Building a Business That Truly Matters

I’ve spent years in corporate meeting, boardrooms, navigating strategy, scaling operations, and weathering the chaos that comes with executive life. I’ve got the grit. The backbone. The credentials. The skills.

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t say this part out loud: Corporate isn’t always built for people, it's built for profit.

It can be structured. Ruthless. Often more focused on shareholders than humans. And it’s not just hard—sometimes, it’s harmful. That truth kept creeping in until I could no longer ignore it.

I didn’t start Hive Craft Cocktails as some grand business plan. It was a side hobby. A creative outlet that helped me decompress from my day job. But something shifted. Orders started rolling in. The joy I felt building something from scratch was contagious. And as the Hive is growing quickly, life is forcing me to confront just how deeply this work matters—in my private life and how I lead and plan my next chapter.

My husband—55 years old—was aged out of his job. Just like that. He could get another job, but his desire to work for corporate was over. My youngest son was having anxiety attacks from a job that drained the light from his eyes. My oldest is on my radar because he excels in his corporate job (and has my drive) but lacks balance for life's other moments (lesson's learned from my experience). My bonus kids need stability, structure, something solid to lean on as they figure out their talent and career paths. And me? I found myself journaling through the chaos, asking: “What am I really building?”

I remembered the years I cried myself to sleep as a single mom, just trying to hold it together. Stretching every dollar. Praying I could keep the lights on and give my kids a safe place to grow up. I was doing everything right, and still barely staying afloat as I worked 60 hours a week while I earned dual Master's in my free time.

I remember the deals I made with God: “If I can just get through this… I promise, I’ll give back. I’ll build something that lifts others up. I'll do it better. I will help build families and community”

As a teen, I remember my grandfather, circling the empty factory he worked in for over 15 years—hoping someone would buy it so he could finally get the retirement he earned. That will never be the HIVE. That is a leadership failure.

This business, this space—it’s not just about cocktails. It’s about people.

While our kids are still discovering who they are and where they want to go, we’re watching closely and giving them something rare: structure, freedom, and the chance to test their talents—sales, marketing, event planning, culinary, arts, operations, logistics… it all lives here. And I’ll be here, side by side, helping them navigate. That’s the beauty of a small, family-owned business positioning itself for rapid growth.

It’s not their burden to carry on. It’s their launch pad.

And if they grow it forward—outstanding. If not? At least I’ll know I gave them something I didn’t have. I gave them time and space as young adults.

Time to evolve. Time to breathe. Time to become well-adjusted adults without the crushing weight of trying to survive while figuring it all out. I went from $100K into student debt for all my degrees combined—that ballooned to $200K through interest—climbing the wrong ladder. That made me a modern-day indentured servant and someone that missed out of a lot of life along the way. I want something different for them (and our staff). I want something better. I stand by to guide them to ensure they land right and find true happiness.

At HIVE, we give back. We create jobs with purpose. We mentor new entrepreneurs. We host markets that bring people together. Because when you shop small, you’re not just buying a product—you’re supporting someone’s dream, a neighborhood’s future, and a vision for a kinder, more inclusive economy.

The corporate world may have trained me, but it didn’t define me.

The HIVE is my legacy and a place to create from all that went right (and what could have been improved) from the experience of my corporate climb. A space built on empathy, earned grit, and a refusal to repeat the same broken systems that hurt the people I love. It's an environment that's healthy and balanced filled with work ethic and laughter.

We don’t drain our people—we uplift them.

And we’re just getting started.

For Any Leader Reading This: Here Are 10 Things to Remember While Building a Business (or a Team):

1. Listen first. Your people will tell you what they need—if you make space to hear it.
2. Build for humans, not just performance. Culture is a living thing. Treat it with care.
3. Flexibility (and Time Management) is not a luxury. It’s often the bridge between survival and success.
4. Your team’s mental health matters. Protect it. Normalize it. Resource it.
5. Purpose fuels performance. When people connect with why they matter, they’ll give you their best.
6. Fair pay is the bare minimum. Dignity at work starts with security at home.
7. You don’t need a warehouse to start. You need clarity, commitment, and community.
8. Lead like someone is watching. Because your kids, your team, your community, and your future self all are.
9. Build what you wish existed. Let the pain you’ve known fuel the promise you create.
10. Never forget: small businesses are how we rebuild the world. And it starts with you.

To leaders—respect the grind, but choose a different kind of growth. One where people aren’t just resources, but reasons. To my kids—you are not here to carry this business on your back. You’re here to discover who you are, and if the HIVE helps you do that, I’ve already won. And to my fellow small or aspiring business owners—keep going. You’re not just building a brand. You’re building belonging, legacy, and love. We are the pulse of our communities, the ones who stay when the big names leave, and the proof that business can be done with heart. Finally to the light within myself (and hopefully within you)—the energy always comes from something greater and bigger than yourself honor the force that pulls your spirit (the universe is listening, trust the guidance).

We are the shift. And I’m honored to build alongside you.