Building Impactful Relationships w. Brooke Wheeler - HigherHer Ep 19

[00:00:05] Welcome to the HigherHer Podcast by Talent Collective, presenting conversations with inspiring women in talent. And get ready ladies, because this is the last time you're going to hear a man's voice on this show.

[00:00:18] Hi everyone and welcome to today's episode of HigherHer, a podcast put on by Talent Collective. And if you aren't familiar with Talent Collective, we are a community for women in the recruiting space and we bring on amazing women in talent acquisition.

[00:00:34] And find out all about them and who they are and all of their best practices on this show. So we're really, really excited today to have Brooke Wheeler on with us.

[00:00:46] Before introing Brooke, I wanted to introduce myself, Krista Tan, one of the co-founders of Talent Collective, and my lovely co-founder Natalie Stones here.

[00:00:57] Hello, hello.

[00:00:58] So we are excited to be here today with Brooke. Brooke has been in the world of talent acquisition literally since she was a child because there's no way she could be in TA for over 25 years at her age.

[00:01:11] So just want to say welcome to you Brooke. We got introduced to Brooke a few months ago at Wreckfest I think first and then our Atlanta chapter launch.

[00:01:23] And she's been just an amazing member of the Talent Collective community.

[00:01:27] So as I mentioned, Brooke has been in TA for many, many years since she was just a little tiny baby.

[00:01:33] And now she's actually founder of her own firm called Restoration Talent Solutions.

[00:01:40] And she helps advise companies in the technology space and data analytics.

[00:01:46] But I'll pass it over to her and let her tell her story.

[00:01:49] So Brooke, share with us about your recruiting journey and how you got to where you are today and a little bit about your company that you founded as well.

[00:01:57] We will. Thank you so much. I feel like I should have gotten Botox with that intro, like just to make myself look a little younger today.

[00:02:04] But it's so good to be with you guys. I think I've won the golden ticket of the day to have you both together.

[00:02:10] So it's great to be here with you.

[00:02:13] Yeah, so I did. I like every other recruiter. I fell into recruiting straight out of college.

[00:02:18] I was living in Athens as a bartender, Athens, Georgia, which is maybe my favorite job ever.

[00:02:25] I thought you were going to be great.

[00:02:27] No, no, no, not that cool. But Athens, Georgia was super cool.

[00:02:30] And I needed to, you know, of course, I was like, it's time to get a real job.

[00:02:34] And so I moved to Atlanta and there was a legal recruiting company that was hiring folks just like me, you know, straight out of college to cold call attorneys all over the country.

[00:02:43] So that's really where I got my start, where I learned how to pick up a phone and literally smile and dial every day, all day.

[00:02:51] And so I liked it. I just I knew that that was in, you know, kind of had found my niche.

[00:02:57] And I moved through a couple of agencies. I did legal for a while, attorneys, paralegals.

[00:03:03] And then I moved into an RPO, which was really cool also.

[00:03:07] But again, just learning how to find a needle in a haystack, literally.

[00:03:13] So we were recruiting for Home Depot, which was fun.

[00:03:16] We had Kroger stores and like find their manager.

[00:03:20] So some of the tricks I was like, I don't know if I really feel good about this, but I'm going to I'm going to find these people.

[00:03:27] But through that that role, that RPO role, I met some incredible people.

[00:03:33] I met a great HR director who six months later called me and was like, I have a job in a corporation.

[00:03:40] We're looking for an in-house recruiter. You know, can we do you want to do that?

[00:03:44] And, you know, jumped at the chance because I really felt like that's where my personality fit a little bit more.

[00:03:51] It's kind of those long term relationships and being able to advise people and partner with people.

[00:03:55] So I've gone I went went corporate and that's kind of been my niche and where I really thrive over the years.

[00:04:04] Amazing. Well, thank you. And then tell us about starting your own firm.

[00:04:08] Yeah. Well, you know, I know you're looking for like some great inspiration.

[00:04:13] I've always wanted to do this, but I've been on the job market this year.

[00:04:17] My last role was it was my favorite.

[00:04:20] One of my favorite jobs ever building a recruiting department for a growing fintech firm.

[00:04:25] And we grew it, but we were sold and the new owners just have gone in a different direction.

[00:04:30] So they didn't need recruiting.

[00:04:33] And so this year, it's just, you know what the job market is this year.

[00:04:37] There are a lot of recruiters and a lot of heads of recruiting on the market for very few jobs.

[00:04:42] So, you know, we're praying that the market turns.

[00:04:45] But it's been an incredible year.

[00:04:48] Of course, there's plenty of yucky things we could say.

[00:04:51] But I've learned so much, of course, about myself through this.

[00:04:54] I've met more people like you guys through networking that I wasn't doing.

[00:04:59] I wasn't doing any networking when I was, you know, in my job and perfectly safe in my roles.

[00:05:04] So it's really made me one.

[00:05:08] You probably know this already, but I'm an extrovert.

[00:05:12] But I thought I was borderline.

[00:05:14] I know I'm like, oh, my God, I need people.

[00:05:16] Yeah, right.

[00:05:17] I really spent this year just networking, meeting people, going to coffee.

[00:05:22] And I mean, truly hustling.

[00:05:24] And unfortunately, there's nothing at the end as a reward for that job.

[00:05:29] So I finally just looked at my husband.

[00:05:31] It was literally in one weekend.

[00:05:33] I was like, why?

[00:05:34] If I'm going to hustle this hard, let's just do it.

[00:05:36] I'm going to do it for myself.

[00:05:38] And I'm going to open up my own company.

[00:05:40] And I did name it Restoration Talent Solutions, which probably is a little more personal than

[00:05:46] it is business-wise.

[00:05:47] But that word means a lot to me this year.

[00:05:51] And he and I built my website in a weekend.

[00:05:53] He's in IT and technology.

[00:05:55] So that was his job.

[00:05:56] Nice.

[00:05:57] He actually was better at the designing and marketing than me.

[00:06:00] I was like, I think you might have missed your calling too.

[00:06:03] So yeah.

[00:06:05] And so that's where I'm moving my efforts, if you will, right now.

[00:06:12] But looking if the right thing comes along for a full-time head of talent.

[00:06:17] We'll see what the world brings me.

[00:06:21] If you work hard enough, it will come, right?

[00:06:23] That's what they say.

[00:06:25] Exactly.

[00:06:25] Yes.

[00:06:26] If you build it, they will come.

[00:06:28] And I agree with you.

[00:06:29] I mean, just what you were saying about starting your own thing and the amount of networking

[00:06:34] and getting yourself out there.

[00:06:36] Like, I never knew this huge world existed beyond my little fear in the world.

[00:06:43] And it's been so fun.

[00:06:45] And like you said, networking and not just networking, just to meet people, right?

[00:06:49] But like actually building really impactful relationships.

[00:06:52] I mean, what you guys have built is right there.

[00:06:54] And the most incredible thing I told you, I know I've told both of you when I met you,

[00:06:59] like what you have created with Talent Collective.

[00:07:02] I'm like, this is what I've needed my entire career.

[00:07:04] So thank you for bringing that to us.

[00:07:07] Of course.

[00:07:08] Of course.

[00:07:08] Well, are you open to sharing more about the name of your firm, that restoration piece and

[00:07:15] what that means to you?

[00:07:17] Sure.

[00:07:17] Of course.

[00:07:18] I mean, it was, there was a lot of chat GBT on like, what should I name my company?

[00:07:23] And, you know, there was some, I kind of, you know, chat GBT knows me better than I know

[00:07:27] myself at this point.

[00:07:28] And I had put in a lot of things because one, I hope a compliment that a lot of my leaders

[00:07:35] have given me over my career is that you bring the calm to ridiculous, you know, we see so many

[00:07:42] ridiculous situations in recruiting and HR and you bring the calm to that.

[00:07:45] So I was kind of trying to play on that a little bit and nothing was quite resonating.

[00:07:50] I was like, that's cheesy.

[00:07:51] And I just literally was on a walk one day and the name came to me.

[00:07:56] But I think this year I've looked at, you know, I had a conversation with a good friend, Anna

[00:08:02] Morgan, and we were talking about as recruiters, we are so good at branding our companies or

[00:08:08] branding who we're working for.

[00:08:10] And we're not so great at branding ourselves.

[00:08:13] And, you know, of course, this moves into the whole like women and confidence and imposter

[00:08:18] syndrome.

[00:08:18] But I've spent this year just really trying to figure out like, who am I as, because I

[00:08:24] now have to sell myself in a way.

[00:08:26] And who is that?

[00:08:27] And what are, what's my magic sauce?

[00:08:30] And my, you know, what is it?

[00:08:31] Circle of genius or something of genius.

[00:08:34] And so I think that's really kind of where I've gone this year is like, what is restoring

[00:08:40] my sense of confidence, sense of self feel like?

[00:08:43] And I know that I have a lot to add and a lot of value to give.

[00:08:47] And I think that companies are going to resonate with that.

[00:08:49] But certainly it does, you know, speak to what I want to do for a company than what I love

[00:08:54] doing, which is building processes and rebuilding organizations that maybe have become stagnant

[00:09:00] and gotten, you know, kind of outdated in their recruiting and what they're looking at.

[00:09:05] So.

[00:09:06] Awesome.

[00:09:07] Well, thanks for sharing.

[00:09:07] I just have one more question.

[00:09:09] I'm stealing, stealing the mic over here, but I'm like, I have all these curiosities.

[00:09:14] Um, so I know that you Brooke have, um, attended, I think a couple of the like, um, entrepreneurs

[00:09:22] mastermind groups.

[00:09:24] I'm curious, um, like how have those helped you, you know, have you, you know, had any

[00:09:30] nuggets, any takeaways, have you made any other connections through talent collective of women

[00:09:35] that like, maybe you're working on roles with or other business partnerships?

[00:09:38] Like what are, you know, I, I'm more curious of anyone listening to this, like,

[00:09:43] what are some things that maybe have worked for you, you know, in this first year of building

[00:09:47] your business that have helped you get some traction in, in starting your own thing?

[00:09:52] Yeah.

[00:09:53] Well, and I've done a couple of things.

[00:09:55] I've, I've been a part of your entrepreneurial group, which is amazing.

[00:09:58] And then I also had a couple of mentor meetings, um, that you guys are so generous to, to do.

[00:10:05] And that's, that's the word that just keeps resonating is generosity.

[00:10:09] Um, there are several people who have started their business and they're about a year

[00:10:13] ahead of me.

[00:10:14] Um, you know, I, I know I'm not alone in opening a fractional company this year.

[00:10:19] And, um, Natalie was one of those people that I was able to speak with even, and that's

[00:10:23] how I heard about you guys.

[00:10:24] Um, and people have just been so generous with, oh, this is the, these are the tools that

[00:10:30] I use.

[00:10:31] This is the billing system that I use.

[00:10:33] This is how I go about and do my sales because that's, you know, although we sort of are

[00:10:37] sellers as, as recruiters, we've never, I don't know.

[00:10:41] I had to Google how to do an LLC and things like that, of course.

[00:10:44] Um, so I think a lot of the tips have been one, you really do need to get pretty clear on

[00:10:51] your marketing message and your niche, not to be like an expert marketer, but you know,

[00:10:56] what is it?

[00:10:56] Like I said, like, what is it my secret sauce that only Brooke can bring to the table?

[00:11:00] And so many people have said that to me, you know, really that's kind of where to focus

[00:11:06] your, your efforts.

[00:11:07] And then what is the problem that you want to solve?

[00:11:11] Because it's easy for us, or at least for me to be like, oh, I can do everything.

[00:11:16] It's like, but what is, what everyone can do everything if you've been raised in this

[00:11:20] recruiting world, so to speak.

[00:11:22] But what is it about me that's really going to make a client go, I need Brooke over Natalie,

[00:11:28] over Krista.

[00:11:28] No offense.

[00:11:30] Yeah, that's great.

[00:11:32] Thanks.

[00:11:33] Um, I, I'm just, I'm remembering back to the conversation that we had when you were interested

[00:11:39] in fractional and, um, you know, now you using the word restoration, like I just sometimes

[00:11:47] sit and wonder, not that the market that we want it to be this way, but is this time where

[00:11:55] there's such a lull in recruiters being able to find the right opportunities?

[00:11:59] Like, is there some sort of optimistic thing on the other side?

[00:12:03] Yeah.

[00:12:03] And what I mean by that is so many people have ended up having to reinvent themselves and

[00:12:09] really look at all the other skills and attributes that they have as individuals and create something

[00:12:16] around their craft and their zones of genius.

[00:12:19] Like maybe recruiting will never be the way it used to be.

[00:12:24] I don't know it's not going to be the way it used to be anymore, but even for myself, right?

[00:12:29] Like I was full cycle head of town up until, you know, my second or third layoff, um, before

[00:12:36] starting talent refinery and talent collective.

[00:12:40] And now I'm like full blown events and marketing for a talent collective.

[00:12:46] And I, I have had an opportunity to tap into the other side of my brain that like, if I

[00:12:52] never sat back in a recruiting seat or never had the opportunity, I know I could probably

[00:12:57] now have a career in events marketing.

[00:12:59] And so I've just like completely reinvented myself by using those transferable skills.

[00:13:04] So anyways, my point to that is like, I'm super excited for you because you're being

[00:13:09] put in this position where you're going to like learn more about yourself and all these

[00:13:14] other things that you're exceptional at that you can bring value to in other ways that might

[00:13:20] not just like running search.

[00:13:22] Yeah.

[00:13:23] No, I appreciate that.

[00:13:24] And, and I think you're right.

[00:13:25] You know, we, we just get in these roles, corporate agency, wherever you're in a job.

[00:13:30] And I mean, not that I'm going to turn down a job, but I still want a job.

[00:13:34] We have needed those, but, and you just get laser focused on what you're doing and you,

[00:13:39] you forget that there's a whole other life out there.

[00:13:43] So yeah, I'm, I'm, some days are better than others when I'm appreciating this year.

[00:13:48] Um, you know, and I have my, my pity party days or my, you know, I'm never going to work

[00:13:53] again days, but, um, it's really been a blessing and not even in disguise, like a blessing

[00:13:59] that I know I've been given.

[00:14:01] That's awesome.

[00:14:02] So let's think back to early career or maybe it wasn't early on, but who would you say elevated

[00:14:11] you in your recruiting career?

[00:14:14] Whether it was early on or.

[00:14:15] Well, you know, I have four people, but let's narrow it down because yeah, I mentioned there's

[00:14:23] one person specifically.

[00:14:25] There are two people, sorry, rambling.

[00:14:27] Um, two people that I've worked with in three jobs in my career and it's very intentional because

[00:14:33] those are the people that I know are, they have my back.

[00:14:39] I know that they're like, well, one of them has been my boss and one was a coworker, but

[00:14:44] she, she and I are completely opposite, which is why we work perfectly together.

[00:14:48] But I'll, I'll talk about Mayrov who is, um, has been my HR leader three times very purposefully.

[00:14:56] And I mentioned her earlier, the person that I interviewed for an HR director job at the

[00:15:01] company I was working at.

[00:15:03] And thank God she didn't get it because we just got to know each other so well during the

[00:15:08] recruiting process.

[00:15:10] I had to do like this three hour behavioral interview.

[00:15:12] It was kind of a crazy hiring process.

[00:15:14] I wish I had more guidance to have given that later, but, um, so we got to know one another

[00:15:20] really well.

[00:15:21] And so when she landed somewhere else, she literally called me.

[00:15:23] She was like, we didn't follow each other on LinkedIn.

[00:15:26] She's like, I haven't seen your resume.

[00:15:27] I just really like you.

[00:15:28] Do you want to come do this with me?

[00:15:29] And so we worked together to upgrade a, um, an engineering company who had just old, outdated

[00:15:37] recruiting processes.

[00:15:38] And then, um, same thing with Merchant E.

[00:15:42] She called me and was like, let me tell you what I'm about to go do.

[00:15:44] Come and do this with me.

[00:15:45] And then now I'm working with her, um, in my fractional business.

[00:15:49] Oh, good.

[00:15:50] But the reason I guess how she's helped me elevate my career is anytime I was like, I don't

[00:15:57] think I need to go to that meeting or I'm not sure I'm the one that needs to talk about

[00:16:01] that.

[00:16:02] She's like, you're the expert.

[00:16:03] I hired you to be the expert.

[00:16:06] And just, she's always the person to say, like, don't doubt yourself.

[00:16:11] Um, because, all right, I'm going to get a little choked up here.

[00:16:16] You know, we all have imposter syndrome.

[00:16:19] What's never a secret, unfortunately.

[00:16:22] And, um, it's important for us to have people that just remind us that we're badass.

[00:16:29] Because most of the time I have a tendency to forget it for myself and need someone behind

[00:16:34] you to empower you and to remind you, like, you can do this.

[00:16:37] You have the expertise.

[00:16:39] This is what you're known for.

[00:16:40] So just go and be that person.

[00:16:42] Um, so I've just, I can't tell you enough how much she's done for my career, but really

[00:16:47] more for my like emotional wellbeing.

[00:16:50] Uh, wellbeing.

[00:16:50] I'm like, I know I can do it.

[00:16:52] I just need someone to tell me that I can do it.

[00:16:54] Hmm.

[00:16:55] Love that story.

[00:16:56] Thanks for sharing.

[00:16:56] It's so important to have those, those mentors and those guides and look, that relationship

[00:17:01] has, you know, followed you and you've followed her, you know, this, this whole time over the

[00:17:07] years, which is just such a nice story.

[00:17:09] I was thinking about as you're talking, um, again, just like it all going back to relationships.

[00:17:14] And if you're not building relationships along the way, like then you're just starting cold,

[00:17:20] right?

[00:17:20] Like everything you're starting cold and you broke in building your own business.

[00:17:25] Like you already had a client built in, ready to go.

[00:17:28] Like she had a need, she was going to come to you.

[00:17:31] There was no question about it.

[00:17:32] Right.

[00:17:32] I know.

[00:17:32] It was interesting.

[00:17:33] Like my, my imposter syndrome was like, Oh, you can't get a client unless it's like

[00:17:37] a friend of yours.

[00:17:38] I'm like, no, she's your friend because that's why it's set up that way.

[00:17:42] And that's when we're, you know, people who are moving into a job search right now, like

[00:17:47] the very first people you need to call are the people who know you and can speak for

[00:17:52] you and speak about you.

[00:17:53] Um, because you don't have to reprove yourself to them.

[00:17:57] I mean, we always kind of do, but you know what I mean?

[00:17:59] Well, right.

[00:18:00] You're bringing, you're bringing that history of all the work that you've done already

[00:18:05] and, and continuing to.

[00:18:08] As hard as you have.

[00:18:09] So, um, so let's talk a little bit more about women in leadership.

[00:18:14] We, we talk a lot about this on the show, um, like just different qualities that you

[00:18:19] think that, you know, are really essential in women leaders.

[00:18:23] And maybe you refer back to, you know, this woman that you've worked with.

[00:18:27] Um, but what do you think are the most important qualities in women who are in leadership roles?

[00:18:32] Yeah, that's, it's such a good question.

[00:18:34] And I am always going to advocate for using the qualities that are just innate, innate,

[00:18:41] amazing, natural female qualities.

[00:18:44] And I don't mean, you know, we can look at that 8 million ways, but I just, we, I, at

[00:18:49] least naturally, I'm just probably a little more emotionally intelligent.

[00:18:54] I like that women are so resilient.

[00:18:58] Every woman I know just, we're a get stuff done.

[00:19:02] Can we cuss on here?

[00:19:04] Almost is right.

[00:19:05] Yeah.

[00:19:05] Girl.

[00:19:06] We just get shit done, you know?

[00:19:09] And it's, that is, I think the most resilient thing about women.

[00:19:13] And there are so many like quote unquote, and I hope you guys know, I'm taking, there's

[00:19:18] always a caveat, but, um, assertiveness that are more masculine, um, and not, what, sorry,

[00:19:28] I'm losing my thesaurus right now.

[00:19:31] But I mean, if we talked about imposter syndrome, sometimes just plain out confidence isn't always

[00:19:36] a classic female trait.

[00:19:38] I love those women.

[00:19:39] I have so many women in my life that have that, like, I don't care.

[00:19:43] I'm going to be, you know, I know I'm amazing and I'm going to work it.

[00:19:47] And I'm just not that person all the time.

[00:19:49] So I need that sort of board of directors around me to remind me, like, you can do this.

[00:19:55] Um, sorry, I got a little timeout.

[00:20:00] Sorry.

[00:20:00] I got a little like circle on that.

[00:20:02] We might need to, um, edit that out.

[00:20:05] Okay.

[00:20:06] I didn't make my point as well as I wanted to.

[00:20:10] Yeah.

[00:20:10] No worries.

[00:20:11] We, um, have a lot of, uh, what are they called?

[00:20:14] Bloopers.

[00:20:14] Bloopers on the show.

[00:20:16] Yeah.

[00:20:16] That's talking in circles and never making a point.

[00:20:20] Maybe Ben can find the right way to lead into this question, which is, um, when you think

[00:20:27] about the qualities of, you know, essential women leadership, what strategies have you

[00:20:33] done yourself or that you've seen really successful women in leadership do to advocate for themselves,

[00:20:40] um, in those leadership positions?

[00:20:42] For example, I heard you mention, you know, tapping into like board of advisors or mentor

[00:20:49] things like that.

[00:20:50] Absolutely.

[00:20:51] Um, I think the, the word, if I ever got a tattoo, just say something like speak up

[00:20:56] or use your voice.

[00:20:57] And, um, I think that's something that as women, it's just a trait that we need to practice

[00:21:04] and get that muscle memory, uh, so that we can trust in ourselves.

[00:21:08] And through, I think I've always been the first person to raise my hand to say, yes, I want

[00:21:13] to be a part of this women's group.

[00:21:15] Um, I worked at an organization that had a huge, it was called women connected.

[00:21:19] Um, we probably had 400 people that would show up on a monthly basis and we would have

[00:21:24] speakers or, um, you know, one time we had an entire year where we worked on, um, I think

[00:21:30] it was some of the Brene Brown work on just confidence.

[00:21:33] Um, so I am always an advocate for filling your mind with motivational podcasts like this, um,

[00:21:43] filling your, um, your space with other mentors, going to networking events.

[00:21:49] Um, I just think we, if we can't, don't always walk out the door with confidence.

[00:21:54] We can borrow it from other people.

[00:21:56] Um, and so that's where that, that board of advisors comes from.

[00:22:00] Um, I have one, it's not, of course, as formal as that, but I know who to call when I need

[00:22:06] someone to say, why are you not taking that job?

[00:22:09] I'm like, because I might not can do it.

[00:22:11] Yes, you can.

[00:22:12] Like, um, and the, the, uh, I'm always the person that's like, yeah, let's have a book

[00:22:19] club and let's do so.

[00:22:20] Um, I'm just always going to be an advocate for pulling people together in that way.

[00:22:24] Hmm.

[00:22:25] Love that.

[00:22:26] Um, I love the, what you mentioned about the Brene Brown, um, kind of concept.

[00:22:32] We have a new talent collective book club and that would be kind of a good one to bring into

[00:22:37] our, any of her work.

[00:22:39] I think we did probably the daring greatly, which is great.

[00:22:43] Um, but yeah, that's a good one.

[00:22:45] Um, one last question just off the cuff here.

[00:22:48] Um, we always like to share with the audience or allow our guests to share with the audience

[00:22:54] something really vulnerable, right?

[00:22:56] Like not only are we trying to share inspiring stories of women that we've met along our journey,

[00:23:03] but all of us have some sort of vulnerable moment, right?

[00:23:08] Like mine would be getting laid off with a three month old.

[00:23:12] Like that was probably the lowest part of my life ever, but I'm sure there's someone else

[00:23:16] out there that could really benefit from that.

[00:23:18] Um, so I would love to hear if there's anything that you're comfortable hearing that might work.

[00:23:25] Well, I feel like that's been this entire, um, conversation.

[00:23:29] So, um, I, you know, I mentioned, I said that tattoo needs to say, speak up.

[00:23:35] You've been unfortunately way too many times where, and I'll, I'll say it other women,

[00:23:43] I've put other women's, not necessarily bullying, but just, um, God, the thesaurus is not working.

[00:23:54] Um, opinion of me, I changed my opinion of myself.

[00:24:00] And unfortunately they've been my boss or my leader, not my awesome, they're off.

[00:24:05] She would never do that.

[00:24:06] But, um, and I wish that I had the courage to say like, screw off here.

[00:24:14] Like I'm awesome.

[00:24:16] These people at least think that I am 99% of the rest of this company think that I am.

[00:24:22] And I don't understand why.

[00:24:24] And well, I do not understand.

[00:24:25] She's lay out of fear and whatnot on their end and not ours.

[00:24:29] But I just wish that I, that's the advice I would give to my younger self, like sneak up.

[00:24:35] Um, and just don't let anyone steal your, what you know about yourself.

[00:24:41] Yeah.

[00:24:42] Love that.

[00:24:43] You know what you might find interesting, um, through this journey of like starting your

[00:24:49] fractional business and becoming a founder.

[00:24:51] I constantly would tell Krista that, um, there's many times in my career where I felt the imposter

[00:24:58] syndrome, um, especially with women leaders.

[00:25:01] Like I just have this really hard time working with women leaders, except for Krista.

[00:25:05] This is the only person that I've never, but now that I'm a founder of running my own thing,

[00:25:10] like none of that ever comes up for me ever again.

[00:25:14] Right.

[00:25:14] Like, I think it's because this is my vision.

[00:25:17] This is my passion.

[00:25:18] People can take it or leave it.

[00:25:20] Like I'm doing something that I'm super excited about and the people that are equally excited

[00:25:25] about it will come on board, but you might find that through your own fractional journey.

[00:25:31] Um, and I know eventually you want a full-time role, but you're going to learn so much about

[00:25:35] yourself through this process.

[00:25:37] And you're going to find possibly that you're like, I don't care what people think of me.

[00:25:42] Like this is survive to thrive, et cetera.

[00:25:45] Um, in your journey as a founder.

[00:25:48] So I hope some of that might melt away.

[00:25:52] I know, I know.

[00:25:53] And it is, it's, it's that keep, keep that muscle, um, practice and keep strengthening

[00:25:58] that muscle.

[00:26:00] And what I really want is for my business to, to thrive.

[00:26:03] Yeah.

[00:26:04] But we'll see what life has in store for me.

[00:26:07] Yes.

[00:26:08] Yes.

[00:26:09] Well, Brooke, thank you for joining us today.

[00:26:11] We're reaching the end of our time.

[00:26:14] Um, wish we could spend more time with you, but I'm sure it will be in person sometime

[00:26:18] very soon.

[00:26:19] Um, but we appreciate you coming on, sharing your story.

[00:26:23] Best of luck with your business.

[00:26:24] I know that, you know, hopefully talent collective could be a great resource for you.

[00:26:29] Um, to those in the audience, thank you for tuning in.

[00:26:32] Be sure to like and share this episode.

[00:26:35] You can also find us on, um, YouTube, all of your typical podcast channels.

[00:26:40] So please, um, give us a follow.

[00:26:42] TikTok too.

[00:26:44] Oh yes.

[00:26:50] All of our typical social pages, podcasts channels.

[00:26:54] If that's what you call them, I don't know.

[00:26:56] But anyways, follow us, like us, share.

[00:26:58] And until next time, we'll see you soon.

[00:27:01] All right.

[00:27:01] Bye-bye.

[00:27:02] Bye you guys.

[00:27:02] Bye.

[00:27:03] Bye.

[00:27:03] Bye.