Jessica Lowry never planned to leave academia. As a university professor with a clear career path, starting a business wasn't on her radar until a desperate prayer during financial hardship changed everything. When three of her teaching courses were unexpectedly dropped while her husband faced health issues, Jessica found herself on her knees asking for guidance on how to support her family. The answer came through elderberry syrup.

What began as a mother's attempt to create a natural remedy her daughter would actually take quickly evolved into a full-fledged business. Jessica and her husband found themselves working late into the night, learning everything from food safety regulations to manufacturing processes with absolutely no prior experience. "I felt completely unqualified," Jessica admits, capturing the doubt many entrepreneurs face when stepping into unfamiliar territory.

The journey wasn't just about creating a product. For Jessica, it meant reconciling her identity as an educator with her new role as a business owner. "I believe a piece of my heart is still sitting at the podium in Kearns Hall, room 201," she shares, describing the emotional challenge of leaving teaching. But the perspective shift came when she realized God didn't pull her out of the classroom – he simply made her classroom bigger, allowing her to educate people about holistic wellness on a national scale.

Through trademark lawsuits lasting three and a half years, financial struggles that left them unable to pay themselves, and constant questioning about whether this was truly her calling, Jessica persevered. Today, The Power of Elderberries ships nationwide and is recognized by holistic practitioners across the country. Rather than expanding into multiple products, Jessica remains focused on their signature elderberry formulation that supports whole-body wellness.

For anyone feeling called toward something that makes your heart race with both excitement and anxiety, Jessica offers this wisdom: "Stepping into what we're being led to can open up our greatest purpose in life, even when we don't feel qualified." Her story reminds us that sometimes our most meaningful work emerges not from careful planning, but from having the courage to follow unexpected guidance, one faithful step at a time.

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