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Mary Foley realized a dream that is a fantasy to most of us – retiring independently wealthy at age 33. After starting as an $8 an hour customer service rep for Quantum Computer Services she grew with the company as it became America Online. She has channeled her philosophy into an approach for women to achieve success in today’s economy. She calls it being Bodacious.
I caught up with her when she visited Cleveland to promote her new book Bodacious! An AOL Insider cracks the code to outrageous success for women.
Q. What does Bodacious mean?
A. Bodacious is a combination of bold and audacious. It reflects a positive spirit. Someone who is not afraid of making choices and assuming increased responsibilities – beyond being “the good girl.”
A writer who goes by the name SARK wrote books such as The Bodacious Book of Succulence which “have inspired women everywhere to have the courage and spirit to venture into their most colorful, confident, and joyful expressions of themselves.”
Q. What’s a good girl?
A. “For most American women…it all boils down to this one simple message: Be perfect. Be a good girl. Be nice. Don’t offend. Do whatever you need to keep relationships intact. Because it can all fall apart around you with one slip of selfishness. And then you’ll be left with nothing but the blame you so richly deserve.”
There is a spectrum from the Good Girl to the Shrew. Bodacious is between the two. A bitch is usually angry whereas a bodacious woman is positive and empowers herself, not bringing others down.
Q. What are some characteristic of Bodacious Women (BW)?
- “BW don’t take it personally
- BW thrive on shift and change
- BW master office politics
- BW focus on what’s going right
- BW welcome risk
- BW give credit where it’s due
- BW respect themselves
- BW have the courage to make tough decisions
- BW don’t tolerate abuse
- BW don’t overexplain, don’t overcomplain
- BW are there
- BW don’t jump to negative conclusions
- BW don’t wait to be asked
- BW market themselves, their choices and their achievements
- BW see possibilities, not barriers
- BW resist negative or victim thinking
- BW know their worth”
Q. Can women have it all?
“I want to say yes but…if you want to achieve and be competent in all those things (work, family, etc) you just can’t. If you spread yourself too thin you can’t be really good at any. Pick a few things for different phases and chapters in your life. Keep your hand in – any one choice is not necessarily forever.”
Q. Can a man be bodacious?
“Absolutely. Just speak from an authentic voice.” Being bodacious isn’t about male bashing or male vs female. It’s about “my own barriers – not external stuff.”
Be sure to check out Mary Foley's career and business advice columns from Mary Foley on ClevelandWomen.com.
by Dan Hanson.
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