Meet Dr. Vonnya Pettigrew, the CEO and founder of Root Branch Media Group who has made history as the first African American woman in Maryland to own an entire block on Baltimore's waterfront. She has purchased a 14,400-square-foot building for $2.2 million and aims to transform this landmark into a vibrant media arts hub that fosters creativity and entrepreneurship.
In 2006, Pettigrew founded Root Branch Media Group as a full-service media production and communications firm. Since then, she has been inspiring and teaching people to be content creators. Most recently, the company has expanded as she completed the purchase of a 14,400-square-foot building on 2220 Boston Street, according to The Baltimore Times.Remarkably, Dr. Pettigrew achieved this milestone without investors or grants. The Reinvestment Fund, known for its focus on social impact, provided the financing. The building, now known as The RBMG Building Canton Harbor, houses all of Root Branch Media Group's operations in Canton.
The Root Branch empire includes Root Branch Media Group, an award-winning media production company; Root Branch Press Coffee & Co., featuring a coffee shop; Root Branch Office Solutions, which manages tenants and meeting spaces; and Root Branch Arts and Outreach Institute Inc., a nonprofit focused on education and training programs.
With the purchase of the new building, Pettigrew no longer needed to rent additional space. She has been hosting networking events and meetings more efficiently, allowing her to support more creatives in achieving their dreams.
She said, "I can literally wake up and have an idea by Friday; it becomes a whole website, and then we are doing it. I can reduce some of those barriers and really make people's dreams become a reality very quickly."
Looking ahead, Pettigrew aims to acquire properties and build more media arts hubs in other cities, furthering her mission to support and empower creatives and small business owners.
Learn more about the company via its official website at RootBranchMediaGroup.com
Also, be sure to follow her company on Instagram @RootBranchMG