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

31 snips

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.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

UGA Fandom

Ann Brooks became a Georgia Bulldogs fan while attending the University of Georgia.
She worked at a mall and would sneak away to watch Herschel Walker play.

ANECDOTE

Early Sports Love

Ann's love for sports originated from watching the Atlanta Braves on UHF television.
She would even sneak into the living room to watch West Coast games.

ANECDOTE

Childhood in Morrow

Ann grew up in Morrow, Georgia, in a lively neighborhood with her three sisters.
Her dad built a basketball court, hosted barbecues, and dressed as Santa.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

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.