Stokes Brownlee, a Saint George, South Carolina resident, graduated from Erskine College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Later, he pursued a master’s degree in the same field at the University of South Carolina – Aiken. In his career, Stokes Brownlee started working during college and advanced to prominent roles after graduation.
In 2019, Mr. Brownlee served as a production intern at Key West Boats. He oversaw boat shipments and improved workforce efficiency in the warehouse and logistics operations. Months later, Stokes Brownlee joined Construct South, Inc. as a project manager intern, leveraging his diverse skills, such as planning and technical expertise, to manage project data and handle bids. His software proficiency enabled him to use Adobe, Procore, and Plan Grid tools to organize drawings and monitor project progress.
At Construct South, Inc., Mr. Brownlee advanced to a senior project manager/estimator role and recently became the company’s Chief Operating Officer in 2023. He handles projects with an annual revenue of about $20 million. Stokes Brownlee also oversees a team of 50 electricians and manages monthly billing, project estimates, procurement, change orders, and other operations. In addition, he manages relationships with suppliers, contractors, project owners, and other stakeholders.
Concurrently, Stokes Brownlee serves as the Chief Operating Office for a real estate holdings company. In this role, he researches business development and acquisition opportunities whilst overseeing property management for the acquired assets.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My typical day begins at 4 am. I try to get up and get to the gym at 5 am. This gives me personal focused time before the workday begins, with all of the business that comes with it. I am on the road or in the office by 7 am, with phone calls being made to our employees beginning around 8 am. I like to know the plans for the day for each of our superintendents, and I like to offer any help that I can to ensure efficient execution of that plan. Once all of our guys are in order, I dive into emails and any upcoming opportunities for projects that we may be interested in bidding. If we are looking to bid a project, I am heavily involved with our team during all phases of the estimating/pre-bid activities.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I think the basic answer is through action. Ideas are merely thoughts or words on paper until somebody acts on them. I don’t believe that anyone is ever 100% ready to take on an idea, so I try to take that first step and build from there, step-by-step, without running too far ahead.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that excites me is AI. I think that AI can be a complementary tool in all industries if employed correctly. In ever-changing environments such as construction, AI is a great tool to make decisions and adjustments on the fly.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Early to rise. I believe that the early bird gets the worm and consistency in this allows time for yourself and the opportunity to fill your own cup before pouring it to others for the rest of the day.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Set goals, write them down, and work backwards to achieve those goals. If you want to be a millionaire at 30, what decisions, habits, or sacrifices are necessary at 15 to make this happen? Instant gratification is the Achilles’ heel of long-term success.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
It is possible to be organized and inefficient, but it is impossible to be efficient without being organized.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Write down goals, set a timeframe to achieve these goals, and reflect at the end of that deadline to evaluate the performance.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I disconnect and go for a walk. I talk to God about what is on my mind and try to refocus my mindset to just focus on what I can control and the next step.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Transparency and communication. As a business professional, I learned early on that it is imperative to communicate with honesty and punctuality in every phase of a project.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I missed a portion of a takeoff when bidding a job early on in my career. Fortunately, it was not detrimental to the project budget. When it happened and I realized it, I made my superiors aware of it and instead of feeling sorry for myself, I looked for other areas within the project to save money. I created systems within our projects and work environment to improve efficiency and cut down on costs. Overall, it was one of the best things to happen to me.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
It may sound old school with all the newer software out there, but I use Excel every day in some form or fashion. Whether it’s a bid, counting inventory, or simple formatting, I lean on Excel a lot.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
My favorite podcasts are The Mel Robbins Podcast and The Ed Mylett Show. These two podcasts are raw and real. They talk directly to listeners with advice that is applicable simply from discipline and decision making. They are not trying to sell a magic fix-it-all pharmaceutical of some sort. Simple, raw, go-and-get-it advice.
My favorite book is called Inner Excellence. I saw AJ Brown reading this on the sideline during the Super Bowl, and I bought it. I am currently halfway through it, and the principles and values that it iterates are well worth the few dollars that the book costs. 10/10.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I don’t watch much TV. When my feet hit the floor, I am moving, and once I finally get in bed after my busy days, I read until I fall asleep. If I’m watching a TV, it’s because golf or college football is on.
Key learnings
- Discipline and organization are the keys to success and consistency.
- Transparency, communication, and goal-setting are fundamental in business, especially for business growth and career advancement.
- Trying to wait out your fears leads to stagnation; trust yourself and take the leap.
- Goals give you something to work towards.