2019-2022 was pure chaos. Toxic boyfriend abandoned the kids and I in Tennessee. Got kicked out of a barbershop that I had helped bring in profit for opening my own 30 minutes away. Became homeless while building my business. My kids had to live with their dad three hours away because I chose long-term vision over short-term togetherness.
The guilt was crushing. But I knew staying small wouldn't serve them either.
Pregnant college dropout. That's how my story starts. At 19, kicked out of college with no direction and a baby on the way. Everyone had opinions about what was "realistic" for someone like me.
For 20 years, I lived in survival mode. Hair school because "I needed to do something." Working nights while raising four kids. When my son was diagnosed with leukemia at 5, I worked three jobs simultaneously during his treatment. I was building everyone else's dreams while mine sat on the back burner.
The divorce in 2017 was my wake-up call. My ex dismissed every dream I had, and something inside me snapped. I was done asking for permission to want more.
