CEO
Fred grew up in his father’s auto service business working after school and weekends to help the family business. After high school, Fred went off to trade school and returned to take over the shop. It didn’t take him long to realize that there was a lot more to running a business than just producing a good product for the customer. He knew that there had to be a better way – struggling to make ends meet and losing money to only the customer’s benefit was not acceptable.
At this time, Fred went on a journey looking for answers in search of that better way. He started studying business in earnest. Researching, learning, and reading about operating a business successfully and studying the success stories of others. He went to seminars and workshops and spent every spare moment working to understand business better. Eventually, Fred’s determination began to pay small dividends. Fred’s relentless quest to improve had taken root and begun to grow. What started as a search for better business practices led to a search for self-improvement. And beyond that, to how Fred could help others improve, his kids, his family, and his employees.
Enter Ken Brookings, Aspire’s founder. While on his search, Fred attended a class that Ken was offering to small business owners. Fred immediately recognized that the systems and processes Ken presented were exactly what he had been seeking. He got the answers to questions like, Why is business so difficult? Why am I killing myself just to scrape by? Where is the logical path? From Ken, he clearly learned that YES, there was another way. A better way. And he was determined to learn it.
Fred signed up for Ken’s coaching program and turned the family business around for good. They went from losing about $35,000 the year before signing up to netting a profit of over $350,000 within two years. Ken was impressed with Fred’s resolve, work ethic, and ability to grasp complex business concepts and asked Fred to partner with him to further the mission of teaching other small business owners to do the same – a mission Fred was made for.
Fast forward. After over fifteen years together with Ken, Fred has taught thousands of small business owners how to get off the treadmill, fully take ownership of their businesses, and achieve a better work-life balance and quality of life. In so doing, Fred has found his true calling – helping others. Fred and the Aspire team he leads are driven to reach and help as many other people as possible.
Fred lives by the adage to ‘be better than he was yesterday,’ and he instills this belief into every member of his family, every employee, and every Aspire client. This simple, daily drive to improve has created Fred’s personal purpose and that of the Aspire Institute, where we define our success by the positive difference we make in others’ lives.
When asked what the most important thing he wants our past, present, and future clients to know, Fred offered this, “I want them to know we really care. Our focus is genuinely to help our clients improve both their business and personal lives. While we are not perfect, you won’t find another partner that cares as much or works as tirelessly to make sure you have everything needed to be successful.”
Fred relishes in spending time with his wife, kids, and grandchildren – sharing fun experiences with them, traveling, and flying in his private plane. He now resides in Sandpoint, Idaho, with his wife, Courtney.
