How Women at AtWork are Building Success Their Way
Success in business rarely follows a single path. That’s certainly the case for Carmen Matthews and Lori Brower—franchise leaders from AtWork, the national staffing franchise that connects businesses with qualified talent. While their backgrounds and motivations differ, both women have proven to be strong and effective leaders in their own distinctive way.
In honor of Women’s History Month, their stories illustrate the many ways women lead, with vision, empathy, courage and conviction. Proof that there is no single blueprint for success, only the determination to build it.
Carmen Matthews- AtWork Corporate
Carmen Matthews has never shied away from a challenge. In fact, she has built her career by running toward them.
Born and raised in Houston, Carmen joined the United States Marine Corps immediately after high school, a decision that reflected the drive, discipline and competitiveness that have defined her life. Determined to push herself beyond expectations, she became the second woman to graduate from the Marines’ Aircraft Firefighter School, an accomplishment that required extraordinary physical and mental endurance.
Standing just 5-foot-1, Carmen was often the smallest person in the room. Training was grueling. She worked on airfields ensuring F-16 and F-18 fighter jets landed safely without incident. Days were filled with live-fire simulations, hazardous materials training, confined space rescues and physically demanding drills designed to test limits.
One training exercise stands out. Carmen was tasked with rescuing a 220-pound dummy from a mock helicopter fire, a challenging assignment on its own. As she struggled to move the weight, she realized her staff sergeant was standing on the dummy, making the drill even harder.
“I remember looking up and thinking, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’” Carmen recalls. “But in that moment, I knew I had two choices — give up or prove I belonged there. So, I moved him out of the way and got the job done.”
At graduation, that same staff sergeant approached her, shook her hand and explained why he had pushed her so hard. He told her he wanted her to succeed and knew the odds would be stacked against her as a Hispanic woman in a demanding field. Rather than discouraging her, the experience motivated her.
That resilience has carried Carmen throughout her civilian career, particularly in staffing, where she has found both purpose and impact.
Today, Carmen serves as Senior Vice President of Operations for six corporate-owned AtWork locations across Tennessee, Texas and Alabama. She’s proud to be a Hispanic woman who has achieved success through a strong work ethic and determination. For Carmen, the mission is personal.
“AtWork is about service,” Carmen says. “We’re helping people build their futures. A job can change someone’s entire trajectory and that’s something I never take lightly.”
Just as importantly, she is passionate about mentoring her own team, helping develop leaders who understand both the human and business sides of staffing.
As a mother of two daughters, Carmen is especially mindful of the example she sets. She hopes the next generation of female leaders, particularly young Hispanic women, feel empowered to pursue ambitious goals without hesitation.
“The doors are more open now,” she says. “But you still have to walk through them with confidence. Hard work matters. Believing in yourself matters. And sometimes, the challenges that push you the hardest are the ones that prepare you the most.”
Lori Brower- AtWork Multi-Unit Franchisee
Lori Brower didn’t begin her career with entrepreneurship in mind. She initially thought she would become a teacher, but her professional journey evolved into IT and project management, a path that sharpened her operational and leadership skills.
It was a deeply personal experience, however, that ultimately reshaped her purpose.
When her mother was diagnosed with cancer, Lori and her sister faced the difficult reality of navigating care for a loved one. The experience opened Lori’s eyes to how overwhelming that season can be for families. Wanting to help others in similar situations, she launched a homecare franchise focused on serving families in need. It was business rooted in empathy.
After successfully building and selling that company, Lori began searching for her next meaningful venture, one that would allow her to continue making a difference in people’s lives; all arrows pointed to AtWork.
Today, Lori is a multi-unit AtWork franchise owner operating in Orange County and San Bernardino, California. Though Lori had no prior experience in sales or staffing, she took a leap of faith, confident that workforce development aligned with her core values.
Driven by a desire to help others, Lori built a successful, family-run business alongside her sister, with the support of her husband and two children. Through AtWork, she helps individuals secure jobs, providing stability and opportunity, something she believes is transforming the lives of people in her community.
That commitment to service extends beyond her office. Grounded in kindness, Lori and her team volunteer monthly at a local food pantry, reinforcing her belief that meaningful leadership is rooted in compassion and action. For Lori, kindness is not a soft skill, it’s a powerful leadership quality, especially for women who balance ambition with empathy.
“I love empowering women,” Lori says. “I don’t know if I could have lived back in a time when women weren’t valued the same way. Women are so multifaceted. We work hard. We lead. We nurture. Women’s History Month just shows how amazing women are day in and day out. Honestly, we should probably be honored 365 days, but we’ll take the month!”
Through AtWork, both Lori Brower and Carmen Matthews demonstrate that leadership does not follow a single formula. For women in business, success is distinctly personal, shaped by individual experiences, yet equally impactful in the opportunities they create for others.