CELEBRATE WOMEN LEADERS

A LAURA BRANDAO INTERVIEW WITH BRIANNA HARRIS

I had the pleasure of speaking with Brianna Harris. I still remember the very first time Brianna texted me to tell me she was going to be the social media manager for the AIME Women’s Mortgage Network. She was passionate, dedicated, extremely knowledgeable, and after a year of working together, I knew that Brianna would soar to higher levels. Brianna is the founder and owner of EAT Social Marketing, based in Nashville, Tennessee. She has a Master of Arts from the New Hampshire Institute of Arts, a Fine Arts degree from Pittsburgh State University, and a degree in Equine Science from William Woods University. Brianna began in the mortgage industry in 2019 and quickly realized she wanted to work in a specific segment of the business. She discovered she was interested in and had a talent for connection and communication.

Brianna decided she wanted to work with mortgage brokers to help them connect with their clients and grow their businesses using social media technology. Brianna started her career working for the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) as the social media manager, and she worked her way up to the position of community manager, assisting with the growth of the Women’s Mortgage Network and Brokers are Better. After working with AIME, Brianna took a position with ARIVE where she led the Business Development department. ARIVE provides a unique and streamlined origination software platform for brokers which allows them to use a single program rather than having to access multiple systems to process a mortgage. Her positions at AIME and ARIVE allowed Brianna the opportunity to discover her passion for helping brokers enhance and grow their businesses using the power of social media.

“Creative work gives you an almost indissoluble connection with people.”

– Giorgio Armani

Brianna says her professional superpower is her ability to connect with people and to connect them with others. “I genuinely love people, and it drives my desire to help them grow and achieve their goals in the best way possible. I enjoy problem-solving and have a naturally nurturing aspect of my personality. This combination makes me a person who others can come to for advice and support, and I truly enjoy meeting people and helping them with whatever issues they need assistance with.” For Brianna, success is defined by constant growth, learning, and finding ways to improve the lives of the people around her and the environment we all live and work in. She feels the most successful when she can find and implement a creative solution to a problem faced by herself or a client. She prefers to share success and has no desire to climb a mountain alone. True satisfaction with success is a summit to be experienced with others. Brianna decided to start EAT Social Marketing because brokers approached her asking for advice about developing and maintaining a successful social media presence to attract new clients and provide current clients with information and support when required. “I realized that I wanted to be the person brokers could trust to give them sound advice in this area and who they could work with on an ongoing basis to grow their business and expand their online profile to attract and service their clients effectively.” Asked how she decided on the name of her company, Brianna responded, “I wanted something simple and impactful. My goal was to make digital content easily digestible for consumers. The idea of “digestible” gave way to a light bulb moment. The concept of eating and being able to digest digital content comfortably and confidently gave me the idea and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Five years from now, Brianna’s vision is to “continue to expand my business and fill a gap I see in our industry. I am focused on working with brokers to build a trusted and continuing business relationship. I am determined to build those relationships and help them make the most of the communication technology available. Busy brokerages simply don’t have the time to spend on building a social media platform along with the volume of work they already have looking after their clients. My vision is for my firm to step in and use my skills to develop their company’s online profile and continue to support and maintain that profile as their growth and needs require. My love of people and building relationships and connections is the driving force behind the vision I have for myself and my firm in the future.” Brianna defines her biggest professional challenge so far as starting in the mortgage industry with zero knowledge of what the business entailed. She needed a job and had a decent amount of social media knowledge, so she took the leap and applied. In doing so, she learned new skills and came to understand the strengths and the weaknesses she needed to work on. Brianna realized she is driven by her passion for people and connections. Recognizing this has led Brianna to step out and start a business where she brings all her talents to the table; thus, allowing her to say, “I love my work truly.” When all is said and done, Brianna said, “I want to be remembered as a person who brought others together and fostered strong and beneficial relationships for my clients and others. I want to be thought of as someone who could be trusted and used my skills and hard work to make life and business better for everyone I meet and work with.” As far as her favorite book or podcast, Brianna loves starting her day listening to the podcast CEO School. It is about being a successful female business owner and leader. The format is interviews with female CEOs discussing different areas of their lives, including work, family, and home life. “Listening to how others face the same daily challenges and issues the rest of us do is helpful and puts things into perspective for me. It also helps me feel I am not alone in some of life’s struggles so it is inspiring and comforting at the same time.” When she’s not working and has some downtime, Brianna enjoys riding horses and painting. “I love horses. Riding is not only good exercise but a wonderful stress reliever for me. I was a competitive rider when I was young, and I still love to ride now, even if just for pleasure. I also like to paint. I find creativity exhilarating and relaxing all at once. I work in oils and acrylics mostly. Having a creative outlet is essential to keeping me emotionally balanced and energized for my work.” As a first-time mom, Brianna is preparing to balance motherhood and work. “I know this will fundamentally change my life and the way I work. I am testing out different ways of working and communicating with my clients to minimize the impact on them while also maximizing the time I have available to adjust to my new family life and responsibilities. I am lucky to have a supportive husband and lovely clients who are willing to give me the time I need to be a mom and a trusted ally in their business as well. I am also learning about the importance of asking for help when I need it and leaning on the women in my life who are there to support and assist me while I take on this new and vitally important role as a mother. It isn’t always easy for women to ask for help, yet it is crucial to a healthy and successful balance of work and family life.” Brianna’s moral compass is all about trust. Always know and remember your relationships are the most important part of your success in business and life. For Brianna, trust is the most critical component of building relationships and maintaining them to the benefit of all parties, whether professional or personal.

Written by Laura Brandao

About the Author >>>

“In April of 2022, I started EAT Social Marketing and brought my vision to life. I thoroughly enjoy the challenge and exhilaration of being my own boss and working with my clients to expand their social media presence and use the medium to attract new business and improve their current client’s experience.” Brianna believes being a Woman of Vision is an incredible honor. She says, “It means that I am making an impact on people’s lives and, for me, that is the most satisfying part. When I reflect back on watching the amazing women who took the stage at the annual Vision Summit, I looked up to those women and continue being inspired by their courage, determination, and innovation as I build my own career in this industry. My goal is to emulate their drive and influence, and hopefully, I can inspire and impact other young women who are making decisions about their careers and working their way up in the mortgage business.” When asked to name one woman who had the most impact on Brianna professionally and how she was inspired, she said, “I have met and formed connections with so many amazing women in this industry since I began. There is a kind of sisterhood in the business, and I am grateful daily for the support and guidance I have gained from these relationships. But I do want to give a special thank you to Laura Brandao. She has been with me since the beginning, and I am so inspired by her energy, passion, and dedication. Laura is a beacon of positivity and never shies away from stepping forward to help others.” One of Brianna’s personal goals is to impact the lives of others to be the best version of themselves in the way Laura has impacted and inspired Brianna to be the best version of herself. Today, Brianna would tell Laura, “thank you for being the amazing role model you are for me and so many others in our industry.”