believe.”
Mindset, Healing, and Showing Up
Therapy, yoga, hiking, music, and quiet have become daily anchors. Jamie knows the mind can be a dark room or a lantern. She chooses the lantern. She also chooses honesty. Not every story needs to be told from the mountaintop. Sometimes the most helpful stories come from halfway up the trail.
Final Word from the Arena
Jamie’s story is a reminder that resilience is not loud. It is a steady practice of showing up, choosing dignity, and telling the truth with heart. We are cheering for her rebuild and grateful for the way she helps leaders and organizations tell stories people remember.
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