Leading Ladies - TeQuion Brookins

Summary

In this episode of the Leading Ladies podcast, host Susie Seagull interviews Taquan Brookens, a double alumnus of Walsh College with an MBA and Masters of Science in Finance. Taquan shares her journey from a STEM undergraduate background to her passion for business and leadership. She discusses her work experience at McGregor Fund, which sparked her interest in philanthropy and led to her starting a public foundation aimed at increasing diversity in the nonprofit sector. The conversation highlights the importance of aligning personal values with professional missions and the role of business acumen in the nonprofit world. Taquan also talks about her entrepreneurial ventures, including her involvement in the upcoming NFL draft activities in Detroit through her new venture, Motor City Mimosa. The discussion emphasizes the significance of networking, mentorship, and the impact of servant leadership in achieving success and making a difference in the community.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Taquan Brookens is a double alumnus of Walsh College with an MBA and Masters of Science in Finance, following a family tradition of attending the college.
• 🚀 Taquan's career journey began with a STEM undergraduate background, which led to a pursuit of business knowledge to become a well-rounded leader.
• 💼 Early work experience at Flagstar headquarters and McGregor fund exposed Taquan to the business world and philanthropy, respectively, opening doors to new opportunities.
• 🏆 Taquan's leadership role at McGregor fund ignited a passion for diversity in the nonprofit sector, leading to the creation of a public foundation aimed at educating and building a pipeline of black and brown talent in philanthropy.
• 💡 The term 'Philanthropreneur' is used by Taquan to describe the integration of entrepreneurial spirit with philanthropic endeavors.
• 🌟 Walsh College's flexible and hybrid learning models were praised for allowing students to work while pursuing their degrees, a path Taquan also took to advance in her career.
• 📈 Taquan emphasizes the importance of business acumen in the nonprofit sector, highlighting the necessity of financial management for mission sustainability.
• 🧘‍♀️ Personal alignment with an organization's mission is critical for professional fulfillment and growth, according to Taquan's experience and advice.
• 🤝 The power of networking and surrounding oneself with a supportive tribe is a key theme in Taquan's professional journey, with a focus on being a 'relationship broker' rather than engaging in 'toxic networking'.
• 🏛 Taquan's entrepreneurial ventures, including the launch of Motor City Mimosa, are influenced by her business education and her commitment to community and philanthropy.
• ✊ Handling adversity with integrity and compassion, as well as leading with empathy, are key components of Taquan's leadership style.

Q & A

What educational background does Taquan Brookens have?

Taquan Brookens is a double Walsh College alum with an MBA and a Master of Science in Finance.

What was Taquan's initial motivation for pursuing a business degree?

Taquan pursued a business degree to understand how the business world works, as they initially focused on STEM during their undergrad.

How did Taquan's work at the McGregor Fund influence their career?

Working at the McGregor Fund introduced Taquan to philanthropy and inspired them to start their own public foundation to increase diversity in the nonprofit sector.

What is the term 'Philanthropreneur' and how does it apply to Taquan's work?

The term 'Philanthropreneur' refers to an entrepreneur who is engaged in philanthropic activities. Taquan uses this term to describe their approach, where their entrepreneurial endeavors are rooted in philanthropy.

How does Taquan's background in business education benefit their work in the nonprofit sector?

Taquan's business education provides them with the financial acumen necessary to manage the financial aspects of nonprofit organizations effectively, ensuring sustainability and mission fulfillment.

What is the importance of personal alignment with an organization's mission?

Personal alignment with an organization's mission helps individuals stay engaged and connected to their work, even during challenging times, and contributes to personal growth and job satisfaction.

How does Taquan handle adversity in their career?

Taquan handles adversity by staying true to their values, making decisions with integrity, and using challenging situations as teachable moments for personal and leadership growth.

Who are some of the people that have influenced Taquan's leadership style?

Taquan has been influenced by various inspirational people in their sector, including their hiring manager at the McGregor Fund, professional network contacts, and their mother.

What is the concept of 'networking' that Taquan practices?

Taquan practices a form of networking focused on being a connector for others, aiming to provide opportunities and resources to help others grow and develop their networks.

What exciting projects is Taquan involved in related to the NFL draft in Detroit?

Taquan is involved in launching a venture called Motor City Mimosa, assisting as an operations manager for catering during the NFL draft week, and planning watch parties and after-parties for draft picks.

How can clients connect with Taquan for business consulting and support?

Clients can connect with Taquan by visiting their website taquanbens.com or searching for their name online to find contact information.

What are Taquan's future plans in terms of education and professional development?

Taquan is considering pursuing a doctoral program in the future, once they have their organization and team set up to manage their current responsibilities.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction and Background of Taquán Brookens

In this opening paragraph, host Susie Seagull introduces the podcast episode and welcomes Taquán Brookens, a double alumnus of Walsh College with an MBA and Masters of Science in Finance. Taquán's parents are also alumni, making it a family tradition. The conversation sets the stage to discuss Taquán's business and entrepreneurial background, as well as her current work in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy. The host expresses excitement to delve into Taquán's journey and the impact she's making today.

05:02

💼 Business Education and Career Advancement

This paragraph highlights Taquán's decision to pursue a business education while working at the Flag Star headquarters. Despite not having a finance background, she recognized the importance of understanding business for leadership. Her studies at Walsh College were flexible, allowing her to work during the day and attend classes at night. This decision led to a job at McGregor Fund, which introduced her to philanthropy. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of business acumen in the nonprofit sector and how Taquán's education directly contributed to her professional growth and ability to advance in her career.

10:03

🌟 Philanthropy and Entrepreneurship

Taquán discusses her passion for philanthropy, which was ignited during her time at McGregor Fund. She became aware of the lack of diversity in the nonprofit sector, particularly in leadership roles, and was inspired to make a change. This led her to start her own public foundation aimed at educating and building a pipeline of black and brown talent in philanthropy. The paragraph also touches on the term 'philanthropreneur', which reflects Taquán's approach to entrepreneurship with a philanthropic mindset. She emphasizes the need for a business mindset in the nonprofit sector, as margins are essential for sustaining a mission.

15:04

🤝 Networking and Leadership Influences

In this paragraph, Taquán talks about the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive network, or 'tribe', of high performers who inspire and pour into her. She mentions her hiring manager at McGregor Fund and other professional networks, including her mother, as significant influences on her leadership style. Taquán also discusses the concept of 'networking', emphasizing a relationship-focused approach where she seeks to connect others and help them grow, rather than focusing on personal gain.

20:07

🏙️ Upcoming Projects and Opportunities

Taquán shares her involvement in several projects related to the upcoming NFL draft in Detroit. She has launched a venture called Motor City Mimosa, a brunch house and event space, and is assisting her partner, a chef, with catering for the NFL. Additionally, she is involved in planning a watch party and after-party for draft picks. The paragraph also covers how Taquán supports her clients in preparing for the event, such as updating their websites and promoting merchandise. The host expresses enthusiasm for Taquán's ventures and the potential opportunities they present.

📈 Future Goals and Collaboration with Walsh College

The final paragraph focuses on Taquán's future plans, including her interest in pursuing a doctoral program and her desire to establish a strong team to manage her growing responsibilities. The host from Walsh College expresses gratitude for Taquán's contributions and discusses upcoming initiatives at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. There's a mutual agreement to foster intentional partnerships and provide hands-on experience for students and entrepreneurs. The conversation concludes with an invitation for Taquán to engage with Walsh College for speaking opportunities and career advice.

Keywords

💡Alum

An alum is a former student of a particular school, college, or university. In the transcript, Taquan Brookens is referred to as a 'double Walsh College Alum,' indicating that they have completed two degrees from Walsh College. This highlights their educational background and connection to the institution.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship refers to the process of designing, launching, and running a new business, which typically involves risk-taking and innovation. Taquan's background in entrepreneurship is mentioned, emphasizing their experience in starting and managing businesses, which is a key theme in the discussion.

💡Nonprofit Leadership

Nonprofit leadership involves guiding and managing nonprofit organizations, which aim to fulfill a mission for the benefit of the public rather than generating profit for owners or stakeholders. Taquan's experience in this area is highlighted, showcasing their commitment to social causes and community service.

💡Philanthropy

Philanthropy is the act of promoting the welfare of others, typically through the donation of money to good causes. Taquan's involvement with philanthropy is discussed, including their work at McGregor Fund and their establishment of a public foundation to increase diversity in the sector.

💡Diversity

Diversity refers to the inclusion of different types of people in a group or organization, reflecting a variety of personal characteristics and backgrounds. The transcript discusses the lack of diversity in various industries, particularly in leadership roles within the nonprofit sector, which Taquan aims to address.

💡Business Acumen

Business acumen is the ability to understand and make sound decisions in a business context. Taquan's business skills are emphasized, noting how they apply these skills even in the nonprofit sector to ensure the sustainability and success of their ventures.

💡Margin and Mission

The concept of 'margin and mission' suggests that a business or organization must generate enough profit (margin) to continue its operations and fulfill its mission. This idea is brought up to highlight the importance of financial management in achieving an organization's goals, regardless of whether it's a for-profit or nonprofit entity.

💡Servant Leadership

Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy where leaders prioritize the needs of others, such as their team members, before their own. It is mentioned in the context of Taquan's approach to leadership, emphasizing their focus on empowering and serving others, which is a key aspect of their professional philosophy.

💡Networking

Networking refers to the process of building and maintaining professional relationships. Taquan discusses their approach to networking, which is centered around being a connector and providing support to others, rather than focusing on personal gain.

💡NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is an annual event where American football players are selected by teams in the National Football League (NFL). The transcript mentions the NFL Draft in the context of upcoming events in Detroit, where Taquan is involved in various projects related to the draft, such as a brunch house and event space.

💡Action-Oriented

Being action-oriented means having a tendency to take action and make things happen rather than just discussing or planning. Taquan is described as an action-oriented person, which is evident in their approach to business and their readiness to execute plans and support others in doing the same.

Highlights

Taquan Brookens, a double alumnus of Walsh College with an MBA and Masters of Science in Finance, discusses his journey in business, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership.

Both of Taquan's parents are also alumni of Walsh College, highlighting a family legacy of education at the institution.

Taquan's initial background was in STEM, but his interest in business grew after observing his parents' success, leading him to pursue further education at Walsh College.

While working at Flag Star headquarters, Taquan decided to enroll at Walsh College to gain a business education while maintaining his job, demonstrating a strong work-life balance.

Taquan's education at Walsh College opened doors to a job at McGregor Fund, where he was introduced to the world of philanthropy.

Taquan's boss at McGregor Fund, also a Walsh College student, recognized Taquan's potential and provided him with an opportunity that marked a significant step in his career.

Taquan's experience at McGregor Fund ignited his passion for addressing diversity and leadership issues in the nonprofit sector.

He founded his own public foundation to build a pipeline of black and brown talent in philanthropy, emphasizing his commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Taquan emphasizes the importance of integrating business acumen with nonprofit work, stating that 'without a margin, there is no mission'.

Taquan's entrepreneurial spirit is rooted in philanthropy, as he views his ventures as means to serve and give back to the community.

He actively seeks to support mission-driven clients and helps them with strategic planning, HR consulting, and fund development.

Taquan's approach to networking focuses on being a connector and providing value to others, rather than focusing on personal gain.

His leadership style is influenced by strong mentors, including his hiring manager at McGregor Fund and his mother, who set high standards of grace and excellence.

Taquan is involved in several projects related to the NFL draft in Detroit, including launching a brunch house and event space called Motor City Mimosa.

He discusses the importance of staying true to one's values and integrity when facing adversity, using it as an opportunity for growth and learning.

Taquan is open to the possibility of pursuing a Doctorate in Business in the future, once he has his organization and staffing in place.

Walsh College's upcoming announcement about updates to their Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship aligns with Taquan's interests and could provide further opportunities for collaboration.

Transcripts

well welcome back to another exciting

leading ladies podcast episode so

excited to be brought to you at Walsh

College in our beautiful Creator Studio

I'm Susie seagull and I have the

privilege of being joined by taquan

brookens who is a double Walsh College

Alum taquan you have your MBA and your

Masters of Science and finance from

Walsh college and we learned that both

of your parents are Walsh College Alum

so it's a Walsh College family welcome

and thank you for joining me today thank

you so much for

well taqu you have such an amazing

background in business entrepreneurship

nonprofit leadership tell us a little

bit about your background in your

journey and then we'll get into some of

the exciting work that you're doing

today yes so um again I you know came to

was after seeing both of my parents come

and and really um got interested in the

business world after I graduated from my

undergrad because I had focus on stem

for undergrad and really didn't

understand how the business World works

and so I knew that under understanding

that would be important as a leader and

so um at the time I was working at uh

the flag star headquarters in Troy and I

said oh we're not too far from wash let

me go and sign up and I can still make

money during the day and then go and uh

go get my degree at night and so I

decided to do that which opened up so

many doors for me um I actually landed a

job at McGregor fund which introduced me

to philanthropy because of my connection

to was which you'll be excited to hear

my boss the hiring manager actually was

enrolled in the Dual NBA M program as

well so wash all all around it's wash

all around I love that well I love how

you said too that you were able to work

during the day attend school in the

evenings and now with our classes being

online hybrid remote students are saying

the same thing it's just so flexible and

and we know that we're buil her on the

working professional and then I loved

how you said that it opened doors and

we've heard that as well that as soon as

you jump in to get your degree at Walsh

so many doors open up so quickly yeah

absolutely and like I said because my uh

boss at the time was here she understood

like the program rigger and even though

I didn't have the traditional background

of the position that I was applying for

she said you're smart and you're at was

you'll get it I can teach you all other

things let's just do this thing and it

was history I took that job and that

opportunity and I ran with it oh my

goodness to I love that but I mean you

did take it and you ran with it so I

want to affirm you for that I love

hearing that about Walsh but it was also

your hard work and your vision that

brought you to that so congratul that's

a great backgr okay well tell us a

little more then yeah so um while I was

at McGregor fund I really became uh

impassioned to learn more about

philanthropy as a sector because it was

my first time really understanding you

know the nonprofit space is not just

where you go to volunteer there are

actual careers in this industry and so

um really learning about you know some

of the discrepancies there are with you

know the lack of diversity in most

Industries but also the nonprofit sector

especially in leadership I really wanted

to do something to change that and so

after I learned as much as I could and

I'm still learning about the sector I

decided to start my own uh public

Foundation to teach other black and

brown people about the sector and to

really build a pipeline of black and

brown talent and philanthropy um and

also just got really really involved in

community um and just took it to new

heights and decided you know I can do

this full time so so you started your

own and I love how you use the term

philanthro Nur I think that's incredible

I love that so much so you actually

started your own nonprofit your own

organization to help increase diversity

in the nonprofit sector I love that I

mean you're filling a niche and a need

that is so vital yeah absolutely and I

think um the philanthroper term comes

from the the the thinking that

everything that I do as an entrepreneur

is rooted in philanthropy sometimes a

little bit too much when we think about

like the pricing and how you know the

business hat comes on when I'm like okay

maybe I do need to at least make sure

I'm covering costs yes absolutely yeah

well you said something very interesting

there I want to highlight for our

listeners which is even though you're

working at a nonprofit and and there's

philanthropy involved you still bring

your business skills your business

acument to the table because without a

margin there is no Mission and I think

that's something a lot of nonprofits

really appreciate because we can

sometimes think oh it's a nonprofit you

don't have to make money and and we know

this very well at Walsh which is without

a margin there's no Mission and we take

our mission very seriously so that is

just such a great compliment to your

background in nonprofit having that

business education can you tell us like

are you able to see or did you see how

you were using your education at Walsh

in your workplace right away well quite

frankly the position that I had and I

love that um there is no Mar Mission

without Mar I'm getting that on a

t-shirt just good yeah no I don't think

I I don't think I coined that searching

I want to look for that but no so I

think that um when I was in the role I

was a a finance associate was the role

and of course no Finance background um

actually didn't even have a strong

interest in finance at the time but I'm

like I need to know this stuff um and so

literally everything that I was learning

in my investment uh management classes

and all of that I was literally doing at

work and it was helping me I went from

like dozing off when they were talking

about finances and private Investments

returns I had no idea what they were

saying to like really engaged and

reading materials and like asking

questions and um generating reports that

was really um helpful for my career and

helping me to advance and be promoted so

yes it it definitely made a huge

difference and then even now as an

entrepreneur cuz to your point a lot of

folks think about nonprofits as oh

they're not a business but they really

are a business and so I do a lot of work

with helping organizations and

nonprofits think about how to

incorporate enterprising activities to

help support their and sustain their

missions I love the enterprising

activities you know I think about some

of the churches who like during covid

let's say when they didn't get a lot of

congregations attending they would do

fish fries during Lent or chicken

dinners and they found other

enterprising activities to keep the

fundraising going and I just love your

heart on that you said a couple things

too that I think are really key number

one is you talk about the nonprofit the

heart of serving right like in other

words when we gener money is an echo of

value that's from the go-giver one of

the best books I ever love as a go-giver

and he talks about money is an echo of

value and that real money and success

come when we're in service to others at

the same time because it is an echo of

value being able to make sure that

you're managing the money so that you

have the mission going forward is is so

key and so your background in business

and nonprofit I mean what a great Niche

to have and what a great tool to be able

to bring that Financial Acumen to bear

so I want to just commend you on that

and say that I think that's so important

because when and you can just tell like

you're so activated and engaged in what

you're doing it's like you're connected

to the core calling of you not just to

the business and the the job which I

think there's a lot of employees that

are feeling that like I want to be more

connected and more engaged and you know

what would you say is important for that

like how how do you see it as what it

does it a professional need what does a

business person need whether they're in

the profit or nonprofit sector to really

feel connected to the mission of their

organization that's a really great

question um everything that I do like

you said is Mission driven Mission work

um and every most of the clients that I

have I would say 99.9% of the clients I

have are aligned in that um and I think

it takes um some self-reflection to look

at what are your core values and then

making sure that when you are you know

starting a business or applying for a

job you're really thinking about not

just like what are the day-to-day

functions because that will shift that

will change that will not always be fun

but really looking at the mission and

the impact and the the trajectory even

of the organization that you're creating

or working for and seeing if there is

personal alignment and things that can

help you grow as an individual is well

in that so I would say personal

alignment is is how you do it yeah that

was a great answer and you're totally

correct because that helps you develop

your Criterion values so that even

though the day because a lot of times

people say well how was your day well I

didn't like what I had to do today well

sure we all have some paperwork and

administrative tasks but if it's the

mission is there that's so important how

did you handle adversity I mean if you

were willing to share what challenges

might you have had through your career

and how did you handle that and what

words wisdom would you give to folks

that might be facing those adversity is

the daily

thing um and so for me I am very

conscious about staying true to again my

values and making sure that I um all of

the decisions that I make are made with

integrity and that I am not sacrificing

something that's core and Central to me

um and so I think that that is really

important and adversity comes in a lot

of different shapes and sizes it

sometimes it's someone on your team if

you're in a leadership position and

really trying to figure out how can I

use this as a teachable moment and not

take it personal um so that's something

that happens more often than you know

leaders would like but it's just an

opportunity for for you to grow as a

leader and to figure out you know how

can I use this moment to better not only

myself as a leader but this person

that's having this experience so I lead

with compassion um and also put myself

in other shoes and understand what are

the traumas in the in the backstory of

this person and why they might be

engaging in this way um and it helps me

have more compassion when I react and

respond to whatever the issue is but yes

the issues come oh to that is so good

though when you said and that's empathy

right putting yourself in the other

person's shoes and trying to understand

it from their perspective and many times

we kind of flip it and think this must

be what they're thinking this must be

why they're doing this and we kind of

missed that step so I'm glad you

highlighted that the way you said that

was was really core you know who has

influenced your leadership along the way

do you have mentors do you have advisers

do you have any influencers anyone that

you'd say you look up to an author a

speaker that has really influenced your

focus on servant leadership and and

really philanthropic leadership I am

really um one of the things I love about

the the sector that I'm in is that I am

engrossed daily by people that are just

so inspirational people I look up to I

have such a strong um tribe around daily

they have poured into me I talked a

little bit about my hiring manager um at

the McGregor fund which was my

introduction to philanthropy and the way

that that woman poured into me also a

was grat um and also a was grat I love

it yeah you seeing a theme here you know

um and then uh just all of the networks

that I have been in and the women that I

just you know through my professional

networks um run into and build and

create relationship with it has been

just uh an I I could not imine doing

this journey which gets tough and gets

lonely um when you're you know a

Visionary and you're trying to do all

the things and you can't make time all

the time for the social things but

knowing that you have people that you

can rely on and lean on and get inspired

from and have a pep talk and you know

whenever you're getting that sense of

Doubt or that sense of am I you know

impostor syndrome they stump that right

out they stump that right I'm not

allowed to even think those thoughts so

that helps a lot and of course you know

my mom she she was always um a

inspiration to me because she did so

much right like I am single I don't have

a kid I don't have a husband but my mom

was like killing motherhood being a wife

going to school killing it in her career

breaking barriers herself and just

watching how she did it with such Grace

and just her her demeanor and her

disposition was always like my guiding

star still trying to get there cuz I'm

not as Gra as my mom but yeah but she

set a great model a great you know um a

great bar a great standard okay so

something you said I really wanted to

highlight which is you know you surround

yourself by a network of high performers

folks that pour into you and I love that

term pouring in because it really shows

why we're on this earth right to really

help and and amplify others but I want

to commend you on that because there are

some folks that might see networking or

developing professional advisors as an

inconvenience or don't tell me what to

do they're not like me they don't know

you don't see it that way no yeah and

it's funny because I I consider myself

an introvert even though I'm like always

talking and not shy or anything like

that but still need to be alone to

recharge so introverted for sure but

when I think about networking and I had

this conversation we've created a a

actual group I call it the boss ladies

chat so every morning at 7 like this

conference call talk I haven't done it

in a while cuz I've been sick and trying

to preserve my voice but um definitely

we talked about this concept of

networking cuz a lot of people just like

there's so many that's there's toxic

networking right there's people that do

it just to get something um and I went

to a Women's Conference with my mom um a

few years ago and one of the sessions I

was in they were teaching you how to be

a networker and how to do that in a way

that feels true to you and one of the

the things that I do is when I go to a

space I'm thinking about all of the

resources the connections the

conversations that I've had and how I

can help some someone that is there

connect to those resources and vice

versa so I don't lead with who are you

and what are you do um you know what are

you working on that you're excited about

right and a lot of times you find out

just so many amazing things and that's

another thing that you can put in your

bucket for the next conversation that

you have with someone so really being a

relationship broker in that way my

goodness that's the first I've heard of

and I love this I mean that the way you

just said that you when you go to events

you're not even looking at what you can

get out of it I love the term toxic

networking because I think everybody

kind of has their own opinion of those

or those morning breakfasts where people

show up and it's like the card exchange

right and then you say you go to see how

can you be a connector for others how

can you provide others an opportunity to

develop their Network to develop their

group to develop their um what you the

boss lady chat I love that I mean isn't

it just so great you know our leadership

team we have a a little chat on text

that we communicate with a lot of times

just from Logistics but I sent them

something this morning that was an a

Forbes article on leadership and you

know I said this is what my dream is for

all of you is that you it talked about

feeling activated at your work and that

you're connected to a mission bigger

than yourself because you spok into that

so well the day-to-day grind many times

is going to be challenging it's choose

your hard right it's hard to work it's

hard not to it's hard not to be invested

but I love that you look at yourself as

a networker as a connector of others and

how to help and support others and see

what their big next thing is but

speaking of big next thing tell us a

little bit about some of the exciting

things you have on the horizon that

relate to a big event that's happening

into Detroit which is the NFL draft I

know you can't go anywhere without

hearing about that but share with us a

little bit about where you've been on

this and and what success you're seeing

yeah so um the draft is is is an amazing

opportunity uh for the business sector

in Detroit in metro Detroit um and so uh

I have been involved in or am involved

in a couple of projects uh so there is a

venture that I just launched called

Motor City Mimosa which will be a brunch

house and event space and meeting space

and membership Hub um in the Eastern

Market area and my my partner um is an

amazing creative an amazing Chef she's

actually been hired to do all of the

catering for the NFL for the whole week

that they're here wow so I have been

assisting her as an operations manager

um which led to us you know getting um

and this is I think a little

confidential but it'll be out so oh boy

here we go yeah there an article that

the New York Times is going to do so we

photo shoot on Monday or Tuesday for

that um so that's been very exciting and

then another friend of mine has tapped

me um because of my event production

expertise joking um she tapped me uh to

help uh plan a watch party and after

party for two of the first round draft

picks um so that's another like exciting

thing that I've been working on and then

my clients right my clients have been um

tapped to participate and so just

supporting them and getting their um you

know uh websites up to dat with like new

merchandise that they can sell and

promote while they're there and all

those things so lots of things happening

with the draft but um oh to quiet I love

the Motor City mimosas I mean what a

great name for something like that

that's wonderful but that just shows

when you're networking and you're with

the right people in the right rooms

those right opportunities happen and

this is a big opportunity I mean this

could this could be incredible so tell

us a little bit about how your how

clients can connect with you if

somebody's listening and says boy I

really want to work with and I think she

can help me in my business with my

website with my marketing with my

promotion tell a little bit about what

you'll do for them and how they can

connect with you yes so um my name is

you know very unique so if you type in

to quiin brookens you know everything

you need to contact me will come right

up but tquan bens.com is the best way to

get in contact with me um and the types

of things that I like to support are

things that people are really passionate

about and are ready to do so a lot of

folks come to me and they're not always

ready to ask and when you come to me

you're going to get a plan of action and

we're going to implement right so I want

to make sure that folks know that if you

do come in my inbox you got to be ready

cuz I'm going to give you what you need

and I really want to help people that

are trying to do good things do them

right so anything from HR Consulting to

um trying to get just your

infrastructure together I do fund

development but from a strategic

standpoint so um yeah just a lot of

different ways to help folks that are

trying to do some Mission driven work

well and I like how you said your ready

to help them take action so that already

qualifies the the folks reaching out to

you and you know with your degrees your

MBA and your msf you can help folks with

a broad range of business needs you have

that specific training which is great

from like a Consulting standpoint a

coaching standpoint but we'll definitely

put a link to your website as well so

that folks can connect with you and

reach out because I mean this is

exciting things you're you're a lady on

the move you're a leading lady and we

want to highlight that and and thank you

for being a wal Shalom you know I always

say our mission is fulfilled in the

world when our alumni are living it in

the world so to see you out there making

such a positive impact and having the

heart to do it right having that Heart

for Service I always think like when I

came to Walsh I felt like I grew a whole

new heart for work for the campus for

the college and you just feel so

invested and it's so evident you can

hear that in what you do and for your

clients and if I'm a client out there

I'm thinking I want to work with taan

because she has that passion for her

work which means she is going to have it

for my job as well and my business so

what's next on the horizon like where

would you say your next leap and go I'm

thinking you would be incredible by the

way in our Doctorate of Business program

which was ranked number one by Forbes I

can see Dr brookens you know with but

anyway that's a separate conversation

but what's next for you well actually so

oh my goodness you hear heard it here

first it's so funny um so I I am

definitely interested in the doctoral

program not right now though so I'm

trying to get all of the in place and

all of the the Staffing that I need so

that by next year that that could be

something cuz I got a lot of people on

my shoulder saying uh Dr brookens

it'sing you and I in our program in fact

I teach a class called high performance

leadership this the class ends with them

either giving a TED Talk which they can

do in here an 11 minute Ted Talk which

is a leadership contribution or they

write a leadership mini book that is

publishable on Amazon and I share that

because I just feel like that would be

your class you'd come in and rock that

you'd be like I'm doing both and I've

got some students to say like I might

want to do both because they see now the

power of being connected to your calling

your core call for leadership so I just

felt like that was just the next step

for you but yeah absolutely but I love

how you said I want to get my

organization and team set up so I can

make the space to do this because I can

tell you're an action oriented person

and you want to execute and that's

wonderful so AB how can we support and

help you at Walsh I mean I you know this

having you on here has been great and

we'll definitely make sure folks connect

with you but if there's anything we can

do at Walsh definitely reach out if if

there's anything you want to do with

speaking to our students and career you

know you've just given us so much great

advice so anything that can think of

that you want to share yeah I would love

to see some more like intentional

partnership and natural collisions

around like entrepreneurship and um

creating more of a pipeline of um you

know leaders so once they graduate or

even while they're in their programs if

they want some like real life hands-on

experience um good I got there's no

shortage of work there's no shortage of

work wait to quiet I I and I know that

you know the folks listening are

probably thinking this couldn't have

been teed up any better but we didn't

talk about this ahead of time we're

about a week or two maybe three away

from announcing some updates to our cie

the center for Innovation and

Entrepreneurship here at Walsh college

and we're really excited to be able to

offer those to businesses to our

students to entrepreneurs because I

agree that there is kind of a shortage

of of coaching and and funding for them

as well everyone's looking for funding

but we want to really be able to help so

many of our students are entrepreneurs

in fact our founder mvin Walsh was the

accountant for Thomas Edison he worked

at the Thomas Edison like company as

Thomas Edison's accountant and so he

worked with one of the best innovators

and entrepreneurs in the world I know is

you get chills right and and it's just

so incredible to see how things come

full circle so we are on it I'm so

grateful that you said that because I

feel like that just connects naturally

with our history and now our future and

our destiny and we'll involve you as

much as we can so you'll have some

incredible things to share which is

great well again thank you so very much

to quian brookens for coming on the

leading ladies podcast that wraps up

another incredible series and we will

see you soon with another leading lady

thank you so much for joining