Mills began her professional journey in healthcare, earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing and later a graduate degree in nurse education. Over the course of 24 years, she served in clinical, educational, and operational leadership roles. Along the way, she explored business ownership, first with in-home custom jewelry shows and later with a brick and mortar business, Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery, which she co-owned with her husband in Biltmore Park.

Though these ventures weren’t always carefully strategized, they laid the foundation for Mills’ leadership style and entrepreneurial approach. “Looking back, there were some fundamental business principles and tools and strategies that started to develop, on top of the natural leadership acumen that is organic to who I am,” she said.

Her entry into coaching grew out of her desire to share what she wished she had known as a first-time business owner. Contract work with Mountain BizWorks allowed her to “pay it forward.” “It was like a community service,” she said. “Let me tell you what I wish I knew, and how can I help you know about resources that I didn’t know and help you bring your concepts to life.”

In 2023, Mills made the leap into full-time coaching, speaking, and consulting with her business Brandy Mills Consulting. The transition was bolstered by her faith and a clear sense of purpose. “When my career starts to feel like a job, I am no longer operating in my why, and I have to shift,” she said. “God was like, it’s time to go, and I was like, go where, what are we talking about?” That very day, she received a call inviting her to serve as a keynote speaker at a major women’s event—a moment she describes as confirmation.

Mills delivers a workshop for clients.

Today, Mills leads both individual and organizational clients through business, leadership and professional development coaching and consultation. Her values—faith, integrity, kindness, and honesty—anchor her work. She is also the founder of Woman Strong, a women’s empowerment movement built on the belief that “strong” doesn’t mean that one always has it together, but that women are inherently strong, even when life throws challenges at them. “You have everything in you, around you, or connected to you to help you get back up,” she said.

One of Mills’ defining qualities is her refusal to reduce her work to surface-level solutions. She recounted turning down a corporate client who wanted a single workshop as a checkbox measure for internal issues. “I want the work that I do to have impact,” she said. “Are you doing this to check the box, or do you want to see change? And if it’s the check box, I’m not the person that you want to work with.”

Her coaching approach emphasizes holistic self-exploration before problem-solving. “I don’t start with the problem that we’re looking to solve,” she said. “I start with: who are you, and how does that influence the solution?”

For women in business, Mills offers advice rooted in resilience, patience, and faith. She encourages business owners, leaders, and individuals to resist reacting from anxiety and instead allow clarity to emerge, even if it means doing nothing for a while. “Sometimes you have to sit still in the moment to allow things to fall down to figure out how to pick it back up,” she said. 

Through every chapter of her career, Mills has remained committed to growth—not only her own but also that of those around her. “I get to do who I am,” she said. “I really, really feel like I am not trying to sell anything but me. I don’t believe that we reach success by ourselves, nor do I think that there’s only room for one in any business space. We can share the space, knowing that the exact same services can be offered, but only I have my secret sauce, and no one can do me like me.”

Learn more at BrandyMillsConsulting.com.