Marketing and business strategy manager Brookelyn McClellan loves being part of the family business at Hardware Sales. “I wanted to be part of it since I was a little girl,” she says. “Getting to help shape it into its next chapter has been an incredible experience.”
When she was 16, McClellan began working for their internet division in Ferndale and stayed there for three years. “From there I moved to one of our retail locations and cashiered for roughly three years while I was in college,” she says. “After that I took over our marketing department, and in the last year or so, I’ve moved into more operations-focused initiatives while still leading marketing. Every step gave me a different view of how the business actually works, which I use constantly now.”
McClellan credits her work building the marketing department from the ground up as one of her greatest achievements thus far. “When I took it on, there was no playbook to follow, so I got to figure out what our voice actually sounded like and how we wanted to show up for our community,” she said. “That’s what makes it stand out. It wasn’t stepping into something that already existed and keeping it running. It was deciding what it should be in the first place and then getting to watch our community respond to it.”
For a person who has dedicated much of her life to the family business, McClellan keeps her greatest influence close to her heart as well. Who has had the most meaningful impact? “My dad,” she says. “He’s the reason I wanted to be part of our family’s business in the first place, and the foundation he built is what everything I get to do now sits on top of. Being able to build on that, with him, is not something most people get.”
To McClellan, being a leader to look up to means being present for people. So, what does that mean to her? “Getting involved, showing up and being there for a community that supports everything we do,” she says. “Whatcom County has given our business so much, and leadership here means recognizing that and returning it. It’s less about title or strategy and more about being genuinely present for the people and places around you.”
For those looking forward to launching their own careers soon, McClellan encourages them to speak up. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and lean on your team and your community to teach you things,” she says. “Nobody expects you to arrive knowing everything. I’d also say get involved with other people doing what you’re doing. Whatcom is small enough that you can actually build real relationships with people in your field, and that network becomes one of the most valuable resources you have.”
Brookelyn McClellan is ready to continue strengthening the foundation of her family’s business. “Professionally, I’m looking forward to handing off our marketing department and putting all of my time into growing Hardware Sales,” she says. “I want to work with my team to fix the things that genuinely bug them, improve our efficiencies, and build the best customer experience we possibly can. Personally, I’m excited for this next stage of life and getting to build a life with my boyfriend.”
Fun Fact About Brookelyn McClellan
- She’s an absolute animal lover and co-parents three dogs, two cats, five goats, a mule, about 14 chickens and numerous guineas with her boyfriend.
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and Whatcom Young Professionals have announced the 2026 Top 7 Under 40 honorees, recognized annually for their contributions as young professionals in Whatcom County. The awardees will be celebrated at the Barron Home Services-sponsored Top 7 Under 40 Awards on October 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, where one will be named Young Professional of the Year. Click here for event details and tickets.
