Winchester, TN
I grew up in a small town in Tennessee, raised with a lot of faith, a tight-knit community, and a mom who worked hard to give us everything she could. Life was simple in many ways — but like a lot of kids, I stepped into adulthood without a real playbook.
Nobody sat me down and walked me through budgeting, or how to handle a lease, or what to say when you need to call in sick to work. I just figured it out as I went — sometimes smoothly, sometimes not.
By my early twenties, I was a mom of two, navigating life largely on my own. It was a lot. But it also taught me something I carry with me every single day: the practical stuff matters. Knowing how to manage your money, communicate with confidence, take care of your health, and build a life you’re proud of — those skills change everything.
"I didn't want my kids to enter adulthood the way I did — winging it. I wanted them to actually know things. Real things. The kind of things that make life easier and less scary."
From starting over to starting something
In 2020, I made a decision that changed my life. As a single mom of three, I enrolled in massage therapy school. It wasn't the easiest path — but it was mine. I studied, I practiced, I built something from the ground up one client at a time. And it worked. Today I run a thriving massage therapy business in Winchester, Tennessee, and I'm opening a second location.
What made the difference wasn't luck. It was learning — slowly, sometimes painfully — how to handle money, how to run a business, how to communicate professionally, and how to take care of myself along the way. Skills I wish I had learned much, much earlier.
Mom of 3
Homeschooling and raising kids who are ready for the real world
2020
Went back to school and built a business from scratch
Winchester, TN
Thriving practice — and a 2nd location on the way
Why I built this guide
I'm now homeschooling my kids, and one thing I made a priority early on was teaching real-life skills alongside the academics. My 17-year-old already schedules her own doctor's appointments, communicates professionally with her employer, and understands how to save and budget. Not because she's exceptional — because I made it a point to teach her.
I started collecting books about taxes, tipping, renting, cooking, and all the things school tends to skip. Then I thought: why isn't all of this in one place? Why isn't there something a teenager can actually open, read, and use — written in plain language, without the fluff?
So I built it. The Real World Handbook is 30 chapters of practical, honest, real-world skills — the kind that make adulting a whole lot less overwhelming. Whether you're a teen figuring things out or a parent who wants to give your kid a head start, this guide is for you.
Based in Winchester, Tennessee. Proud small-town mom, business owner, and lifelong learner.
Every teen deserves a head start
This guide is for teens ready to take on the world — and for parents who want to make sure they're prepared for it.
No account needed for the first 5 chapters