I graduated high school and moved away to attend college where I double-majored in psychology and biomedical engineering. I slowly developed a shopping addiction while in college and worked 3 jobs to pay for this addiction along with bills and school.

I eventually dropped out and moved back home. I bounced from job to job, desperately searching for something (literally anything) that could help me climb out of the $10,000+ in credit card debt I was drowning in. I had zero dollars to my name and no clue what I was doing with my life.

My boyfriend’s mom, who was also my nail tech, encouraged me to try something in the beauty industry. I had no money to invest in any kind of training, but eventually, I realized… I had nothing left to lose. So I put a one-day ombré powder brow certification on a credit card and just went for it.

I kept taking clients on my days off from my 9-5, but I was never fully booked so going full-time felt impossible. One day, fed up with my boss and burnt out, I quit on a whim… with nearly $20,000 in credit card debt. While job hunting, I opened my schedule for the month just to see what would happen. And somehow… I got fully booked.

I kept opening my books each month and somehow, I kept getting booked. With each month that passed, I grew a little more confident. Eventually, I decided to take a leap and looked for a part-time space about 1.5 hours away from my hometown. It was a risk, but I wanted to slowly start building a new clientele out there. For months, I drove back and forth, pouring everything I had into growing my business. After about 8 months of hustling and holding onto the vision, I was finally able to move to Utah full-time and open up a suite of my very own.

My business kept growing and for the first time, it truly felt like it was flourishing. I was speaking at events, traveling to conferences, and teaching others who shared the same passion that had reignited my life. Each opportunity reminded me how far I’d come. And the best part? I was finally getting close to paying off all the credit card debt that once kept me up at night, all because of the business I built from nothing.

Here I am four years later, living a life I once only dreamed about. Not only did I pay off every dollar of credit card debt, but I now have over $30,000 in savings. I make my own schedule, take time off whenever I want, and spend more moments with the people I love. I travel out of state for work, I haven’t had to call anyone “boss” in years, and for the first time in my life, I feel truly financially secure.

And it all started because I took a risk… and bet on myself.