MIDDLEBURG — Of the heels of an accomplished wrestling career at Middleburg High, graduate Gracie Bradshaw is bringing some of the lessons she learned on the mat to a different aspect of her life:

Owning her own business.

A few months ago, Bradshaw began Coastal Cowgirl Co., a T-shirt business specializing in custom designs and prints. Where salty meets the backwoods, Bradshaw said Coastal Cowgirl is for everyone.

"We live in Florida, and everything is coastal. But then also we have smaller towns around us [where] they own horses, they do rodeos, they barrel race, they have farms. I want to be able to support people that want to go to the beach and people that want to hunt and fish, and everything like that."

It's also where every product is made to inspire.

"I just want to inspire everybody to become a good person and do the right thing."

Bradshaw said the idea for her business was simply a thought she and her mom had while scrolling through TikTok. The two decided to see how it went. With the help of a hot press, Bradshaw said she went from selling a few here and there to quickly gaining an impressive following.

"All of a sudden it just blew up with my friends. And their friends wanted some."

That's when she realized it was something she could really get into. 

Bradshaw orders plain T-shirts online. She designs her own decals using a computer app and gets them printed by local businesses. She can hot press just about anything, license-free, of course, that her customers want.

Customers can order via Facebook or Instagram.

Every shirt has a Bible verse on it. Her favorite one, Psalm 63:1, was also an inspiration.

"One of the things that I say all the time is I just want to make heaven crowded."

So far, Bradshaw said she's tabled her business at two local markets: The Middleburg Association of Athletics' Youth Football Homecoming event and Green Cove Springs' Third Saturday Market in the Park.

She said she finds inspiration and camaraderie working with other vendors, helping her learn more about entrepreneurship.

"I'll definitely say, it does get a little stressful. I've had times where I've had to meet a deadline, and the shirts don't come in. Or the presses aren't right. And I'll have to re-do it or reorder it. Or, I'll have to make a few calls to different companies."

Despite some bumps in the road, Bradshaw said she knows what overcoming new obstacles is like.

She said one of her most significant accomplishments was being one of the first girl wrestlers to compete at Middleburg High. At the time, the girls' team wasn't sanctioned at the school.

"I was having to wrestle on the boys' team. And I was having to wrestle boys at tournaments. And I'll definitely say it was tough. But it wasn't physically hard, but more mentally hard."

Wrestling taught her to be strong. To persevere.

"I liked the sport so much that it wasn't even about wrestling anymore. It was more [about] how far I could push myself. Or, how strong could I be today?"

With her burgeoning business, Bradshaw said she's putting all she's learned to the test.

And with the support of her family, she said she's got everything to keep going.