When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through hospitals, Veronica Gomez found herself physically exhausted and emotionally depleted. As a cardiac nurse in Georgia, she had spent nine years on the frontlines of care, treating chronic illnesses, comforting patients, and navigating an overwhelmed system. "Many of my patients faced chronic conditions that could have been prevented with better nutrition," she says.
But amid the chaos of the pandemic, something shifted. "Working endless shifts while trying to be present for my young children led me to reevaluate my path," she explains. Gomez began searching for a way to support health and healing that didn't come at the cost of family life, and she found it in an unexpected place: a tray of kale microgreens on a sunny windowsill.
© Pure Sprout Microgreens
From cardiac nurse to grower
The decision to step away from clinical care and toward cultivation wasn't an easy one. "The initial phase was a whirlwind of learning and adaptation," says Gomez. She converted part of her home in Lilburn, Georgia, into a microgreens growing room, starting Pure Sprout Microgreens with no background in agriculture. "I reminded myself that no one is born an expert in anything. Learning is a process that requires patience."
Gomez leaned on that patience through the first 90 days of starting the business, navigating crop failures, market research, and the steep learning curve of solo entrepreneurship. "Absolutely, there were moments when I thought, 'This might not work.' But what kept me going was remembering my why."
© Pure Sprout Microgreens
Microgreens with a mission
Gomez cultivates a range of nutrient-rich microgreens, including broccoli and kale, varieties known for their high concentrations of antioxidants and polyphenols that support cardiovascular health. "Microgreens are nutritional powerhouses," she says. "Their ease of cultivation and rapid growth make them an ideal crop for promoting healthy eating habits."
Education plays a central role in Gomez's model. She uses every market interaction, workshop, and product insert to show customers how to incorporate microgreens into everyday meals, like smoothies, sandwiches, and salads. "I aim to shift perceptions from garnish to staple," she says.
© Pure Sprout Microgreens
A model for preventative wellness
For Gomez, the shift from treating illness to promoting wellness is deeply intentional. "There is little to no diet education within our healthcare system," she notes. Her experience as a nurse affirmed what she now builds her business around: that small changes in food access and awareness can have ripple effects in long-term health outcomes.
"I want Pure Sprout to help people see that healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated," she says. "By making fresh, local microgreens easy to access and simple to use, we can help more families and individuals take small steps toward better health."
© Pure Sprout Microgreens
Growth, one sprout at a time
Even on difficult days, Gomez finds motivation in the smallest signals: a customer returning to buy their second tray, a child excited to plant their first seed. "Just like the tiny seeds I plant, what starts as a small sprout today becomes tomorrow's nourishment," she says. "Every market interaction, every new customer, these small moments add up and fuel the bigger vision."
That vision includes expanding her product line, launching educational grow kits, and working with local schools to integrate microgreens into student learning. But at the core, Gomez's mission remains rooted in the simple idea that healing doesn't always begin in a hospital.
For more information:
© Pure Sprout Microgreens
Pure Sprout Microgreens
Veronica Gomez, Founder
puresproutmicrogreens@gmail.com
www.puresproutmicrogreens.com