We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Santos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Oh my how things have changed! In my 20’s and 30’s I worked all the time because I wanted to make a name for myself. In my 40’s I realized that was not the life I wanted and I began making changes to have an actual work and life balance.

When I left my national retail career behind, and I started my own business I Speak Boutique, I became even busier. It’s true, entrepreneurs are the crazy people who leave the 9-5 job to work harder and longer!

I quickly learned I had to prioritize and time block everything! My day starts with me spending about 45 minutes catching up on digital messages that came in overnight. I then give myself the next 2 hours to devote to myself and my family. As I arrive at work, I stay in my car for another 30 minutes or so and catch up on emails and phone calls. That way, when I walk into my shop, I can be present and focused for my team. I continue to time block throughout the day and that allows me to focus on tasks at hand and not get overwhelmed.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I created I Speak Boutique 5 years ago to help women owned business grow in their knowledge of inventory, finances, people, product and presentation. As of today, we have worked with over 400 women owned businesses and helped make a significant impact to their success.

Every business Owner is at a different level of knowledge, our goal at I Speak Boutique is to meet them where they are, and help them build easy actions to make a big difference. What makes us different is that we give real-world, actionable advice based off facts and data. If you know of someone who has a boutique that has plateaued, have them contact us so we can help! Or, if you want to start a boutique, please don’t start one until you’ve read our book, I Speak Boutique Run Your Business Like a Boss Babe, available at BarnesAndNoble.com search I Speak Boutique.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We love the Galleria Mall! It’s the premiere luxury shopping destination and it’s filled with great national, and local Brands. Be sure to stop by the Pop Up Shop Galleria to see 10 women-owned businesses within 1 boutique!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I spent over 25 years in retail and I have learned from so many strong women; they molded me to who I am today. I believe that every interaction has the ability to teach you something and I spent a career watching how other women listened, reacted and dealt with issues. I then took those lessons and gave them to other women; because empowered women empower other women!

Website: Www.ispeakboutique.com

Instagram: Ispeakboutique

Linkedin: Ispeakboutique

Facebook: Ispeakboutique

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.