The Barstool Fund - Princeton Co.
Up next: Princeton Co. (Corono, CA)
The Princeton Co. strives to provide quality services and lovely gifts for you and your loved ones. They support local goods and organic products and are first and foremost a member of the community that offers amazing beauty enhancements.
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Barstool Sports,
First and foremost, I am trying to find the words to make you believe that I am one of the most deserving businesses for the grant, but the truth is that we are all equally deserving in a sea of broken dreams, our lives’ work, our entire savings, and the heart and soul of America. Instead of trying to convince you why the grant should go to me; I will instead just share my story on what my business means to me.
In October 2016 after a costly IVF and infertility battle, I lost my Healthy identical twins, Conrad and Princeton, 3 weeks before their due date due to doctor error. My world and purpose were shattered and I was sitting in my home as a shell of a human being. I went to college from home online at ASU, I worked from home, and battled depression and anxiety from home. I needed to get out.
I drove to an outdoor mall in Corona,CA (Corona, go figure) on an impulse and came up with the concept that I needed to give the love that I couldn’t give to my sons to others or I simply wouldn’t make it out of the darkness. I opened up The Princeton Co. 3 months after my loss which was 4000 sf consisting of a full-service salon, a medical spa and a boutique. I didn’t even have a beauty background but I figured I could hire the best of the best and I did just that.
We operated on the principle that our job was always to share the love that Prince and Coco could not receive and give to the community. We did Angel of the month where a deserving woman was nominated to receive services and gifts. There were a lot of tears and hugs but most of all we became a pillar of hope in our community and everyone began to know who Princeton and Conrad were which fulfilled all of my being.
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At 3 years of business I still had not taken a check home for myself and I realized who I was in that moment. I realized that I was just an angel mother that was relentlessly fighting to make sure my vision could live through grit and grace. I realized I was a true American badass the day I took my first check home for myself and it showed me that through patience, perseverance and the American dream, that anything was possible.
March 2020 our momentum came to a screeching halt. We were ordered to lockdown and we did. I had 28 women to look after. I paid thousands before it became too much after 6 weeks of the shutdown. I taught myself to sew and sat in my office for 6 weeks by my myself and sewed and sold 5000 masks until my fingers literally bled to pay my staff. I lost half of my staff who started working out of their homes. We were allowed to open again with only 14 staff members and limited services and then shut down again. I sold off basically my entire closet, which to me were my treasures and trophies, to pay my rent. We opened again with 11 staff members and once again were shut down.
Here I am coming up on 4 years in business and everything I have built is crumbling around me. This isn’t just a money maker but a bright light of what beauty from the ashes looks like. This business is my saving grace. I sit outside the empty salon and see The Princeton Co. lit up in lights, (THE PRINCETON CONRAD, CO., IS A PLAY ON WORDS) and my heart shatters. I didn’t give up when they pulled two lifeless angels from my body, I didn’t give up when the darkness tried to trap me, I didn’t give up after years of battling new business hurdles and I didn’t give up after three lockdowns.
I didn’t come this far just to come this far but I humbly share my story to see if there might be two little angels up there calling out for a miracle. I paid very expensive rent this entire time, I did not qualify for loans, and I have a long road ahead to be able to afford to hire new staff on when the mindset of the consumer is neglecting themselves while staying at home.
We want people to feel good inside and out and sometimes I have weak moments and ask why I am doing this to myself but I sit back and I watch. I watch the clients in the chairs laughing and sharing stories. I watch the staff having a place to collect their check for their family. I watch the guests walk out of the door feeling like a million bucks. I watch some one buying gifts for a loved one and the spark and inner child come out in them. I watch the look on my staff’s faces when they get spoiled on every holiday opening a gift and note from me and I know that I am their beacon of hope.
I believe in miracles as I was blessed with two little boys, Roman and Malcolm, without IVF and with infertility. 1% chance of pregnancy and I now have 4 boys, 2 in heaven and 2 on earth. We expanded in January when the store next to us shut down. We knocked the wall down and named it MACRO. Mac for Malcolm and Ro for roman which happens to mean BIG. I have 2 store fronts, side by side, Heaven and earth and a full circle of what not giving up looks like. To what breaking down walls looks like.
I do not want to lose this and I am close. I am behind on rent. My credit cards are maxed out. My fear is beginning to eat at my faith and I feel abandoned by the system, as many small businesses do. I want to thank you for reading if you have made it this far and hope that you see that a mother’s love is relentless.
My husband and I are avid Barstool Sports fans. We rate every pizza that we order, we share your funny videos and I enjoy watching my serious husband laugh at people falling which is one of the few things he finds funny. My husband is an ex professional MLB player who gave me all of his savings from his career to make my dream come true. He promised me that he had big arms and would carry me through the loss of our sons and he kept his word. I would now like to give back to him by giving those savings back and showing him that he invested in the right woman.
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I thank you with chills of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to let you into just one of millions of businesses that are suffering the loss of their dream.
Love,
Brittanie Costa