Ever since I was a kid, I went against the grain. At 8 years old, I kissed my first boy — he was 12. I would race cars on my bicycle and launch myself off 50-foot ski jumps. I had a need for speed and zero fear of risk. After college, I quickly realized the traditional corporate career wasn’t for me. Job after job left me dealing with sexual harassment, toxic work environments, and no real mentorship. That’s when my health issues began. At 29, I walked out of my corporate job with nothing but a suitcase and a one-way ticket to an island. Within a week I had a job, a place to stay, and my first tech startup underway. It eventually failed. But I went on to work with several startups, often serving as the founder’s right hand, learning everything I could. Still, I knew I wanted my own business. In 2017, I launched my second startup. We were close — even had a verbal agreement for $200,000 from investors. Then everything fell apart, including my relationship at the time. Shortly after, Covid hit, and I pivoted to coaching and consulting for SMBs.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I met my fiancé through a social media message. His first words? “I just sold my house and bought an RV. Want to travel the U.S. with me?” We’ve been together ever since. By 2022, my health started to decline again, right as my dad suffered a traumatic brain injury and brain bleed during Covid. Between caregiving, running a business, and pushing myself nonstop, the stress was unbearable.