"I struggled with perfectionism" — Shark Tank mentor Jamie Kern Lima opens up about personal challenges

In a conversation with Amy Griffin on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, aired on March 11, 2025, entrepreneur and Shark Tank mentor Jamie Kern Lima shared her struggles with perfectionism. Reflecting on her journey, Jamie opened up about how her need for control and desire to meet standards have shaped her life and choices.

"I struggled with perfectionism, people pleasing, I mean so much of it and I know what it feels like to work so hard to do all the right things," Jamie shared.

In this podcast, Jamie also talked about how she learned to be open about her feelings, and how these experiences affected her life and relationships. She further added how being honest and aware of emotions can help build better connections with others.

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Amy Griffin talks about Shark Tank mentor Jamie Kern Lima's influence

Amy Griffin provided context about Jamie's influence and presence in the business world. She said that many listeners might already be familiar with Jamie's work in philanthropy, investments, and her role in helping companies like Bumble go public. The host highlighted Jamie's decision to share a vulnerable part of her life through this podcast has inspired a lot of people.

"You are choosing and this is so powerful. You're sharing parts of your journey and your story that you could have so easily kept secret, that I think are going to inspire so many people today," Amy said.

Amy told Jamie that sharing personal stories is an offering that can help others. Amy reflected on her own experience of confronting suppressed memories. She shared how her past memories involving repeated abuse from a teacher resurfaced after being suppressed for years.

"These memories were suppressed my whole life as I built everything that I've built and done everything that I've done. I didn't remember these things until I did," she shared.

Shark Tank mentor Jamie appreciated her for sharing this with the world after so many years, and Amy expressed gratitude for her parents supporting her through this journey.

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Jamie Kern Lima on facing rejection and Shark Tank journey

In an Instagram reel posted on January 30, 2025, Lima spoke about the setbacks she faced while building her beauty empire and how rejection shaped her career journey.

"The number of people that didn't believe in me at that time, I always believed that rejection is God's protection," she said.

She highlighted how every "no" played a significant role in directing her path and shared her belief in divine timing helped her navigate challenging moments. Further, Lima mentioned the difficulty of choosing only certain companies to invest on Shark Tank, saying she wanted to invest in everyone but had to make "tough choices."

Despite these challenges, Lima said that she was happy in knowing that her investments would make an impact as she was donating the same amount of money invested in the ABC show to the people affected by LA fires.

In an episode of Shark Tank season 16 which aired on January 24, 2025, Jamie Kern Lima invested in Petite Keep, a brand specializing in heirloom-quality keepsake trunks. The pitch resonated with Lima on a personal level, as she shared her own experience of discovering she was adopted at the age of 29.

"The first thing I was handed was a necklace that my grandma had given my birth mom. And I just cherish it," she said.

Lima also mentioned treasuring a baby brush from her adoptive mother, who has since passed away.

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Shark Tank episodes are available to stream on ABC.