Meet Libby Stuart | Auto Broker & Single Mom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Libby Stuart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Libby, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have spent most of my life working for other people, and putting my heart and soul in someone else’s dreams. I am a single mother of 2 amazing teens that are not far from choosing careers and how they want the next part of their life journey to look. Like most parents, I want my kids to have more than I do. More joy, more love, more genuine quality of life. It was time for me to start leading by example, and working towards my goals of financial stability and most importantly a healthy work life balance. I love the car business, I have been connected to the business since 1998. I also love helping people. Under the amazing umbrella of HM Brown Automotive as an Auto Broker, I saw a path to achieving my goals and setting an example of what hard work and dedication can create.
Starting over at 51 was certainly not ideal, but it was time to but my hard work and dedication to work for my dreams and for my kids and myself. To be able to create my own business and to finally reap the rewards of my passion and hard work while helping others was terrifying and unbelievably exciting at the same time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart is my desire to be the best I can be for myself and for the people that a serve. In all areas of my life, I like to think that I put the needs and desires of others ahead of my own. I try to find solutions that may be outside of the box, but fit the needs of my clients. I believe that most people are intimidated at the thought of going to the Car Dealership. When we are outside of our comfort zones it changes our ability to communicate. The perception of not looking weak and not being taken advantage of by the car dealer is a tough one to overcome. My focus is to put my clients at ease and really listen to what their needs are concerning a new vehicle. In my career, I’m most excited about creating a fun and stress free experience for my clients to find their perfect car. In my life I am most excited to continue to learn and grow as a person and as a parent. The most obvious challenge is being a woman in primarily male field. At the beginning it was difficult not only with clients but my coworkers as well to be taken seriously and respectfully.
I have also had to reinvent myself within the automotive industry several times to accommodate the different stages and challenges in my personal life. To find a balance that doesn’t compromise my life and dedication to my children and to my career is a constant work in progress.
I have learned that a positive outlook and not allowing the negativity to get you down in monumental.
I was at what I though was the height of my career when I was married in 2004, I was a Finance Manager for a large automotive group in Las Vegas and I was on the career path to becoming a General Manager within the group. I soon found out that I was pregnant with my first child and the decision was made to give up my path and be a stay at home mom. This choice is one of the things I am most thankful for in my life. I was able to stay home with my 2 beautiful children, my daughter was born in 2007.
In 2007 as a family we made the choice for my then husband to leave the retail world and return the corporate automotive world. The choice thankfully brought us to Castle Rock Colorado. Unfortunately, we divorced in 2010 and my 1st reinvention began.
I had my sights set on the returning to the car business. That’s when I started my journey with the Mike Ward Infiniti. I was at that time a newly single parent with 80% custody of young children trying to navigate a new career and a new and positive life balance.
I think the most important thing I want people to know about me is that I am always growing and learning. I make mistakes, lots of them actually. I really pride my self on my integrity and grit. I see integrity as owning your actions both the good and the bad, and hopefully learning from them. I refuse to give up, which is where the grit comes in. I have had countless obstacles in my life, but I always look for the light at the end of the tunnel. My son was asked by a family member when is was about 5 how he would describe his mom, I was so thrilled when his response was “my mom is the queen of the silver lining.” I really like to bring that attitude into every aspect of my life, personal and professional.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When I have friends visit, the first thing I like to do is share the amazing outdoors with them. Colorado has so many incredible trails and hikes it’s hard not to show them off. A drive up Pikes Peak or a hike through The Garden of the Gods are always crowd pleasers. I live in Castle Rock so I tend to stay south and try to support our local business owners when it comes to a meal out. Thankfully Castle Rock has something for everyone and the downtown has great shops and a beautiful walkway through town. A perfect day for my guests and I starts with enjoying a little exercise. Depending on the fitness level we may enjoy a beautiful walk on the miles of paved trails in and around the Meadows and Castle Rock and follow that up with brunch at one of the amazing restaurants in downtown Castle Rock. Throughout the week we would take a trip to downtown Denver and 16th street to see the sights and enjoy a Burger at the Cherry Cricket in Cherry Creek.
You can’t visit Colorado without heading to the mountains. I would share the beautiful scenery heading to Winter
Park over Berthoud Pass. The town of Winter Park has so much character, as well as great shopping and eating.
Our final adventure would be the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, because not matter how old you get you are never too old to feed a giraffe. After an amazing day at the zoo we can take a moment to relax and enjoy the beautiful Broadmoor Hotel for dinner.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have helped and supported me through my life. If I had to choose one voice that I hear when I low or feel like I’ve lost confidence, it would have to be Rich Abajian. Rich was my friend and my mentor and always did what he could to affect peoples lives in a positive way. That’s not how most people would describe a car salesman, but Rich broke the mold and led me and many others to do the same. Rich was the General Manager for Findlay Toyota when I started as a sales consultant in 1998. I know it would be impossible to find anyone that has ever had the pleasure of meeting Rich that wouldn’t agree you just felt better after any amount of time with him. Rich lived his life to the fullest, he always worked hard and wanted to be the best for himself and for other people. He just made me want to be a better person. His passion was contagious, and it was for helping people and for the car business. He saw the good in everyone and never stopped working and loving every minute of it, until he sadly was gone far too soon. I don’t think a week goes by without me thinking of him and his inspirational quotes.

” Once you make it the people business instead of the car business, things start to happen.”

“Leaders don’t create followers, they create good leaders”

” Watch your thought, they become your words;
Watch your words, they become your actions;
Watch your actions, they become your habits;
Watch your habits, they become your character;
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

– Rich Abajian. 1953-2016

Website: https://www.hmbrown.com/broker-LIBBY-STUART

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558621542752