Interview written by Sari Cohen
Mara Dorne’s journey from struggling sales associate to self-made millionaire is a testament to her resilience and the power of female empowerment. Having recently received the Empowerment Trailblazer of the Year Award at the 2024 Gurus Awards, Dorne is gearing up for her next big venture: the launch of her new podcast, BILF (Boss I’d Like to Follow), designed to inspire others to step out of their comfort zones and achieve entrepreneurial success.
In this exclusive interview, Dorne shares her powerful story, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and how her podcast will empower audiences to believe in their potential, regardless of where they are in their journey. In her new venture, Dorne speaks with business leaders, influencers, celebrities, and bosses who are BILFs in their own right, calling others to take charge of their destiny.
Dorne’s path to success was anything but conventional. She was raised in South Florida by a strong Jewish mother. After losing her father at the age of six, she learned one of life’s hardest lessons. “My mom taught me that you can’t use loss as a crutch. You have to keep going, no matter what.” Dorne recalls. “Perseverance and authenticity shaped my life and became the foundation of my entrepreneurial journey.”
“I’ve always had this mentality of ‘keep moving forward,” Dorne says. “It’s not about the struggles you face; it’s about how you overcome them.”
Dorne’s career took an unexpected turn in 2008 when the economy collapsed, and her husband’s tourism business suffered. With a young child at home and no health insurance, Dorne found herself pivoting to a career in insurance sales—starting from scratch. “I was terrible at it at first. I failed miserably,” Dorne admits. “I didn’t know it was a male-dominated industry, and I didn’t know what I was doing.”
But after six months of struggling, Dorne had an “aha moment.” A bad sales meeting made her realize that the real barrier wasn’t the industry or the economy—it was herself. “I decided then and there that I had to make it work. I couldn’t quit. My daughter was nine months old, and we had no money. It was do or die.”
From that point on, Dorne turned her career around, eventually becoming one of the top salespeople in her company, pulling in over a billion dollars in sales and building a nationwide empire. Today, she runs The Dorne Region with nine offices across the country and has been featured in prestigious outlets like Forbes and Glamour.
Dorne’s entrepreneurial success isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the individuals she has helped along the way. BILF will feature interviews with industry leaders, offering practical advice for people looking to break through barriers and achieve their own version of success.
“I want people to walk away from every episode feeling empowered,” Dorne says. “Whether you’re an at-home mom, running your own business, or wondering if entrepreneurship is right for you, I want you to feel like you can take that next step. It’s about moving beyond your fears and believing in yourself.”
As a mother of three and a wife to a supportive husband, Mara Dorne credits her family as her true source of motivation. “There were days I wanted to give up, I didn’t want to get out of bed, but my kids kept me going,” she says. “If you ask them, they’d tell you they’re proud of me. And that means everything.”
For Dorne, the concept of having it all isn’t just a myth—it’s a reality. “It took me a long time to feel comfortable in my own skin,” she admits. “But now, I’m proud of who I am. I’ve learned that authenticity is key.”
Dorne emphasized that her success came from having a good team around her. “I didn’t do this by myself. I had a team that believed in and supported me,” Dorne says, downplaying the ‘self-made’ label often applied to her. “The truth is, I was blessed to have great people around me who helped me build this business.”
Her message to others is simple: “Don’t get in your own way. Forget about the naysayers and the noise. Take risks, work hard, and go after what you want.”
