Ep14 Dr. Brett Fickes, from Teacher to CEO, and NASCAR®: Leadership Development podcast
Ep14 Dr. Brett Fickes, from Teacher to CEO, and NASCAR®: Leadership Development podcast  
Podcast: LEADERSHIP MESSENGERS™ with Ovi Vasquez
Published On: Fri Dec 19 2025
Description: What questions do you want asked at in the show? HOST: This leadership development podcast is brought to you by: Ovi Vasquez, Inspirational Leadership Keynote Speaker. Fatherless farm boy from rural Guatemala—Inspiring teams to peak performance. He challenges teams to embrace change and step into bold leadership through leadership culture. He grew up in a village without electricity, learned English in two years, graduated from high school in three years, earned a B.A. in management, in two years.  Ovi has worked for Apple, Tesla, Salesforce, and Uber. He is a TEDx speaker, author, and social entrepreneur. GUEST BIO:  Dr. Brett Fickes, a retired educator with 36 years in public schools (history teacher & administrator until June 2025), is now a CEO and entrepreneur. Post-retirement, he became CEO of Universal Dental Clinics. He owns Redline Motorsports Racing, Chicago's premier NASCAR®  Xfinity team, and Teachercraft, which makes classroom easels. He also serves on the Learning Forward Illinois board. Find our guest at: www.uudclinics.comFind our host at: https://www.ovinspires.com Leadership Keywords: educator leadership, district innovation, oral health equity, NASCAR ownership, career transition, workplace culture, public service, cross-sector leadership, servant leadership, team building, staff development, entrepreneurship, nonprofit partnerships Leadership Summary: In this episode, Dr. Brett Fickes shares how servant leadership carried him from classroom walls to corporate halls. He explains how mentoring, equity, and kindness built trust in every role—from advancing AP access in schools to launching a racing team. His mission now spans healthcare, motorsports, and social impact. 10 Takeaways on Leadership ✅ Kindness creates loyalty ✅ Build teams smarter than you ✅ Own your decisions ✅ Stay open to growth ✅ Listen before leading ✅ Keep values visible ✅ Challenge yourself ✅ Stay mission-driven ✅ Honor every voice ✅ Lead with service 5 Titles for Leadership ✅ From Classroom to C-Suite: Brett Fickes on Purpose-Driven Leadership ✅ Why Kindness Wins: Building Loyalty at Every Level ✅ Beyond Education: How One Leader Changed Industries ✅ Racing Toward Equity: A New Chapter in NASCAR ✅ Hire Smart, Lead Smarter 5 Sound Bites for Leadership 🗣 “Strong leadership works anywhere.” 🗣 “Kindness is a leadership strategy.” 🗣 “If you're not growing, you're standing still.” 🗣 “Listen to your people. Then decide.” 🗣 “Good leaders don't fear talent. They build it.” 10 Chapters on Leadership 00:00 – Meet Dr. Fickes 02:00 – Career in Public Education 05:00 – Leadership Beyond the School System 08:00 – Launching a NASCAR Team 12:00 – Lessons From a Mentor 16:00 – Investing in Oral Health Equity 20:00 – Leadership Across Sectors 24:00 – Role of Kindness in Culture 30:00 – Books That Shaped His Leadership 35:00 – Final Insights and Future Vision #OVinspires #LeadershipMessengers #leadership #community Leadership Culture podcast Top Management podcast Business leadership podcast Executive leadership podcast Organizational leadership podcast Transformational leadership podcast Top Leadership podcast for managers Building High-Performance Teams podcast Corporate leadership podcast Educational leadership podcast Professional Development podcast Change Management podcast