Ellevate Network: Conversations With Women Changing the Face of Business

Episode 491: Purpose, Resilience & the Power of Story: Mary Beech on Leading with Heart


Listen Later

Podcast Alert! 🎙️

🎧 In this episode of the Ellevate Podcast: Conversations with Women Changing the Face of Business, host Anusha Harid-Paoletti, CEO of Ellevate Network, sits down with Mary Beech, Chief Growth Officer at Thorne, for a candid, compelling conversation that weaves together career milestones, personal transformation, and the evolving nature of leadership.


Mary’s remarkable professional journey includes senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most iconic brands: Ralph Lauren, Scholastic, Kate Spade, and The Walt Disney Company. Yet what sets her apart is not just her resume but her unwavering commitment to storytelling with purpose. From fashion and publishing to wellness and biotechnology, Mary has brought empathy, creativity, and vision into every chapter of her career.


In this episode, Mary opens up about how a life-altering health scare reshaped her approach to wellness, work, and what it means to lead. She shares insights on building purpose-driven brands, leading with empathy, and why personal branding is no longer optional. You’ll hear reflections on the intersection of consumer trust and company responsibility, how modern storytelling, from TikTok to newsletters, has democratized who gets heard, and why curating your “next act” requires deep honesty about joy, talent, and timing.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

·      Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing and consumer engagement.

·      Purpose-driven companies can provide deeper meaning to work.

·      Mary's personal health journey reshaped her perspective on wellness.

·      Empathy in leadership enhances consumer relationships.

·      Consumers today expect brands to be accountable and responsible.

·      Personal branding should reflect the whole person, not just the professional.


EXPLORE KEY SEGMENTS

·      00:00 The Journey of Mary Beech

·      02:50 The Power of Storytelling and Purpose

·      06:04 Personal Health Journey and Its Impact

·      08:39 Empathy in Leadership

·      11:50 Consumer Relationships and Brand Responsibility

·      14:41 Content Consumption and Personal Branding

·      17:47 Planning the Next Act of Your Career


Mary’s message is a powerful reminder that leadership grounded in empathy, purpose, and personal authenticity isn’t just aspirational, it’s essential. In a world where professional and personal boundaries are increasingly blurred, Mary shows us the strength in embracing our whole selves, honoring our lived experiences, and using storytelling as a bridge between brands and the people they serve. Her journey challenges us to be intentional about the impact we make, the joy we pursue, and the legacy we leave behind, not just in our careers, but in how we live and lead every day.


Download the Ellevate Network Podcast, Conversations with Women Changing the Face of Business, on your favorite platform or 🎧listen now to be inspired by Mary and all the extraordinary women changing the face of business.



*Episode produced by BGoodPartners LLC

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Ellevate Network: Conversations With Women Changing the Face of BusinessBy Anusha Harid-Paoletti

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

135 ratings


More shows like Ellevate Network: Conversations With Women Changing the Face of Business

View all
Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,129 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,689 Listeners

Happier with Gretchen Rubin by Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

12,915 Listeners

Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

Death, Sex & Money

7,742 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,740 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,539 Listeners

Oprah's Super Soul by Oprah

Oprah's Super Soul

31,969 Listeners

Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

Worklife with Adam Grant

9,194 Listeners

Life Kit: Health by NPR

Life Kit: Health

412 Listeners

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

14,397 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

29,203 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,393 Listeners

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

10,673 Listeners

Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson

Letters from an American

5,740 Listeners

Dare to Lead with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

Dare to Lead with Brené Brown

326 Listeners