President, SpeedPro Marietta
THE STORY: I was raised in a military family; I was born in San Bernardino, California, but grew up mainly in Austin, Texas. I graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos with a degree in business and began a career with Xerox Corporation right out of college. In my book, “Leadership Lessons from the HART,” I wrote about my path to becoming a business major and taking on a career in sales. This was not a typical career path for a young African American woman in the late 1970’s. After spending 35 years of my career with three Fortune 500 companies (Xerox, Dun & Bradstreet, and W.W. Grainger), I changed direction and became an entrepreneur. Along with my business partner, Karen Brown, we purchased the SpeedPro Marietta franchise here in Cobb County.
WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: It was by great fortune that I ended up in Cobb County. My office location with W.W. Grainger was in Marietta. Looking for a place to live, I researched Cobb County. The reputation it had with its schools and community was impressive. I fell in love with the Smyrna area where I purchased my first home. Most importantly, I was introduced to my church, Turner Chapel A.M.E. in Marietta, where I have been an active member for more than 15 years. Since becoming a business owner, I moved to Mableton where again I fell in love with my neighborhood.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I love the opportunity to interact with customers, working with them to get their jobs completed in a timely and high-quality manner. When we can meet a short turnaround time and see them breathe a sigh of relief, I am excited. I also love supporting the community. We have provided signage to many nonprofit and community organizations at a low cost — or in some cases, no cost to them. We also have provided opportunities for young adults to learn about the business with actual hands-on experience.
LEISURE TIME: I love to golf, even though I do not get to play as often as I like. Playing in charity golf events allows me to blend in some work and leisure at the same time. My real passion is spending time with friends and family. I love to entertain at home.
BEST ADVICE: I would say stay focused on your goals. I stepped out on faith when going into business for myself, and I am committed to our success. Do not get discouraged if things are not moving as quickly as you would like, adjust but stay the course.
WHAT’S NEXT? I have been focused on three goals all year: Run a 5K, complete my second book, and double the revenue at SpeedPro Marietta. I will celebrate my success on my 65th birthday, Dec. 8, 2020.
200 Cobb Parkway N, #130, Marietta, GA 30062 • 770.693.1767 • speedpro.com/marietta
