MEET MaryCAY

I am a modern-day Johnny Appleseed planting seeds for a new way of leading and prospering in business. I believe that cultivating strong roots by nurturing the human spirit leads to a bountiful harvest of real value in our businesses and personal lives.

My roots are hardy from growing up on the plains of North Dakota as the oldest of six. We grew our own vegetables, played outside instead of watching TV and traveled together in an 18-foot RV for months at a time.

With intensity and exuberance I played full out. When I saw someone whose spirit was crushed, it hurt me inside. I dreamt of being a teacher who showed people how to be happy; yet I didn’t have John Lennon’s wisdom to hold onto my truth.

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understandthe assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
–John Lennon

My light dimmed slowly as grownups told me my dreams were impossible and my hopes for life silly. They said, “You have a good mind for math and science. You should put it to use in business so you can be successful, independent and self-sufficient.” I wanted to fit in and be loved so I quietly went along with their guidance. I became a technologist first and then a business executive in the Fortune 100 world.

After decades trying to fit in, I yearned for that joyous freedom and vibrant wonder from my youth. I realized that despite living the “American Dream” I was less happy with each passing year
This personal realization was like a wild fire on the plains. It cleared space for a new, genuine life to emerge.
I returned to the simple truths I’d embraced as a child: when we do work we love, we add real value and we prosper. We find an inner happiness that radiates into every dimension of our life.

Looking back now it might be easy to say that my two decades in the Fortune 100 corporate world were “off track,” yet they are an important part of my journey. They gave me the experiences and resilience to spread the seeds of happiness I’d dreamt of as a girl. Cultivating the “Natural Leader Within” each of us is an organic process of integrating all of our life’s experiences into the contributions we bring to the world.

I am honored to draw from the breadth of the work I had the blessing to create in a wide-variety of roles that include: international merger/acquisition cultural integration work, being chief-of-staff to an incredible CEO of a $3B professional services business plus sourcing and leading strategically-aligned executive development programs.

These decades ignited my passion for the human spirit at work and what becomes possible when we lead from our values. I continue to explore everywhere I go to find, create and source the most powerful, pragmatic and playful approaches and proven tools to empower forward-thinking leaders.

Each life experience strengthens my skills, tenacity and joy in guiding leaders to create work they love while sourcing prosperous businesses that brings real value to the market.

Our values: At Leading Naturally we are empowering, illuminating, accountable and kind in all expressions of our business. We honor vitality and the unique individual spark we call the human spirit.

To reach me please:
call 858.883.3489
email info@leadingnaturally.com