Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wendi Bergin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Wendi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

Not just my parents but also my grandparents.

Being prepared seems to be ingrained in my family’s DNA.

Back in 1938, when the leader of my grandparents’ church urged everyone to stock up two years’ worth of supplies, they took it seriously. Over the next couple of years, my grandparents and great-grandmother canned an impressive 1800 jars of food, as noted in my grandfather’s journal.

My grandfather, who ran his own landscaping and tree surgery business, also made sure he had two years’ worth of essential supplies like tires, chains, and spare parts.

When the United States entered World War II in 1941, the entire country shifted its focus to support the war effort. But thanks to my family’s foresight, they didn’t need to rely on ration stamps.

Grandpa’s business continued to thrive while others in his industry struggled.

This mindset of preparedness was passed down to my father.

On the other hand, my mother, the youngest of nine children, learned self-sufficiency growing up in Idaho. Despite limited financial resources, her parents taught her invaluable skills like gardening, food preservation, sewing, and quilting. They even had their own root cellar and raised livestock. Although Mom wasn’t fond of milking cows, she absorbed the lessons of self-reliance from her parents’ example.

I’m deeply grateful for my family’s heritage and the lessons they’ve imparted.

Because of their influences, I’ve ventured out on my own and built a business around learning these valuable skills and mindset.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Growing up, self-reliance wasn’t just a lifestyle—it was woven into the fabric of my upbringing. From helping my mom cultivate a bountiful garden to canning our own food, I learned firsthand the value of being able to take care of ourselves.

One of my earliest experiences with homesteading came at age 15 when I ventured into crafting blackberry jam from the wild berries on our property. Let’s just say it was a sticky situation, but boy, was it worth it! That moment ignited my passion for self-sufficiency and homesteading skills.

Over the years, I’ve continued to explore and expand my knowledge, trying new things and honing my skills along the way, like: container gardening, food preservation, herbal remedies, and emergency preparedness.

In this whirlwind of life, I’ve had my moments as a hot mess mama. But you know what? Those messy moments have taught me plenty, shaping me into the kind of mentor who’s all about genuine experiences and a good chuckle.

But what really lights up my day is the joy of sharing what I’ve learned and helping others find their own path to self-sufficiency. Whether it’s through virtual classes, courses, or my podcast, my goal is simple: to make preparedness feel accessible and fun.

And guess what? I’ve built this amazing community where folks with similar interests gather to swap stories, learn together, and offer support. It’s like finding your tribe—a warm, welcoming space where you can be yourself, minus the awkward holiday dinner conversations.

And now, I’m excited to introduce my latest venture: herbal preparations for skincare and immune health. Drawing on my deep-rooted knowledge of herbs and natural remedies, I’m crafting products that nourish the skin and support overall well-being.

Through every step of the way, integrity is my cornerstone. My clients put their trust in me because they know I’m driven by genuine care and a desire to see them succeed.

But here’s the twist: I’m not just about teaching self-sufficiency skills for the sake of it. Nope, I’m all about helping folks transform those skills into something tangible. Whether it’s crafting homemade treasures, offering unique services, or exploring the world of side hustles, I’m here to be their guide and help them grow a business using their skills and talents.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My business is based on resilience. Self-reliance.

During the pandemic lockdowns, I received multiple phone calls, texts or messages a week asking different questions regarding how people could make bread, store food, find food, natural remedies, start a garden, etc.

It was a bit overwhelming for me.

I was delighted to help and answer questions. People were fearful and confused.

My dedication to self-sufficiency and preparedness developed my resilience over time.

As a homeschooling family, we didn’t need to worry about how to manage the new norm of schooling at home.

Our family keeps a robust food storage, so we didn’t experience any food or toilet paper shortages.

We were able to grow and process our own meat chickens and I found a local beef farmer to purchase meat.

Our lives went on as usual.

The blessing in this is that I was able to serve others because of my preparedness. Our needs were taken care of, which gave us the peace and space to care for others.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I actually started with a Blogspot blog.

I had taught a class on how to can chicken using a pressure canner.

The attendees were so excited but they forgot a lot of the steps. So, I put together a little blog with all the detailed instructions for people to refer to.

Later, I started a complimentary Facebook group to be a resource for people all over the world actually.

The questions had grow from asking about how to can chicken, to how to grow a garden or what natural remedies that could use for this or that. Lots of various and diverse questions that needed a central hub and community.

I didn’t know really was a social media audience was.

When the lockdown happened because of the pandemic, I had more and more join because they were specifically looking for a community that would help answer questions but also just be there as a community. It’s a lovely place people have to ask questions and share their wisdom.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.joyfullyprepared.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfulprepper
• Facebook: www.joyfulprepgroup.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendi-bergin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joyfullyprepared

Image Credits
Kelly Johnson David Dickey Jr