Two middle-aged women unleashed from the responsibilities of their family lives in the Midwest and East coast for a weekend Florida vacation with a convertible; they spend their entire trip on the beach talking, crying, and hysterically laughing all day until sunset; and they meet strangers along the way who impart words of wisdom. This reads like the perfect scene for a movie, but the magic between real friends, Andrea Allen and Coeli Baker, in February 2020 on the Gulf Coast created what is now one of the world’s most recognizable brands that celebrates self-care. During our beach trip, we were able to recapture our inner peace, our dreams were reawakened, and we gave ourselves permission to create a life we really craved. As we were loved by the sun and watched the waves roll in, the spirit of calm drenched our souls, and in unison we began speaking beach-related phrases of positive affirmation. And as they say, “The rest is history!” Inspired by the beach, we have personally crafted and curated items with our special sayings that we hope inspire, affirm, and even create a little chuckle because laughter at the beach is the best! We started Manasota Moments for our unwavering love of all things beach. The diverse colors of the oceans around the world represent our company's support of the beauty of all humankind and our core belief that diversity makes all of us better. We celebrate inclusion because representation matters. At the heart of the matter is the fundamental right that the beach offers everyone - peace, freedom, physical and mental wellness, joy, and love. You likely have a pivotal moment in your life's story that has taken place at the beach - engagement, marriage, child's first swim, shelling, dolphin sighting, non-stop laughing with girlfriends, and so much more. These are the similar and diverse beach moments that connect all of us. This message of wellness is supported by the very community where Manasota Moments was created on the beaches of Sarasota County, Florida. We are grateful for being awarded a business grant from the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce as part of its Opportunities For All program. On November 14, 2022, we joined 44 other diverse businesses as award recipients with the same goal of growing and thriving in our community and beyond. It was an amazing celebration where new connections were made, but more importantly, we were empowered to work collectively to ensure all of us succeed. It's a night we will never forget! As seeds were planted in Manasota Moments, we promise to pay it forward. While we are the custodians of Manasota Moments, the real story of this brand belongs to the collective. THANK YOU for sharing your moment(s) with the world and leaving footprints in the sand that lift-up others. So, slow down in life, and inhale every rich minute that beach trips have to offer, and don’t forget to take Manasota Moments with you… to be well and share wellness!