Frequently Asked Questions

Soon after opening her first store, Kelly started to seek alternative ways to expand the revenue the business generated. Kelly explored trade shows, like the Carolina Classic Fair and Southern Women’s shows, which proved lucrative but stressful. Over the next 8 years, Kelly, along with a team of ladies, traveled the country attending hundreds of trade shows selling makeup and skincare. In 2012, Kelly opened a second location on Jonestown Road, and expanded her services by offering massages and facials. However, this location struggled financially, leading Kelly to sever ties with her business partner and relocate.















Reece entered adulthood working with a college degree in automotive technology, a decision stemming from his racing career as a teen. Working for an automotive dealership for a few years paid the bills but offered no room for advancement and leadership. Reece always had an interest in business, and quickly found turning wrenches was not for him. Taking advice from Kelly, Reece decided the best place to start a business career was to learn how to sell.

Sales came easy for him and in 2022, after 2 years of experience and management training, Reece joined the family business as Director of Business Management. Together, Kelly and Reece modernized and rebranded the business as “Teeth Whitening Center,” implementing online scheduling, price increases, and the Monthly Care Plan. This transformation, along with the addition of private-label at-home teeth whitening products, led to exponential growth. Together, Kelly and Reece completely revamped the business. In 2023, they decided to pursue franchising to help with the continual growth of the brand. Thus, WhitenUp was born.

Today, “Teeth Whitening Center” at 125 South Main Street in Kernersville, NC, continues to thrive, offering an affordable and impactful business model poised for franchising. Our services cater to everyone, improving smiles in as little as 30 minutes.

WhitenUp really began long before it was named “WhitenUp”. In 2009, Kelly Elliott formed Better in Colour, a mineral makeup and skincare business. Better in Colour was the true beginning of WhitenUp, and the experience gained and lessons learned building it all culminated to make WhitenUp possible. The WhitenUp journey is just as much Kelly’s journey, as it is WhitenUp’s.

Kelly started her career as a dental professional in 1992. Over the following 13 years, Kelly grew to become lead dental hygienist, helped implement the soft tissue management program, as well as trained and mentored many up and coming dental professionals at UDA. By 2005, Kelly faced corporate burnout and sought a change. Opting for entrepreneurship, she formulated a business plan for a skincare and makeup retail business.

In 2009, Kelly started her entrepreneurial journey with her first kiosk location at Cooks Flea Market in Winston-Salem, NC. Reece, Kelly’s son and co-owner of WhitenUp, was nine years old at the time, and went with Kelly to find the original kiosk location. Neither of them knew they would partner up 13 years later to form WhitenUp.

With no formal business training, Kelly learned as she went. Kelly acquired a business partner and navigated many challenges of starting and operating a small business. She even cashed in her 401-K to expand. By September 2010, Better in Colour opened its first brick-and-mortar location, incorporating a teeth whitening chair as an upsell to makeup and skincare products, initially priced at $39 for 30 minutes.

In 2014, Kelly started exploring the areas surrounding Winston-Salem, and discovered a small brick house for rent in downtown Kernersville. Somehow, at the same time she was passing by, the town manager was also showing the location to prospective renters. Kelly took a chance and asked if she could view the space as well. The town manager agreed and they ended up signing the lease that day.  This move saved the business from the brink of bankruptcy. Over the next four years, Kelly focused more on teeth whitening, sustaining the business through repeat customers, and referrals, though lacking an online presence.