Exploring Life & Business with TeQuion Brookins of TeQuionBrookins.com

Today we’d like to introduce you to TeQuion Brookins. 

Hi TeQuion, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Detroit and was raised by two entrepreneurs who instilled the values of education and hard work early on in my life. I attended a catholic high school for girls and graduated from a PWI with a degree in Biochemistry as a step toward my goal of being a pharmacist. It turned out though that my minor in African Studies was the ingredient I was missing all along. It was there that I first truly learned about systemic racism and oppression and began to understand the intentionality around the conditions that plagued my own family and friends as well as families like mine across the country. I was determined to be a part of the solution, but after graduation, had no clear path to what that meant. I secured a job at Flagstar Bank in the mortgage underwriting department less than a month out of college (after submitting over 1000 job applications to various employers my senior year) and was excited to finally have a real job and my own place. I knew that I was called to do more and, despite a vow to never return to school after graduating the College of Wooster, convinced myself that I needed to understand the business world to be a leader and enrolled in a dual master’s degree program at Walsh College. After a year of early morning job hunting, I landed an interview with McGregor Fund, a private grantmaker in Detroit, for a position I wasn’t yet qualified for but that aligned with my schoolwork. I was hired in with a more junior title than I applied for but was quickly promoted after demonstrating my ability to learn quickly and take initiative. 

After several years in philanthropy, participating in local and national membership organizations to strengthen my network and knowledge, I was compelled to address the racial disparities in the sector by starting my own public foundation, Minority Freedom Community Fund (MFCF) in 2019. MFCF was founded to be a learning grounds for socially conscious Black people across the country with a desire to enter the philanthropic space but who don’t have the typical credentials required of traditional institutions. We provide a safe space for professional development in the areas of nonprofit management and board governance while employing a community-centric approach toward solving social issues. By 2021, we were named a Comcast Newsmaker and also featured in local news channel for our work to support Black businesses in the city of Detroit who had been neglected from other forms of assistance. 

After a few years working full time, operating Sani360, establishing MFCF, and consulting, alongside my volunteerism for organizations like Connect313 and A Child For All, I decided to go all-in on social entrepreneurship. In December of 2021, after making history as the organization’s first and youngest Director of Operations and the only Black person to hold a leadership role among staff, I departed to dedicate all of my energy and ideas toward dismantling the impacts of systemic racism. Today, I devote 100% of my time consulting and volunteering in support of organizations and initiatives that do this work. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
MFCF’s Black Bottom Campaign initiative hit home for me, because I was also one of the Black businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic but never able to receive any form of financial assistance from the myriad programs and initiatives the public & private sectors were publishing. During the pandemic, for example, I co-founded a sanitizing company to provide cleaning and disinfecting services to Michigan homes and businesses as an attempt to combat the negative health and economic impact of COVID-19. Despite our timely service and community recognition, we never seemed to qualify for any funding programs. This not only fueled my passion for bringing MFCF’s Black Bottom Campaign fund to life but also encouraged me to reactivate my social impact consulting business that I’d mostly left idle during my employment at McGregor. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
TeQuionBrookins.com is a 5-star rated, full-service business advisory firm with an international team representing over 70+ years of combined experience across a variety of industries. We leverage best-in-class technology solutions alongside the most comprehensive referral network to transform mission-driven organizations of all sizes. 

OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC VITALITY BY EQUIPPING ENTREPRENEURS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH RESOURCES TO LEAD SUCCESSFUL, PROFITABLE BUSINESSES AND SUSTAINABLE NONPROFITS. 

We provide ADVISORY SERVICES, CONSULTING SERVICES, MANAGED IT SERVICES AND BUSINESS SUPPLIES 

We also champion innovation by designing and delivering custom in-house solutions to social problems. Most recently, our Bid4Impact initiative was launched with the goal of diversifying philanthropic spending by connecting foundations with overlooked businesses and simplifying the purchasing process for their staff. 

What makes you happy?
I am happiest when I am serving causes that uplift Black Americans, our families, and our businesses. I also find deep joy in naps, baking, and more recently, reading inspirational books. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.tequionbrookins.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_tequion/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tequionbrookinsdotcom/

Image Credits
Kelaine Photography