Her Story
About Brandie
Brandie Hayes serves as General Manager of Adams Outdoor Advertising in the Triad market of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She has spent 14 years in the out-of-home advertising industry after beginning her career in retail sales and management, including roles as a store manager and area manager for a children's clothing retailer. Hayes transitioned into nonprofit work as an event planner and fundraiser with the American Heart Association, later serving as Director of Alumni Affairs at her alma mater, Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina, where she majored in marketing and led capital campaign efforts. After a period running her own event management and wedding consulting business, she joined Adams Outdoor Advertising, advancing from sales manager to company fixer across multiple markets before her recent promotion to General Manager. Hayes credits her achievements to influential women in her life, including her mother, godmother Vicki Boyd, and mentor Gail Vinnell, and she emphasizes values of trust, loyalty, humility, and empathy in both her professional and personal spheres.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brandie
01What do you attribute your success to?
It's a combination of things. I am humbled enough to know that a lot of my successes come from the people that I have had around me. I have had the most amazing strong women in my life. My mother who didn't go to college has the work ethic of any CEO, intelligent with street perseverance. She taught me whatever I wanted to achieve I was able to achieve, to be humble, to ask for help. Then strong professional women like my godmother Vicki Boyd who worked in media for 50 years, classy, articulate, taught me every day was an interview. Also Gail Vinnell my mentor in Charlotte who taught me everything about billboards.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
When you're just getting started, one of the most important things is that you have to listen more than you talk, and listen to really understand not to just respond. Intently listen with nothing going on in your head, understand and respond thoughtfully. It builds sincerity, trust, integrity. Put yourself out there, get involved, don't be afraid to go into the room by yourself and shake hands. Take people up on their help and reach back out to them for introductions and networking events. Not allowing people to help is taking their blessing from them.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Trust, loyalty, humility, and empathy. At the end of the day we are all human beings and want to be valued, appreciated, heard, seen, and respected. Create environments where people can trust me, know I will do what I say, keep confidence, be loyal to the company and my word. Be honest with people, say the truth with empathy and kindness, not yelling or using ugly words. Who you see in the light is who you will see in the dark. Life happens and that's okay.
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