Wednesday Wonder Woman: Ashlee Brooks

Ashlee Brooks is a native of Memphis, TN, and proud alumni of Tennessee State University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.  After graduating from Tennessee State University, she relocated to Arizona to begin a career as a Financial Analyst for Raytheon, a Fortune 500 company in the aerospace industry.  Early on in her career as a Financial Analyst, Ashlee became very successful receiving several awards and recognition for her performance, and within a short period of time, she was inspired to move up the corporate ladder to a Finance Manager.

Inspired by her rapid growth and success, Ashlee decided she wanted to take her career and education a step further.   She took a leap of faith and requested a leave of absence from her position to pursue graduate school full-time.   Ashlee was accepted to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and relocated to Richmond, VA.   She quickly learned that graduate school was much different than her undergraduate experience and would cause her to become accustomed to navigating a fast-paced environment.  One key piece of advice Ashlee took with her when departing the doors of VCU is – it is okay to take different avenues to get to the same goal. There is no straight line in life and with every detour, there is growth and lessons learned that will prepare you for more opportunities ahead.

After graduating from VCU with a Master’s of Science in Global Marketing Management, Ashlee relocated to Dallas, TX to continue working for the company where she began her Finance career and took on new responsibilities that include overseeing several corporate programs’ budget and spending trends.  Ashlee enjoyed her career in finance, but after a couple of years back to work she realized something was missing.  Working in her field ignited her passion to help others with their personal budget, taxes, and financial literacy.  She longed for the client-relationships she experienced in her prior roles and after careful consideration and consulting of her mentors, she changed career paths and decided to re-enter the Accounting world.

Since returning to the Accounting world, Ashlee has coached and provided financial consulting services to students, peers, business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the areas of tax liability, budgeting, expense tracking, reporting, and so much more. Currently, Ashlee works as a Tax Associate at Patterson, Hardee and Ballentine CPAs, a public CPA firm based in Franklin, TN.  She is responsible for tax preparation and planning of high net-worth individuals and business clients with income revenues in excess of 1 million processing over 300 returns annually.

Ashlee’s desire to help others doesn’t end with financial consulting, Ashlee is a proven leader and stays involved in the community as well as leads initiatives with the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association that include chartering two virtual alumni chapters and holding leadership roles within other local chapters. Ashlee continues to find ways to stay active with organizations that are dear to her, she is currently the lead author on an HBCU book project that highlights the work of various TSU Alumni, she has served as a panelist for Coins Over Gossip, a leadership development brand for Black career women and educated the attendees on what it takes to start a small business and tax impact. Although Ashlee has been successful in so many lanes, her greatest accomplishment is being a mother to her 4- and 6-year- olds.

AllisonJanel: How would you describe your SwagHer? What makes Ashlee, Ashlee?

Ashlee: My confidence to stand in my truth and shows my vulnerability. It’s what makes Ashlee who I am. Some are taught to fake it until they make it. This is not a motto I live by. As I have discovered over time being my genuine, unapologetic self has gotten me further ahead than pretending to be someone I am not- or acting like I know more than what I do. My desire to relate to others is what has advanced me in my professional and personal life.

AllisonJanel: Why did you decide to major in accounting in college?

Ashlee: I was first introduced to the world of accounting as an adolescent through my mother who was a bank teller and my father who had a love for tax preparation. While working from home during my teenage years, I helped my mom with her accounts receivable work. Understanding debits and credits became more interesting to me in my senior year of high school in my accounting class. I instantly knew I wanted to receive a degree in accounting as it seemed to come naturally for me. I was good at math and the more I researched the field, I realized this industry was recession-proof with career longevity.

AllisonJanel: What were some of your duties as a financial analyst

Ashlee: My primary responsibilities were to manage and reconcile monthly forecast budgets to the cost of materials, labor, and travel costs of $70 million in government contracts. I coordinated with engineers, supply chains and project managers to gather the information required. I constructed forecasts, identified sales variances, and presented data on missile and other military/government products to upper management.

AllisonJanel: Did you attend a 1 year or a 2-year graduate program?

Ashlee: I attended a 2-year program in which I received a Master’s degree in Global Marketing Management.

AllisonJanel: What advice would you give to young women wanting to pursue an accounting degree?

Ashlee: I would recommend building strong relationships with the accounting professors in the accounting department and staff in the career center. These two components will become valuable assets as they forge through each semester. Obtaining as many internships as possible would be another goal as it would make them competitive in the accounting field.

AllisonJanel: Why are client-relationships important to you? Why did you feel compelled to go back and rekindle client-based relationships?

Ashlee: Client relationships broke up the monotony of my job. Each day I knew that the client interactions I experienced were going to be unique and challenging. I had the opportunity to interact with a variety of individuals,  which also enhanced my personal skill set. In my profession, I have learned to be more relatable and open,  which translated into my personal relationships.

My goal is to maintain client relationships. I am a firm believer you never know who knows who. In many cities, I have lived in, there has yet to be a time where strangers I have met did not know a friend or acquaintance of mine. This also rings true professionally. In a client-based business, the world is small. Who you know can make or break your business. Word of mouth inquiries goes far.

AllisonJanel: Can you tell our readers what this quote means to you? “It is okay to take different avenues to get to the same goal.”

Ashlee: Having a “type A” personality, I am determined to accomplish whatever I set my mind on sometimes to a fault. In graduate school, I struggled with a few of my courses. I was steadfast in making sure I graduated within the two years, by any means necessary. Even if that meant repeating classes in summer school to meet my goal. One semester, my professor said that quote to me. It took a while for it to sink in, however as time went on I realized what he meant by it. What I set out to accomplish could be achieved in different ways. There is no one way to make it to the top. There is no straight path to success. Everyone takes different avenues and detours in life, but as long as you are pursuing your passion you can still make it to the mountaintop.

AllisonJanel: What was your journey like becoming a coach and mentor?

Ashlee: I actually stumbled on becoming a coach and a mentor while enrolled in college. I naturally love to listen and encourage my peers and colleagues. Because of the challenges and obstacles I’ve experienced in life, I am always willing to share my story with others. I did not realize how much value this added into others until I experienced one particular situation. My sorority sister shared how my story motivated her to pursue her passion. In this instance, I realized you never know how your story can help someone else. My goal is to give others what I sought in my younger years which was guidance, advice, and a listening ear.

AllisonJanel: Were you required to pass a CPA exam? What was that experience like?

Ashlee: In my profession passing the CPA is encouraged, but not required. In the industry, it is known that obtaining your CPA license may advance your career. With my position starting out on a different career path, I had no plans of pursuing the CPA. At that time, I did not understand that the credentials came with great prestige.  As I progressed through my career, my passion to pursue the CPA was reignited. The challenge as you get further along in your career is finding the time to commit to the intense study regime.

The CPA exam requires a 40+hr study week, limited interaction with the outside world, and thousands of dollars for study prep material as well as the testing exam. Now that I was able to confirm the direction of my career, I decided pursuing the CPA Exam would be a part of my professional plan. As my life is set up differently with small children and a full-time job, I have taken a different approach to get myself to my ultimate goal. I have already passed part 1 of the Enrollment Agent Exam, which upon completion of part 2 and part 3, will allow me the opportunity to represent individuals before the IRS. The Enrolled Agent (EA) credential is similar to the CPA, however, while the EA focuses specifically on tax, the CPA focuses on the general knowledge of all areas of accounting. After obtaining my EA, this will bring me one step closer to sitting for the CPA exam at which time preparation will meet opportunity.

AllisonJanel: What exactly is financial consulting? How can it benefit your clients?

Ashlee: Financial consulting is a service that offers individuals an opportunity to assess their financial health, identify their financial goals, and devise a plan to accomplish set goals. Most individuals have financial goals they would like to accomplish but do not have an efficient or effective way to get there. Financial consulting offers accountability of a client’s spending habits and evaluation on ways to build wealth. Coupled with tax planning, clients can take the necessary steps to set: 1) short-term savings goals, 2) long-term savings goals, 3) emergency fund, 4) retirement vehicles, 4) investment and 5) other tax saving options.

AllisonJanel: Please tell us more about being the lead author on the HBCU book project that highlights the work of various TSU Alumni?

Ashlee: As the Lead Author of the HBCU Experience – TSU Edition, I am so excited to present a collaborative series of stories told from the perspective of my fellow TSU alumni. The book will highlight the TSU experience from various walks of life and how those experiences molded them on their professional journey. Although each author’s reason for attending Tennessee State University is unique, the common thread is the Big Blue family we each leave with upon exiting the doors of TSU.

We have worked tirelessly since last winter to identify and coordinate standout TSU alums who are impacting their community and profession. To ensure the success of the project, I have relied heavily on my personal relationships with each author to share their experiences for future readers to learn more about what HBCUs have to offer and why attending Tennessee State University would be the best decision to make. Our ultimate goal is to use this book project as a fundraising initiative to raise funds and awareness for Tennessee State University. 100% of all proceeds will be donated to the school.

AllisonJanel: Tell us more about Coins Over Gossip and the role you play?

Ashlee: Coins over Gossip is a leadership development conference co-founded by my sorority sister, Cassandra Williams, to provide a platform for Black career women. The conference is hosted annually and encourages African American women to develop a leadership mindset while creating an opportunity for growth and establishing a sense of pride and support in who they are, what they can achieve, and the awareness of the limitless opportunities in their career advancement through networking. Last year, I had an opportunity to be a guest speaker on the panel to discuss small business consulting. During this event, I provided guidance and information on types of business entities, pros/cons on tax implications, and business start-ups. The audience found this information to be very enlightening as most were entrepreneurs learning through trial and error of starting a new business.​

AllisonJanel: What continues to keep you motivated?

Ashlee: My ultimate motivation is my belief. The belief that I will secure my own tax firm which will provide services to small and minority-owned businesses. My passion in this profession keeps me driven to witness that achievement and what it will offspring.  Knowing the reward will be worth the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice. It’s what keeps me going.

AllisonJanel: What inspires you to help others?

Ashlee: Knowing that I add value to someone’s journey in life, whether personally or professionally is what continues to inspire me to do right by others and maintain good character traits. 

AllisonJanel: Do you have any upcoming online events or projects that you care to share?

Ashlee: The main project I am working on currently is the HBCU Experience – TSU Edition book fundraising initiative. 100% of the book proceeds will be donated to my beloved alma mater. My goal is to bring awareness to Tennessee State University and The HBCU book through virtual book tours and social media meetups at various times this year. 

Connect with Ashlee below:

Instagram: @sweet14sassy