Jess is one of those people that might seem unassuming if you met her down the street, but Jess is a powerhouse of tenacity, resilience and doing life on her terms.  Even if it means stepping away from your family because you don't hold the same values or beliefs, leaving a marriage when you have three kids together because it is no longer serving you or starting an award-winning business from her kitchen bench that helps thousands of breast feeding mums across Australia with her delicious lactation product range called The Milk Pantry. Oh and just happens to be the world's largest range of breast feeding products!

I first met Jess when she was a guest on one of my very first wellness retreats in Bali and then again when she attended my retreat Sri Lanka. Fortunately I have got to know her well enough to call Jess a friend. Ever since learning about her life story I was pretty blown away. Growing up in a Jehovah's Witness family where abiding by the "rules" was the norm and pleasing her family and be the "good girl" were her aspirations. She married young at 19 years of age because you couldn't have a relationship with a boy unless you were married and they started having children in her early twenties quickly having three children. 

Jess and her husband started questioning the Church and her families lifestyle choices around her mid twenties and decided she wanted to leave the Church as she didn't want her kids to have the same rules and restrictions that she had grown up with. She slowly backed away from the Church so that her family would not completely disown her and she managed to maintain her relationship with her family. 

I love how organically Jess's business The Milk Pantry started after making a batch of dry lactation cookie mix to send to a friend who was having trouble with her breast milk supply and had leftovers which she sold on Facebook market place which sold out within five minutes! Jess identified an opportunity and quickly started a business name and Facebook page and a few weeks later left her job in beauty and hired a commercial kitchen. 

As Jess's business grew, her personal life and relationship started breaking down  and after a few years of trying to make it work, Jess separated from her husband amicably and started focusing on herself. Since then her business has blossomed, has recently purchased a house for herself and her kids and in the last year has even become a body builder! I love Jess's energy and willingness to follow her heart, be independent and have a strong positive mindset. 

I hope you love this chat with Jess and take inspiration from such an amazing woman! 

If you want to learn more about Jess's business The Milk Pantry you can visit 

www.themilkpantry.com.au 

Instagram www.instagram.com/themilkpantry

To follow Dani on Insta www.instagram.com/danivenn 

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