Editor's Note: This article is the third in a series spotlighting and supporting various nurse entrepreneurs and their businesses. In partnership with adni, products from each nurse business will be featured in our Nurse 365 monthly giveaways — enter to win here!
This October marked an incredible milestone: the fifth anniversary of my small business, Purpose People.
It’s been five years of navigating the world of entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales while using my nursing degree in ways I never could have envisioned when I began nursing school over a decade ago.
Like many nurses, my career started with a plan — to graduate, pass the NCLEX, work at the bedside, and eventually earn a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. It seemed straightforward until I experienced the reality of working 12-hour shifts, balancing work with personal goals, and facing the emotional challenges that come with nursing.
As I gained experience, it became clear that my carefully crafted plan wasn’t as fulfilling as I’d imagined. This realization triggered a period of self-reflection. I learned that truly living with purpose would require me to be flexible, take risks, and adapt to whatever changes come my way. A rigid plan might offer stability, but it can also leave you stuck on a path that doesn’t align with your true passions.
When I thought about what truly mattered to me, my thoughts kept circling back to my fellow nurses. Too many of us were struggling with burnout and feeling disconnected from our purpose. I wanted to help, but I had no idea how. I even applied to a master’s program in nursing education, hoping it would provide the tools I needed to make an impact.
But when the acceptance letter arrived, it didn’t bring the excitement I’d expected. That was a turning point for me — I couldn’t commit to a path that didn’t feel right.
Following a mentor’s lead
Enter Lacey, a coworker who showed me the possibilities beyond traditional nursing roles. As a professional nurse mentor whose job it was helping newly graduated nurses find their path, Lacey’s guidance was integral.
Her passion for building nurses’ confidence and encouraging their growth was infectious and inspired me to start sharing tips for burnout recovery on social media and even launch a self-help book club for nurses.
From there, I dove headfirst into building a business that gave me purpose and fed my passion. I relied on trial and error to create a self-care community from the ground up. I organized book clubs, hosted community events, and started a blog. While none of these projects felt like a perfect fit, the encouragement I received from other nurses kept me motivated. Then I launched my first physical product: nurse-themed mugs.
Watching the orders roll in, carefully packing my special mugs, and seeing people tag me in photos of them enjoying their pre-shift coffee sparked something inside me — my creativity and desire to be bold and take risks. Soon, I was designing apparel, building a website, and creating the brand now known as Purpose People.
Finding my purpose
Of course, the journey wasn’t without its challenges — broken mugs, a bare-bones website, and lost packages — but my passion kept me going. I hired some business mentors, learned the ropes of product sales, and continued to share my story on social media. Over the years, I’ve shipped thousands of orders, sent care packages to nurses nationwide, and was even featured on Good Morning America.
While I can’t say I’ve fully “found my purpose,” I can confidently say I’m living in alignment with it. Purpose isn’t a destination — it’s a journey of continual self-discovery, risk-taking, and growth.
With Purpose People, my mission is simple: to create a sense of community for nurses, make them feel seen, and inspire them to pursue their own paths to purpose — whatever that may look like.
Here’s to the next five years of impact, growth, and connection.
