Libsyn Directory

Ricky Brooks | President of The National Christian Foundation/Alabama (NCF) | Being an Intentional Entrepreneur

Release Date: 01/03/2024

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More Episodes

Former CEO of Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers and Executive Chairman of Mavis Tire Express Services, Ricky Brooks assumed the National Christian Foundation/Alabama leadership role on January 1, 2022. NCF Alabama is an affiliate office of the National Christian Foundation, the 6th largest foundation in the US, headquartered in Atlanta. Brooks assumed the role from former NCF Alabama President, Tom Bradford, who opened the Alabama affiliate in January 2008 with 12 families with donor-advised funds. NCF Alabama has grown to over 1200 families and is ranked by the Birmingham Business Journal as the largest Charitable Trust in Birmingham. Over the years, these families have granted their favorite charities over $465 million.

Ricky shares his story of success in building a franchise as a young man and the toll it took on his personal life, leading him to sell the businesses and prioritize his faith. He shares the model he followed at Express Oil Change in recognizing and rewarding his employees so they could give great service and why that is a key component of his ‘Win-Win-Win System.’ Ricky also shares more about his role at the National Christian Foundation and why he decided to accept the post of President of the Alabama affliate.

“If the customer has a great experience, and the employee is compensated, recognized, and rewarded for executing well, then ownership has to have a win.” - Ricky Brooks

“I’ve always been an entrepreneur.” - Ricky Brooks

“Our focus was on freeing up assets to give.” - Ricky Brooks

This Week on The Wow Factor:

Ricky’s early experience of leadership as a young man
Why he decided to go to Mississippi State University, and how he got the scholarship that supported him there
The entrepreneurial spirit in Ricky and how it found an outlet when he opened a Sonic Drive-In
The pathway to becoming the youngest franchisee and having the opportunity to open more stores
Why Ricky decided to move on from Sonic and how becoming a Believer impacted that choice
Why having a six-day-only work week helped Ricky recruit and retain better employees in Express Oil Change
Some of the things Ricky did as a leader that helped propel significant business growth
The importance of finding the right work/life balance
Why Ricky was the type of entrepreneur who finds a successful model and executes it with excellence
How Ricky’s ‘Win Win Win System’ works
How being a member of the National Christian Foundation supported Ricky to be a generous giver

Ricky Brooks’s Words of Wisdom:

The great majority of your net worth is tied up in your business, and there are ways to unlock it that will allow you to give generously for Kingdom purposes.

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NFC Giving - Alabama

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