I wasn’t even planning to go.
That month was hard. One of those months that just piles on — personally, emotionally, operationally. My gummy machine was giving me trouble (again), I was exhausted from constantly showing up for myself and my business, and I felt alone. Alone in the hustle, in the learning curve, and in the grind of trying to grow something with very little support.
To top it all off, I had just injured my knee at a co-ed soccer tournament and was told I’d need surgery. So no, I wasn’t exactly in the mood to get dressed up and pretend everything was fine. I was in pain — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I had no expectations of winning the Flourish Award. None. The truth is, I didn’t even think I belonged in the room. I looked around and saw polished pitches, strong networks, business lingo flowing — and then there was me. Just trying to survive the week, just trying to figure out how to get my Shopify store to say “thank you for your purchase.” Something so basic, yet so far from reach when you’re stretched thin and learning on the fly.
I’m a nurse by training. I didn’t go to business school. I didn’t grow up around entrepreneurs. I didn’t have a mentor walking me through the steps. I started this because I believed in the healing power of sea moss and in my grandmother’s legacy. I started this with a heart full of purpose, not a head full of spreadsheets.
So when my name was called for the Flourish Award, I was shocked. Not because I didn’t believe in what I do — I do. But because it’s hard to have faith in moments when you feel beaten down by the weight of it all. When it feels like no one sees the late nights, the orders packed after bedtime stories, the problem-solving with no manual, the tears over tech glitches, and the deep fatigue of trying to do it all… mostly alone.
It took me a while to even share that I won. I didn’t have the words. I’m still processing it, to be honest. But I know this: that win gave me the push I didn’t even realize I was desperate for. It reminded me that what I’m building matters. That I matter.
Granny P’s started as a dream 3 years ago — and now it’s on store shelves. That’s not small. That’s everything. And every single customer, every repost, every bit of love and support… it fuels this fire.
I still have a lot to figure out. And that’s okay.
Making the product? That part’s easy.
Selling it, scaling it, staying afloat in systems not built for me? That’s another story.
And maybe a blog for another day.
But today, I just want to say thank you — for being here, for rooting for me, for allowing me to be real in this space.
If you’re a business owner showing up in rooms that don’t reflect your struggle or your story — keep showing up anyway. Sometimes, even when it feels impossible, the room needs you more than you know.
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With love,
Mystery Furtado