Generous Business Owner

Stephen Brooks: Giving a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out

Episode Summary

In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Stephen discuss: Stephen’s colorful professional history and his journey to building Grand Homes. Climbing the steep mountains of life. Giving with purpose versus toxic giving. Inspiring generosity in others. Key Takeaways: In life, when given choices, always make the right choice, even if it looks difficult or insurmountable. When you hire Godly people, they start attracting others of similar values, and that is how you build a culture with good people. Generosity can be found even in the worst of times. People are often most giving and caring when they are in the worst of times. Get involved however looks right for your life. Pick something that calls to you and be hands on in your generosity. "Whatever somebody asks you to do, do it. Get involved in anything and it will touch your heart and snowball." —  Stephen Brooks Episode Reference: Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance by Bob Buford: https://www.amazon.com/Halftime-Significance-Bob-P-Buford/dp/0310344441 About Stephen Brooks:  Stephen Brooks, CEO of Grand Homes, is a third-generation builder with over 42 years of experience in the homebuilding industry. After seeing the need in the Dallas housing market for a company comprised of hardworking people dedicated to building quality homes, he founded Grand Homes in 1986. Grand Homes and their trade partners have built 12 homes for Homes for Hope that donate the proceeds from selling these homes to Hope International towards microloans to entrepreneurs in the poorest of countries.  In 2022 Mr. Brooks was honored with the Perry Bigelow award for his contribution and commitment to Homes for Hope and Hope International. Mr. Brooks has also been honored with the Hugh Prather award in 2013 by the Dallas Builders Association. This award is the highest honor presented annually for a builder who has done the most for the betterment of his community through local, state, national, and international philanthropy. Mr. Brooks, along with Grand Homes employees, has built 11 homes in Tijuana, Mexico, with Baja Christian Ministries. Teams build 2 houses a year in the spring for families in need. Mr. Brooks has contributed and assisted in building three churches, two schools, a library, and a farm to feed the students at Imbirikani School for girls in Kenya. His family has traveled in the summer to Kenya to help renovate and build the buildings.  The school hosts the southern Kenyan Presbyterian Christian Ministry Leadership Conference and vacation bible school for the children from the Masai Mara tribe. Mr. Brooks supports Catholic Charities and donated money towards the food bank and purchased two mobile food trucks to feed impoverished people in the rural areas of North Texas. Mr. Brooks has earned the prestigious Lee Evans Award for Excellence in Business Management from the National Association of Home Builders and was named by Builder magazine as “America’s Best Builder” in 1996 and 2011. Mr. Brooks has been a key force in setting architectural trends and has sculpted some of the most popular features in the Dallas market.  As a result, Grand Homes has become known for its innovative designs, and has won over 200 design and marketing awards. Grand Homes was named by its peers in D Home’s “2006 Best Builders in Dallas”, and “Builder of the Year” by the HBA of Greater Dallas for 2009 and 2010, as well as a ten-time Consumers’ Choice Award Winner. Grand Homes continue to thrive in the Dallas market with innovative, award-winning architectural designs. Grand builds over 400 semi-custom homes a year in over 30 communities throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Mr. Brooks is a graduate of the University of Texas and holds an MBA from the University of Miami.  Mr. Brooks has three sons, the oldest of whom is President of Grand Homes. List of Charities: American Red Cross Sky Ranch Buckner Baptist Children’s Home CASA of Collin County Dallas CASA Family Place Genesis Women’s Shelter Imbirikani School / Neema Huruma Foundation Incarnation House Jonathan’s Place Momentous Institute North Texas Food Bank Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Shared Housing Center Bishop’s Gala St. Joseph’s Church St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children US Fund for UNICEF Allen Community Outreach Alliance for Children Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas Camp John Marc Grand Beginnings Heart House Meals on Wheels Dallas County Network of Community Ministries Catholic Charities Christ the King Catholic Church Covenant House Highland Park Presbyterian Homes for HOPE St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Bonton Farms Doctors without Borders Smile Train Baja Christian Ministries Corner Stone Crossroads Family Gateway John L Wagner Our Calling Parenting For the Present Parker’s Women’s Club Pastoral Reflections Institute Triumph over Alzheimer’s Women’s Auxiliary for Children’s Medical Center Connect with Stephen Brooks: Website: https://www.grandhomes.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brooks-6a058412/ Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/ Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/

Episode Notes

In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Stephen discuss: 

• Stephen’s colorful professional history and his journey to building Grand Homes.
• Climbing the steep mountains of life. 
• Giving with purpose versus toxic giving. 
• Inspiring generosity in others. 

Key Takeaways: 

• In life, when given choices, always make the right choice, even if it looks difficult or insurmountable. 
• When you hire Godly people, they start attracting others of similar values, and that is how you build a culture with good people. 
• Generosity can be found even in the worst of times. People are often most giving and caring when they are in the worst of times. 
• Get involved however looks right for your life. Pick something that calls to you and be hands on in your generosity. 

"Whatever somebody asks you to do, do it. Get involved in anything and it will touch your heart and snowball." —  Stephen Brooks

Episode Reference: 

• Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance by Bob Buford: https://www.amazon.com/Halftime-Significance-Bob-P-Buford/dp/0310344441

About Stephen Brooks:  

Stephen Brooks, CEO of Grand Homes, is a third-generation builder with over 42 years of experience in the homebuilding industry. After seeing the need in the Dallas housing market for a company comprised of hardworking people dedicated to building quality homes, he founded Grand Homes in 1986.

Grand Homes and their trade partners have built 12 homes for Homes for Hope that donate the proceeds from selling these homes to Hope International towards microloans to entrepreneurs in the poorest of countries.  In 2022 Mr. Brooks was honored with the Perry Bigelow award for his contribution and commitment to Homes for Hope and Hope International.

Mr. Brooks has also been honored with the Hugh Prather award in 2013 by the Dallas Builders Association. This award is the highest honor presented annually for a builder who has done the most for the betterment of his community through local, state, national, and international philanthropy.

Mr. Brooks, along with Grand Homes employees, has built 11 homes in Tijuana, Mexico, with Baja Christian Ministries. Teams build 2 houses a year in the spring for families in need.

Mr. Brooks has contributed and assisted in building three churches, two schools, a library, and a farm to feed the students at Imbirikani School for girls in Kenya. His family has traveled in the summer to Kenya to help renovate and build the buildings.  The school hosts the southern Kenyan Presbyterian Christian Ministry Leadership Conference and vacation bible school for the children from the Masai Mara tribe.

Mr. Brooks supports Catholic Charities and donated money towards the food bank and purchased two mobile food trucks to feed impoverished people in the rural areas of North Texas.

Mr. Brooks has earned the prestigious Lee Evans Award for Excellence in Business Management from the National Association of Home Builders and was named by Builder magazine as “America’s Best Builder” in 1996 and 2011.

Mr. Brooks has been a key force in setting architectural trends and has sculpted some of the most popular features in the Dallas market.  As a result, Grand Homes has become known for its innovative designs, and has won over 200 design and marketing awards. Grand Homes was named by its peers in D Home’s “2006 Best Builders in Dallas”, and “Builder of the Year” by the HBA of Greater Dallas for 2009 and 2010, as well as a ten-time Consumers’ Choice Award Winner.

Grand Homes continue to thrive in the Dallas market with innovative, award-winning architectural designs. Grand builds over 400 semi-custom homes a year in over 30 communities throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

Mr. Brooks is a graduate of the University of Texas and holds an MBA from the University of Miami.  Mr. Brooks has three sons, the oldest of whom is President of Grand Homes.

List of Charities:

Connect with Stephen Brooks:

Website: https://www.grandhomes.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brooks-6a058412/

Connect with Jeff Thomas: 

Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/

Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up

Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/