<div><strong>I’m writing this as a final update to this campaign.</strong>
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<div>When I started this, I hoped that my community, family, and friends would rally behind a woman-owned business trying to make a fresh start. Instead, the response has been largely silence, and in some cases, open hostility. The work that I put into this was massive, and the bandaids that I had to ripp off in order to provide an honest picture of why and how I got here was very emotional. I guarantee the path I have walked was very difficult and I do not wish it on anyone, but to use it against me, is a low and selfish.  I will take this as a necessary lesson.
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<div>I have decided to move forward by securing a high-interest business loan. Taking on debt is scary, but it is safer than the alternative. Some have asked why I don't just find an investor. The answer is simple: I am currently fighting a legal battle to reclaim a business I built, where I was treated like a cash cow, defrauded, and then discredited by partners who wanted me to just "go away."
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<div>I refuse to put myself in that position again. I will own this new venture 100%, or I won't do it at all.
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<div><strong><em>To the very few of you who did donate: Thank you. You saw me when others looked away. To everyone else:  Watch This!</em></strong>
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<div>Full Transparency
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<div>The Road to a Fresh Start
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<div>The Background
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<div>I loved my job. For a long time, I planned to launch a stable, profitable business in the vacation rental market. I executed that plan with two partners, handling the heavy lifting: creating the filing systems, manuals, invoices, and ensuring the properties were up to standard. My priority was always stability for the employees and quality for the guests.
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<div>The Turning Point
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<div>Despite my dedication—including personally cleaning properties, fixing cosmetic disasters, and managing operations—financial transparency was withheld. When I demanded to see the bank statements to understand why paychecks were consistently 10 days late and why I wasn't receiving my share, the reaction was immediate.
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<div>I was fired the next day. The locks were changed, and I was removed from the business I helped build. While I am currently seeking legal counsel regarding the theft of my business interest, the legal system takes time that I do not have.
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<div>The Current Reality
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<div>I am currently in a market that is over-saturated with low-paying labor. However, I have identified a new location with a high demand for my specific skill set. My husband is 100% supportive, and a friend who needs sanctuary and a fresh start will be coming with me to help me kick start this business.
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<div>We are not asking for a handout; we are asking for a bridge to get to this new market before my credit score—damaged by this sudden loss of income—prevents us from renting.
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<div>THIS Initiative cannot happen without support from all of you. Why Nashville?
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<div>Nashville is a city of dreams and growth, but it is also a city with a massive demand for high-quality short-term
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<div>rental management. By establishing ourselves here, we position The Fortress Initiative in a market where our professional excellence can directly fund our mission of social change.
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<div>Our Commitment
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<div>We are 15-year veterans of the professional world—with backgrounds in insurance, property operations, and management. We bring high-level expertise to a "labor-class" industry because we believe that the women doing the work deserve the same respect and pay as those in the boardroom.
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<div>We are building a fortress—not just for ourselves, but for every woman who is ready to pack up, chase a dream, and leave the past behind.
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The silence has been loud, but my resolve is louder.

Still $10,375 to go. Help us build momentum.