Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Folisade Garden of Manhattan

Folisade Garden shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Folisade, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
My journey started with words. I was a writer and poet before I was anything else. I studied Theatre Arts in college at Clark Atlanta University with the dream of writing plays and movie scripts. I wanted to tell stories that moved people, challenged perspectives, and left something meaningful behind with the audience.

But after graduating, I faced a harsh reality: I couldn’t find a job in my field. It was a humbling season, but also a pivotal one. Rather than wait for someone to open a door for me, I decided to build one. That’s when I launched my first online e-commerce business named Gxld Room. I didn’t have all the answers, but I had drive, creativity, and faith to persevere and get through and at the time that was enough for me to get started.

From there, my journey as an entrepreneur began to unfold. I learned through experience, through growth, through prayer, and through tenacity. Over time, my passion for creativity expanded beyond writing into visual storytelling, branding, and community building. That evolution eventually led me to today to start and develop Remnant144, a business development agency created specifically for entrepreneurs, creatives and changemakers who’ve often been overlooked and underestimated by the world.

This journey hasn’t been easy. There were moments where I was afraid and questioned if I was equipped enough to complete this mighty task. Or if I was heard and even if all of it was even worth it. But my faith in The Most High and the messiah Yahusha Hamashiach has been my constant of strength. They’ve guided every step, reminded me of who I am, and shown me the power of moving in alignment with purpose.

I’m still unfolding. Still building. But everything I do is rooted in intention and in the belief that even the hardest circumstances can birth something eternal and undying – our faith.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Folisade Garden and I am a leader, creative visionary, designer, speaker, writer and entrepreneur, who has a knack for fueling creative ideas and ultimately bringing them to life. If this is your first time coming across me, let me take this time to give you a brief walk through of what my businesses and I do on a daily basis. So to start off I must mention that I love helping others and connecting people to opportunities and resources. It’s innately who I am, so most of my businesses and projects throughout my life and career have consisted around that. I am the founder of the brand development agency, design studio and event production house Remnant144.

At Remnant144 we specialize in helping people tell their unique stories and launch their dream businesses. Our services include but are not limited to graphic design, web design, logo development, branding, product packaging, grant writing, event production and community group hosting. We work with product-based businesses, service-based businesses and even non-profits. It is truly our passion. So if you would like to work with us and use our services we can be contacted by email at [email protected] or via our website at www.remnant144.com.

In addition to that I am also the founder of the health brand Meshed Earth. At Meshed Earth we sell vitamins, supplements and herbs to help novice health and fitness enthusiasts. We also target people who are new to the lifestyle of conscious health and wellbeing. We encourage and motivate our customers to embark on a journey of healing and limiting unhealthy and harmful foods and products in their lifestyle and way of living. So far since we’ve launched online in 2024, our top 3 best-selling products have been our Super Greens protein powder, Sea Moss gummies and our Liquid Chlorophyll drops. Which can all be purchased on Meshed Earth’s website at www.meshedearth.com.

I am also currently working on a few other fun businesses and creative projects, but most lately my time has been spent mentoring and coaching others to launch their dream businesses. I look forward to continuing to help nurture aspiring entrepreneurs, change agents and creatives who just simply need partnership and direction.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped my worldview and how I saw things is having to be patient for the past couple of years and anticipate God’s perfect timing and alignment in my life. This feat hasn’t been easy yet its been a pivotal and defining moment in my life, shaping how I view the world and also myself.

There were times along my journey when things weren’t adding up—when the resources didn’t match the vision, when the doors closed that I thought were meant for me, or when progress felt painfully slow. But I’ve learned that obedience and alignment matter more than speed or outside validation. Sometimes, in life our delay is where we truly develop the most. And sometimes, when we have detours, we’re actually being prepared for even greater than we could have anticipated.

I’ve also learned that success without alignment will never satisfy. That’s why I’ve built everything—from my wellness brand to my business development agency—around purpose and not worldly pressure. I move when Yahuah says to move. I build what He tells me to build. And that’s where I’ve found the most peace, clarity and internal growth.

This journey has taught me patience, humility, and how to truly surrender and release control. It’s shown me that faith is not just belief but it’s also divine strategy. And when you’re walking in purpose, even the hard seasons are working out for you.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Some of the defining moments of my life has been centered around not going down the broad road but instead a narrow path. There have been a lot of twists, setbacks, and moments that tested my faith and endurance.

One of the biggest challenges early on were limitations and not having access to many resources, whether it was funding, mentorship, or even just community. I didn’t come from a background where entrepreneurship was modeled for me, so a lot of what I’ve learned has been through trial and error. I had to teach myself how to build, how to market, how to pivot when things weren’t working. And when you’re creating something from scratch—especially something with meaning—there are going to be seasons of isolation.

Another challenge has been navigating doubt. There have been moments where I questioned if I was qualified, if I was doing enough, or if anyone even cared about what I was building. That’s the part people don’t always see—the internal battles. But those moments always pushed me closer to The Most High God. I’ve learned to depend on Him not just for provision, but for direction, peace, and identity.

There were financial struggles, times when the vision was bigger than the resources, and seasons where things moved slower than I wanted. But every obstacle refined me. Every delay taught me something. And now, looking back, I can see how every challenge was necessary preparation.

So yes—it has been painful. But it’s been worth it. Because through it all, I’ve been becoming who I was always meant to be.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I came up with the idea to launch my brand development agency remnant144 after talking to frustrated working professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs. So many of them wanted to start a business but had no idea where to start. And because they had no idea where or how to start it would discourage and hinder many of them from getting the ball rolling and even attempting to launch their businesses. That’s when the light bulb went off in my head. I decided to put all of my knowledge and years of small business experience together to help others get started on their own projects. I have been working in small business, specifically e-commerce for the past 10 years and realized that this type of expertise and accomplishment is sought after by so many people. And what may come easy to some people can seem like a struggle to the next person.

What sets me a part from my counterparts is the fact that I offer a unique approach to mentorship because when I first got started in business and utilized digital marketing, social media had literally just started truly taking off and changing the world landscape and culture. Social media changed not only the business world but the whole entire world in general with how us as humans communicate with each other and perceive current culture. So now in the modern times of today, I have been able to navigate many businesses throughout this shift in society and I know exactly what works and what doesn’t. I save a lot of my clients the headache of easily avoidable trials and errors. As wisdom suggests, in any industry where you are a newbie you will go through many learning curves. However, with my concise business mentorship at remnant144, I help my clients navigate the murky waters of oversight so that they can get to seeing the surefire results of success in entrepreneurship that they seek.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What false labels are you still carrying?
As a business owner and an entrepreneur, I had to unlearn to not feel unqualified because of my lack of experience in corporate America. I have had a couple of great job experiences here and there in the marketing, communications and startup fields, however, the bulk of my work load has come from me managing my own business and professional projects. From hosting career fairs in my local community, to running an e-commerce custom jewelry brand, all the way till now, starting a health and wellness brand that focuses on vitamins and supplements. My greatest work has come from the blood, sweat and tears of my own hands. I now consider this as a badge of honor!

Sometimes as startup founders & entrepreneurs, we want to also work for the top fortune 500 companies or even other thriving startups to get experience, make connections and mentors and also to have a huge name under our belts. But take it from my own personal experience – there is nothing like rolling up your sleeves and running your own company! The thrill and gratitude you feel from being able to pay your rent through your own means or even being able to hire your own employees or interns, most times a job cannot give you that grand satisfaction.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than