Right out of high school, I never realized you could actually make a living just by being creative. This was long before the content creator boom really took off, so that career path wasn't something people talked about.

At the time, I felt like I was stuck in a box. I hadn't found my passion, so I bounced from nursing school to cosmetology school—not because I truly loved either one, but because I thought doing something was better than doing nothing.

Over the years, I've worn a lot of hats. I've been a correctional officer, a hairstylist, a makeup artist, a healthcare representative, a bank manager... you name it.

Looking back, most of those jobs never fulfilled me. I won't say I hated every single one, but none of them gave me the sense of purpose I was searching for. I've always loved helping people, and honestly, if COVID-19 had never happened, I probably would've stayed on the path toward a career in healthcare.

But even then, I remember having this feeling deep down that I was meant for something different. I used to tell myself, "I'm supposed to be rich... or work for myself. "Not because of the money, but because I knew I didn't want to spend my life doing work that drained me. I wanted to wake up excited about what I was creating. I wanted my work to feel meaningful, fulfilling, and therapeutic, not just something I did to make it to Friday.

That realization eventually led me to graphic design, and for the first time, I found something that genuinely felt like it was meant for me.

So boom, at 21 years old, I had my first child in 2019. Just a few months later, in January 2020, my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, confirmed its first case of COVID-19, and life as we all knew it changed almost overnight.

Schools shut down. Businesses closed. People lost their jobs, and many families lost loved ones. With a four-month-old baby and no job, the uncertainty became very real. Like so many others, I had to figure out how I was going to provide for my family.

During that time, I started brainstorming ways to make legitimate income from home. With lockdowns, curfews, and social distancing in place, people began turning their hobbies and talents into businesses. Since shopping wasn't as accessible and public spaces were closed, many people started hosting their own small gatherings, celebrations, and events at home.

That's when I launched a small online boutique, selling beauty products, clothing, accessories, jewelry, and even sandals. I wanted to offer things that people couldn't easily run to the store and buy.

As my boutique began gaining traction, I decided to design my own logo and business cards. I had no formal design training—I just wanted my business to look professional.

To my surprise, customers weren't just asking about the products anymore. They started asking who designed my logo and branding. When I told them I had created everything myself, they immediately wanted to know if I could do the same for their businesses.

That's when everything changed.

What started as a simple DIY project for my own business quickly turned into paid design requests. I realized there was an opportunity to turn something I genuinely enjoyed into a career.

Wanting to sharpen my skills and build a stronger foundation, I enrolled at Full Sail University. I wanted to refine what I had already taught myself while learning the strategy, technical skills, and industry knowledge that would allow me to grow as both a designer and business owner.

That decision ultimately became the foundation of what is now The Graphic Palace.