A woman in Largo is living the mantra: you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
She retired, started over, and now she’s making a living by raising alpacas and selling their wool.
Talk about a career change, from CFO of a telecom company to alpaca farmer.
“What’s even more scarier it’s not a product it’s a live animal,” said Alicia Chivers, alpaca farmer.
Alicia Chivers retired from her day job in 2008.
She decided it was time for a change, so Chivers started with alpacas because they’re easier than horses and cows.
Now she has more than 20 on her three acre farm.
“This is what I envisioned, I’m excited that it’s finally coming true, that it’s coming full circle,” said Chivers.
Part of that vision is her store, Criativity, which she just opened recently down the street from her farm.
“Well alpaca is lighter than wool, it has greater R value, so it keeps you warmer.”
She sells jackets, teddy bears, and even pillows inside the store and all of it is made from alpaca wool.
Chivers admits family and friends look at her funny when she decided to become a farmer but now they are impressed.
This mother of two has shown her daughters if you work hard enough you can do whatever you set your mind to.
“You can reinvent yourself, you can create whatever you want your destiny,” said Chivers.
Criativity is open six days a week and a few hours on Sunday.
Chivers sells all kinds of alpaca related products.
She hopes to raise the animals for a long time and maybe one day her kids can take over.