Meet Veronique Pierre: Mental Health Advocate & Mompreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Veronique Pierre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronique, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the most important factor behind my success is the mindset to never give up no matter what. There have been so many times and challenges where I doubted myself and out of fear, I just wanted to give up especially when things do not go as planned. Then I realized the magic ingredients are to have the right mindset, the right goal, and self-motivation. Perseverance is key! As a black female entrepreneur, launching my business in 2019 has been a challenge and still is. Learning, adapting, and evolving is imperative in this business or any other business nowadays. Yet I turned my true passion into helping others to be my self-motivator. It has always been a priority to me to help others who deal with mental illness and distress through words of encouragement, support, and mentorship. It isn’t about the money or the fame that I’m committed to but knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life means a lot to me. In addition, being able to stay on a certain path has helped me to see growth and opportunities available to me. In 2020, I was featured in Voyage MIA, awarded 100 Successful Women in Business, and made positive contributions to various community outreach activities and webinars such as feeding the homeless, provided PPE items to high schoolers, provided Christmas gift to both the nursing homes and Juvenile Detention Center for Girls, provided back-to-school supplies to students, and provided breakfast to COVID first respondents. I absolutely love what I do and am extremely passionate about helping others. Especially in a time like this, helping others during this difficult time has helped me with my emotional and financial well-being.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My latest business venture is my non-profit organization Roses without Thorns, Inc. What sets me apart from other non-profit organizations? I love roses and the name of my organization stands out. Roses act as a metaphor. A thorn symbolizes mental health and a rose without a thorn is an individual that is still is a rose and shouldn’t be defined by their mental health. How did I get to where I am today? As a single mother of 3 and a full-time employee, it is a struggle; however, it has always been a passion to work with the youth so I would volunteer at Freedoms Foundation & Silent Cries, Inc. during my free time where later on I discovered and created my very own nonprofit organization called Roses without Thorns, Inc. The organization is to empower teen girls living with mental illness and mental distress. The organization was birth out of my very own experience with depression and how I overcame it. I wanted to reach back and encourage young girls that we are all roses and your mental health does not define you. Because of this, I’m currently active in the community and plan to continue to learn more about mental illness and while my business continues to flourish.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This one is a hard one. I love art and nature. Plus, there are so many nice spots in Florida. However, if my best friend was to visit from out-of-town. I would start off with brunch at one of my favorite restaurants such as JMarks or Shooters. From that time I would show her the beach and soak up the sun. From there on I would want to relax because mommy has to get her Zs lol before heading out again for lunch or dinner. For dinner, I would probably take her to Houston’s by the intercoastal or Lique Restaurant for a nice juicy steak. Afterward, I would take a walk down either one of my favorite spots such as Wynwood Walls, Hardrock, Las Olas Blvd. to enjoy the mesmerizing views along with the beautiful artwork.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, definitely. My kids are my inspiration and my motivation to succeed. They are my #1 reason why I keep going. I love my kids dearly and I want to encourage them that it’s okay to cry, to rest, to relax, to pray, or even scream sometimes just don’t quit. Secondly, my cousin Tonais Extanys is my mentor and she also motivates me to keep going. She’s also a female black entrepreneur of a non-profit organization called Silent Cries, Inc for domestic violence. She inspires me to always put my best foot forward no matter what. My third support is my dear friend Nadine Pierre. She’s a realtor for Allison James Estates & Homes and a really good friend since Elementary School. She always surprises me with a nice gift, card, or text to brighten up my day. Her small gesture means a lot to me.

Website: https://www.roseswithoutthornsinc.org

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/roseswithoutthornsinc

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

Image Credits
CSL Photography LLC