Good Work with Barrett Brooks

Mom: Ann Brooks on What They Don’t Teach You in Business School

Feb 11, 2025

Ann Brooks, a seasoned expert with nearly 40 years in sales and leadership, shares invaluable insights on navigating the corporate world. She discusses building high-performing teams and the balance between support and accountability. Ann reflects on her early career at Xerox and the challenges of being a primary breadwinner in a male-dominated environment. Personal stories filled with humor and resilience emphasize the importance of cultural identity, hard work, and leading with integrity in both life and business.

01:50:27

Episode guests

Ann Brooks

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The importance of customer care and transparent communication is emphasized as a vital strategy for building long-term business relationships.

Family influence, especially from a maternal figure, plays a crucial role in shaping work ethics and leadership philosophies.

A strong sense of teamwork and engagement within a family fosters values of hard work, dedication, and resilience in professional pursuits.

Transitioning into entrepreneurship highlights the need for nurturing customer relationships while creating a supportive workplace culture.

Deep dives

The Importance of Client Care

Taking care of customers is emphasized as a cornerstone for building loyalty in business. Regular client reviews and transparent communication about investments and cash flow are crucial for fostering trust. This hands-on approach leads to a depth of loyalty from clients, demonstrating that attentive service can significantly enhance business relationships. The speaker underlines the success of this method as a repeatable process that yields long-term benefits.

Intro

3min

From Childhood Roots to Bulldog Pride

7min

Growing Up: Family Influence and Resilience

15min

Generational Shifts: Work and Heritage

13min

Language, Identity, and Sales Growth

7min

An Unexpected Encounter in a Bar's Spotlight

2min

Navigating Career and Family Transitions

22min

Influences of Family Dynamics on Professional Excellence

2min

Navigating Corporate Challenges: A Woman's Journey

15min

10.

The Balance of Support and Accountability in Team Building

2min

11.

Navigating Life After the Sale

4min

12.

Cultivating Consistency and Connection

18min

This week, I sit down with someone who’s had an enormous impact on my life—my mom, Ann Brooks. She’s built an exceptional career spanning nearly 40 years in sales, leadership, and entrepreneurship, working for Xerox, Haworth, and Allstate before becoming a financial advisor. As the primary breadwinner for our family, she’s learned what it takes to manage high-performing teams, create scalable systems, and lead with integrity. Beyond business, this conversation is personal. My mom taught me some of the most valuable lessons I use every day—how to build teams, how to sell in a way that feels good for everyone, and how to lead with character. If you’ve ever wondered where my mindset on work and leadership comes from, this episode is a window into that foundation. Whether you call her Ann or Mom, I think you’ll learn something from her story. Let’s get to it!

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro
(03:29) - How Ann became a Georgia Bulldogs fan
(08:49) - Growing up in Georgia
(10:26) - Family dynamics and sports
(15:47) - Cultural heritage and identity
(22:25) - On working very early in life
(23:49) - Key learnings from Ann's early career
(25:11) - The value of hard work early in life
(28:46) - How Ann ended up working at Xerox
(32:46) - Cultural identity as an immigrant
(41:30) - The hard truth about sales
(43:13) - How Ann and her husband met and the importance of their partnership
(46:52) - The transition to Hayworth
(48:47) - Managing teams and building relationships
(52:58) - Balancing family and career
(57:44) - Navigating a male-dominated industry
(01:03:41) - Ann's philosophy on bringing a team together
(01:08:09) - On standards of excellence
(01:16:05) - Evaluating the real cost of opportunities
(01:19:48) - Embracing entrepreneurship
(01:21:56) - The first day at the new agency
(01:24:09) - How Ann changed the trajectory of her business
(01:27:47) - Selling the business
(01:35:55) - Working on a business vs working in the business
(01:38:46) - What drew Ann to the financial industry
(01:42:58) - Where excellence and joy meet
(01:44:55) - Ann's beautiful future
(01:46:28) - Who Ann is becoming

Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.

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Good Work with Barrett Brooks

Mom: Ann Brooks on What They Don’t Teach You in Business School

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Client Care

Influence of Family on Career

Memories of Growing Up

Career Challenges and Transitions

Culture of Team Building

Embracing Entrepreneurship

Navigating Life Changes

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
moment

Share
& Export

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Good Work with Barrett Brooks

Mom: Ann Brooks on What They Don’t Teach You in Business School

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Client Care

Influence of Family on Career

Memories of Growing Up

Career Challenges and Transitions

Culture of Team Building

Embracing Entrepreneurship

Navigating Life Changes

Get the Snipdpodcast app

AI-poweredpodcast player

Discoverhighlights

Save anymoment

Share& Export

AI-poweredpodcast player

Discoverhighlights

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

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highlights

Save any
moment

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