Mary Foley

name Mary Foley has been increasing her own sanity, confidence and fun since her freshman year in engineering at Virginia Tech. Thankfully, her university experience didn’t put her over the edge, but it did cause her to search for a career she loved. She didn’t anticipate she would find it as an $8 an hour customer service rep at then-unknown America Online.

During Mary’s 10 year AOL career she thrived on the company’s intense hyper-growth, being promoted four times and becoming the company’s first head of corporate training. Even while experiencing success, her sanity was tested again and again. She survived six layoffs, a difficult marriage, and bumped her head on the glass ceiling (even though she’s only 5’ 2” tall).

Not satisfied to settle, Mary reached deep inside to find her inner courage - the bodaciousness - to reinvent her life. That decision set her on a path where she has never looked back. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Organization Development, became co-owner of a human resources company, started her own company, and wrote her first book, all by the age of 36.

Today, Mary is the author of three books, a popular national speaker, and former co-host of the Girlfriend We Gotta Talk! radio show. Her latest book, Live Like Your Nail Color, Even If You Have Naked Nails became an instant Amazon bestseller. Now, instead of solving engineering problems Mary inspires women with practical advice to create sanity for their lives and confidence for their careers - all while having a bit of fun!

Mary is an active member of many local and national organizations including the National Speaker’s Association (NSA) and the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). In 2010, she was honored as the ABWA Richmond Business Woman of the Year. Mary has appeared on the cover of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and spoofed on the E! Entertainment TV Show The Soup.

Spoofed or not, Mary takes life in stride, declaring “Wearing red nail polish really helps!”

What Others Are Saying About Mary:

“Bold, funny and inspirational!”

– Kimberly Trimbell, Merrill-Lynch



“I got the adrenaline shot of courage that I had long been searching for.”

– Leizel Parks, Booz Allen Hamilton



“You were fantastic! Inspiring, right-on-target message, plus fun!”

– Vicky Carr, Lockheed Martin Women’s Network

We Can Do It Again!

30th August 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "We Can Do It!" is the banner across one of the most well-known posters during World War II encouraging women to join the workforce for the war effort. You probably remember it - the image of a woman with a red bandana on... Read >

We All Gotta Little Bodaciousness

24th August 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious, is that even a word?" I've been asked. Absolutely! The dictionary definition of bodacious includes descriptors like bold, outstanding, and courageous. I define it as "the courage to be in charge of your life... Read >

Think Strategically, Act Bodaciously

16th August 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Know Your Worth

02nd August 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Thrive on Shift & Change

21st July 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Take a Stand

01st July 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Know How You Want to Be Treated

27th June 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Actively Market Your Value

15th June 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Take the Work Out of Networking

08th June 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

Create Deliberate Relationships

01st June 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley "Bodacious" means to be bold, outstanding, and remarkable. Take those attributes to work and you're on your way to building a fulfilling, bodacious career. Does having a bodacious career sound exciting to you? It is! A... Read >

10 Things You Want Your Reputation To Say About You

04th May 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley When it comes to building your business or your career in a company, how people perceive you is often to the difference between more sales, promotions, and certainly your satisfaction. Here are ten things you want your re... Read >

Feeling Secure in an Insecure World

27th April 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley If there's nothing else carved on my tombstone, I hope it says: "Here lies a Bodacious Woman who knew how to thrive on shift and change!" I believe we've just begun to taste the rate of change the world will experience ... Read >

Every Women Entrepreneur Should Watch American Idol!

26th April 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley I almost can't believe I'm recommending this! Now let me tell you why. Because the "America Idol" TV show is great learning about what it takes to stand out in the marketplace. That's what all these singers are trying t... Read >

Stop Taking it Personally and Start Living Bodaciously

18th April 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley We can all remember a time when we took it personally, right? We spent all this time, energy, and emotion on processing how we felt when someone slighted us, what we wished we'd said, and what, if anything, we were going ... Read >

Good-bye Good Girl, Hello Bodacious Woman!

04th April 2007
Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley If you want to live your life as an exclamation rather than an explanation, it's likely you're going to have to part ways with one of your dear childhood friends. This person may have served you in a number of ways as a yo... Read >
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