284: Lessons from my fav coach Barrett Brooks
May 21, 2025
Lessons from Barrett Brooks: Building a Business and Life in Alignment
If you’ve been in the world of entrepreneurship for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the advice: “Get a coach.” But few stories so beautifully illustrate the impact of truly great coaching as Tina Tower’s candid conversation with Barrett Brooks on EP 284 of the Her Empire Builder Show.
Why Coaching Matters—Even When You’re Already “Successful”
Tina Tower opens up about her lifelong commitment to coaching. After 20+ years in business, she credits much of her happiness, clarity, and continued growth to being guided by people like Barrett Brooks. But as she explains, the coaching journey is never one about “fixing” something broken—it’s about finding someone in your corner, who can help you sift through the endless noise and tune into your own deepest wisdom.
Barrett, her “favorite coach,” isn’t just an accomplished entrepreneur (think former COO of ConvertKit and a resume that includes book collaborations with Seth Godin). He’s someone deeply committed to the inner work it takes to thrive as both a leader and a human.
Letting Go of Who You Thought You Were Supposed to Be
One of the most powerful lessons from Barrett is the need for “progressive surrender.” For years, he chased titles and aspirations that sounded impressive—until he realized his true self was being left behind. The pivotal moment came when he finally admitted that pushing for conventional achievement was costing him more than it was giving back: “It was just stealing more from my soul than it was giving to me.”
Being honest with himself—and with his loved ones—about what wasn’t working became the catalyst for everything that followed. As Barrett puts it, “There’s nothing inherently bad or wrong about it. It just doesn’t work for me.”
The Inner Work Leaders Can’t Ignore
Tina shares that her work with Barrett was, at times, “not fun.” Digging into the emotional underpinnings of leadership—unresolved childhood trauma, competing desires, relentless “push energy”—was uncomfortable but transformational. The result? A year later, she describes feeling “aligned and just more myself than I think I ever have.”
Barrett draws on Internal Family Systems (IFS) and other therapeutic frameworks to help clients move past self-sabotage and old stories. For those at a crossroads, feeling torn between ambition and authenticity, his approach is a reminder that introspection is not optional at the upper levels of entrepreneurship. “If we want to unlock our minds, our beautiful, big, brilliant minds—sometimes you’ve got to go through the body first,” he says.
Boundaries, Burnout, and Redefining Success
A recurring theme in the episode is the importance of structure and boundaries. Both Tina and Barrett talk about how easily ambition can slide into overwork. Barrett’s response? Radically structured days, protected time for deep work, and a deliberate (and unapologetic) focus on only serving his favorite clients: “People are always like, ‘How are you going to get out of the one-to-one work?’ And it’s like, ‘Don’t want to. That’s the point.’”
Burnout, they agree, can happen even when you love what you do. It’s about chasing the wrong things for the wrong reasons—and the solution is almost always found by turning inward first.
The Unsung Power of Deep Support—at Home and at Work
A particularly moving section explores how critical support from spouses and partners can be—especially for women building empires. Tina credits her husband’s steadfast support as pivotal, and Barrett celebrates the essential, if often invisible, labor of partners who create space for greatness. Their discussion is a candid look at the gendered expectations around “provider roles” and how redefining those roles can open up new possibilities for everyone involved.
Final Wisdom: Be Yourself, Unapologetically
As the episode closes, Barrett shares the sage advice of his grandfather: “Just be yourself. That’s all there really is.” This deceptively simple idea is at the core of both their work—helping entrepreneurs strip away what’s expected, wanted, or admired by others so they can build a business and a life that genuinely fits.
If you’re standing at a crossroads, questioning what you truly want or wrestling with the invisible weight of success, take this as your permission slip. Create space for your own voice. Set up boundaries that protect your energy. Seek support—from mentors, therapists, coaches like Barrett, and especially from people who see the real you.
Because, as this conversation so beautifully proves, the greatest business decision you can make might just be to come home to yourself.
Where to find Barrett Brooks:
Website: https://barrettbrooks.com/
The Good Work Show Podcast: https://www.goodworkshow.com/
Subscribe to Little Leadership Lessons Newsletter:https://barrettbrooks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettabrooks/
Resources mentioned:
Want to start an online course?
Grab your free guide!
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
