Known by Fruits

From an early age, Esther knew: “I have to have a business one day. That's one of my dreams: to be able to help and give to others what God has given me.”

Only, she didn’t know what form that business would take.

The solution came years later during the pandemic, when Esther decided she needed to take better care of her health. At the same time, she recognized an opportunity to serve others in her community who were facing the same challenge. They wanted healthier options, but often lacked convenient, appealing ways to incorporate them into everyday life.

Esther began creating organic juice blends in her Paterson, New Jersey home, the first step in her entrepreneurial journey.

Esther sells her unique juice blends by order, which she fields on her phone. Her juices—made of ingredients such as oranges, beets, carrots, and ginger—are cold pressed, not blended, and are completely organic.

“It's about putting the right things in your body so you can feel good from within,” Esther said. “And I feel like our juices do exactly that. It’s not only juice. It's medicine for your body.”

juice surrounded by fresh oranges, mango, ginger, lemons, and other fruits — Esther’s ingredients, purchased fresh for every order.

Overcoming Uncertainty

Despite initial success, Esther struggled to manage her finances. “I didn't have a budget. I was just spending, spending, spending. I didn't even know where my money was going.”

What’s more, she sought a way to better integrate faith in her business—and to share that love with her community.

Her search led her to RENEW Life Center, a local partner of Partners Worldwide. A friend from her church had attended their training and recommended it to Esther.

Determined, Esther enrolled in RENEW’s financial literacy class. “I am not only going to take this class, but I am going to apply every single thing that I learn,” she said.

But she didn’t just stop at one class—she went on to take their microenterprise training. The microenterprise training was taught by Carmen Morris with support from Nelly Reyes, PW's United States Partnership Manager, and Nathally Florio, the lead PW Business Affilliate for RENEW. “I'm really blessed to have had Nelly as one of the teachers,” Esther said. “Seeing her love for Christ, seeing how she loves others, it was like a confirmation that I also want to do that for others.”

group of twelve women holding certificates of training — Renew Life Center equipped Esther with the knowledge and community she needed to grow her business and promote wellness.

More Than a Business

Equipped with new financial tools and an understanding of how business could reflect her faith in her community, Esther renamed her business “Known by Fruits,” after Matthew 7:20.

“I want my customers to know Christ because of what he represents, which is love. And my logo is sort of an icebreaker.”

“It's not just a business,” Esther said. “It goes beyond that. Something that I do is every order I pray with my juices. I'll pray, ‘God, please, I ask that you will heal this person—that they will receive the healing that they need physically and internally and that they could get closer to you.’"

Esther plans to expand her business and continue providing her community with ways they can improve their wellness. She also dreams of running multiple businesses—including in the Dominican Republic, where her parents are from. “I want to see how I can help those in need over there,” Esther said.

By turning a personal health challenge into a practical solution for others, Esther built a business rooted in wellness and faith. She’s one of the many examples of entrepreneurs across the Partners Worldwide network who identify challenges in their community and create solutions that address them. That’s because at their heart, entrepreneurs are problem solvers. Their innovations are changing lives and economies around the world, one life at a time.