However, founding Sheago did not come without its struggles for Anoa. She decided to turn her passion into a business after a debilitating automobile accident left her unable to walk. During her year of physical therapy, Anoa was inspired to take her zeal for helping others and make a dream of owning her own business into a reality. Using the fruits, vegetables and herbs that she had used for her family’s health, Anoa began traveling  across the country, selling her bath and body products – all while working as a full-time school counselor, a part time therapist and a full-time mother and wife. Within 5 years, her products were in 150 stores and in 23 states, including Whole Foods Market.

“People always want to tell you that something can’t be done, but my grandma always told me, ‘Nothing beats a failure, but a try.’ I don’t think in terms of can it be done; but rather, how can it be done,” said Gollman.

Living by this motto, Anoa succeeded, despite many personal struggles, including kidney toxemia which left scaring all over her body, a devastating car accident, a house fire which left her homeless, struggling with obesity and a chronic eating disorder, marital problems and a dislodged disc in her back that almost left her disabled.

Born in April 1970 in the small town of Bogalusa, Louisiana and raised in Lansing Michigan, Anoa Stephanie Gollman represents a new and younger generation of entrepreneurs that take matters into their own hands to create their own opportunities.

In 2009, Ms. Gollman told her inspiring story in Mommy Takes America: The Story of Sheago Cosmetics, a journey through the life of a young mother who overcame the long, arduous struggle for entrepreneurship. A poignant, powerful and universal love story for all mothers, Mommy Takes America describes how Ms. Gollman refused to give governance of her son over to strangers while she built her own company, and brought him on business trips and even into corporate meetings with her.

“I believe most anything can be accomplished if you believe. Henry Ford said, ‘Whether you think you can or not, you are right.’ Well, I thought I could, and I did.”