Jane & Pearl started during my twins' nap in 2015 as a way for me to create as well as give back to others. I am partnering with Thrive Parkridge in East Knoxville to amplify their work and donate profits to help with projects such as renovating rooms and spaces in their 100-year-old building. I love to paint live at weddings, watercolor home portraits, and of course whimsical florals.

Entrepreneurship is no joke. It's HARD work. Long hours, endless networking, small business admin, the list goes on and on. And, sometimes, being a woman in entrepreneurship is that much harder. But what nourishes and sustains me is the community I've built through it. I love that I can collaborate with other women entrepreneurs, supporting each other's dreams and work in community with each other rather than in competition with each other.

I was taught from a young age that women were meant to be quiet and pleasant, never loud or angry. When I reached college, I encountered men who took advantage of that mindset and of my naivety. I soon found other women who shared those experiences and felt a similar sense of frustration towards the narrative expected of women.