Meet Yvonne Michelle Toney | Creative and Owner and CEO of The Cotton Seed Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yvonne Michelle Toney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yvonne Michelle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was as a creative to be free in my creative thinking and allow my ideas to take flight. I had the pleasure of serving as an Operation Specialist in the United States Navy. I always excelled at corporate life in my regular day job but found myself daydreaming about all the creative things I have wanted to do since I was a child. Creativity has been a lifesaver for me since my daughter’s birth. In 2016 my daughter sustained a preventable hypoxic injury at the hospital while in the hospital being assessed. My daughter who now has multiple disabilities the been my biggest inspiration to the thought of being able to accomplish anything even when you are going through hard times.

Second I’ve always wanted to see other like-minded creatives be under one roof pursuing their passions.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Aside from owning a shop and the reason I started it was that I myself am creative. I have been creating since I was a small child. I always enjoy the thought of taking an idea and bringing it to fruition. I would describe my creativity as multi-dimensional. I create in many ways from using canvas, crystals, to wearable art, to furniture pieces, to ideas of creating spaces with an artistic appeal. I feel that I’m in an era where I’m trying so many new things and further challenging myself to create in a unique way that represents me and my love for unique things.

What sets me apart from others is I’m not afraid to try nee things that may not be trendy or cliche. I’m most proud about all the little accomplishments that I look back on and really see the growth every step of the way.

The lessons I learned along the way, is your vision is your vision and no one needs to see it but you. Keep persuing the unknown regardless if you can see the next step. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “You don’t need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”

I would like the world to know that The Cotton Seed is a Veteran Owned, Female, Black and Hispanic organization. I would also like people to know that this has been built through some of the toughest times in my life such as depression, anxiety and grief. I want to encourage others to hold on and find the people who are in front of you lighting your pathway.

I also would like others to know that aside from the shop, I’m looking to expand and work with other creatives and organizations to bring my creativity and ideas to the table.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spots I would recommend would be Chupacabra Puerto Rican Kitchen and Kathryn’s Place Juice Bar. Premil shoes and clothing as well as Undisputed Vintage. Just some of my favorite places created by dope ambitious people of color. I would also say to be on the lookout for a boutique called Nide Jardin. All of these places are in Downtown Aurora. If you are interested in theatre I would check out The Paramount Theatre which has new offerings all the time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I don’t know where to begin when it comes to the people who inspire me or deserve recognition. First I would like to thank all of the creatives that have shared space in The Cotton Seed. Them being there shows their support for me and the shop. Second my husband Stephen and my family for allowing me to dream and offering me a tremendous amount of support throughout this whole process and evolution. But I must give all praises to the almighty God and the Universe for being with me constantly.

Second everyone who believed in me and gave me the gas I needed to continue. A special shoutout to the Downtown Aurora Manager Marissa Amoni who has been very supportive of The Cotton Seed since the moment she heard about it. I can’t thank her enough for her support. I also would like to thank The City of Aurora for always reminding me how important I am as a Veteran business owner in their city.

Lastly, I would like to thank positive people who see value in what I do and what I’m trying to achieve. One person is Lisane Basquiat of Shaping Freedom who had me on her podcast and through that conversation, I became even more healed and ready to continue to pursue my dreams. I also had the pleasure of attending the closing of her brother’s exhibition “Basquiat King Pleasure in NY December 2022. I was personally invited by her and in that moment I felt someone really believed in me.

Website: www.thecottonseedex.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecottonseedcreative/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-toney-thompson-55964a46/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecottonseedex

Other: Link Tree https://linktr.ee/yvonnemichelle?fbclid=PAAaatjEFeh1YhCIUuMLIex9N0RqeXX7fYvFmEje89b7d2kptktxFunyhpM5M

Image Credits
Photo Credit for 3 pictures Tito Garcia he other one I took