MARY JANE WALSH Thrive

MARY JANE WALSH Thrive New Orleans-based strategic business coach dedicated to helping clients achieve remarkable results.

05/20/2026

I spoke at the Fidelity Bank POWER U Graduation Celebration last month. One of the key concepts I shared was about anchor stories.

Your anchor story is a moment from your past where you survived something difficult. That story is not just part of your history. It becomes your differentiator. When uncertainty hits, your anchor story grounds you. It reminds you that you have navigated hard things before and you can do it again. It also connects you deeply with clients, team members, and partners who see themselves in your journey.

Many leaders underestimate how powerful their anchor story is. They think it is just something that happened, but it is actually what makes them credible, relatable, and resilient.

If you have not identified your anchor story yet, take time to reflect on the moment that shaped you most. It matters more than you think. What do you think your anchor story is? I'd love to know in the comments or my DMs!

The Lisbon retreat is designed for business owners and leaders ready to step into their next level.You will gain strateg...
05/18/2026

The Lisbon retreat is designed for business owners and leaders ready to step into their next level.

You will gain strategic clarity on what needs to shift, fresh perspective away from daily demands, actionable direction you can execute immediately, and meaningful connections with other experienced leaders.

The impact is renewed energy, clear vision for where you're going, confident ex*****on with the right tools and support, and sustained momentum that carries you through the rest of the year.

The retreat is five days of three intensive coaching sessions with curated experiences that spark new thinking.

Reach out to reserve your spot now through e-mail or the link in our bio.

A lot of businesses slow down in the summer. Most business owners treat this as a frustrating reality they just have to ...
05/11/2026

A lot of businesses slow down in the summer. Most business owners treat this as a frustrating reality they just have to endure, but I see it differently!

Summer is an opportunity to invest in the work that positions you for a strong second half. This is when you refine your business development strategy, strengthen your systems, work on pricing and positioning, and build the infrastructure you've been putting off.

When Q3 hits and business picks back up, you'll be operating from a stronger foundation. That's how you finish the year strong while your competitors are scrambling to catch up!

If you want to use this summer strategically and set yourself up for the best Q3 and Q4 you've ever had, let's talk about what that looks like.

05/08/2026

I speak at conferences and company events on leadership, business strategy, and peak performance. I love getting these reviews about my keynote speeches and referrals are the best compliment I can receive!

My approach is different from most keynote speakers. I don't just deliver motivation. I give your audience practical tools and frameworks they can apply immediately in their businesses and leadership roles.

Every keynote is customized to your audience and your event goals. The feedback I consistently hear is that attendees leave energized with clear takeaways they can implement right away.

If you are planning an event for your company or organization, I would love to connect.

We are nearly halfway through Q2. I've found myself reminding a few clients these past few weeks:How much time this quar...
05/06/2026

We are nearly halfway through Q2. I've found myself reminding a few clients these past few weeks:

How much time this quarter have you actually spent thinking? Not executing, not reacting, not sitting in back-to-back meetings, but genuinely thinking about the VISION for your business and where it is going.

One of the leaders I work with is a team of one, and every quarter she takes a few days to retreat to her favorite spot in Florida, where she reviews what worked, what did not, what needs to change, and what she wants to build next. She also gives herself permission to reset during that time, and that is valuable time spent.

So, friends, I'll ask you: Do need uninterrupted time on your calendar where no meetings are scheduled. For some clients, we call it "CEO time;" others call it "Strategic Time." The point is that the time is yours, and it is for thinking about the business or your team at a high level.

If your calendar has not had any of this kind of time on it in the last thirty days, that is the first thing to fix. Block it now. Whether that means two hours, one hour, 30 minutes or a full day, put it on the calendar before the calendar fills up around you. The best decisions you will make this quarter are not going to come from your inbox. They are going to come from the time you give yourself to think.

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05/04/2026

If you're a business owner and you're not consistently paying yourself on payroll, and you're not taking vacation, this is for you.

I often see successful business owners who do not prioritize paying themselves and rarely take vacation time.

I've been there. Early in my business, I thought I was not making enough money to pay myself consistently. I felt like I could never take a vacation. The truth is, when I started doing those two things, my business grew and expanded.

So here's the question you need to ask yourself as a business owner: Are you taking a paycheck from your business? There's a psychological shift that happens when you start paying yourself consistently. You begin to see yourself as valuable. You lead differently. You make decisions from abundance instead of scarcity.

Vacation time is a necessity. It helps you step back, gain perspective, and come back refreshed with better thinking and clearer ideas.

Put your vacation time in your business plan. Start paying yourself a salary. You will thank yourself, and it will feel like your business is taking care of you.

I am honored to be taking the stage on May 6th at the Intermodal Association of North America's Business Meeting in New ...
05/01/2026

I am honored to be taking the stage on May 6th at the Intermodal Association of North America's Business Meeting in New Orleans, delivering one of my favorite keynotes, The Magnetic Connector.

Here is what I have been thinking about as I prepare.

Conferences are one of the most underused investments in business. Companies spend real money to send their teams to these rooms. Flights, hotels, registration, and the opportunity cost of time away from the desk all add up fast. And yet most people walk out with a stack of business cards and very little that turns into anything three months later.

The opportunity is not in the conference itself. It is at the coffee machine, over lunch, in line, at the happy hour. It is in the conversations where we share what makes us different, listen for real problems others are facing, and set up the follow up that actually moves the relationship forward.

One relationship can change the trajectory of a career, a team, or a company. The right introduction can open a door that was closed for years. The right follow up can turn a five minute hallway chat into a multi year partnership.

This is what I will be teaching at IANA. Exactly how to be magnetic, how to keep your antenna up, how to walk into any room and become the person others remember and refer, and how to turn conversations into real opportunities.

I cannot wait to deliver this keynote for this great group, and to give them the tools to find and convert opportunities long after the conference ends.

If this is the kind of work you want for your team or at your next conference, let's talk.

Strategic planning is not about setting goals.It is about making sure our actions and priorities, as a team, match those...
04/29/2026

Strategic planning is not about setting goals.

It is about making sure our actions and priorities, as a team, match those goals.

At the start of a quarter, most leaders focus on what they want to achieve.

A few weeks in, they often ask: Are we actually operating in a way that makes those results possible?

Where is time being spent?
What is being prioritized?
What is being avoided?
What conversations need to still be had?
Where is there confusion about priorities?
What is not being followed through?

Misalignment rarely fixes itself.

It usually compounds. And by the time it is obvious, the gap is harder to close.
The leaders who adjust early are the ones who stay on track.

This is NOT because they planned perfectly. Is is because they are paying attention and
willing to recalibrate quickly.

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There are moments in leadership when progress slows in ways that are difficult to explain. The same conversations surfac...
04/27/2026

There are moments in leadership when progress slows in ways that are difficult to explain. The same conversations surface repeatedly. The same issues appear in meetings. Everyone is working hard, yet forward movement feels more complicated than it should be.

For many business owners, this is the moment they begin considering outside perspective. The proximity to the business can make certain patterns difficult to recognize.

My work with business owners or executive leaders often begins at this stage. I listen carefully, understand the dynamics of the organization, and help leaders identify the strategic shifts that will move the business forward.

If you have ever sensed that your company is capable of more but something needs to change in how it is operating, that realization is important.
Reach out and we can talk about what the next stage of your leadership and your business might require.

04/24/2026

Attending a great conference can provide tools and insights to change the way you lead.

Over the years, I have attended many conferences myself that have directly impacted my business.

When I deliver keynotes, I meet with the company or event planner ahead of time to understand the specific challenges attendees are experiencing, and then I customize an experience focused on providing solutions.

Attending conferences has been so powerful for me in many ways. What is an insight or benefit you have gained from attending a professional development conference? I'd love to know in the comments below.

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