dad next door
Collis Temple III
BY AMANDA MILLER PHOTO BY JARRELL SCOTT
C ollis Temple III wears many hats: CEO, entrepreneur, husband, and father of four. Between leading E.P. Breaux Util- ity Services and running a financial services business, he still finds time to coach, work out, and spend meaningful moments with his children. Collis shares his daily routine, parenting philosophy, and the lessons he hopes to pass on, from affirmations at the beginning of each day to resilience learned while playing sports. WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU? COLLIS: To get a little bit of me time, I wake up at 4:30 and work out until six. Then I wake up the kiddos so they can get ready for school. I shower and get ready while they’re making their lunches and grabbing some- thing to eat for breakfast on the way out. We ride to school, and depending on the day, I start meetings around eight o’clock. Britney and I attempt to have a daily lunch together. Sometimes we can get away—her mom is a huge help. On Wednesdays, I coach my son’s AU team with some other great dads. Monet, my oldest, will ask me to bring her lunch, and since the school isn’t that far, I’ll sneak away and do that every once in a while. Weekends are where we really shine. We go to Mt. Zion First Baptist Church on Sundays— or at least we try. It doesn’t always work out because someone usually has a game. Be- tween volleyball, track, soccer, and basketball, it’s pretty much sports all weekend. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING THING ABOUT BECOMING A DAD? COLLIS: When I think about my dad, I re- member always watching him. As a parent, I feel like the best parents are always “on.” A lot of people say you can’t always be on, but I think that in order to be the best, you have to always be on because they’re watching.
Occupation: CEO and President of E.P. Breaux Utility Services and owner of a financial service company with Primerica Wife: Britney Children: Monet, 15; Eden, 13; Collis IV, 11; and Briton, 5 Hobbies: Working out
WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU HOPE TO PASS DOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN? COLLIS: Discipline and mental toughness. I hope they’re able to have those two traits, because they still can be who they are at the highest and best level. If they're going to be the best version of themselves, I think those traits will serve them well. I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to be like them- selves, but I believe those two things can help them be the best versions of themselves. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE DEMANDS OF A CAREER WITH FAMILY LIFE? COLLIS: My wife helps out a lot—and also calendars, calendars, calendars. There are things I know I need to do and things I’d like to do. For instance, my son wants to go play golf. When you go play golf, you have to block out two-and-a-half, three hours, right? So it’s just making the time, because I know he really wants to do it. HOW HAS MARRIAGE SHAPED YOUR APPROACH TO FATHERHOOD? COLLIS: I grew up with boys, and I was the oldest of three. I have a much younger sister, but we didn’t really grow up in the same house. I’m 46 and she’s 22, so parenting my daughters is different from parenting my son. I saw how to parent boys, because
that’s what I watched my dad do. Britney has helped me because of her own experiences. We use something called STARS: Structured, Technical, Action-oriented, and Relational. I'm action-oriented and really structured. Britney is big on relationships, with some action-ori- ented. She’s helped me see things from a different perspective. It’s not better or worse, it’s just different.
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO MAINTAINING A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WHILE PARENTING? COLLIS: Communicating.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PIECE OF ADVICE BRITNEY
HAS GIVEN YOU ABOUT PARENTING? COLLIS: Well, not just in parenting; this is just a general piece of advice: Not everybody thinks like you do. YOU’VE ACHIEVED A LOT IN YOUR CAREER. WHAT LESSONS DO YOU CARRY OVER INTO YOUR ROLE AS A DAD? COLLIS: Three things apply to everything in my life: coachability, focus, and work ethic. Coachability comes from observing people who have raised solid, well-adjusted adults. I’m always open to hearing their take on par- enting, and I try to apply the things they’ve
14 APRIL 2026 | BRPARENTS.COM
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