I graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2011 with a BA, and after graduating thought hard about what I wanted to do with my life. I looked at all the things I liked and honestly considered my skill set. I was raised in an entrepreneurial environment, spending countless hours since the age of nine helping my father with his gourmet ice cream business. The hands-on experience I gained from being a part of a family business was invaluable. I’ve gained knowledge into all aspects of manufacturing, production, formulation, product development and logistics. That experience sparked my entrepreneurial spirit and led to the creation of United & Free. As I got older I took on more responsibility with my parents’ business. I managed our retail shops and dealt with hiring, deliveries, training and inventory. I computerized the business systems allowing for greater control of payroll and delivery, creating a more efficient inventory system.My experience in product formulation, development and manufacturing was an asset as I began to think about building my own business. This experience is what led me to co-create United & Free with my sister. We were both looking for products that didn’t exist and realized there was an opportunity to fill that void ourselves. After a long, itchy, ultimately fruitless search for the perfect conditioning product for my beard, I decided to use my skills, knowledge and experience to create that perfect product for myself, and to share it with the world.