CEO of Global Transportation Company Committed to Creating Opportunities for Others

The Black Leaders Program gave Maurice Brewster, founder and CEO of Mosaic Global Transportation, the knowledge and insights to grow as a business leader, role model, and mentor.

January 19, 2023

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Maurice Brewster

Maurice Brewster always loved vintage automobiles. A successful sales and account manager, he worked for corporations during the dot-com boom. One weekend, he was relaxing at the Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance car show, then hosted at the Stanford University athletic practice fields. Something about one of the antique limousines spoke to Maurice. He had an epiphany.

“I saw this beautiful white vintage Rolls-Royce, and it hit me like a ton of bricks,” he recalls. “I said to my wife, ‘No one’s using vintage cars for weddings, wine tours, and [other] special events. I’ve made millions for other companies. If I could do it for them, I could do it for us.’”

With his wife Rhonda Brewster’s support, Maurice founded a vintage limousine service in 2002 — offering elegant luxury rides to brides and wedding parties. Business did well. But in time, Maurice realized they couldn’t scale up operating only on weekends. “The cars sat unused Monday [through] Friday,” he laments. “So we pivoted to Mosaic Global Transportation, providing town cars, SUVs, stretch limousines, and other vehicles for corporate America.” Rhonda became President and Chief Operating Officer, and together they built the company.  

As business grew, so did Maurice’s reputation as a leader who wanted to help others. He met with President Obama to discuss the challenges of small and minority-owned businesses. In 2011, he founded the nonprofit Minority Limousine Operators of America “to create an organization that helps train, develop, network, and give financial literacy information to [underserved groups],” he says. “I felt the industry needed it. When I see something, I act.”  

More than 20 years since its founding, Maurice and Rhonda have grown their family-owned company into a multi-million dollar, international ground transportation, employee shuttle, and meeting and events business. Mosaic Global Transportation — named for the diversity of its employees and the people it serves — has 147 employees and 107 vehicles operating in 440 cities worldwide.

A lifelong learner, Maurice had completed multiple business degree and certificate programs at top U.S. universities. “I’ve always wanted to continue my education and sharpen that saw so that I can stay on top of my game … [to] learn from the best and take what I’ve learned to help me grow my business and make opportunities for my employees.”

His commitment to lifelong learning, growth as a business leader, and helping others brought Maurice to Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education.

What It Means to Be a Black Leader

Maurice enrolled in the one-week, on-campus Black Leaders Program — an intensive leadership program that creates the space and support to help participants delve into the challenges and opportunities of being a Black leader today. 

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Stanford provided a phenomenal program where I met great leaders from across the country, while learning at one of the best educational institutions in the world.
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Maurice Brewster, Black Leaders Program ‘22

“I came into this program wanting to learn to be a better business person, a better entrepreneur, a better leader, and a better Black leader,” Maurice says. “As a Black CEO, and with all the social unrest in our country, I wanted to make sure how we do things is relevant to the times. How can I communicate a clear message with all the corporations we do business with that not only makes opportunities for me, but for other Black and minority business people?” 

The curriculum gave Maurice valuable insights about communication, psychology, and managing people’s expectations. “When I present in front of a room, they are sizing me up,” he says. “The first thing they see is I am Black. It’s about making sure your content is tight and the persona you present shows who you are and what you represent.” He enjoyed learning alongside other Black and minority business people. The strong bonds they formed was an unexpected surprise. 

Forming a Network of Leaders 

“It’s lonely being the CEO of a company,” Maurice shares. “What I loved about Stanford was I was sitting next to 30 other leaders who could be my virtual board of directors. I realized I wasn’t an island anymore because of this program. I have other men and women, Black and brown, whom I can talk to about what’s happening in my company.”  

With learnings from the program and the network he has formed, Maurice is inspired to be the best business leader he can. He wants his employees to grow along with the company. “My biggest success is when one of my employees tells me they can buy their first home, or they have their first 401K, because of what we’ve done. This motivates me to keep doing this for years to come.” 

 

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