I founded Braid Squad ATL to create something that didn't widely exist in this industry: opportunity for people who look like me. There's a saying that a turtle only grows as big as its environment — if your world is small, that's often all you know is possible. I wanted to change that. Braid Squad ATL started as a way to open doors into equestrian braiding, creating jobs and real paths toward self-sustainability in a space that hasn't always made room for us. Today, our team braids mane and tail for hunter/jumper and dressage shows across the Southeast, bringing precision and care to every show ring. And as a mother, this work has given me something just as meaningful — the freedom to build a business on my own terms, including the chance to bring my children along for the ride.