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What does it take to build a 38-year career, lead a company through 20 years of growth and adversity, and stand up for the things you believe in—even when doing so isn’t easy?
In this episode of the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast, I sit down with Philip “Phil” Brilliant, founder and owner of Brilliant Environmental Services, LLC, a full-service environmental consulting firm celebrating 20 years in business.
Phil has dedicated more than 38 years to environmental science, helping protect the water people drink, the air they breathe, and the communities where they live. During his career, he helped grow an environmental company from four employees and $400,000 in annual revenue to 68 employees, four offices, and more than $9 million in revenue.
His leadership extends far beyond his business. Phil is a longtime community advocate, frequent lecturer on environmental remediation, original member of the New Jersey Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board, and host of the Simply Brilliant Podcast. He continues to speak up, step forward, and stand behind the issues he believes matter—even when doing so makes him a target.
But to understand the leader Phil became, you also have to understand where he came from.
Raised by a single mother with limited resources, Phil learned about sacrifice, perseverance, and generosity at an early age. His mother raised two children, later returned to school, and earned her college degree at 50.
When Phil was eight or nine years old, he tried to help her pay the bills. He found what he believed were postage stamps, licked them, and carefully placed them on the envelopes. He soon discovered that they were actually the family’s food stamps for the week.
His mother also taught him the power of making people feel seen. She kept gifts in the trunk of her car because she believed you should never arrive at someone’s home empty-handed. She would even give a gift to a stranger celebrating a birthday in a restaurant. Today, Phil honors her legacy through a scholarship that helps high school seniors continue their education.
Phil also speaks candidly about one of the most difficult chapters of his professional journey. After discovering his company was losing money on every job, he faced approximately $700,000 in bills with only about $100,000 coming in. He reduced his staff from 45 employees to 10 and ultimately filed for bankruptcy.
Through honesty, resilience, and the willingness to ask for help, Phil rebuilt his business without losing a client or vendor. His advice to entrepreneurs is something every leader needs to hear: You may know something, but you do not know everything. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you in the areas where you need support.
This is a conversation about business success, leadership, family, community advocacy, bankruptcy, rebuilding, and having the courage to use your voice.
Stories like Phil’s are at the heart of my book, LIVE IT! From the Edge of Comfort to the Center of Impact. Through real and deeply personal stories, the authors share how they moved beyond judgment, uncertainty, fear, and challenge to create lives of greater purpose and impact. The book is available in paperback and Kindle wherever books are sold.
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