Author, Speaker & Certified Life Coach – Exclusive Interview With Maryann Rivera-Dannert, MSL, CLC
- Mar 23, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 5, 2024
Affectionately referred to as the Fearless Living Coach, Maryann Rivera-Dannert is the FEAR-less dealer every woman needs in her corner. The Fearless Living Coach learned early on how to be what she would later become. Striving to be better than what life handed her, the conquering spirit within arose and gave her the courage and realization she needed to recognize her unique value as a woman. With a background filled with adversity, instability, and dysfunction, Maryann had much stacked against her. Yet, she didn’t allow what happened in her formative years stop her from becoming who she is today.
Maryann is a certified life coach who holds an MS in Leadership and a BS in Organizational Management. She is a 5x published author and 3x best-selling author. She has been featured in various publications and Maryann is also the host and creator of the Fearless Fridays with Maryann podcast which seeks to empower and transform women to living their best life, today.
Where does Maryann come from?
Where am I from? I love this question, because every time I am asked, I’m in a different place – not just geographically, but personally and professionally. A few things don’t change, however. I’m a wife, mother, and grandma to a beautiful and sassy 7-year old. I’m also a life coach, author, speaker, trainer, and Podcaster. Some of my hobbies include traveling, wine tasting, and spending time out on the beach. The best place I’ve traveled to was China. My classmates and I spent 10 days between Beijing and Shanghai, a few years ago. And yes, we went to the Great Wall of China, and it was so breathtaking and surreal. I’ve also traveled to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Canada, and numerous states within the U.S. I have two places, which I would say would be my dream vacation: Tahiti and Thailand. Lord willing, I’ll be going to Thailand in 2024.
I currently live in the state of Texas, and I moved here from Florida. Originally, I’m from New York. So you can see what I mean by being in a different place geographically. Maybe the next time I am asked, I will be someplace else. I believe the world, being enormous, and time being short – we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one place. Get a passport, pack, and explore. You’ll be amazed at what you learn about yourself.
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
The name of my business is MRD Empowerment Solutions. Within MRD, there are a few branches. First, there’s the life coach: where I help women get unstuck and reprogram their mindset so they can create the life of their dreams. Next, there’s the career reset strategist: in this arena, I help women step into the career of their dreams or get promoted, leave a toxic job, etc. I help clients by creating their resumes and cover letters, we also do interview preparation, and life skills training to ensure success and longevity in the new role.
Another part of my business is as a speaker: I do this by way of my Podcast – Fearless Fridays with Maryann, or by showing up in different platforms empowering, inspiring, and motivating women to step into their truths. And then there’s the author in me: by sharing my story, I hope women will see themselves and know they are not in their current situation, alone. I want to remind women that there is hope and it does get better. Three key components of what I do are: I help women silence their insecurities, build healthy boundaries, so they can fearlessly pursue the life and career of their dreams.
What kind of audience do you target your business towards?
My target audience is the 35 plus-year-old woman that no longer recognizes herself when she looks in the mirror. She has allowed life, family obligations, etc… to take priority and she has set her dreams and desires on the back burner. She looks in the mirror and all she sees is stagnation, unfulfillment, and maybe even sadness. She may even struggle with self-esteem, she lacks confidence and she does not set healthy boundaries. She fears being bold and taking charge, as somewhere along her journey she was made to feel like her needs didn’t matter and were unimportant. She wants more out of life, and she is starting to realize she cannot do it alone. I am here to walk alongside her and go on a beautiful journey of self-discovery and purpose and to fuel the passion within her.
What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future?
This is another fun question for me because I get to be creative and let my imagination run wild. Currently, I work with women 1:1. I am in the process of looking into creating a group coaching program, which will allow me to work with more women and I will also be creating a safe space for these women to network and be there for one another. There is strength in numbers and I certainly don’t have all the answers. I also have the plans written out for a non-profit, and soon I will take the leap and go for it. I’ve toyed around with the idea of going back to school for a Doctoral degree, but I am not 100% sure yet, we shall see. However, I do know that I want to pursue another life coaching certification. It’s not needed, especially since I already have one, but it’s a goal and I’m all for personal development.
Who inspires you to be the best that you can be?
Who inspires me? Great question! I’ve recently sat down and pondered this very question, I will say – Little Maryann inspires me. As children, we enter this world so innocent and full of life. We don’t have a care in the world, we are unafraid. Our thoughts, actions, behaviors are pure. Then something happens and we are exposed to fear; our trust, our boundaries are broken. Our innocence is shattered and if our wounds; which often happens, are left unhealed, we become broken, unhealthy, and fearful adults. Everything that I do, and the woman I have become, is to show Little Maryann, that we did it. We could have stopped, we could have given up, and let me tell you – there have been many moments I’ve come close to giving up, but I kept going.
I’m also inspired by women who have broken down barriers and stepped over, around, and crushed obstacles to create their best life. A life where they are unapologetically bada$$es. Adversity could have kept them hostage and living an unfulfilled life, but they dug down deep, got help, did the work and are thriving.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
Hmm, my greatest career achievement: I would have to say obtaining my master’s degree in 2019. The reason for me choosing this as my greatest career achievement, above everything else, is because I did it for myself; and also, because at the age of 16 I dropped out of high school. I was not in the best of situations, mentally, emotionally, socially – when I made the decision to drop out of high school and multiple events led to that decision. However, as life would have it, things turned around and because I was hungry for more out of life, I received my General Equivalency Diploma a couple of years later and continued with my education. Yet, obtaining my master’s degree was personal, whereas my associate’s and bachelor’s degrees were for professional reasons.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
There are so many moments that have played a part in my journey. But to summarize: in a previous life, I was a photographer. I loved taking pictures and capturing special moments, to be saved forever. I turned that passion into a business and I quickly realized that sometimes turning your passion into a business is not the smartest thing. Photography was my outlet to distress and relax. When it became about money, full calendars, and no free time on the weekends – and time away from my family, I closed the business down. However, I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spirit inside of me. I knew I wanted to do something else, but I wasn’t sure what.
When I was back home in New York, I would have monthly gatherings with my friends. Sometimes it was me and one other person, and at other times there would be 10 of us. Our monthly gatherings were a safe haven for many and I realized I liked helping people and I was good at giving advice or just listening. Sometimes the women just needed a listening ear and a judgment-free zone. In speaking with my Business Coach at the time, she talked about possibly becoming a Life Coach. We talked about what it entailed, and she guided me along the way.
From that moment, I’ve grown to be a Certified Life Coach, I then became an author and to date have co-authored six anthologies; number seven comes out in June. And because my business’ vision is: “To see women worldwide live a free, fearless, and fabulous life” … I created a podcast, and it is heard internationally. Meanwhile, I’ve recently ventured into becoming a Visionary Author and I’m putting together my own anthology project. I’ve met many women that desire to become authors and share their stories with the world. They too want to inspire, empower, and show other women that they are not alone in the situations. Sometimes we go through things in life, and we feel we are all alone. Often, we feel we have no one to talk too, or that no one will understand us. Sharing their stories will also help them continue their path of healing and self-discovery.
I look forward to connecting with you, the reader.
If this article made you pause and think and you would like more content like this, let’s connect via Instagram, Facebook, Website, LinkedIn. If you are ready to silence your insecurities, build healthy boundaries and live your best life, book a complimentary discovery call with me.
