Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

I’ve lived fear as a DV & SA survivor and navigate life as a disabled wife, mother, and grandmother. I founded 3rd Eye Watching to educate, train, and empower women and marginalized communities, providing a safe space often lacking in the industry. My experiences inspire me to help others turn trauma into strength, fear into confidence, and vulnerability into the power to protect themselves and loved ones.

How do you stay motivated?

By remembering the broken little girl I once was, unprotected, underestimated & overlooked. I wake up everyday to show her, my children, grandchildren and every woman that we are not powerless, we have a voice, and we matter. I use the negatives of my past to fuel my passion to never give up. I remind myself that I am not defined by what happened to me, but I acknowledge that those events have shaped who I am today. Every woman needs to know they have value, strength and a voice.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I would advance my education with a Firearms Technology & Gunsmithing certificate, update equipment to enhance student learning, cover office rent for a year, and establish a Community Safety Scholarship to provide self-defense training for those who can’t afford it. I’d also develop youth-focused curriculum on online safety, grooming, and sex trafficking to empower the next generation.