We recently connected with Kelly Morris and have shared our conversation below.

Kelly , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Am I Happier as a Business Owner?

Yes—I’m absolutely thrilled. After 15 years in the institutional/corporate world, my job was eliminated last year, and rather than scramble to fit back into a system that never truly aligned with my values, I made the leap into full-time entrepreneurship. Now, I get to wake up every day focused on small-scale food production, education, and helping others reconnect with their food sources.

But do I sometimes think about what it would be like to have a regular job again? Of course—mostly when I start feeling a little nervous about the loss of a steady paycheck and benefits.

The Last Time I Thought About a “Regular” Job…
It usually happens when I think of the “what-ifs” that makes me miss the days of corporate-sponsored insurance. In those moments, I catch myself wondering, “Wouldn’t it be easier to just have a steady salary, 401(k) matching, and predictable health coverage?”

There’s a comfort in stability, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t occasionally miss the certainty that organization employment bring. In those moments, I remind myself that security and fulfillment aren’t always the same thing.

Why I Keep Choosing This Life
Corporate life was predictable, but it wasn’t fulfilling. I spent my days building someone else’s vision. Now, I’m building something real—something that feeds people, teaches people, and gives them skills that will serve them for life.

Instead of emails about ad budgets, I get messages from people who learned or got joy from something I shared. Instead of marketing plans for a product I didn’t care about, I’m teaching families how to grow food, supporting small farmers, and helping people gain self-sufficiency—one workshop, one garden bed, one seed at a time.

Would life be easier with a regular job? Maybe.
Would it be better? Not for me.

At the end of the day, I didn’t lose a job—I gained a purpose and confidence. And I’ll take that trade every single time.

Kelly , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Meet Kelly Morris – Cultivating Connection Through Food, Education, and Sustainability
I’m Kelly Morris, a former corporate and institutional professional turned small-scale food producer, educator, and advocate for local food systems. After spending 15 years in corporate marketing, my job was eliminated in 2024. Instead of returning to a career that no longer aligned with my values, I took the leap into full-time entrepreneurship, focusing on helping families reconnect with their food, build self-sufficiency, and support local growers.

I’m the co-owner of Savannah Hydroponics & Organics, where we provide gardening, hydroponic, and homesteading supplies to help people grow their own food—whether they have a backyard garden, an urban homestead, or a small patio space. Through education, workshops, and product offerings, my goal is to make food cultivation accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or level of experience.

How I Got Into This Work
Food has been at the center of my life since childhood. My maternal family were farmers, and my paternal family were restaurateurs, so I grew up with a deep appreciation for how food is grown, prepared, and shared. I attended culinary school, and while I didn’t go on to become a full-time chef, that experience shaped my understanding of food beyond just what’s on the plate—it’s about community, sustainability, and tradition.

As I built my career in marketing and business development, I realized how disconnected many people have become from their food sources. I started sharing my own homesteading journey—learning to grow food, preserve harvests, and integrate old-world skills into modern life—and quickly realized that people were hungry for this knowledge. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a personal passion; it was a way I could help others reclaim control over their food and well-being.

What I Offer & The Problems I Solve
Gardening & Hydroponics – Through Savannah Hydroponics & Organics, we provide high-quality gardening, hydroponic, and homesteading supplies to help people grow their own food no matter where they live. From beginner-friendly hydroponic systems to organic soil amendments, we help customers set up sustainable, productive gardens tailored to their needs.

Food Education & Preservation – We, along with our community, teach people how to use and preserve what they grow, through fermentation, canning, dehydrating, and traditional food preparation techniques. Knowing how to extend your harvest means wasting less and saving more.

Homesteading & Self-Sufficiency – Whether it’s learning how to keep backyard chickens, make sourdough, or create a garden that feeds a family, I offer resources to help people slowly integrate homesteading practices into their busy lives.

Bridging the Gap Between Farmers & Consumers – One of my biggest passions is helping people support local growers and small farms. Many people don’t realize how accessible fresh, locally-grown food can be, and I love connecting them with local sources and showing them how to incorporate more local food into their diets affordably.

What Sets Me Apart?
I’ve lived both lives. – I know what it’s like to be a busy, working parent with limited time and resources. I also know what it takes to transition into a lifestyle of growing, preserving, and supporting local food systems. I teach in a way that’s realistic and sustainable for everyday people—no overwhelming farm fantasies, just practical steps for a more self-sufficient life.

I focus on community, not just content. – My goal isn’t just to share information—it’s to build a community of like-minded people who want to take action, support each other, and create lasting change in the way we grow and consume food.

I make self-sufficiency fun and accessible. – Learning to grow your own food or build a homestead shouldn’t feel intimidating. I bring humor, real-life experience, and honesty into my work, showing people that small changes can have a big impact.

What I’m Most Proud Of
Helping families take control of their food. Every time someone messages me saying they grew their first tomato, canned their first jam, or bought from a local farmer instead of a big-box store, I know this work matters.

Building a business that aligns with my values. After years in organizational settings, I now get to wake up every day doing work that’s meaningful and impactful—helping people become more connected to their food, their land, and their community.

Being part of the solution. The current food system isn’t built for resilience or sustainability, but through education, small-scale growing, and community action, we can change that.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The Pivot That Changed Everything
For 15 years, I built my career in large and small scale organizations—climbing the ladder, developing strategies, and helping companies grow their brands. At times, when I was learning and growing, I enjoyed it immensely. For a long time, I thought that was the path to organizational leadership. But in 2019, my world completely shifted when my son, Max, passed away due to a birth-related injury.

Losing Max changed everything about how I saw life, work, and what truly mattered. Suddenly, the deadlines, the meetings, the corporate performance metrics—it all felt hollow. I started questioning everything: What am I building? Who does this work truly serve? Am I spending my time in a way that aligns with what I value most?

I kept going. I worked through the grief, stayed in corporate marketing, and tried to find purpose in it. Then, in 2024, my marketing job was eliminated, and while I could have jumped right back into the corporate world, something in me knew: this was the moment to pivot.

Instead of chasing another marketing role, I leaned fully into what I love and what actually matters to me—helping people reconnect with their food, build self-sufficiency, and support their local food systems. As I shifted focus to our family and what truly brings me joy – food related education, I’m diving deeper into Savannah Hydroponics & Organics, a business that allows me to teach others how to grow their own food, support small-scale farmers, and make food security a real, tangible goal for everyday families.

That layoff wasn’t a loss—it was the push I needed.

Now, I wake up every day building something I believe in. I went from marketing big businesses to teaching people how to grow tomatoes, preserve their harvest, and source local food in a way that supports their community. It’s a far cry from boardrooms and branding meetings, but it feels right.

The Lesson?
Sometimes, the pivot isn’t planned. Sometimes, it’s a painful, messy detour. But those detours have a way of leading you exactly where you need to be.

If you’re in a season of change, unsure of what’s next—trust that even the hardest pivots can put you on the path to something bigger.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Swiped Right on My Future (and My Business Partner)
Like any modern love story, it all started with a swipe. I met Andrew on Bumble, not realizing at the time that I wasn’t just swiping right on a date—I was swiping right on my future husband, father of my children, and my future business partner.

From the start, we bonded over our love of food, sustainability, and the dream of one day having land where we could grow, raise, and create something meaningful together. At the time, I was deep in my career, and Andrew was already working with plants, hydroponics, and sustainable agriculture.

Fast forward through marriage, kids, and plenty of DIY projects later, and we found ourselves standing in the middle of a piece of land covered in 900+ tires, looking at each other like, Are we really about to do this? That was the moment we fully committed to building something bigger than ourselves.

Now, as co-owners of Savannah Hydroponics & Organics, we’re turning those early dreams into reality—helping others grow their own food, reconnect with local food systems, and build their own version of self-sufficiency.

So yeah, thanks, Bumble. I came for a date and left with a lifelong partner in love, farming, and business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://savannahhydro.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savhydro/ or https://www.instagram.com/mrs_morris_912/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savannahhydro
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savannah-hydroponics-organics/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@savannahhydro7941

Image Credits

Mallory Coffey
Dayna Lambert