01/26/2024
It’s official, March 3rd 2024 is our final day as Donna Cazzuto. The Badass Women’s Company you’ve gotten to know. So place your final orders now. It’s been a great 6 years of creativity, learning, development, growth and now…. Evolving.
As Founder and CEO, I’ve decided to lean into the 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 rather than tangible products. To be honest, it became too much. The designing, prototyping, testing, marketing, advertising, analytics, website creation & maintenance, feedback loops, shipping and receiving, inventory reporting, customer communications and event scheduling and even hosting our own. ALL OF IT. To much.
As a recovering workaholic, I’m learning that I was programmed to believe that if I work really really hard for a long amount of time and make multiple sacrifices, that one day I’ll ’be happy, or ‘free.’
I’ve done all the things society told me to. I finished high school, joined the Navy, got a college degree, worked multiple jobs, continued my education, networked and started 2 of my own businesses.
It wasn’t until I became a mother that I realized I was on a fast moving treadmill throughout the last decade or more of my life. I’ve learned that the reason I was so happy while I was pregnant in 2022 is because I allowed myself to slow down for the very first time, ever. Literally ever. 
“Work. work. work. Put others expectations and wants before myself. If you do things for other people, good things will come back to you.” I have to sacrifice myself, my time, my energy budget, my money, my sanity….so many sacrifices, just to ‘make it.’ Just to people please and feel completely drained at the end of most days.
When my customers said jump, I asked “how high and in what style & shade of lavender?”
I worked my full-time job and then stayed awake till roughly 2 or 3 in the morning, working on my side business. Conducting sales, making improvements, scheduling campaigns, studying, working on new designs for the next season…some weekends I popped up shop and took zero days off. From either of my jobs. I literally have 316 hours of unused vacation.
You can work really hard at some thing, but if you’re going in the wrong direction, than your souls purpose, you won’t entirely get out of it what your ego is seeking. It may just be a lesson you need to experience. This was definitely mine. 
Starting a business right before 2020 wasn’t a mistake, I regret nothing. I needed to accept a new challenge to see what I was made of and to bring me in closer Alignment with my true purpose. Now after 6 years, I know exactly what that is.
So, while our premium athleisure clothing and inspirational accessories line was the gateway to the business of my heart…it wasn’t the end goal.
The brunches, the role modeling contests, and now the Real Talks are what it’s truly about. The community, the human connection, and camaraderie amongst women and most importantly, the 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜.
A keynote speaker I once listened to said, “I don’t like the words ‘women’s empowerment’ because it means authority or power 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 to. It makes it sound like you need permission from someone to do something.”
I respectfully disagree. Empowerment is stepping into your 𝙤𝙬𝙣 power and giving 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 permission to live the life that you want and that deep down, you know you deserve. 
This time, in this new chapter, I’m putting myself and my family first. Time with my son, stress~free is more important to me than anything. Closing up shop on my clothing line and accessory business would take a lot of pressure off me. It gives me back more of the moments with my son that matter.
Those of you may know that I lost my closest Grandmother, Bonnie right before Christmas this year. I told her for many years that the reason I was working so hard and the reason I was so busy was so that I could become rich and take care of her the rest of her life. She passed away before I ever got to keep that promise. Which means, it was never meant to be. She always said, “I don’t need anything. I’m perfectly happy with my life.“ Now that she’s gone, I completely understand what she meant. I was already rich. I was rich every time I had the ability to pick up the phone and call her or make the 2 1/2 hour drive to see her. That is actually what matters. And the real essence of love isn’t something that you are supposed to work hard for. That is natural, and it comes easy. RIP 🕊️
While I’m still a business owner, the focus of my business, as well as the name have changed. It allows me to run my business on my own time and use my full creative expression without dealing with a bunch of other mumbo-jumbo that comes with the sale of tangible products that need to be stored in multiple countries and each coast. Nope. I don’t wanna do it anymore. I’m letting it go 👐🏽🫶🏽 Guilt is one of the lowest vibrations there are, and so I choose to let that go too. 
I’m grateful for the guidance from my ancestors. I’m grateful for my awareness and connection with Source ✨
Cheers to a new year of even more focused Alignment as Miss Mindful Mentor🥂
