Meet Taylor Thompkins of Brooklyn New York

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Thompkins.

Hi Taylor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For most of my life, I was told my symptoms were manageable — not that they were understandable.

Growing up, I struggled with extreme seasonal allergies — hives, eczema, inflammation — and every doctor’s visit ended with a prescription, never an explanation. I couldn’t find anyone to help me understand the patterns so, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

In 2020, I started experimenting with plant-based botanicals and shifting my diet. I began noticing connections between the seasons, my symptoms, what I consumed, and how I felt. That curiosity led me to Chinese Medicine — and for the first time, I had language for what my body had been trying to tell me.

I started sharing what I was learning with friends and loved ones — and watching the same things click for them. That’s really where Tay Care began. I became a certified holistic wellness coach to give that guidance a real foundation, helping people move from reactive wellness to something more intentional and sustainable.

And Tay Care has only grown from there. Most recently, that growth led to the Cadence Collection — a functional tea line rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and inspired by Ayurvedic seasonal philosophy, formulated around the body’s natural rhythms. Your skin, your sleep, your energy — they all run on a cycle. These blends are designed to work with that cycle, guiding you back to your innate rhythm.

At its core, Tay Care is the space I was looking for when I had no answers. A return to rhythm.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenge for me has been balance. There was a season where I was modeling full time, working every week, and barely sleeping. I was passionate about Tay Care but I was running on fumes trying to build something meaningful while honoring my other commitments. It was a lot to hold.

What shifted things for me was learning to lean on my community. I had to get comfortable asking for help and trusting the people around me to hold pieces of what I was building. That wasn’t easy — but it was necessary.

And honestly, that season of struggle taught me something that now lives at the heart of Tay Care — you cannot pour from an empty vessel. Rest is not a reward. It’s part of the work.

Now I’m in a different season entirely. I’ve been able to really focus on growing the brand, and one of the most fulfilling parts of this chapter has been connecting and collaborating with other purpose-driven business owners. People who are building with intention, not just ambition. That kind of community has made Tay Care stronger than I could have made it alone.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think of myself as a creative first — wellness just happens to be my medium.

Everything I build within Tay Care is an act of creation. The brand, the blends, the rituals, the visuals, the language — everything starts with intention, and then I find the form it wants to take. That’s the same instinct that drives my work as a model and actor. I’m always asking: what does this need to communicate, and how do I make someone feel it before they understand it?

I’m also a certified holistic wellness coach and a trained chef — and that combination is not accidental. Food is medicine. The way I understand flavor, technique, and nourishment directly informs how I formulate and teach. It all lives in the same ecosystem.

One of the ways that philosophy comes to life in community is through Tea Talk with Taylor — a workshop series I host that uses tea as an entry point into conversations about holistic wellness, seasonal living, and self-care. It’s intimate, accessible, and rooted in the belief that these conversations should happen everywhere — not just in wellness spaces.

Outside of Tay Care, I stay grounded through movement — biking, dancing, skating, Pilates, yoga. Being in my body has always been part of how I process and create. And community has been a throughline since childhood. I grew up in Washington DC and Maryland, spending time at the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA — spaces that shaped how I think about belonging, access, and care. They taught me early that wellness isn’t just personal, it’s communal. That’s why I volunteer at community centers today and why Tea Talk exists — to bring this work into spaces where it’s needed, not just spaces where it’s trendy.

What I’m most proud of is simply that it exists. I remember when Tay Care was just a thought. A feeling. Something I couldn’t fully articulate yet. Watching it become real — the brand, the blends, the coaching practice, the community — that’s everything. Growing up around people from so many different backgrounds also taught me that wellness looks different for everyone, and that diversity of perspective lives in everything I create.

What sets me apart goes beyond what I’ve built — it’s how I approach the building. I’m deeply driven by self-improvement. I’m always focused on showing up better than I did the day before. When I have a goal in mind, that standard doesn’t move. That drive is what took Tay Care from a thought to a reality — and it’s what keeps pushing it forward.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
The thing that surprises people most is the depth of study behind what I do.

Most people know me as a model through my social media — so when I mention that I’m also a certified holistic wellness coach trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, the surprise is always genuine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://taycare.co
• Instagram: Taycareco
• Other: https://substack.com/@taycare