15 JUNE 2017 BODY OF CHRIST NEWS Passion and Success When you are able to convince a manager to hire you then you are already on that road to success. Anthony Brownlee had no prior sales experience selling cars but walked into the office of a manager at a dealership in Los Angeles, Calif. and convinced him he could do it. That was 18 years ago. Now Brownlee is the proud presi- dent and owner of his own dealership, Land Rover Denver, located at 6160 S. Broadway in Littleton, Colo. There is a lot in going into business, Brownlee explains. “A lot of sacrifice in terms of saving every dollar to start a business. You have to separate your needs verses wants. And if business is something you want to pursue make sure you have that investment capital.” Lithia Motors, a national automotive dealership recruited him to Colorado to run their Volkswagen store in Denver. He was so good that he ended up trav- eling back and forth to run Lithia’s other dealerships in Spokane, Wash. and Cedar Rapids Iowa. In 2011, Brownlee bought two Land Rover dealerships in Aurora (Denver East) and Highlands Ranch. He was even featured in a magazine as the “Man Behind the Rovers.” While Colorado is one of the states with the lowest unemployment rate, Brownlee said there has definitely been a steady decline in getting quali- fied automotive technicians hired at dealerships. He said it is not a field a lot of young people are inspired to go into. “If you are willing to learn something new, being a technician is almost guaranteed employment.” But mainly, whatever career path young people may choose, he adds, “Be professional and be yourself. Slow down and identify what is truly impor- tant to you and what is it you are doing today to make that happen on down the road.” Brownlee may be modest and hum- ble about his upbringing as a youth, at the same time, proud and blessed for having a strong family foundation. He grew up in the heart of South Central, Los Angeles. “My parents and grandparents were my role models. Despite what the media portrayed, there was no shortage of positive black male role models. They were taking care of their families, active in the churches and spending time in parks or volunteering,” he says. And he is still passionate and car- ries that with him as an owner and general manager in the automotive industry, when saying during a televi- sion news interview, “It’s about finding a cause that’s close to you, that means something to you. And finding a way to make a meaningful difference.” Brownlee was one of the guest speak- ers at last month’s Father and Son Breakfast event at Now Faith Church. INSPIRATION My parents and grandparents were my role models. Despite what the media portrayed... Anthony Brownlee