Meet Aerial Guest

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aerial Guest a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Aerial , really appreciate your meeting with us today to talk about some particularly personal topics. It means a lot because so many in the community are going through circumstances where your insights and experience and lessons might help, so thank you so much in advance for sharing. The first question we have is about divorce and how you overcame divorce and didn’t allow the trauma of divorce to derail your vision for your life and career.

Overcoming divorce looks different for everyone. Some people part ways peacefully, others survive years of manipulation, betrayal, or abuse. In my case, it wasn’t just a divorce, it was an escape.

What started as a young and gullible, hopeful marriage spiraled into a nightmare where I didn’t recognize myself and it felt like the life was being drained out of me. With each deployment, my ex-husband returned more volatile. One night, I was holding our crying baby, I was struggling with postpartum depression, while begging for help. Instead of supporting me, he exploded, snatching our son from my arms, slamming furniture, locking himself in a room with our son, and eventually body-slamming me to the ground so hard it cracked the tile floor beneath my head. I was told to kill myself by the man I once called my partner and the best thing that ever happened to him. That moment wasn’t the first sign, but it was a breaking point.

It only got darker from there. While I was pregnant with our second child, he began an affair while deployed right after doing our gender reveal in Afghanistan. The girl knew he was married with a baby on the way, but none of it mattered; she didn’t care about the lives she was about to destroy. She was excited and proud of it. When I confronted him, he first denied ever knowing her and that he just didn’t want a family anymore. But eventually he couldn’t hide her because she was so happy to be the side chick she was posting my then husband all over her social media and proclaiming to be “Becky with good hair”, so he finally told me she made more money, and was better than me because she went to a D1 school, just looked better on paper than I did, and called me names no one should ever hear telling me to also take pills and die and more. And what was crazy is that anytime I tried to do anything with my life, a fight would break out. I made more money than he did when we first met, but he wanted me to be a stay-at-home wife. I tried to go to school, and he would get upset because it interfered with his time when he was home, so I was just thrown for a loop. He told me all the money was his, so I tried to work an MLM company from home. When I found success, he made me choose between him or the business. I couldn’t win no matter what.

Throughout the divorce, despite already being found guilty of abuse through the Air Force, he weaponized finances, forcing me to email him a grocery list of what the kids and I needed; he would dictate it from there, often not getting everything we needed. And when I finally got a job, he would force pick up times in the middle of a workday in a different city, but luckily, with the job that was not needed anymore. When he would get angry at me for speaking publicly about the abuse, or if I was just doing something he didn’t like, he would turn the phone and internet off. One day, we came home and the water was shut off with a letter from the power company stating it would be shut off as well and when I called the companies refused to talk to me as he instructed.. He did not care about the well-being of kids. He would refuse to co-parent. He left me to navigate hospital visits, purposely missed our daughter’s birth, and did not once come to see her while she was in the NICU or when she was hospitalized three months later. The usual response I would get from him was to stop harassing him. While his mistress would slander me publicly, telling people I was paranoid schizophrenic, and she and her friends would do all they could to get me fired from jobs and one shut down. But even after all that, I was still trying to do what was right. I begged him to be financially smart, to let me learn a trade, get on my feet, or to let us keep the investment property we were building so I could manage it, and we could split the profits. That way, he wouldn’t have to pay child support, and we’d both be building something stable for our kids. But nothing. There is a lot more I can go into, but I think at this point, you have gotten the severity of the situation.

After the divorce, the abuse did not stop, but I threw myself into work. I took multiple jobs. Woke up at 4 a.m. with babies in tow, worked long days, cleaning homes before and after work. It honestly helped to distract me from a lot of the pain and post-divorce abuse, but I was still reacting very badly and just stuck in a horrible cycle. My ex would call CPS on the daycare; he sometimes would not pay his half of the daycare, and he would do all he could to hurt us. But it wasn’t just him, it was his mistress, who by then was his fiancée. She tried to set her own rules for how and when the kids could communicate with their father. She told me that my number would remain blocked and that we were only allowed to use the method she chose, at times she approved, and only if she could be present. If I didn’t follow those rules, she would cut off communication entirely, bullying me, telling me I couldn’t do anything because I was just a poor single mom. So she cut contact off with the kids and their dad went a long with it and we didnt hear from them for about a year.

I hit my lowest. I didn’t recognize myself. I was always the girl who wanted to help. I volunteered, I organized hurricane relief drives, and I genuinely wanted to build a life where the kids and I could travel and be a stay-at-home family. But instead, I was staring at the ugliest side of me in pure survival mode. Defensive. Angry. Desperate to do what they did to me while they ignored the harm they caused and focused only on who I became under the weight of fear, betrayal, and constant gaslighting, a version of me they created to weaponize and validate their false narrative.

The cycle had to stop; I had to overcome this and get back to myself and my core. I began therapy. Slowly, I started reclaiming my peace, my identity, my voice. I used EMDR therapy, which helped me work through years of trauma. I faced my flaws. I had to take accountability for my actions, and I had to learn how to stop reacting to chaos and start building safety, routine, and intention. I had to learn what a healthy relationship was. I had to learn what it would take for me to feel safe with myself and in dating. It honestly felt like I was relearning the world.

I bought our home, I started taking courses at Harvard Business School, and I launched multiple businesses, one of which is an award-winning business. I became a full-time entrepreneur back in 2023, bringing my kids and I home. I homeschool my children. We travel when we want. I started taking Krav Maga, learning self-defence, and building different levels of trust with myself. It has taken years, but I finally feel safe and at peace.

I still deal with challenges. Neither of them seems to understand a simple truth: when you hurt the primary caregiver, you hurt the children. Undermining or sabotaging the person who meets their daily needs directly impacts the kids’ stability, safety, and emotional health. And in the long run, that affects them too. When the children suffer, everyone loses. So they still create false narratives, have their friends laugh at my posts, try to create financial hardships, and more. Some things I can’t yet speak on as we prepare for court, though it will all be public record soon enough. But I handle them with boundaries, very detailed and organized documentation, and heavy legal support. Everything has to be in writing, ALL calls have to be recorded, and I no longer beg for decency or the bare minimum. I simply protect my peace, advocate for my children, adjust where needed, and move on.

Overcoming my divorce was never about revenge. It was about reflection, realizing that our relationships often mirror how we see ourselves and what we believe we deserve. It was about self-awareness, unlearning the damage, finding the courage to stand alone, and using discipline to break deeply ingrained patterns. It was about showing my children that even the most shattered life can be rebuilt, and rebuilt with intention. And that sometimes a bucking horse comes along and we have to learn that everything happens for us rather than to us.

Today, I am who I’ve always been at my core: generous, community-driven, kind, and powerful. That part of me was never gone; it was just buried beneath survival. Now, it’s back, stronger and more focused than ever. Because the truth is, I didn’t just overcome a divorce. I stepped into freedom.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

After surviving everything I went through, I knew I wanted to build a life that gave me and my children freedom, peace, and purpose. Today, I’m a full-time entrepreneur, homeschooling mom, and the creative force behind several brands rooted in empowerment, resilience, community growth, and joy.

I run EC Squeezy, a health and wellness beverage business where people get to customize their health choices. I started from the ground up to give myself flexibility and financial freedom. What started as a necessity to pay the bills turned into something so much bigger. In less than a year, we tripled our event bookings, expanded into local restaurants through wholesale, and won “Best on the Emerald Coast.” What makes EC Squeezy so special is that it’s not just a product, it’s an experience. It’s my way of projecting my happiness onto the world. It brings people joy, it creates memories, and most importantly, it gives me the life I always wanted: one where I could work with my kids, not away from them. I’m currently working on launching a few exciting things as well, so stay tuned.

I run So Socialites, a boutique marketing and business development agency that helps entrepreneurs find investors or buyers for their businesses and ideas, while also helping small businesses show up in the world powerfully, professionally, and with heart. One of our most exciting projects is Best In The View, which has brought thousands in the community together to highlight and celebrate businesses and individuals who lead with integrity and a love for their community. This September, we’re launching the first-ever Best In The View Magazine at our inaugural 2025 Gala, giving those incredible businesses and community leaders the spotlight they deserve.

In addition to that, I run a short-term rental listed on Airbnb, which gives me another layer of income and flexibility for my family. I love being in hospitality and creating thoughtful, comfortable spaces for travelers.

I also started fulfilling some of my dreams by getting to act in small parts in productions and model in some amazing projects.

At the heart of everything I do is to show people that no matter our circumstances, we can do anything because our circumstances are not an identity or a limitation. It’s an opportunity. An opportunity to have a beginning to write your story, set your own goals, and do whatever it takes to create the life you truly want. I’m living proof that you can turn pain into power and survival into success. I love my life, I love my freedom.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Resilience – There were so many moments where it would’ve been easier to give up or just survive instead of pushing forward. But resilience is about getting up even when it hurts, even when you’re tired, and showing up anyway. For anyone early in their journey, know this: resilience isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you build through learning self-discipline. Every time you choose to get up and try again, you’re getting stronger. It doesn’t have to look pretty, and it probably won’t be. It just has to be consistent.

Self-awareness and accountability – I had to face some hard truths, not just about what was done to me, but about how I reacted to it. Healing required me to be honest with myself, take accountability for my actions, and unlearn some toxic patterns I had picked up trying to survive. My advice: start therapy, journal, get to the gym, and get quiet with yourself. Clarity comes when you stop trying to prove yourself and start trying to understand yourself. You are also going to mess up here and there, and you are going to revert back to old ways sometimes, but that is part of it, own it and move on, and be better tomorrow.

Resourcefulness – I didn’t have a financial safety net, and I had two small kids depending on me. I had to figure out how to make money, manage time, and build something out of nothing. Being resourceful isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about using what you do have and refusing to let your current situation define your future. My advice: start small, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to pivot. You don’t need perfect conditions to get started. You just need to start.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

Self-positive talk. That has been my biggest area of growth in the past 12 months. I used to be so hard on myself, especially after years of being told I wasn’t good enough, smart enough, or strong enough. Being told I couldn’t do it. But over time, I realized that the voice I speak to myself with sets the tone for everything in my life. And anyone who tries to set limitations on me, I cut off immediately.

Now, when something is hard, I remind myself: I can do hard things.
When something feels impossible, I don’t spiral; I sit down and ask, What’s another way?
When I start to feel overwhelmed, I pause and say, You’ve figured it out before. You’ll figure it out again.

It’s changed everything. Self-talk isn’t just about affirmations; it’s about building trust with yourself. It’s the foundation of self-leadership. And once I stopped speaking to myself like someone who was broken and started speaking like someone who was growing, I saw my life and my confidence shift in a powerful way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sosocialites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunshine__elegance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aerial.guest
• Other: https://www.ecsqueezy.com

Image Credits

Joe Carabao – https://joecarabeo.com/