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Stranger's Video Helps Grandma Selling Baked Goods Go Viral
Elderly Woman Sells Homemade Pies and Cakes
Inez has been setting up shop outside her local grocery store since November 2018, frequently rising at midnight to start baking. Her specialties include pecan pie, sweet potato pie, pineapple pound cake, and red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.
Recently, Lakelander resident, Mannie (who posts on TikTok as @mannierants), came across Inez selling her cakes in the blistering Florida heat.
In a now-viral video, Mannie zooms in on her small business, consisting of a tray table and footstool draped in white tablecloths and covered in baked goods.
"I love sweet potato pie. I would like to get two," the TikToker tells her.
Mannie starts counting out the money...and doesn't stop...completely emptying his wallet as Inez cries with gratitude.
"I don't know what your challenge is. I wish I had more, I wish I had more. I want this to be bigger for you. I want more people to come and support you, I really do."
- Mannie told Inez
However, Mannie didn't just wish it; the TikToker did something about it, putting a call out on social media.
"I don't know her, neither her situation," the text overlay reads. "But my heart says she needs our support. If you're able to please stop by if you're in Lakeland Fl. It will be greatly appreciated."
Mannie tells Fox13 News that he wasn't looking for fame. He just wanted to help a grandma out and support local.
“That’s the main reason why I made it. Not to go viral for social media purposes. I just wanted local people to support each other because that’s the best rewarding experience."
A TikTok Video Goes Viral
73-year-old Inez Hudson sets up shop outside a local Lakeland grocery store to raise money so she can support herself.
Fox13 News
It worked! Mannie's post took off, garnering more than 800,000 views and nearly 6,000 comments.
"That cry broke my heart. I can't stand to see our elderly forced to worry how to make ends instead of enjoying their latter years😢🙏❤❤"
"We’re coming GRANNY🤗🤗🤗🤗💖💖💖💖🖤🖤"
"Im in Orlando! Momma we will be there soon ❤️"
"She's so grateful 🙏 I'm from tampa im coming 2 support."
People from all over the area, and even beyond, started making the trip to Super Choice Foods to buy Inez's baked goods. And they keep on coming.
Her long-time friends are beyond thrilled for her as they know how tough it's been financially.
"I shared with her, God said, ‘stop worrying.' Trust Him and he's going to make things go to where you're not going to have to stress," said one friend, Jamie Overstreet. "Gradually, more people are coming, and to hear it's going viral, ah! That's so exciting!"
Now the only thing Inez has to worry about is selling out.
While the elderly woman is excited about the uptick in customers, she does admit her newfound fame makes her a bit nervous. Overall, however, she's ecstatic that all of her hard work is paying off.
"It makes me feel happy because I've been doing this for so long and it's something I've always wanted to do."
- Inez Hudson
Supporting Local Business
Inez joins a growing number of seniors who can no longer afford to live off their fixed incomes. According to the Pew Research Center, the older workforce has nearly quadrupled in size since the mid-1980s, equating to roughly 11 million people.
As inflation continues to hammer the country and the cost of housing skyrockets, more and more people who should be enjoying their retirement are forced to continue working.
It's also why supporting local businesses and the "little guy" is so important. Buying local ensures that our money goes to the people who need it most, rather than to huge corporations that value profits over people.
When we choose to buy from small, independent sellers we are directly contributing to the livelihoods of our neighbors and friends. So next time you're deciding where to spend your money, consider businesses like Inez's.
Your support could be the difference between struggle and success.
We Reviewed Aaptiv, The Workout App for Busy People
These days, it’s not always easy to dedicate time to getting a quality workout in.
There are hundreds of fitness apps that aim to inspire users to reach their fitness goals and live a healthier lifestyle. But if you’re looking for a good sweat session and you only have a little time to spare, there is a helpful app that stands out from the pack.
Aaptiv is an audio-based fitness app that comes with various workouts guided by personal trainers, complete with groovy tunes to keep your motivation going.
For a monthly subscription, you can access the same type of high-quality workout experience you would get at a boutique fitness studio -- at a fraction of the price. Whether you're looking to do some guided tempo runs, strength train, or perfect your downward dog, Aaptiv has got you covered in almost any area of your fitness journey.
What is Aaptiv?
Founded in 2015 by Ethan Agarwal, Aaptiv was created out of the need to provide good workouts to people who live on-the-go lifestyles.
It’s challenging to stay motivated or even build a relationship with a personal trainer when you’re constantly traveling for work, you're unable to get to the gym because you have to get the kids from soccer practice, or you're staying late at the office to make that good project perfect.
Aaptiv aims to bring the quality of a personal trainer, the results of effective workout programs, and the inspiration you need to stick to a routine straight to your smartphone. And you don't need a gym to use it.
How does it inspire us?
Aaptiv is a good fitness application with quality training programs led by qualified fitness professionals. You really feel like you’re in the gym with a trainer when you’re taking Mike’s 30-minute strength-training workout. As for the running workouts, they remind me of the kind of experience that you find at a Barry’s Bootcamp or in an Equinox Fitness precision-running class.
The great music, the trainer’s energy level, the challenging workouts and the timely reminders hold you accountable when you don’t feel like working out. There is also a workout challenge for the competitor in you.
You’re always in total control of what workouts you’re doing, and can select a workout that best fits your schedule, as well as save the workouts that you like the most. Plus, the classes/workouts change every week, with over 30 options to choose from in each type of class. You’ll never get bored or feel like you’re doing the same thing over and over again. All of these workouts are available to you for less than $10 a month.
Can it help you improve?
Aaptiv is for the experienced fitness enthusiast looking for a quality workout program guided by uplifting and inspiring trainers. Whether you're training for a marathon, running your first mile, looking to bulk up, or want to gain some peace of mind in a yoga class, Aaptiv will get you there and keep you on schedule to reach your goals.
Keep in mind that Aaptiv may not be for people who have never done strength training, since the strength workouts are audio guides and you can't see proper form in action. For example, doing an Arnold shoulder press without seeing the move may be extremely difficult for someone who’s never lifted weights before.
For beginner-level runners, Aaptiv is a great tool. However, if you’re a more experienced/stronger runner, you may not find much of a challenge in the outdoor running, in which the fastest tempo pace is seven minutes per mile. The same can be said for the yoga workouts. They are great audio-based sessions if you know what warrior pose is.
But if you have some basic fitness experience and you’re looking to get back on track with some quality workout programming and an upbeat trainer, Aaptiv is all you need.
What do you need to try it?
You’ll need a screen (phone, computer, or tablet). You'll also need some dumbbells for the strength-training workouts. If you have access to a gym, there are workouts built around specific pieces of equipment (i.e., rowing machine). If you're curious to try the yoga, get a mat to practice your soon-to-be-elite warrior pose. Lastly, depending on your location, you will need a pair of headphones to listen to the trainer cues.
You’ll need a valid credit/debit card to register. This is a subscription-based app so yes, you do have to cough up some coins to keep the good times going. You will also need to download the app using Google play or the Apple app store.
What’s included
Potential drawbacks
The major drawback using Aaptiv is that all of the workouts are audio-based. If you have never seen or done certain workouts, it’s a very challenging experience to simultaneously listen to instruction while executing your workout with proper form. I wouldn’t recommend the yoga or strength-training programs to someone who has little to no fitness experience.
However, if you have experience lifting weights, practicing yoga and are confident that you can nail a workout with great form, I think Aaptiv will work for you!
And while some users will consider the audio-based concept a drawback, others will see it as an advantage. We live in a world where we are often receiving audio affirmations and listening to podcasts. The feeling of being talked to directly is not only encouraging, it makes your experience feel unique and personalized.
With Aaptiv, you never feel like you’re getting lost in some overwhelmingly large group fitness class. You almost feel like you’re being treated with the same focus and attention as someone who is in the gym with their trainer.
Aaptiv is worth exploring during the free trial period because you can decide whether the audio-guided workouts and meditations are for you or not. Either way, you won’t complain about the actual workouts or even the music. But if you can listen to a Ted Talk or Soulection Radio, you will likely enjoy Aaptiv. If not, there is always YouTube.
Where can you try this?
Aaptiv is available for download here.
Once downloaded you’ll have to agree to subscribe. Rates are less than $10.00 monthly and include a 30-day free trial, so you have plenty of time to properly try everything the app has to offer.
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