In this episode of Coaching Through Stories, Dr. Eric Bean sits down with Carrie Jones, CEO and co-founder of Mari + Gold, a San Diego–based PR, social media, and creative agency serving hospitality, tourism, and lifestyle brands.

Carrie shares her journey from growing up in Napa Valley's hospitality world to leading a mission-driven agency that thrives on people, culture, and bold but intentional decision-making. For Carrie, bold moves aren't reckless — they're about clarity, courage, and aligning with your values.

You'll hear how she reframes fear into fuel, why vulnerability creates trust, and how leaders can balance ambition with authenticity while building high-performing teams.

Key Takeaways:

• Lead with loyalty. How loyalty becomes powerful when paired with purpose.
• Use the power of pause to avoid frozen indecision.
• Why "the answer is no until you ask" is advice every young leader needs
• The "power of pause" and how it unlocks confident decision-making
• What it means to put people first without neglecting your own oxygen mask
• Measure risk by appetite and threshold
• Why complacency is creativity's killer — and how to lean into discomfort
• Culture beats rules when it's intentional

Highlights:

[01:33] Opening with a hard question about what's lighting Carrie up

[03:02] Mari & Gold: niche, people-first marketing agency built from agency roots

[05:00] Three defining moments that shaped her leadership

[08:06] Loyalty with purpose, not just blindly following and doing it

[09:49] Competition framed positively: win for progress, not at the expense of culture

[11:26] Purpose shift: success now includes family, presence, and sustainable company building

[12:00] "Put your oxygen mask on first."

[13:40] Creating an environment that drives purpose

[15:19] Work–life integration and the remote challenge

[16:25] Leadership evolution: flexibility, adaptability, and the reality of CEO responsibility

[20:41] What is the power of pause?

[24:34] Leaving stable roles to build service lines and take risky but intentional moves.

[26:08] Autonomy + clear processes + managers = confident, fast teams

[28:22] "The answer is no until you ask."

[29:44] Money is just dollars and cents, take out the emotion

[31:41] Complacency vs. comfort: how leaning back out of fear kills creativity

[32:09] Zoom out and focus on where you put your attention and intention

[35:07] Creativity redefined

[36:42] Yes, and" culture at Mari & Gold

[38:00] Using tech as a tool for efficiency without replacing critical human thinking

[44:21] Carrie's responsibility as a CEO when it comes to culture

[47:27] Core values: Own Your Future, Partner Generously, Make It Better

[49:26] The idea of excellence

[52:28] Leadership advice to her younger self

[59:04] Identifying the non-negotiables in the calendar blocking

Learn more about Carrie Jones and Mari&Gold:

Website: https://mariandgold.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonescarrie/

Are you ready to lead with boldness and purpose?

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