From Pitch to Personal Growth: A Week of Reflection & Resilience

Life has a way of giving us clarity in unexpected ways. This past week, I experienced both professional redirection and personal deepening, and through it all, I feel lighter, more reflective, and excited for what’s next.

Recently, I pitched Ava’s Armour for the second time at the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship here at OSU. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the top 11 for the finale. But here’s the thing—I’m not discouraged. In fact, I’m re-energized. With two more years in school and four more opportunities to win (since the competition happens twice a year), this is just the beginning. The most exciting part? We’re receiving swatches soon from a fabric mill in North Carolina for our two preferred fabric options. By the next pitch in November, I’m confident that with tested prototypes and a solid manufacturing and distribution strategy, Ava’s Armour will be a stronger contender.

I’m also incredibly grateful that after the stress of finishing my pitch deck and speech, I finally had the chance to catch up on sleep. These last two semesters, I’ve gone all in—putting up flyers across campus to gain traction, interest, and real followers for Ava’s Armour. I remember tallying up all the dorm floors I went to one day, and it came to 50. I was exhausting myself trying to prove to the judges that there’s demand for this product. But all that work is paying off. I just received my first article feature in OSU’s Women In Business blog! You can read it here. Maya Cucchetti, the writer, is an amazing interviewer, and the way she captured my brand—without being knee-deep in its development—was incredible. Her final words were especially impactful for me:

“If you were to only have one takeaway from the brand as a whole, it should be that clothing should make you feel protected, not exposed or embarrassed. As the name of the brand implies, your clothing can feel like your armour, and it should.”

That hit me. Seeing someone else understand my mission so deeply reminded me why I push so hard for this.

At the same time, I’ve been navigating some emotional conversations in my relationship. They were hard—filled with tears, patience, and active listening—but ultimately, they led to growth. I feel incredibly lucky to have a partner who is open, expressive, and deeply understanding. It’s rare and beautiful to have a man who is completely comfortable being vulnerable. Even with four hours of long distance for almost two years, we continue to deepen our connection. His love for vintage fashion, his family-oriented nature, and the way he bonds with the foster baby in his home just make me admire him even more.

This weekend, I also made time for myself—something I’m learning to prioritize again. On Saturday, I took the recommendation from a classmate who mentioned she gets hair glosses for strength, and that was all the inspiration I needed. I grabbed two Ulta gift cards from Christmas and treated myself to a $60 hair gloss in the darkest shade they had—black—and got my eyebrows waxed. Then, I took an everything shower and fully embraced the reset. On Sunday, I went to the Women In Business Dress for Success meeting from 4-5:30 and picked up some skincare and hair samples from Stile Salon to add to my routine. Their meetings are always great, it’s obvious the women are truly there for community building which is energy I thrive off of. I love face masks, so this was a little cherry on top of a self-care weekend.

Writing about my gratitude for the people and moments in my life right now feels like a form of loving-kindness meditation—expressing appreciation brings so much joy. So if you have two minutes, I encourage you to text, call, or write about someone you love. Both of you will feel the warmth of that moment.

Lately, I’ve also been thinking about how I can strengthen my words of affirmation, both for myself and my relationships. Poetry has been on my mind—self-love and intimate love poems feel like a beautiful way to refine the way we communicate our feelings. I’ve seen Rupi Kaur’s poetry circulating on my Instagram, and I recently came across The Art of Falling in Love Again by Franny Arrieta, a singer and influencer I followed on YouTube. I’d love to hear from you—do you have any poetry recommendations?

Life has its ups and downs, but emotional contrast makes room for clarity. This pitch experience redirected my focus, and these relationship conversations brought me even closer to someone I love. I’m grateful for both. I can’t wait to keep sharing this journey with you all. 💜