Meet Tia S. Brown

We were lucky to catch up with Tia S. Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Tia S. with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic stems from watching two incredible women shape my understanding of what it means to show up every day. My grandmother ran a cleaners business in our community for years, and I witnessed firsthand how she treated every customer with respect, took pride in her craft, and never cut corners even when times were tough. She understood that her business wasn’t just about cleaning clothes, it was about serving her neighbors and being a reliable presence they could count on. Her dedication taught me that honest work, no matter how humble it might seem to others, has dignity and purpose when you approach it with integrity.
My mother reinforced these lessons through her own example, maintaining steady employment while never compromising on her role as a parent. She showed me that excellence isn’t about choosing between professional success and personal responsibility, it’s about bringing your best effort to everything you commit to. Watching her balance work demands with being present for school events, helping with homework, and creating a stable home environment taught me that true work ethic isn’t just about career ambition. It’s about understanding that everything you do, whether it’s your job, your relationships, or your role in the community, deserves your full attention and best effort. These two women didn’t just talk about values, they lived them daily, and that foundation continues to guide how I approach every aspect of my life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

As the co-founder and executive director of The Brown House Experience, I’m passionate about creating transformative opportunities for at-risk youth in Chicago through our comprehensive STEAM, trades, and mental health programs. What excites me most about this work is witnessing the moment when a young person discovers their potential, whether they’re taking photographs of our beautiful skyline, engineering a robot, or opening up about their insecurities during a mental health session . We’re not just teaching skills, we’re building confidence, creating pathways to economic stability, and addressing the whole person. Our holistic approach recognizes that academic and technical training must go hand-in-hand with mental health support, because young people can’t reach their full potential if they’re struggling with unaddressed trauma or emotional challenges.
Beyond The Brown House Experience, I’m equally proud of my work through The Brown House Publishing, where my daughter Kylie and I co-authored “Hey Ma, Hey Princess Tell-All Journal”—a deeply personal project that explores the mother-daughter relationship with raw honesty. This publishing venture allows me to share one strategy that mothers and daughters can use to build a relationship of trust, empathy and openness. Through Urban Education Avenue, my consulting business, I’m able to extend my impact by helping other entrepreneurs launch their own for-profit and nonprofit ventures while providing educational services directly to families. Whether I’m writing grants, mentoring emerging business owners, or developing curriculum, everything I do connects back to my core mission of creating opportunities for people, especially young people and families, to build better futures for themselves and their communities.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back on building The Brown House Experience, The Brown House Publishing, and Urban Education Avenue, three qualities have been transformative. Integrity has been my foundation by being honest with funders about program challenges, transparent with my team during financial difficulties, and ensuring every consulting service delivers real value rather than empty promises. This unwavering authenticity has built the trust that sustains all of my work. Empathy goes beyond feeling for the communities we serve, it’s about deeply understanding their lived experiences well enough to design programs that actually meet their needs, publish journals that resonate authentically, and provide consulting that addresses real challenges entrepreneurs face. Perseverance means building sustainable structures that weather setbacks and serve communities long-term.
For emerging entrepreneurs, develop integrity by creating an accountability system. Regularly evaluate whether your actions match your values and surround yourself with advisors who will challenge you when they don’t. Build strategic empathy by immersing in communities before you build anything. Volunteer, listen genuinely, and let community voices shape your mission. In regard to perseverance, study with businesses of sustained impact, invest early in strong operational foundations even when progress feels slow, and build relationships with other leaders who can support you through inevitable valleys. The foundation you build now determines whether your work will still be serving communities years from now.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

My biggest area of growth this past year has been learning to truly prioritize God, family, and self-care without guilt. I have recognized that maintaining my mental, physical, and spiritual health isn’t selfish, but essential for sustainable leadership. For years, I operated under the mistaken belief that being constantly available and sacrificing my well-being demonstrated commitment to our mission, but I’ve come to understand that running on empty serves no one. By establishing non-negotiable boundaries around prayer and reflection time, family vacations, regular exercise, and actual rest, I’ve become a more present leader, a better decision-maker, and ironically, more productive in my work across The Brown House Experience, our publishing ventures, and consulting practice. This shift required me to trust my team more, delegate effectively, and accept that stepping back strategically allows me to show up more powerfully when it matters most. The result has been not only better personal stability, but stronger businesses that can thrive even when I’m not micromanaging every detail. I truly believe that sustainable social impact requires leaders who model the wholeness and balance we want to see in the communities we serve.

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