In this concise "6 questions in 7 minutes" interview, Professor Pete Alexander talks with Ashley Zumwalt‑Forbes, president of the natural‑resources operating company Black Mountain. Ashley explains that her industry—oil, gas, mining, and metals—provides essential building blocks for everyday life, giving her a sense of tangible impact. She advises companies to concentrate on a few core strengths rather than trying to be everything, and she emphasizes that leaders should know their own expertise, seek out questions, and hire people who are smarter than themselves. A key cultural tenet she champions is checking ego at the door to foster vulnerability and open problem‑solving. Ashley highlights female entrepreneurship, naming Sara Blakely of Spanx as a personal role model, and she shares her first job as a high‑school carhop at Sonic Drive‑In, noting how service‑industry experience builds empathy. The episode closes with her contact details (LinkedIn and Instagram) and a plug for the Winning at Business and Life podcast.
Chapters
This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Hey everybody, thanks Pete Alexander for having me. I'm Ashley Zumwalt Forbes, president of a natural resources operating company called Black Mountain, based in Fort Worth, Texas, but with operations all over the world from West Texas to Perth, Australia to Abu Dhabi.
Ashley, it's so great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
You know, I'm in the natural resources space And it's very much one of those areas that you can see in every part of your life. So oil and gas goes into generating electricity and ensuring you can get from point A to point B. Mining and metals goes into building, building your car, building your electronics. And it's one of those very fundamental building block industries that you feel that you've really made an impact on society.
I love that. A real tangible product. It's so great to hear that. Question number 3. I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
Look, so I think with, with companies and with kind of individuals, I think you get pressured to be all things to all people. And I think it's just really important to acknowledge that you don't have to be, nor should you be. So as a company, if you try to accomplish too many goals, you end up failing at all of them. You really need to target what your business is going to do and what it is meant to be good at.
I love that.
Absolutely. And so as a leader, I think that the same concept applies, um, in that, you know, you're self-conscious that you need to know everything and never go to people with questions that It's actually the complete opposite. You need to know what you know well and know what you don't know and who you can go with those— go to with those questions.
So you focus on what you're good at and then you hire people to focus on areas that you're not so good at so that the entire organization can be successful, if I'm understanding you correctly?
That is 100% right. And I mean, further to that, I think you should always hire people who are smarter than yourself. So as a leader, you should be the least capable person in that room. And that's something I'm really proud of. You know, everybody who works for me and works on my teams, I am just so proud to employ, so proud to have on my team and on my side, because I know when we're going and hitting that next challenge, you know, there's no one I'd rather go into battle with.
Oh, I love that. And then, you know, it just sounds, you know, that you have their back, they have your back, and it just creates a really powerful working and environment.
Absolutely, culture is key.
Absolutely. Question number 4: Other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for the customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
Yeah, you know what, I actually think it goes back to advice I've already given. You do not have to have the answer to everything. Um, you know, I think the more you yourself open yourself up and kind of acknowledge to your team that you are comfortable asking those questions, it opens up this kind of culture of vulnerability on your team. And once you acknowledge those things, it just allows your team to keep pressing forward, innovating, iterating to a better solution. So check your ego at the door and let's just get this work done.
Oh, I love that. Check the ego at the door. That, that sounds like a perfect title for a book.
There you go.
Question number 5. What other executive or business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Oh, man. So, I mean, my— so as a female entrepreneur, you know, it is— we're a smaller crew. So you really have to, you know, make sure you're doing your best to reach down and pull others up. And I really respect that about female entrepreneurs who have come before me. So I mean, my all-time, you know, I would say business and entrepreneurship icon is Sara Blakely from Spanx. If you can get Sara, it would be fantastic. I absolutely adore her. So I just find her to be the most fantastic role model for a business person and just for a person. I mean, mom of 4 kids under for amazing woman.
Oh, I love that referral. Thank you so much. I'll reach out to her and see if I can get her on the show.
Absolutely. Can't hurt.
And our final question, question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
Oh, so my first job was in high school. So I'm from a small town called Choctaw, Oklahoma, and I was a carhop at Sonic Drive-In. And for those of y'all who aren't familiar with Sonic, it's just an old school drive-in. Where, you know, the carhop comes out to your car with the tray. You can make an extra dollar an hour if you wear roller skates, but not coordinated, so I did not take that, that earning potential. But it was fantastic. You know what, I actually think it's really important for everyone to have worked in service at some stage. I love Sonic because it was rapid volume, like you could never get bored, and it just gives you a better appreciation for what people do on a daily basis. And you should all Always be nice to your servers and always tip them.
Oh, I love that. And it's a great story. And it's also a good lesson because, you know, it's really true. You can tell a lot about a person, how they treat their servers and others in this, in the service industry.
I think that's right. I think it's exactly right. So work at Sonic, y'all.
I love it. Ashley, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
I'm on LinkedIn as Ashley Zumwalt Forbes, or my Instagram is @AshZum.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, please go to LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, or iTunes and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
