Woman Strong: Brandy Mills

Discover the inspiring journey of Brandy Mills, a dynamic entrepreneur, dedicated nursing professional, and fervent advocate for women’s empowerment. Hear how Brandy transitioned from her humble beginnings in Asheville to becoming a registered nurse, only to later embrace her entrepreneurial spirit by launching a cupcake shop, Small Cakes, with her husband. With a focus on passion, purpose, and authenticity, Brandy's story underscores the vital role of supportive relationships and mentorship in achieving personal and professional success. Learn how skills honed in nursing leadership played a pivotal role in her business ventures and personal growth, driven by her faith and her husband's unwavering encouragement.

Get to know the heartwarming origins of the Woman Strong movement, founded by Brandy in 2014 to uplift and empower women in a supportive, non-transactional community. Brandy shares the emotional catalyst that led to this initiative and offers insights into her upcoming journal, "Woman, You Are Strong: A 21-Day Face It So That You Can Fix It Journey." This resource is designed to help women tackle personal challenges head-on. This episode also delves into the importance of community support, mutual referrals, and collaboration over competition, showcasing Brandy’s dedication to fostering meaningful relationships within her community. Join us and be inspired by Brandy’s relentless commitment to empowering women and building strong, supportive networks.

Website: https://www.brandymillsconsulting.com/
Facebook: Woman Strong
Instagram: brandymillsconsulting

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Transcript

Veronica : 0:38

Welcome to the Veronica Edwards show, where we have fun financial conversations that everyone listening can apply to their personal and professional life. I'm your host, veronica Edwards, and I'm so excited to be back here for season three on bizradious. As always, I want to thank the V Team for downloading the podcast. We are 59 downloads away from 4,000 downloads and I know today's show is going to go viral, so I'm super excited. This is a fun show because today's guest I've been fanning out on her for a while. I know I hope I didn't freak her out. I was like I've been a fan and she's a fellow entrepreneur, female of color, and she's been making waves in Western North Carolina for some time and I'm very, very, very honored to have her on my show.

Veronica : 1:26

So this guest is an award-winning advocate of women, founder of Women Strong, a women's empowerment movement, as we stated. Entrepreneur, nursing, professional motivational speaker, author, girl executive coach of Brandy Mills Consulting, where, through coaching and consulting, she is dedicated to helping individuals, teams, organizations and companies to get the business of leading themselves to the next level of growth. So I can say so much more about Brandy well. I already leaked the name for this guest, so let me introduce so much more about Brandy. Well, I already leaked the name for this guest, so let me introduce today's guest, ms Brandy Mills. Welcome, brandy, hi Veronica.

Brandy : 2:04

How are you doing? You know, you've been my friend in my head for like seven eight years Girl.

Veronica : 2:10

I'm so happy that we've connected. Thank you for coming on the show.

Brandy : 2:20

I'm glad to be here, and you know we all get to fan out over one another. I believe that is what makes us uniquely amazing. So we'll just fan out over each other, how about?

Veronica : 2:27

it. I love it. Well, I always start my show asking the guests to tell us about you, where you're from and your story that led you to be a serial entrepreneur and a woman advocate.

Brandy : 2:39

Well, I am born and raised in the city of Asheville and I have been I stay here from, of course, elementary school through high school, went off to college, attended the illustrious Winston-Salem State University, went off to college, attended the illustrious Winston-Salem State University, and then I returned to the area in 2006 when I had some family members who took ill.

Veronica : 3:13

It's interesting that you use the term serial entrepreneur. That almost gave me chills.

Brandy : 3:17

Not serial killer. No, no, no, no. But I'm like I don't think I've ever framed it in that fashion, because I don't really think I was intending to be any type of entrepreneur.

Veronica : 3:29

We never do right.

Brandy : 3:30

When you map it out, I'm like I guess I am pretty serial. Yeah, so, as you stated, I started out my career in nursing. I've been a registered nurse for 23 years and then a lot of life is just a part of who I am. So we I went into my first official business in 2016 with my husband, when we opened up our cupcake shop, small Cakes, which was amazing, by the way. I just want to.

Veronica : 4:04

We used to go there multiple times. It was right up the street from where I lived the first time that I became a fan of Miss Brandy Mills. Ok, carry on.

Brandy : 4:11

Received received. I like that kind of feedback Received received. I like that kind of feedback. Prior to that I did premier designs, jewelry, some in-home business stuff, and I don't really think I considered it business at the time.

Brandy : 4:26

I worked at a local community college teaching nursing and there was, truthfully, more month than money left over, so I got into something to compensate or offset the shortfall in the month as I was navigating the space of being paid once a month as opposed to biweekly and, honestly, I'll have to give the credit of going into official business to my spouse because he is the. We need to open a business, we need to do this and I was the I'm good where I am.

Veronica : 5:02

Let's give a shout out to your husband. What's your husband's full name?

Brandy : 5:05

His name is Robert Mills, but everyone who knows him calls him Tease, and so he's definitely the one that I'll have to give credit to, in addition to the God that I serve, because I believe that, looking back now, everything that I've done it's really related to falling in love with my purpose and my passion and trying to be in alignment with the call on my life, and, I think, is why I can just come at it authentically and organically, because there's only one me.

Brandy : 5:53

So when we talk about there being just one of you, then you have to walk in the best of you, as best as you can, and so while I was doing small cakes, I've always worked full time as a nurse, and in nursing I've held leadership positions, from team lead to manager to director roles, and in those, of course, comes a scope of work that involves peopling, it involves strategy, it involves relationship building and it involves creating safe spaces for people to step into you outside of the work that you do. So I believe all of that in my health, career and profession on top of how I navigated through life, really married up to this place that I'm in now, where I feel like I have a healthy space and balance between what I like to do excuse me, love to do professionally and how that integrates well with who I am as a person.

Veronica : 6:58

Wow, and I definitely want to add that push that your spouse gave, because I tell people all the time, listening, a lot of times you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur or do all of those things. That's your passion and all that, but you just needed somebody to tell you. Even with this show, it was the creator of Biz Radio, matt Mattan, that saw something in me I never would have thought I'd be doing this show he's a good guy.

Brandy : 7:25

He's a great guy.

Veronica : 7:27

We love Matt, but it's things like that. Or I've heard people come on the show where they were just doing photography in their office and then people started hiring them to be a photographer. They never thought what they were doing was great. So for those listening, if you see a talent in somebody, let them know and encourage them, because you never know if that one little encouragement or that one push can change their life and generations to come. So it just gives me chills when I do hear stories like that, because you could have still been just doing nursing, you could have been on that.

Brandy : 7:59

You're trying to take this show on another level.

Brandy : 8:03

We're going to talk about what people see in you. My whole path has been orchestrated by people believing in me. First, before I believed in myself, and I believe wholeheartedly, now that it's come full circle, that I've been given the gift to see and believe in others, to help them see in themselves. But my, like my confidence draws have never been sky high. So everything that I've approached has been someone saying hey, have you considered, did you know? And it can't just be any someone, it has to be that, someone that you can actually hear.

Brandy : 8:42

Because, a lot of people like to talk what they think they know, but you know when that someone has heard correctly and you're supposed to at least take heed and see where it leads. So we could have a completely different about the way people see you and how you respond to that.

Veronica : 9:02

Oh, I love that. Yeah, we'll have you back on that for sure, cause I definitely want to talk about Women Strong. Every time I see anything branded for Brandy, it's Women Strong, women Strong. So I love the name. How did you come about Women Strong? Is it a nonprofit? How old is it? All that fun stuff. Tell us how we can support Women Strong.

Brandy : 9:23

So I absolutely love Women Strong. Of course, I'll start out with the most common question that people ask Is it a nonprofit, ms Veronica, currently it is not. Woman Strong for me is mission work, and it's work that I've always funded out of my pocket. There's been people over the years who've donated out of the goodness of their hearts and that is always accepted.

Veronica : 9:53

Yes, yes.

Brandy : 9:54

And necessary because your girl ain't rich.

Veronica : 9:58

But, girl, everybody's counting your coins, so let everybody else know. They're probably like Brandy girl you got a book coming out, we got to talk about that, we got all these amazing things, but it's like mm-mm.

Brandy : 10:08

You know, sidebar, so you're going to keep us sidebar Sidebar about counting coins. That used to bother me a lot, especially when I was early on in nursing, and people believe nurses are rich.

Veronica : 10:19

Oh my gosh.

Brandy : 10:19

Yeah, but what it turned into when people would count coins. I'll just say keep speaking, it's going to happen, instead of saying no, no, I don't have that. I'm like, yeah, keep speaking, I'm here to receive.

Veronica : 10:32

I know that's right.

Brandy : 10:35

You know you can't. If people have their perceptions, there's no reason for you to try to fix their reality.

Veronica : 10:41

I know Right, I love that.

Brandy : 10:43

So Woman Strong essentially started on a personal level and it didn't even have a title. On a personal level and it didn't even have a title. It's one of those organic things. I know you have people around you, veronica, who says Veronica is just my this. Well, evidently I was everybody's that, hey, I'm having a hard time, can we talk? Hey, what are your thoughts on this? And at the same time I'm like, hey, what are my thoughts? And who? Do you see something in me I don't see, because I'm a hot mess. Yes, yes.

Veronica : 11:21

I get it.

Brandy : 11:21

And then, honestly, you know, I would see I really do have a heart for people and I oh, I'm trying not to get emotional I don't like the fact of the struggle, mindset or that people try to hold others in places that they once were, to the point that they give up on themselves.

Brandy : 11:47

So, originally, when the whole thought came in, like oh, I want to create a women's movement, and I didn't want to use women's empowerment initially because I felt that everyone was using that term empowerment and it was taking the power from it and I didn't want to put something together that stripped its power. That stripped its power. And so in 2014, I was at this women's conference and I was praying and snotting and crying you know how that happens, good cry and I just remember thinking about and she doesn't know this but my sister at the time was really heavy on my heart and she was going through so much stuff. And I was like I really heavy on my heart and she was going through so much stuff and I was like I really wish she knew how strong she was. I really wish she knew you know that this is only temporary and she's better than how she sees herself and then it was like, all of a sudden, I saw like every woman and myself in that category, like, and myself in that category Like wait, I'm.

Brandy : 12:58

I'm in that same mental space at times and I just need woman to know you are strong, and I was like woman, strong, and and it was that was in 2014 that the name evolved and the concept around what this could be, and oftentimes people because we like to speak grammatically correct they change it to women strong and when they are announcing it, they're like oh, this is Brandy with women strong and I'm like, no, this is personal. Yeah, woman strong is the message to yourself when you're looking in the mirror and you're like woman, you are strong.

Brandy : 13:34

Yes and I don't want it to mean that we don't get weak. It means that we have everything in us and around us to have the strength to recover. And so, when you talk about what it means or how to be a part of Woman Strong, being a woman makes you a part of Woman Strong. I intentionally did not want it to be a group where people had to feel like they needed to be accepted to attend. I wanted it to be an inclusive environment for you to know. You don't have to have a degree, you don't have to have an accolade. Bebe, if the best thing you did this morning was getting out of bed when all you wanted to do was lay there, you today are warm and strong.

Veronica : 14:27

Come on now.

Brandy : 14:27

So when we have our meetups and I think that the notion of how do I join comes from social media, because on Facebook the original group is a private group- so, in order for you to get into the Facebook group you have to be invited. But that's because if we get to the real, I don't need everyone in your business.

Veronica : 14:51

Come on, it's a community of us.

Brandy : 14:54

So if someone says I'm struggling and people start encouraging, we don't want any and everyone to be able to see that Veronica says she's struggling today just to stalk and not talk and really go in and give that support for you if you need it. So I think that concept came from the social media aspect, but in reality, any woman that I see is woman strong. As a matter of fact, I encourage people to walk around saying I am a woman strong with all of their might. So the biggest thing about that and about Woman Strong and the meetups and the trainings and the seminars that we have is I'm trying to create let me take that word trying out.

Brandy : 15:46

I am creating a space that is not transactional. I feel like every group that I attend, every opportunity, there's always some sort of transaction looking to take place, whether it's a business meetup, whether it's a networking event, and when it's transactional. When it's transactional, oftentimes people are looking to get more than they are to give and I really want the Woman Strong environment to be a space where people are coming in to really receive what they need in the moment but in turn give that energy right back to the person that they're surrounded by. And in the social media platforms I don't allow the self-promotion and the self-marketing so it turns into that type of environment. But I do highlight, spotlight, encourage and in that I'll give people their flowers and it really makes people's day to log on like, oh my gosh, someone saw me today.

Veronica : 16:54

Yes, right when I need it.

Brandy : 16:56

I'm seen and I didn't have to do any work with it, just like you did with this opportunity, I was like Brandy, come on my show.

Brandy : 17:08

I was like you sure, I was like yes, If someone wanted to know more about Woman Strong and I'll talk about that journal because I feel like it's coming. You can follow us on Instagram at bmwomanstrong that was bmwomanstrong or you can go on brandymillsconsultantcom and there is a Woman Strong tab at the top and you can subscribe to be a part of the community or click on the link to join the Facebook private community from there Fantastic, and we'll make sure all of that information is in the description below for this episode.

Veronica : 17:51

And before we go, brandy, I know we'll have to have you come back to talk about Brandy Mills Consulting, which is amazing, and you do executive coaching and all that, but I want to talk about your journal before we go. So please tell folks about this amazing passion project of yours that's going to be coming out this summer.

Brandy : 18:11

So it's official, it's out. Yes, it is called Woman, you Are Strong. A 21-day face it so that you can fix it. Journey, and what it is is 21 days of prompts and questions around what it is that you feel like you need to face.

Brandy : 18:34

And where it came from, honestly, is really in alignment with Woman Strong and Brandy Mills Consulting, where we're afraid to move or shift or accept or believe because of some circumstance we faced along in life and we're in our own way. So on a high level, it's about how to get out of your own way by doing the work for yourself. But on the day to day level, there's topic. There's topics like comparison, leading versus following, rejection is topics of things where, in real talk Veronica, I'm talking to me topics of things where, in real talk, veronica, I'm talking to me.

Brandy : 19:18

Warm and strong is about me. I need y'all to know that I'm not a self-centered person. But, baby, let me just tell you, I need warm and strong and I need strong women with me so that when I'm at my point I have a tribe. But also, like I said, I'm really about serving others first. And so this journal, I'm telling you people might want to get it, I know-.

Veronica : 19:41

I already ordered mine I pre-ordered mine.

Brandy : 19:44

It's supposed to be in the atmosphere because it was a struggle and a fight for me to put on my confidence enough to say, hey, I want to write this journal, I'm going to put it out there. And my constant prayer was so not about being an author. I was like Lord, please don't allow me to release this in the atmosphere unless there is. You have people's names on it already and I kid you not like if there was no name on it, it would not be out there because I could care less about being an author. The work, my drive, my passion is about connection and impact, and that's the same thing with Brandy Mills Consulting as it is with Woman Strong. I feel like we already do so much harm in the community to one another.

Brandy : 20:32

I don't want to add to that. So this journal is 21 days of those prompts and there are questions that says face it and that's you talking about how you relate to that particular topic. And then the fix it session is what do you feel like you need to do in that moment for you to move past that situation?

Veronica : 20:56

man brandy, I could talk to you all day.

Brandy : 20:59

I'm here for it.

Veronica : 21:01

Well, we're already to the end of the show. I am so thankful, um, that you had the time to share about women strong, all the amazing things that you've been through. That I know will inspire others listening. You're an inspiration to me, um, I'm gonna share real quick to the listeners.

Veronica : 21:19

When I first met Brandy some years ago, my sister had just died by suicide. I was really down and out. I was just coming out of a therapy session and I see Brandy and she just looks like this nice light and I'm like I know I'm gonna look crazy, but I'm gonna just go up there and be like, oh my God, brandy Mills, I like you and you're doing all this and you were so kind to me and I just want to keep emphasizing if anybody say anything bad about Brandy Mills, you a liar, because you really practice what you preach. You walk the walk, talk the talk. You're a great inspiration. We need more movements like this, like this. Like you said so many times, we're going against each other when we really should be supporting each other. Brandi is constantly sending me referrals. As soon as I have some people I can refer to her. I will too, and I just am so thankful to know you, to be starting to build a relationship with you, and even more so, I'm thankful for what you're doing out in the community.

Brandy : 22:17

Thank you for having me.

Veronica : 22:18

Absolutely, and I want to thank the listeners, of course, for listening to bizradious for the Veronica Edwards show on Wednesdays across all platforms and if you missed the live airing, you can listen to all prior shows at veronicaedwardsbuzzsproutcom.