Meet Audrey Monell

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Audrey Monell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Audrey, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes indirectly from my grandfather, Forrest Anderson. He was a Navy Veteran who served during World War II. When he returned home from the war, he put his hard-earn mechanical skills to work and founded Forrest Anderson Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning. Since 1961, this company has held on to my grandfather’s values: treat your employees right, treat the customer right, do your best work, and do the right thing – always! He would eventually pass his company on to my father – who taught me the importance of keeping our word and our promises. Today, my grandfather’s original values are still at the core of what we do and serve as a guide for my work ethic.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Located in Glendale, Arizona, family owned and operated Forrest Anderson Plumbing and Air Conditioning (Forrest Anderson) serves the air conditioning, heating and plumbing needs of residents of Phoenix and the surrounding areas. Since 1961, Forrest Anderson has been redefining comfort for families and businesses across Arizona with a wide variety of home solutions including air conditioning and plumbing maintenance, repair, and installation.

As President of my family’s company, I take pride in our organization’s ability to hold true to our original core values. In fact, I’m most proud that we’ve been able to keep my grandfather’s legacy alive by sticking to his beliefs. The world has changed quite a bit since 1961, but the trust our customers have in our service and integrity have not. That’s what makes this company special.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
There are many qualities and skills that can help people better lead their teams. One of the most important attributes of a successful leader in today’s world is to be a role model. Leading by example, emphasizing values, and acting as a mentor for employees are all crucial components for creating a positive work culture that inspires staff to support one another. Leading by example emphasizes open communication, encourages new ideas, and helps the team to learn collectively through individual experiences.

This leads into another area of knowledge that is important for leaders to know – understanding the importance of your people. It is important to empower employees to have an active role in the company by encouraging them to speak up, offer new ideas, and question the status quo. Every employee at an organization should have a voice in what they are doing and how they are doing it. This open communication sparks formal and informal discussions about a wide range of topics including safety, new products, service locations, vehicle upkeep, ordering, scheduling and more.

Finally, one last thing that helped me in my journey was taking risks. One of the most important risks I’ve taken involves pushing forward through difficult times. When I first took over the organization, the nation was in a recession and the community was feeling its severe impacts. Rather than back down, we pushed forward and persevered. As a result, we were able to increase the company’s revenue which now exceeds $5 million.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
As the President of a family-owned business, one of the most impactful things my parents did for me was to help make me a successful leader. I grew up in my family’s company, helping around the office where I could throughout my life. Growing up in the business really helped me understand the organization’s values, why we should stick to them, and how they helped the company succeed. Not only are my grandfather’s original values a key component of the organization’s success, but they serve as great leadership advice. Having lived with these values throughout my entire life has really shaped me into the leader I am today – all thanks to my parents.

I couldn’t be more grateful for them. My parents have taught me so much and have helped shape me into who I am today. My mother and father have both shown me what it’s like to be an effective leader. At a young age, my father showed me what it takes to run a business well while my mother showed me the importance of taking care of the people around me. To this day, they both still help around the office where they can. They truly are the best parents anyone can ask for.

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Image Credits
D’Elia Photography

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