CYstarters Spotlight: A 16-part series highlighting student entrepreneurs pursuing their business ventures as part of the CYstarters 2026 summer cohort. Through this program, students have the unique opportunity to prioritize the development of their own startup or business idea. Each individual receives $6,500 and access to resources such as mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational sessions on entrepreneurship and business startup. Learn more and meet our 17 entrepreneurs at Demo Day on Thursday, July 30. Register today!
Teneill Childers grew up in Kansas City, Kansas in Wyandotte County where she was surrounded by a creative community and involved in the arts.
“It’s important to note the county because of how creative the area is for music, innovation and kind of building up the city,” she said. “The county has done an amazing job of shaping who I am and lighting the fire in me to tell me that I can be whatever I want to be and can do whatever I want to do, as long as I keep my heart, mind, and soul grounded.”
Teneill was also supported by her mother and grandmother who were both artistic and creative and encouraged her to incorporate the arts into her own life.
“Solving these problems that we had, whether it be with plants or it be in some other area, my grandmother and mother were always able to get the job done, no matter what,” Teneill said.
Her business, Sowrenic, offers self-watering planters and wall decor that help maximize space while also adding decorative value to a room.
Teneill is passionate about spending time with family and friends, singing neo soul and gospel music and creating.
Her family not only shaped her creativity but also inspired her to follow an entrepreneurial path. Teneill’s grandmother has owned businesses, and her uncle and mother are serial entrepreneurs.
“It’s something I’ve grown up with,” she said. “I’ve owned little businesses here and there, making jewelry and finding ways to be my own boss.”
Teneill is passionate about entrepreneurship because it gives her the freedom to solve problems without boundaries.
“You can create, you can try different things out, and test it to see if people will buy, if people are interested, and there’s just so many limitless opportunities when it comes to it,” she said.
After running out of room for all of her own plants, Teneill wanted to find a way to hang them on the wall. Sowrenic solves the problem because the planters are able to be placed on walls and become living wall art.
“It’s pretty cool in the aspect of moving plants around, beginning to play with different colors and shapes, and adding life to your space,” she said.
One challenge that Teneill has faced is articulating the product and its features to others. Through CYstarters she’s been able to strengthen her marketing and learn how to better communicate her ideas.
“CYstarters has done a great job in helping me convey what I’m talking about, and my marketing,” she said. “The different tips and tricks that I’ve learned that I’m using now are amazing.”
Teneill had participated in pitch competitions and other Pappajohn Center programs, but it wasn’t until her junior year that she found out about CYstarters.
“What made me pursue joining is that I have ideas that I want to launch and solve, and I wanted to learn more about entrepreneurship and something that I was passionate about,” she said.
She also appreciates the opportunity CYstarters provides to get constructive criticism and feedback from others.
“When I was able to get that feedback from my first user, I was excited because I knew what my user wanted and what they didn’t like. It was great to see,” she said.
One piece of feedback led Teneill to change her power source from a cord to a battery. The change means no cords will hang down the wall, creating a more seamless design.
Applying to CYstarters also gave Teneill an opportunity to get out of her comfort zone and try something new.
“It was big for me to step out of my comfort zone to try again, to be daring and audacious, to just say that I have an idea that I’m confident in, and I know that this can work,” she said.
Teneill is surprised over and over again by how much work and thought she puts into her business.
“I’m always like ‘Oh, I can add this’ or ‘Oh, this would be cool to add to my branding,’’ she said. “One of the things that surprised me the most was that I’m on fire for this and I am pushing for this to work.”
Through CYstarters, she’s also learned time blocking, a practice that has allowed her to plan out work tasks while prioritizing time with friends and family and time to be creative herself.
“The time blocking has been amazing, and ever since it was introduced, I’ve used it and enjoyed it, and it helped me create more boundaries when it came to my time and how I could utilize it properly,” she said.
The biggest takeaway from the summer was the connections she made with like-minded individuals and the insight she’s gained from people in areas like product manufacturing and running a business.
“This experience has taught me that I can do anything that I put my heart and mind to,” Teneill said. “All opportunities, all goals, all dreams that I have are feasible, and that I can work for it, I can do it, and I can achieve it.”
Her advice to other students is simple, just begin:
“Time is not promised, it’s not guaranteed, and you don’t want to live with any regrets, so if you have the vision, if you have that dream, that goal, do it and see where it leads, because what if is what if.”
You can stay up to date with Sowrenic through the website www.sowrenic.com or on Facebook and Instagram @sowrenic.
Check out our video interview with Teneill Childers below!
