In celebration of National Women’s Small Business Month, the Kansas City Women’s Business Center is proud to highlight women entrepreneurs who are redefining leadership, purpose, and success in our community. This week, we’re honored to share the story of Dr. Janice R. Love, founder of Pearls Perfected Institute, a business she has grown over the past twelve years into a beacon for women seeking to transform life lessons into legacies.

Dr. Janice R. Love never set out to be a business owner. In fact, she says it all began with a book—her first, One Plus One Equals Ten: A First Lady’s Survival Guide for Stepmoms. What started as a personal story of navigating stepmotherhood became a ministry of connection. Women reached out to her for guidance, encouragement, and perspective.

“That’s really how it started,” she recalls. “Women began asking for help navigating blended family life, and I found myself coaching them through it.”

Each book she wrote opened new doors of service—first to women managing stepfamilies, then to those navigating divorce (Divorced and Still Highly Favored), and later to women balancing marriage and ministry (Chosen for This). As her audience grew, so did her calling.

“I realized God was calling me to serve in a deeper way,” she said. “So I pursued my Doctorate in Christian Counseling and became certified as a Stepfamily Coach—all while working full-time as an executive at Swope Health Services.”

The workload was heavy. Between her career, her writing, and her family, Dr. Love knew she was “burning the candle at both ends.” Eventually, faith led her to step fully into entrepreneurship and create what would become Pearls Perfected Institute, a business dedicated to empowering others through coaching, content creation, and storytelling.

Transitioning from full-time corporate executive to full-time entrepreneur wasn’t easy. One of her greatest challenges came when she shifted her focus from direct coaching to helping others share their stories through books, courses, and learning platforms.

“It felt like I was walking away from the audiences I’d always served,” she admits. “But really, I was expanding how I could serve.”

That expansion meant taking a leap—investing in the technology needed to build her own learning management system and digital school. That leap paid off. Today, Pearls Perfected Institute supports individuals and organizations in developing online courses, coaching programs, and multimedia content that inspire, educate, and empower others.

Her proudest achievement? “Blending my passion for coaching with my expertise in content creation and learning systems to create something one-of-a-kind,” she says. “Now, I’m not only helping people tell their stories—I’m helping them build platforms to share them with the world.”

Her journey has been filled with lessons—many of which she now shares with the women she mentors. One of her most important? You can’t do it all alone.

“When I first hired a Virtual Assistant, I didn’t trust her to actually help me,” she laughs. “I treated my business like my baby. I had to learn to focus on the things only I could do and delegate the rest.”

Through that process, she discovered the power of systems, structure, and self-care. “Once I created standard operating procedures, I freed up time for what really matters—enjoying life, my husband, our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.”

Another turning point came when she enrolled in the LaunchU program at the Kansas City Women’s Business Center. “That’s where I learned to operate like a true CEO,” she says. “I created a business plan, understood my financials, and gained the confidence to run Pearls Perfected Institute with clarity and purpose.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Love envisions Pearls Perfected Institute as a full-scale enterprise with a team dedicated to helping clients turn their knowledge into impact. “Whether it’s writing a book, launching a coaching program, or building a course, our mission is to help people share what they’ve learned so they can leave a legacy,” she says.

Her goal is simple yet powerful: to help others step out on faith and recognize that their story could be the very answer to someone else’s prayers.
Legacy and Love

When asked how she hopes to be remembered, her answer is as heartfelt as her mission: “I want to be remembered as a woman who wasn’t afraid to take risks—who used her gifts, education, and life experiences to make a difference in the lives of others. My grandfathers were both entrepreneurs, and I want to honor their legacy by building my own—one that proves courage and faith can turn challenges into opportunities for impact.”