Brooke Training Blog: Activity Equals Opportunity: An Inside Look at One of our Most Successful Graduates

I would like to start off by saying that Brandi Patterson is a winner. She’s a tenacious worker who has a “take no prisoners” attitude. She gets things done. I don’t for one minute take any direct credit for her success, but I will say she is the only student that has come through our school to take all three freight broker courses.

She first started out by taking our online course, then the basic, and then the advanced. Brandi would check in from time to time and tell me how hard things were. Her husband was on assignment in the military. She had young daughters just like my wife and me.

She confided in me about her struggles - financial hardships, being alone as a military wife, raising the girls, and trying to find a career that she could put all her energy and brilliance to work. Brandi found her niche - or as I like to say, her niche found her because she was working hard.

Out of all of our students who have gone on to work as agents, she’s among the top achievers. I asked Brandi if we could ask her a few questions about her journey and challenges. Here’s what she shared:

What were your biggest challenges starting out?

Fear of rejection when calling for new business.

What is the best advice you can give anyone wanting to enter this industry?

Don’t give up! Even though you’ll get many “No’s,” the one “Yes” you get is all the motivation you need to know that you are making progress.

I have always said, “Winners never lose and losers never win.” If you go into any industry with zero expectations, then what do you have to lose? Nothing. Go for it and you will be surprised at the opportunities that may open up to you.

How did taking all three courses help you?

It helped me understand the lingo in the industry and prepped me in the right direction for screening clients and carriers.

What does your day look like as a freight broker?

My days are busy. I’m constantly providing quotes, dispatching loads, confirming carriers are still on schedule, invoicing, and confirming carriers have active authority and proper insurance.

Brandi Patterson is truly a rockstar. The entire team at Brooke is so proud of her for her hard work, tenacious spirit, and ability to inspire others.

One last thing we’d like to mention about Brandi is that she has a heart for giving back to others and to her community. As a part of her success and growth, she wanted to be able to give back to those in need. She serves as the foundation event coordinator for Hanna4Hope, a non-profit foundation established to bring teenage suicide, one of the leading causes of death among today’s youth, to the forefront of communities.