

The decision for us to eventually go back and become house parents was an easy one. We bought a house and sunk a lot of money into it, bought new cars, and just kept spending. After I met my husband in college and graduated, we lived and worked in Philadelphia for a few years.

I got a great education and saw the possibilities that existed for me. The Milton Hershey School changed my life. Living in Pennsylvania, my aunt, who eventually cared for me and my sisters, enrolled me and my twin in the Milton Hershey School. Both my parents had mental health disorders: My mother had bipolar disorder and ultimately committed suicide, and my father, who had schizophrenia, spent most of my life in prison. I had a very tumultuous and, at times, violent childhood. We quickly got hooked and had no idea that by 2022, we'd be grossing more than $10 million in Amazon sales.

In 2012 we started selling on Amazon after hearing about it from a friend and fellow house parent. In 1999, My husband Andy and I became house parents at the Milton Hershey School. The following has been edited for length and clarity. The revenue her business, Amazing Freedom, made has been verified by Insider. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Deanna Slamans, a 49-year-old Amazon seller who also coaches other sellers, from Hershey, PA. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
