Anjelah Johnson Says Yes to Nurture and Adorn

The 1% Chance That Changed Everything: My Story with Anjelah Johnson

The most amazing thing happened to me this past August—and I still cant believe this happened.

As a small business owner, I’ve learned that when it comes to reaching out to influencers or celebrities, 99% of the time… you never hear back. But I always remind myself there’s still that 1% chance someone might say yes.

This time, I got my 1%.

It All Started Back in March

In March 2025, comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes came to Austin for her Family Reunion Tour. I’ve loved her comedy for years—from Bon Qui Qui to her iconic nail salon skit—so of course I had to go.

During her show, she started talking about her breastfeeding journey, and I couldn’t stop laughing because—yes!—I related to every word. I nudged my sister and joked, “How crazy would it be if I could make a ring for Anjelah?”

It was just a passing thought… until it wasn’t.

Taking the Leap

I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What if?

Finally, I took a deep breath and sent her a message:

“Hi Anjelah! I loved your show! The mom bit resonated with me so much as I’m also a new mom of a 2-year-old now! I created a company called Nurture and Adorn, creating breastmilk keepsakes to honor our journeys as breastfeeding moms. I would love to create a piece for you! Here’s my site: nurtureandadorn.com.

I look forward to hearing back from you!
— Erica Cottingham, Owner of Nurture and Adorn”

I hit send and figured that was that.

But three days later… she replied.

“That’s so sweet, thank you! Email my assistant Danielle and she can coordinate ❤️”

I was shocked.

Waiting (and Hoping)

I emailed her assistant right away.
And waited.

Weeks passed—nothing. I tried again—still nothing. I started to think that maybe my chance was gone.

Then one day in July, I thought, Wait, I originally heard back from Anjelah herself… why not message her one more time?

So on July 15, 2025, I sent another message:

“Hi Anjelah, I wanted to try and reach out one more time. I messaged Danielle a couple of times to coordinate—maybe I ended up in spam or maybe y’all are just crazy busy with the tour and podcast. I’d still love to offer you a keepsake piece if you’re interested…”

At that point, I didn’t expect much. But one hour later—she responded!

“Yes! My issue was tracking down my ring size. I just figured it out a couple days ago. I’ll have Danielle email you my style and ring size. Thank you for the reminder!”

I was ecstatic.

That same night, her assistant emailed me with her order details—and said she’d be shipping Anjelah’s milk soon.

The Journey to Creating Her Ring

I can’t even describe how surreal that moment was. I told my husband and my sisters.

A few days later, I followed up gently (because in my business, trust and professionalism are everything). Creating a breastmilk keepsake is such a personal and delicate process—customers are sending something so precious to a stranger—so it’s important to approach it with care.

By July 28, I received her milk. It was really happening.

I finished her ring and shipped it out on August 4.

The Waiting Game (Again)

Since I’m my own marketing photographer, I offered to do a mommy-and-me photoshoot since she was having a show in Corpus Christi (just a few hours away from my hometown). She kindly declined—she was flying in and out for the show—but she was so sweet about it.

Then came the nerve-wracking part: waiting for her ring to arrive safely.

When tracking showed “business office closed,” I panicked a little. But it was later confirmed that it had been delivered safely to the receptionist’s desk.

Still, days passed with no update. Eventually, I sent one last thank-you message to her assistant, thinking that was the end of it.

Then, on August 18, Danielle replied:

“Yes, it has been received and is safe for Anjelah when she returns.”

Thank goodness!

The Moment That Made It All Worth It

Fast forward to August 26 at 4:31 PM—I was in the kitchen with my husband and daughter eating birria ramen when my phone buzzed.

Anjelah had tagged me in her Instagram story!

She gave me a shout-out!

I froze. Then I screamed. Then I cried.

In that moment, I felt like all the waiting, the nerves, and the what-ifs had paid off.

That day, I gained 50 new followers and sold a keepsake piece. Was it thousands of sales? No—but it was still incredible. Fifty new eyes on my work, one new connection, and a moment I’ll never forget.

What I Learned

Being a small business owner is humbling. You never know who’s watching, who’s reading your messages, or what door might open if you take that one brave step.

Sometimes all it takes is sending that message—even when you think it won’t be read.

This whole experience reminded me why I do what I do: to create something meaningful, to connect with others through shared motherhood stories, and to take a chance—no matter how small the odds.

Because that 1%?
It can change everything.

The testimonial:

you can see the video she posted here Anjelah Johnson-Reyes wears Nurture and Adorn!