Kelli Messick started Patiently Rooted in April of 2021. She wanted more people to adopt her love of plants and the many benefits they can provide. After a visit to the botanical gardens in Washington, D.C., she fell in love with being in a greenhouse and slowly turned her house into a little jungle. People who saw her plants said, “I need to add more plants to my house.” This sparked the idea of starting her own business to help people grow their own plant collection and teach them about how it can improve their mental health. With the help of taking care of something like a plant, psychologists have proven this to help increase your overall happiness and help boost people’s moods. Kelli had already seen an improvement in her own life, so she wanted to share that with everyone she could. Her mass communications degree from The University of South Carolina helped her get her message to her future customers when she started doing pop-ups in the area that quickly developed a following for her plant business. With the encouragement from her husband, Tyler, to start her own business, she has fallen even more in love with introducing people to the world of plants. She wouldn’t be where she is today without the support of her family and friends. She looks forward to what the future holds for herself and Patiently Rooted!

Christen Funderburk is the owner of Lizzie’s All-Natural Products. She has a degree in criminal justice from UNC Pembroke. “My biggest achievement is honestly being able to provide life-changing products to our customers and helping them achieve healthier skincare choices which boosts confidence and overall wellness. Our products have helped people all over the world with eczema,” said Christen. “Our company has also won numerous pitch contests and was also recently featured on Spectrum news.” In her spare time, Christen enjoys bowling, reading, kick boxing and spending time with her family and friends.

Daisy Tellez is a full-time personal banker at BB&T as well as a part-time small business owner of Miss Agave, an online boutique. She has a degree in business administration and began her career soon after graduation in 2018. “I enjoy helping others succeed in their financial lives and offer as much knowledge as I can,” said Daisy. “Miss Agave is a western/Boho boutique that takes pride in making others feel confident through the bold style. Definitely something that I’d love to do full time in the future! Although most of the time Miss Agave is a one-woman team, I’m thankful to be surrounded by such supportive loved ones that are with me every step of the way!” In her spare time, Daisy enjoys working on her business and inspiring others to chase their dreams.

Jensen Harrell is the owner of Filmcove Photography in Winston-Salem. Her husband, Ephraim, started FILMCOVE, a local production company in 2017. After they got married in January of 2019, Jensen started dreaming of pursuing a full-time wedding photography career alongside her husband. “My mom has told me that even when I was a little girl, I always had a camera in my hand, so when I started dreaming up this business, I knew the dream was deep in my heart and it was ready to come alive,” said Jensen. Today, Jensen and Ephraim are a husband and wife photo/video team and capturing weddings all over NC/SC/VA as well as capturing photo and video for their many corporate clients. Since starting her business, Jensen has photographed more than 150 unique sessions and weddings. In her spare time, Jensen loves spending time with her husband and their dog, Salem. She loves to be outdoors, shopping at local businesses around Winston-Salem, loves listening to live music and is always down to eat good food.

Jacqueline Morgan is the owner of Achieving Your Wellness Nutrition & Fitness. She has a degree from High Point University and a masters in business from the University of Phoenix. “I decided to become a wellness coach with Herbalife and obtained a certified group fitness trainer through the American Council on Exercise,” said Jacqueline. “After losing 50 pounds and getting in the best physical shape I have been in for quite some time, I made it my mission to educate others and help them understand that you really are what you eat and that you cannot not outwork a bad diet. I wanted others to experience the joy of both feeling good on the inside and looking good on the outside. It’s the best feeling in the world to see clients create better eating habits and experience physical transformations. In January, I will be relocating to 4015 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville. At this location, I will offer an expanded nutrition bar with a vast array of product offerings focused on better health. There will also be group fitness classes, personal training, community activities and more. I am truly grateful for the lives that I have touched and the lives that I will touch soon.” In her spare time, Jacqueline enjoys riding bikes, exercising, writing poetry and reading.

Darris Perkins is the owner of Dare to Design NC. She prides herself on her mastery of “…building a business that helps crush the gender roles in construction and renovation.” “Giving women an opportunity to learn trades and skills that they might not have thought they could ever do,” said Darris. She has no formal education in design or renovation, and all of her skills and services are self-taught. “My husband gave me the push to trust my abilities and take the leap of faith,” said Darris. “If he wasn’t so encouraging, I wouldn’t have started this business.”