Meet Brooke Allen | Award winning broadcaster and Host of Caffeinated Conversations with Brooke Allen

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Allen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
After spending the majority of my career in broadcast news- the last five at WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit- i was left with the question of “what next?” Many people asked why I didn’t start my own project.. so “why”became “why not?” And the podcast, “ Caffeinated Conversations with Brooke Allen” was created. It is hosted live on Mondays from a different coffee shop each month. It is woman-focused and community driven. Different segments include “ Halfway to a Hundred” which focuses on aging gracefully and also ways to support and care for our elderly loved ones. “ Caffeinated Acts of Kindness” highlights a local nonprofit and “ Great Lakes Made” showcases Michigan companies.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I wanted to be an actor since I was five and saw my uncle Mark perform in his high school production of “ Oliver.” Most people laughed at me because I had a speech impediment ( I stuttered, g’s were D’s, t’s were c’s…you get the point!) Thanks to speech therapy I eventually learned how to speak clearly. I did move to California to pursue acting, but eventually delved into broadcasting. I covered the fires, the floods, and ofcourse an earthquake or two. The one lesson I learned at the beginning is.. you must not just check your questions off during an interview. You must really listen- even if it means going in an entirely different direction with the conversation. You must also pay attention to your surroundings and the conversation happening around you. (You may just pick up an incredible story) “ Caffeinated Conversations with Brooke Allen”is the culmination of years of meeting people where they are- whether it’s a moment of needing help, finding joy, or being swallowed up by grief. Anything can be turned into a soundbyte- but this show is meant for deeper discussions and topics not always openly talked about.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ha, I hope they would visit during the summer so we could hang out at Green Latern in Berkley and play Bar Bingo on the patio! We’d ofcourse hit The Henry Ford and hopefully the biggest car show of the year with the Woodward Dream Cruise! And even though I’m allergic to chocolate, I’d still take them to Mackinac Island ( where Somewhere in Time was filmed) for a ferry ride and the fudge! We’d also hit some of my favorite coffee shops including Blue Hat Coffee Gallery, The Tuscan Cafe, and Seven Sundays.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Whether it was letting me hash out my ideas in their office, or late night phone calls-so many people have played an integral part in this new chapter of my career! Doug and Ally Cohen, Linda Schlesinger-Wagner (even her son David!) My mom, Dorothy K and Papa James. My dad Tim, Dave Scott, and my executive producer Christina McDaniels, And ofcourse, my 12-year old twins Carson and Daisy, who made me promise my next job would no longer require me to miss dinners or homework time.

Website: Caffeinatedconversationswithbrookeallen.com

Instagram: @brookeallenofficial