Shavon Brown, the owner and founder of Cora’s Garden, has a deeply rooted relationship with the healing power of plants.
“I descend from a long line of healers, wisdom keepers and stewards of the land, to which the medicinal power of plants was no secret,” says Brown. “Working with herbs was an important aspect of my upbringing and plants have played a vital role in my capacity to navigate life’s innumerable peaks and valleys.”
Now, with Cora’s Garden, named after her “bold, smart and unwaveringly kind” great grandmother, Brown is helping clients experience everyday wellness through a holistic approach.
Check out our full Q&A with Brown below…
Tell us about your business and the role you play in it.
I am the owner and founder of Cora’s Garden. We launched in early 2022 under a targeted mission to help individuals experience everyday wellness. We specialize in delivering holistic solutions to restore the physical and emotional balance commonly disrupted by stress. We provide these solutions through 1-on-1 coaching, our herbal product assortment and custom workshops designed to empower the healing journey.
How did you get your idea or concept for the business? How did you decide on a name?
The concept of Cora’s Garden is rooted in my lineage and equally, a desire to combat a powerful barrier to living a full and robust life. I descend from a long line of healers, wisdom keepers and stewards of the land, to which the medicinal power of plants was no secret. Working with herbs was an important aspect of my upbringing and plants have played a vital role in my capacity to navigate life’s innumerable peaks and valleys.
The company is named after my great grandmother, Cora (referred to as “Hun” for those who loved and knew her best). She was bold, smart and unwaveringly kind. A woman who had an innate sense for what people truly needed, and which areas of their life required a deep sense of wholeness. The “garden”, reflects the assortment of her healing techniques, her many life lessons and the descendants who continue to carry her light to those who need it most.
What makes your business unique in its field?
We have very specific focus areas – mitigating stress, fostering emotional balance, and amplifying mental wellness. Our formulas and coaching services support those tackling the fragile parts of life, namely heartbreak, grief, feelings of burden and/or loss. These are the areas of our lives where herbal support can be a powerful tool to strengthen the body’s intrinsic stress response. We are predominantly an Indigenous American herbal practice, leveraging both eastern and western methods to provide our clients holistic recommendations. In addition, we work with a select grouping of plants that are accessible in North America and therefore readily available for our client’s needs.
During your first year of business, what was the greatest lesson you learned?
Over the course of the past year, we learned the true value of community. Building community is a deeper aspect of cultivating relationships, as it turns the “transactional” into the meaningful. There are those who may be interested in building or forming business partnerships, but few yearn to build community in a way that bridges that gap between worlds or experiences. Community involves developing partnerships not only through a shared interest but also a mutual desire for success, support and expansion. Understanding this difference has made a huge impact on how we define success and determine our long-term goals.
Where do you see your business in the next year? The next five?
I see Cora’s Garden reinforcing our presence. Not just through additional products or services, but in how we translate the medicinal power of plants in modern times. What we are most excited about is diversifying and expanding access to herbal education across various parts of WNC, where either information or plant-based healing solutions are limited. We want to make a positive contribution to the growing movement around holistic healing, food sovereignty and fostering physical and emotional alignment.
Why did you decide to join the Chamber?
After defining our goals, joining the Chamber felt like an integral part of our growth. As my participation with the Chamber grew, the overall value of our broader mission became increasingly apparent. The Chamber provides a wealth of inspiration, knowledge and connection that ensures we understand the impact of our business on the greater whole. Which for us at Cora’s Garden, means everything.