About

Hey, y'all. I'm DeAnn.

I help small businesses get their time back with AI and connected systems, set up by someone who has run a business and built the systems behind one.

Book a 20-minute call

My story

I ran a business before I ever set up AI for one

I spent over 20 years in restaurant management. Running a multi-million dollar restaurant taught me what owners deal with every day: payroll, staffing, customers, and never enough hours. It also taught me that people remember how you made them feel.

I started Back Valley Creative in 2020. Along the way I earned my MBA, worked as a UX designer, managed projects, and use AI and automation every day. Now I’m putting all of that into a studio of my own.

DeAnn Burris, owner of Back Valley Creative

Why "Back Valley"?

Where you come from shapes who you are

I used to live on Back Valley Road in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. I think of the name the way winemakers think about terroir: where something grows shapes what it becomes.

Your business is the same. Your town, your customers, and your years of work make you who you are, and your systems should fit how you actually work. That’s why I don’t use templates or one-size-fits-all setups.

DeAnn at the top of Flat Top Mountain, overlooking Dunlap, Tennessee
Dunlap, TN · from Flat Top Mountain

How I work

What you can count on

Owner-led

Every project is led by me, start to finish. When a project needs extra hands, I bring in specialists I trust and stay your point of contact.

Plain answers

No jargon and no runaround. You always know where your project stands and what comes next.

Built to hand off

Everything I build is yours. Every account is in your name, and you own your systems, your accounts, and your content.

Areas I serve

Rooted in the Carolinas. Working nationwide.

I'm based in Statesville and work with established businesses across the Carolinas, in person when it helps and over video when it doesn't.

  • Statesville, NC

    Where Back Valley Creative is based. Coffee and an in-person kickoff are easy to arrange.

    AI help in Statesville
    Home base

  • Mooresville & Lake Norman, NC

    Growing service businesses around the lake that need their tools to keep up with new customers.

    AI help in Mooresville & Lake Norman

  • Hickory, NC

    Catawba Valley contractors, manufacturers, and family businesses with decades of reputation.

    AI help in Hickory

  • Charlotte, NC

    Established firms across the metro that want a local partner instead of a big agency.

  • Fort Mill, SC

    Fast-growing Fort Mill and Tega Cay businesses ready to look as established as they are.

  • Rock Hill, SC

    York County businesses whose day-to-day tools have fallen behind their reputation.

Let's talk about your business

A relaxed 20-minute call. We'll talk about your goals and whether we're a good fit.

Book a 20-minute call