In this episode, Stephanie is talking with Taylor Alfonso, a wife, mother of two, and owner of Stella & Grace boutique in Slidell, Louisiana.

Listen as Taylor shares how before her son turned two (with a daughter who was only 9 months old), he was diagnosed with autism. And how over the last four years, her son has had more therapy and treatments than she knew existed, including experimental stem cell treatments at Duke University.

While she says this is the hardest thing she's ever had to go through, she also credits it with making her stronger and more trusting in herself than she ever knew possible—and even the push she needed to start her own business!

You can shop Stella & Grace at their website https://stellaandgrace.shop or following them on Facebook or Instagram as @shopstellaandgrace.

Taylor is a wife to her high school sweet heart and together they have two kids—a son, Brady, and daughter, Stella. Both she and her husband are entrepreneurs, with her husband owning a pharmacy and Taylor as the owner of Stella and Grace Boutique in Slidell, LA.  Taylor said she always knew owning a business was in the cards for her (both her parents are entrepreneurs too!) she just didn't know how or when it would happen.

Before her son turned two, with her daughter only nine months old, he was diagnosed with autism. Taylor says this was the hardest moment she has ever had. Before then she believed she was a strong person, but didn't realize just how strong and much she would come to trust herself in the months to come.

"I always say I was a mama bear who turned into a mama grizzly!" -Taylor Alfonso

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Her son's diagnosis changed her life completely. He has had more therapy and treatments than she knew existed, but his strength showed her how strong she could be. And when she thought, "How the hell could I open this business, and have him with all his needs, my daughter, and have some sort of a life?", she saw the way he pushed through and handled everything throw at him, and she knew she could do it too!

While finding balance is and will always be her hardest job, she says "Hard work is my medicine. It has pushed me for everything." Now her business is just over two years old and is growing faster than expected, with a new location opening in 2021!

Connect with Taylor

You can learn more about Stella and Grace at their website: https://stellaandgrace.shop

Or connect with them on social media:

Instagram: @shopstellaandgrace

Facebook: @shopstellaandgrace

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Connect with Taylor on Social Media

Instagram: @tayloralfonso

Facebook: @tayloralfonso