Episode Details

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Lisi Lopez about taking the leap from a decade-long career in industrial engineering to embracing her true passion for writing. In this episode both the host and guest are in Miami but we still recorded it remotely. Listeners will be inspired by Lisi’s candid reflections on practical career choices, honoring family support, and nurturing passions alongside parenthood.

Lisi Lopez is an engineer-turned-writer and a second-generation immigrant, born to a Cuban mother and a Puerto Rican father. In 2017, Lisi and her husband welcomed their middle son, who has Down Syndrome. Channeling her passion for writing, she began publishing advocacy articles to help create a world where her son's extra chromosome is celebrated rather than seen as a disability. Through that journey, she rediscovered her love for storytelling and hasn't looked back since.

Main Topics Covered:

1. Making a major career shift from engineering to creative writing, and what prompted Lisi to make that leap.
2. How family support, practical decision-making, and cultural expectations influenced her educational and professional choices.
3. The impact of parenting, particularly raising a child with Down syndrome, on Lisi’s priorities, creativity, and eventual career transformation.
4. A behind-the-scenes look at balancing a demanding household, marriage to a physician, and personal ambition.
5. The challenges and realities of leaving a stable, technical career for an uncertain but fulfilling creative pursuit.
6. How Lisi blends advocacy for special needs and her Cuban heritage into her writing projects.
7. The importance of rediscovering and honoring creative passions at any stage in adulthood.
8. The power of community, flexibility, and resilience—especially for women navigating work, family, and self-discovery.

Quote from the Episode: "But that doesn’t mean you have to put your passions on a shelf. Right. It’s not a give or take. It’s not a black or white thing here." — Lisi Lopez

Timestamps: [00:00:05] Amy welcomes Lisi and kicks off with childhood storytelling favorites

[00:00:51] [Lisi Lopez] shares Harry Potter as the book that sparked her imagination

[00:01:44] Discussing the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter for both kids and adults

[00:04:04] How long Lisi worked as an industrial engineer and what the role entailed

[00:05:58] Lisi on the creativity and challenges of being an engineer—especially as a parent

[00:07:18] The “practical” choice to pursue engineering and balancing family expectations

[00:08:09] Rediscovering writing through electives and family advocacy after her son’s birth

[00:13:31] How parenting (and her husband’s medical career) influenced her shift away from engineering

[00:16:13] Lisi’s "aha moment" after back surgery—publishing the manuscripts she’d hidden away

[00:17:59] Navigating marriage, medical school, and raising three children with family support

[00:25:10] Lisi outlines her published and upcoming historical fiction novels, including stories tied to her Cuban American heritage

[00:28:32] Delving into Cuban immigration waves and their impact on storytelling

[00:31:08] Where listeners can find Lisi online, and how she connects with readers

[00:32:10] Fun closi