building with purpose
Creating a welcoming home and honoring purpose through entrepreneurship and faith.
Building With Purpose: The Heart Behind Strength & Grace
By Andrea Bivins-Davis
Starting a business can be scary, especially when the work is personal. You can have a vision, put in the hours, and still wonder whether anyone sees what you are trying to build.
I know that feeling because I am living it.
I am building Strength & Grace Independent Living LLC with the goal of creating a welcoming shared home for women who are able to live independently and need an opportunity for a fresh start. My vision includes adult women, older women, and women transitioning from difficult life circumstances.
My experience supporting others has helped shape this purpose. Through caregiving, domestic violence advocacy, and working with people facing difficult circumstances, I have learned the importance of listening, treating people with dignity, and respecting their ability to make decisions about their own lives.
Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do is see someone's potential when life has made it difficult for her to see it herself.
A Personal Reason to Keep Going
Strength & Grace is also being built in memory of my sister, Chan. Losing her has changed my life. I am still learning how to carry that grief while continuing to move forward.
Honoring her through this business gives me a way to carry my love for her into something meaningful. The hummingbird connected to my vision represents beauty, endurance, strength, and power—qualities I hold close as I work toward this dream.
My faith helps sustain me personally. It gives me something to hold on to during uncertain days and reminds me that I can take the next step even when I cannot see the whole path.
The Work Before the Doors Open
I am still in the building stage. Finding the right house remains one of my biggest challenges. In the meantime, I have been preparing materials, developing a website, reaching out to the community, and exploring funding opportunities.
There are days when the response is quiet. It can be discouraging to put your work out there and receive little attention. I am learning to recognize the progress in completing paperwork, making a connection, asking a question, or following up—even before those efforts lead to an open door.
I want to be honest about this part of entrepreneurship because women need to hear about the beginning, too. There is work, uncertainty, and learning behind a business long before anyone sees its results.
What I Would Tell Another Woman
To a woman considering this kind of work, I would say: take time to understand the people you hope to serve. Listen to their needs. Learn the responsibilities involved, ask questions, and be willing to seek help.
Compassion matters, and so do preparation, clear expectations, and boundaries. Respecting someone means recognizing both her circumstances and her independence.
I would also tell her that she does not have to wait until she feels completely confident to begin learning and taking practical steps. I am still learning myself. Sharing my story is one of those steps.
Moving Forward With Strength and Grace
My hope for Strength & Grace is reflected in its words: “A Safe Place to Grow, Heal, and Thrive.”
That is the vision I am working toward, one decision and one connection at a time.
I am sharing my story while it is still unfolding. I hope it encourages another woman who has a meaningful idea but feels afraid, uncertain, or overlooked.
Your beginning deserves care and effort. Mine does, too. Today, I am choosing to keep building.
