Corporate to Calling: How Maya Turned Heartbreak Into an Organic Dog Company Through Family Loss

In this deeply personal episode of Heart Rehab, host Nephetia Brown sits down with entrepreneur and founder Maya Singletary for a conversation that moves far beyond business. What begins as a discussion about career shifts and building a brand becomes an honest reflection on grief, resilience, family, healing, and what it means to keep moving when life changes overnight. Maya opens up about her path from the corporate world into entrepreneurship and introduces listeners to Simon Selections, her organic dog treat company inspired by her beloved dog, Simon. But this story is about more than starting a business. It’s about the moments that force us to rethink everything. Together, Nephetia and Maya talk about the emotional weight of navigating unexpected life transitions while still showing up for yourself and the people you love. Maya shares how a season filled with loss, uncertainty, and major personal setbacks ultimately redirected her energy into creating something meaningful. The conversation becomes an intimate look at what happens when life doesn’t follow the timeline you expected. Maya speaks candidly about losing her grandmother, someone she describes as one of the closest people in her life, and later experiencing another devastating family loss with her aunt. She reflects on what caregiving looked like during those moments, the emotional aftermath of grief, and how those experiences reshaped the way she thinks about success, purpose, and time. Throughout the episode, Nephetia creates space for the kind of conversation many people rarely have publicly: what grief actually feels like, how people process loss differently, and why healing doesn’t always look productive or linear. There’s also a refreshing conversation around corporate culture, identity, and redefining ambition. Maya discusses what it means to pursue entrepreneurship without romanticizing it, sharing the realities of balancing stability with personal fulfillment. In this episode: • Building a business while managing major life changes • Turning difficult experiences into creative energy • Navigating grief after losing close family members • The emotional connection between pets and healing • Transitioning from corporate life into entrepreneurship • Creating products rooted in personal values and care • Learning to choose joy without abandoning responsibility One of the most memorable parts of the episode is hearing Maya explain how caring for Simon led her to research healthier ingredients and eventually develop products designed with intention. What started as concern for her dog’s health slowly became a business with purpose and a reminder that meaningful ideas often come from unexpected places. Nephetia and Maya also reflect on the pressure people feel to have everything figured out. They talk about trusting your own timeline, giving yourself permission to pivot, and recognizing that success can look different after major life events. This episode is for anyone carrying grief while still trying to build something. It’s for the people balancing careers, caring for family, pursuing dreams, rebuilding confidence, or simply figuring out what comes next. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re allowed to change direction, whether passion can exist alongside pain, or whether starting over is possible after loss, this conversation offers perspective, honesty, and a reminder that healing and growth can happen at the same time. Connect with Maya Singletary and follow her journey with Simon Selections to learn more about her work in organic pet wellness. If this episode spoke to you, subscribe to Heart Rehab, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who may need this conversation right now. Stay connected with Nephetia Brown and Heart Rehab for more conversations centered on healing, growth, life transitions, and stories that remind us we’re never navigating life alone. Follow Heart Rehab: YouTube: [Insert Link] Instagram: [Insert Link] TikTok: [Insert Link] Website: [Insert Link] Connect with Nephetia Brown: Instagram: [Insert Link] Connect with Maya Singletary / Simon Selections: Instagram: [Insert Link] Website: [Insert Link]