Meet Brenda Englebert
“Don’t worry. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are smart. And you will make it.”
Managing a successful business is hard work and more than a full-time job. But Brenda Englebert was born for such challenges—which is why she runs not one but three businesses. Best known as the owner of Prattville Pickers, Brenda not only manages an amazing vintage and makers marketplace, but she also has her hand in several other businesses. She hosts a biannual children’s consignment sale called Mom’s Marketplace, which helps local moms buy and sell used clothing, toys, and furniture. She also innovated a water resistant, cold & dust proof, pocket sized long-gun cover called Rain-buddy.com. Her latest startup, PickerPaint.com, provides the best top quality paint with minimal prep to restore and make your outdated furniture and cabinets beautiful again. But technically, Brenda is retired—at least from decorating, which is something she did for 30 years.
A New Jersey transplant, Brenda settled in Prattville in 1988. It is hard for an outsider to feel at home in a brand new culture and be accepted into its community, but the greater challenge for Brenda was acceptance into a smaller, more competitive arena: the world of the woman business owner. Determined to prove herself in a field where she was one of the few Northerners and one of the even fewer females, she demonstrated herself to be more than capable. Because of her perseverance, she not only created a successful business (or two or three… and still counting) but one that is now a bright gem in Prattville’s crown.
It is quite an accomplishment. Something to be proud of. But according to Brenda, her proudest achievement of all started out as her greatest fear: raising her son as a single mom. And whether she realized it at the time or not, in that season of life she followed the same advice that she currently gives employees and other small business owners: change is inevitable, growth is optional. In change, however frightening, Brenda chose growth.
Even during the COVID restrictions, Brenda looked for opportunities for growth and encouragement. After 33 days of being shut down, Prattville Pickers reopened. Customers were able to meander, dream, and maybe even forget their troubles for a little while, all while socially distancing and feeling encouraged.
Fun Facts
– Loves to Encourage
– Passion for Learning
– Honesty
– Loves Raising Future Leaders
Encouragement is something Brenda is not only good at but also passionate about, especially when it comes to raising leaders in her shop and the community. Asked if she had any advice for her ten-year-old self, she replied, “Don’t worry. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are smart. And you will make it.”
Brenda has a passion for learning—which definitely helps since, as an entrepreneur, her day-to-day life can be a rollercoaster. Thankfully at this stage, she has a great team handling the normal operations of her business so that she can take care of the behind the scenes work. In her business and in her life in general, she is characteristically quick, decisive, and straightforward—qualities that are appreciated by her friends, employees, and customers.
And since honesty is one of her best qualities, we asked her for her honest opinion of Prattville. Her favorite things about Prattville are that it is just the right size: small enough while being big enough. It is small enough to know your neighbors but big enough to not raise your kids in seclusion from the rest of the world. Brenda’s idea of the perfect evening out in Prattville is enjoying a great steak from KimberLia’s and then taking a leisurely stroll through Prattville Pickers reminiscing about the good old days, concluding with the discovery of the perfect piece of old furniture to paint!
