In 2006, I was a busy single mom trying to juggle raising my two young daughters AND running a business at the same time. Running my own business was a challenge that I eagerly took on. I loved having the chance to pursue my passion and the flexibility it allowed me to spend time with my girls.

With my business and my daughters, I already had a lot on my plate. Then, my world was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. I was forced to dramatically downsize my company in order to focus on my recovery and my family. It took me a year and a half just to get a handle on this vicious disease.

I live right in the heart of tick country, and after my diagnosis, I couldn’t find a repellent that totally satisfied what I wanted and needed in an insect repellent. This sparked my desire to develop one that not only worked well, but also smelled so good you would actually want to wear it. It would also have to be small enough to fit in a pocket or bag for all of life’s on-the-go adventures.

My diagnosis gave me a new purpose for my small business, Grillo Essentials. My mission became to educate my community about Lyme disease, prevent it and produce the most effective insect repellent on the market.

I dedicated two years to research and field testing, where I was out in the woods with deer and ticks in order to refine which natural oils were most effective in repelling them. My research led me to create a roll-on tube that I could personally trust and use – an all-natural, highly concentrated blend of eight essential oils.

After a two-year market test, my repellent succeeded in addressing the needs of adventurers across the country. I was completely overwhelmed by the support and praise from people who tried my repellent, and, once I realized the success it could have, I decided to devote my company to creating this natural, preventative product.

Ten years later, I wouldn’t change a thing about my business journey. Even contracting Lyme disease.

What I thought was going to be my biggest setback ended up being my biggest success. I have been able to grow my business and sell my products in retail stores across five states and online. I also was recently selected by a panel of expert judges as one of three grand Champions in the American Small Business Championship, hosted by SCORE and sponsored by Sam’s Club, where I competed against hundreds of companies and won a grand prize of $25,000.

I’m honored to get the opportunity to expand and grow my company, and I plan to continue to spread the word about Lyme Disease and how to guard against this disease. No matter the circumstance – don’t give up the fight or stop believing in yourself or your dreams.