Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration comes from personal transformation. After a health crisis, I reclaimed my health through fitness, going from struggling at the gym to completing a 50-mile ultramarathon in 16 months. This journey revealed a gap in outdoor gear for my taller, curvier, & bigger body. VestaPak and Conscious Gear emerged from this realization, embodying my mission to provide quality gear for bigger bodies. Everyone deserves the chance to pursue fitness goals without limitations, regardless of size

How do you stay motivated?

What drives me is deeply personal. Every product I design is fueled by years of experiencing how outdoor gear fails bigger bodies. Some days, my motivation comes from righteous anger at an industry that's ignored us for too long. Other days, it flows from joy when I see a customer post about feeling confident in their VestaPak. I stay motivated by creating high-performance gear that celebrates and serves every body—because the outdoors belongs to all of us.

What would you do with the $25,000?

$25,000 in funding will enable Conscious Gear to scale operations and meet growing international demand. From Canada to Europe to Australia, our unexpected global sales prove the urgent need for inclusive outdoor gear. These funds will help us expand beyond REI, increase inventory, and build our first operations team. With the plus-size outdoor market expanding rapidly, Conscious Gear is poised to lead in inclusive outdoor gear design, addressing a critically underserved segment.