008 | Mary Marantz: Building a Legacy Brand | Stop asking how, who and what-- and start asking why

2018-12-04

I’ve known Mary Marantz for many years, and one thing that has always struck me about Mary was her willingness to share her story; not just the pretty side of her story-- not the wins, or her success-- but the lessons she learned in the mess. She is an internationally renowned photographer, author, educator, and speaker who travels the world teaching and inspiring other creative business owners. She has been named a “Legend of Light” by Profoto as well as one of the Top 100 photographers by SLR Lounge & Brandsmash. You can f...

She is an internationally renowned photographer, author, educator, and speaker who travels the world teaching and inspiring other creative business owners. She has been named a “Legend of Light” by Profoto as well as one of the Top 100 photographers by SLR Lounge & Brandsmash. You can find her work in many high-end publications, including Martha Stewart, Well Wed & Inside Weddings. She is also the founder & Editor in Chief of twin wedding blogs The Black Tie Bride & The Well Groomed Groom.

However, she comes from very humble beginnings, and life didn’t always look like it does now.

Mary is on a mission to help all of us build a legacy brand-- not just a business-- but a brand that stands the test of time. In this episode, she shares her journey and the critical moment in her childhood where she began to uncover her purpose. Her father, a proud West Virginia logger and 2nd generation owner of the family business, lost everything. It was in that moment that Mary began to understand that we were all born to do something in our lives-- but sometimes, even with the most exceptional talent and intention, we fail because don’t have the right tools or resources to make our purpose profitable.

This episode is a powerful one that has resonated with me every single day since I had the chance to interview Mary. Her story and her words have transformed me, and I know you will be, too.

In this episode of The Power in Purpose Podcast, Mary shares:

Her life growing up in rural West Virginia and the lessons it taught her
How she discovered and uncovered her purpose at an early age
Growing up poor and the call she felt for a “life of success,” which led her to Yale Law School
Her and her husband's decision to forego the safe, set and suppose to, choosing instead to take a big leap and build a business
The powerful mindset of not being successful but rather, significant
How she categorizes businesses as either a weed, flower or tree-- and how you can build a business that has strong roots and bares fruit
Mary shares with us some foundational principles in business, so we can build a brand that leads with our purpose
Her belief that finding your why cannot be rushed
An important discussion on how we ask others “how” and “who” and “what” as it relates to our business-- but we rarely ask the question, why?
Mary challenges you with this simple question: OK, but why?
The greatest lesson her father taught her-- anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well
Acknowledging your instant gratification mindset and how to move away from it, embracing slow growth = strong roots instead
In a world full of noise, Mary encourages us to listen to the right people as it relates to our business-- and shares what you should be looking for when you seek a mentor
Staying the course in your business when things get tough, or when you feel like your not gaining traction
How her morning routine of “win the day” has transformed her mindset, along with other daily routines she has to feed her mind, body, and soul
I ask Mary if she’s ever suffered from imposter syndrome, and she shares her answer along with her thoughts on why we suffer from imposter syndrome
Mary shares how purpose has changed her life and her business-- and who inspires her with their purpose
We learn more about her upcoming book, including the working title and what her book is all about!