We’re excited to highlight 2025 AccelerateHER cohort member Monique Segovia, founder of The Brown Thumb. Rooted in plants, community, and care, The Brown Thumb is more than a business, it’s a space where softness, culture, and healing are allowed to coexist. What began as Monique’s personal practice for slowing down and tending to her own mental health has grown into a community-centered brand that invites others to do the same. In this spotlight, Monique shares the story behind The Brown Thumb, her journey into entrepreneurship, and how growth, both personal and professional, has shaped the work she’s building today.
How did you come up with your business concept? What inspired you to start your own business?
The Brown Thumb grew out of my love for plants, the grounding aspects of tea, people, and healing. In Black and Brown communities, self-care and mental health are often talked about last or not talked about at all. But we deserve softness. Plants became that for me. They helped me slow down, check in with myself, and reconnect with who I was becoming. I realized how many of us needed a space like that...a place where culture, community, and healing could sit side by side. So The Brown Thumb became more than a business idea. It became a home for softness, rest, and joy.
What’s your background? How did each piece show up in your work?
I come from a background in marketing and social media strategy, working with brands like Sally Beauty, Medi-Share, and CosmoProf. But before that, I worked at Disney and Publix, two places that shaped my heart for customer service. That’s where I learned how important it is to treat people like family and make them feel seen. All of that shows up at The Brown Thumb, from our community-driven branding to the warm, home-girl energy people feel when they walk in.
What led you to take your work from an idea to pursuing it as a business?
To be completely honest: corporate burnout and mental health were the push. While I was still in corporate, I created The Brown Thumb as an outlet. Making planters, pouring candles, tending to plants, creating different teas, it was my safe space. It reconnected me with my inner child, the creative version of me I had buried under deadlines and pressure. I loved the corporate money, but I was drowning. And every night when I came home and worked on The Brown Thumb, I finally felt like I could breathe. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a hobby, it was healing. Now, my biggest inspiration is my daughter. She gets to grow up seeing representation, watching her parents build something from love and culture, and she gets to be part of a world created for us. And I get to build my schedule around my beautiful flower instead of trying to fit her into the leftover corners of my day.
How did you find your brand identity?
Our identity formed naturally through storytelling and community feedback. I didn’t want The Brown Thumb to feel perfect- I wanted it to feel and be honest. A homegirl vibe with warmth, culture, boldness, softness, humor, and a message underneath everything: growth looks different on everybody, and that’s okay. Over time, that became our look, our tone, and our personality.
What’s your favorite thing about your workspace?
I love the energy, but also the honesty of the space. Yes, it feels like a small ecosystem of joy - people laughing, creating, sipping matcha, meeting new friends. But it’s also a place where people let go. We’ve had people sit on the couch and cry. We’ve had folks walk in at their lowest and leave feeling lighter. The store holds all of it...joy, vulnerability, softness, community. It feels like a place where people exhale. And honestly, one of my favorite things is my team. They make me laugh so much, they carry so much love with them, and they add their own magic to the atmosphere every single day.
Do you have a personal and/or professional motto or mantra you call on during tough times? What does it mean to you?
My mantra is: “Don’t try. Just be.” My mom said this to me growing up, especially when anxiety made me mask or shrink myself. Whenever I feel that pressure building, I remind myself that who I am in that moment is enough and that authenticity carries into the way I run the business and create content. Another mantra from my dad is: “Stay sweet.” It guides how we treat every customer, every vendor, and our team. Kindness is our foundation.
How do you pick back up on moving your business forward when you’re feeling uninspired?
I reconnect with myself and my purpose. I remind myself why I started and that what I’m building is bigger than whatever feeling I’m in. I also call my parents or close friends, they always know how to bring me back to center. And honestly, my team lifts me in ways they don’t even realize. I really, really cherish them. They remind me that I don’t have to hold everything by myself, and that this level of beautiful chaos can only exist because I’m surrounded by people who show up with heart. Each one of them is special, and they help me move forward even on the days when I question everything. Connection is important. We’re not meant to do life alone and that’s exactly why the store, the events, and the community mean so much to me. We all need each other more than we think.
What have you gained so far from being part of the AccelerateHER cohort?
AccelerateHER has given me clarity, confidence, and community. I’ve gained tools that strengthen our operations, refine my voice as a founder, and help me build sustainable systems for growth. But honestly, I look forward to Friday mornings. It’s rare to sit in a room full of women who just get it... the highs, the fears, the burnout, the breakthroughs. I leave every session feeling supported, encouraged, and less alone.
Name a woman or gender-expansive individual, past or present, whom you admire or look up to. Why?
There are quite a few but these are close to home: My mom. She owned her own daycare in a Black and Brown community and raised generations of kids with love. Even at her lowest, she showed up soft, humble, and steady. Watching her taught me how to build a business that feels like family. Heather from Stoke. A straight-up boss. I tell her this all the time- she’s boss goals. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, and the way she leads with grace, strength, and clarity inspires me deeply. My daughter. She’s only two, but she has completely reshaped my life. She made me braver, more intentional, and more grounded. She shows up as her full self every day, and she inspires me to keep building a world where her softness is protected and celebrated.
Learn more about Monique Segovia and The Brown Thumb at their website here.