04/01/2025
Ten years ago, I left my job.
I stepped out on faith and into purpose. As a young mom, 22, I wasn’t just chasing a dream—I was building a life that allowed me to fully be there. Be there for the first steps, the sweet giggles, the play dates, the long hours of nursing, home-cooked meals, doing hair and homework and many the library adventures. I wanted to be present, not just in body—but in heart and mind.
My journey as a founder was deeply rooted in the women who raised me. I was the village child. I had the privilege of growing up surrounded by a tribe of strong women—my grandmother, Lord I love that woman’, a host of aunts and cousins. But it was my aunt, who has truly lived as my mother, who inspired Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Company. She taught us how to make the perfect sweet and salty blend—and even more, how to blend purpose with passion.
My first born, Jaylen kept me grounded. He made me brave. Brave enough to know what I truly value. Brave enough to be my own person, to think for myself, to not always follow the crowd. He taught me to embrace differences and live like a butterfly—open to growth, transformation, relationships, and the changing seasons of life.
Then came Amir who opened my heart as a bonus mommy, and then Jacee and Janaah. They were the push. They encouraged me to leave the comfort of corporate life—to lean into my full motherhood, my creativity, and my calling. My desire to be there, fully there, for my children—and to be the best wife I could be—sparked the fire that became my entrepreneurial journey.
I didn’t just build a business. I built a life.
A life that shows my children—my sons and my daughters—that resilience is real. That sacrifice often comes before the celebration. That you can create something powerful from something small—like a single kernel of kettle corn. That the tears and triumphs, the missteps and milestones, all work together to tell a bigger story.
The story of being a woman. A founder. A wife. A mother. A community advocate. A dreamer. A doer.
So for this Women’s History Month, I want to share what it truly means to be popping.
To pop means to make a loud and explosive noise. To show up—big, bold, and bright. And sometimes, when you can’t show up, it means being at peace with drawing back to refuel. It means living your life with purpose, on purpose.
To the woman who is tired.
To the woman who is still pushing.
To the woman who is sacrificing or silently wishing for more.
To the woman who wonders if she’s given enough—
To her kids, her spouse, herself.
To the woman who doubts her own brilliance, or questions her own thoughts, or dares to live out the wild dreams in her head—
I see you.
I thank you.
I admire you.
Remember, someone is always watching, always learning from your light—even when you can’t see it yourself.
One month will never contain all that we are or all that we do.
So here’s to you.
Cheers to being “Poppin’ Women”