Every fierce entrepreneur has a beginning—and Her Story is a collection of real journeys from everyday women who stepped into their purpose and became fierce entrepreneurs. These stories share the inspiration that started it all, the lessons learned through challenges and wins, and the encouragement gained along the way. These journeys aren’t about perfection—they’re about courage, growth, and continuing forward. May each story remind you that your path matters, your voice is powerful, and your journey is far from over. 

Many of you know who I am today...

• A female entrepreneur.

• A business owner of several successful companies.

• A wife to my husband Jerry, for over 20 years.

• And a mama to two incredible girls, Eden and Tabby. 

But my story didn’t begin anywhere close to this life.

I was born in San Diego, California, to a drug-addicted prostitute. From the very beginning, my life had only two options laid before it—to be aborted or to be sold on the streets for drugs. From the outside, many people would have said abortion was the logical choice. A baby born addicted to meth, which will cause several medical issues, to a mother trapped in addiction. Society had already written my ending.

But God hadn’t.

At a year and a half old, during a police raid on the prostitution house, I was found hidden in a box under a bed. My life was literally pulled out of darkness. At six years old, I was adopted into a loving military family—but stability didn’t come easily. Because of medical challenges and moving every two years, school was hard. Really hard. I struggled to learn and struggled to keep up, and before anyone caught on I was transferred to another school.

By high school, my guidance counselor told me the best path for me would be working on an assembly line in a factory.

But even then—before I had proof, before I had resources, before I had confidence—I knew one thing deep in my soul:
I was meant to be my own boss.
And I wanted to be a better role model than what I had been given.

At 20 years old, I met Jerry. Six weeks later, we were married. When you know, you know.
My twenties were filled with working for other people—bank teller, cleaner, activities planner at a resort. Honest work, hard work… but still someone else’s dream.

After nine years of trying to have a baby—believing I never could—I finally became pregnant. And that’s when everything shifted. I put my trust fully in God. I wanted to raise my daughter myself. I didn’t want daycare to raise her. So I did something that made no sense on paper.

I quit my $9.50-an-hour job. We were living paycheck to paycheck, but an opportunity came—a single cabin next door. I became everything. Cleaner. Reservationist. Maintenance. Website builder. Marketer. I had no mentors. No blueprint. No one to ask. So I taught myself. Mostly through YouTube—because reading has always been hard for me.

And that faith-driven leap changed everything.

 Fourteen years later, that one cabin turned into five companies. What started as survival turned into purpose. What began in fear turned into freedom. And now, alongside one of my closest friends, I’ve helped create a space where we mentor and pour into other female Entrepreneurs—because I know what it’s like to be told you’ll never be more.

This is why mentorship matters to me.
This is why I believe in women.
This is why I show up.

Because your beginning does not get to decide your ending.
Because labels spoken over you are not your destiny.
And because if God can take a baby found in a box under a bed and turn her into a leader, a business owner, and a mentor—He can do the same for you.

If you’re walking through fear, self-doubt, or uncertainty right now, let my story be proof:

You are not behind. You are being prepared.

And one day, your story will light the way for someone else. 

Photography found me long before I ever knew it would become my business.

 In high school, I always had a camera in my hand. I loved capturing my friends, classmates, and everyday moments that felt important—even if I didn’t yet know why. I was part of the school newspaper and dreamed big. I imagined myself as a photojournalist, traveling the world, telling stories through images. National Geographic was the goal. Adventure, storytelling, meaning—that’s what I wanted.

I went to college chasing that dream, but during my junior year, everything changed.

I was asked to photograph a wedding—my boyfriend was in it, and they needed someone last minute. I was new, inexperienced, and definitely nervous… but the moment that day began, I knew. I was completely in my element. The emotions, the pacing, the responsibility, the honor of being trusted with something so important—it lit something in me I couldn’t ignore.

That single wedding shifted my entire course. I changed my major and began focusing on small business, knowing I wanted to build something of my own.

Photography hasn’t always been easy. There are long nights of editing, busy seasons, and days when I feel stretched thin. But when I’m having a hard day, I remind myself of what these moments mean to people. These aren’t just photos—they’re memories, legacies, reminders of love. I get to help preserve that, and that matters.

One wedding in particular will always stay with me. I was incredibly sick—so sick that most people would have canceled. But I had never canceled on a wedding, and I wasn’t about to start. I stocked up on medicine, prayed hard, and showed up. Before the ceremony, I felt awful. But the moment it began, something changed. I was completely present—focused, energized, joyful. I didn’t think about being sick at all. I was doing what I loved.

As soon as it ended and I got back to my car, the sickness hit me all over again—but I had made it. And I knew, without a doubt, this was what I was meant to do.

Over the years, photography has taken me places I never imagined. I’ve met incredible couples with powerful love stories and have had the honor of walking alongside them during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. Today, the majority of my work happens in the Smoky Mountains—a place that feels like home to my soul. And nothing makes me happier than when a couple says, “Let’s go on an adventure.”

I also love bringing others along—encouraging photographers who are just starting out, showing them what’s possible, and reminding them that this path is hard but deeply rewarding. If you feel called to this work, there’s room for you. There always is.

This business didn’t start with a perfect plan. It started with a love for people, a camera, and a willingness to say yes when an unexpected opportunity came along.

And I’m still saying yes.

Before entrepreneurship ever became a reality, I was a marketing and public relations professional. I earned my degree in public relations with double minors in communication studies and business communication, and I followed the traditional path that was expected of me. I held titles like Marketing Director and built a career that looked successful on paper.

But even at eighteen, I knew one thing with certainty: one day, I would work for myself.

I was never taught entrepreneurship. I had no mentors or role models in that space. What I was taught was what life should look like: get a job, be a wife, have children, and keep your ambitions reasonable. I was also told my goals were risky and unrealistic. Eventually, I stopped listening.

The spark behind my journey was a refusal to let anyone or anything control how I lived my life. At first, it was a slow burn. Then it became an inferno. Watching my family struggle for the things they dreamed about made me decide I was done wanting a different life without doing the work to build it.

The path wasn’t clean or easy. It took failed relationships, difficult bosses, career uncertainty, and deep self-reflection before I found real conviction. I stopped waiting to be rescued and decided to become my own hero.

Starting didn’t require readiness. It required trust. Trust in myself, my resilience, and my ability to figure things out as I went. Buying my first business and taking on financial risk was terrifying, but it taught me that fear doesn’t get the final say.

One of my biggest breakthroughs came when I received my first owner’s payout check and realized I could out-earn my 9-to-5 while building scalable, sustainable businesses. It was exhilarating and humbling all at once.

Today, I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur running several businesses while living in the Great Smoky Mountains. My work is fueled by freedom, creativity, faith, and the belief that women don’t need permission to build bold, fulfilling lives.

To the woman standing where I once stood: it’s okay to doubt yourself. Give yourself permission to fail, to ask questions, and to take the leap anyway. If you’re waiting for permission, this is it.

“I choose courage over comfort, conviction over approval, and a life well lived over a life well behaved.” - Erica Canney