143 Gumdrops first was a small print-on-demand store on a website called Spreadshirt. In fact, that account still exists, so if you want to see some of my cheesy 2018 graphics, well you know where to go. I had seen some YouTubers make awesome shirts and wondered, could I do the same thing? So, I tried it. With very little success, I thought, maybe this wasn't for me... and I left it.

Then, I saw a woman on YouTube make content for a program called Teachers pay Teachers. I thought, well, I know what students would want and most of my family is teachers, so naturally, I signed up for that too under the same brand name, 143 Gumdrops. Although, I never really enjoyed that as much, I kept doing it and really never got any joy out of it.

Well, one day, I was talking with my 6th grade math teacher, Ms. Do. She had told me about a machine she purchased called a Cricut. I was FASCINATED to say the least. I have always been into technology and the idea that I could by a machine that would make REAL THINGS was mind boggling. I went home and inmediately started Googling all about it. I watched videos, I priced machines, the whole shabang.

Then, one weekend, my mom had heard all she needed and told me to hop in the car. She had found someone on Facebook Marketplace selling their Cricut and we were going to get it. As soon as I got my hands on the Cricut I was all types of obsessed. I was making cards, labels, stickers, literally anything I could.

Another teacher at the school found out that I had gotten a Cricut and told me that it would be really cool if I sold what I made. She was hosting a business fair for kids and told me I should consider joining it, at least for the experience. My mom had a business that she was running too so we decided that together we would finally create a real 143 Gumdrops. Not just something that I used as a screen name, but a real business out of it. I applied to the business fair and enjoyed it so much that I though this was it. I realized, I had finally found my space.

Ever since then, I have continued creating products with the mission of spreading positivity and kindness everywhere I go and in every community that has products from 143 in it. I have been able to work with more businesses and schools and have gotten to give back to the places that have helped make 143 Gumdrops what it is now.

I'm forever grateful for the people that guided me on the path to start 143. While there have been ups and downs, we have always came out of them stronger and better than before and my amazing customers are here to thank.