We were lucky to catch up with Jody Maberry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jody , thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

My first job after college was as a financial analyst at a commercial bank. The job was exactly what I went to college for, and after a few years, I was not fulfilled and not enjoying the work. Each day I would leave the office, I would go straight to the nearest state park and hike until it got too dark to explore in the woods. For me, the draw to the woods was bigger than just wanting to hike every day. Despite not having the background for it, I decided to become a park ranger. It was more involved than just making the decision. Because my educational and professional background was in business, I had to go back to school to get enough credits in natural science to be eligible to apply to become a park ranger. When I took the civil service exam, my experience and education only earned 74 points, barely above the 70 points required to apply for the job.

The process took one year, working as a financial analyst by day and going to school in the evening. I had to keep it quiet because it was not the type of work environment that would celebrate someone trying to become a park ranger, and they would have replaced me with someone more dedicated to the company.

Sure, it was a big risk to step away from being a financial analyst to chase becoming a park ranger. But I was not the only one who took a risk. A park manager was willing to take a risk and hire a brand new ranger with a non-traditional background. He had no reason to believe someone sitting at a desk the week before in a shirt and tie and playing with numbers in a spreadsheet would make a good park ranger, but he took a risk because he understood the risk I was taking.

Jody , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My first job after college was as a financial analyst at a commercial bank. The job was exactly what I went to college for, and after a few years, I was not fulfilled and did not enjoy the work. Each day I would leave the office, I would go straight to the nearest state park and hike until it got too dark to explore in the woods. The draw to the woods was bigger than just wanting to hike every day. Despite not having the background for it, I decided to become a park ranger. It was more involved than just making the decision. Because my educational and professional background was in business, I had to go back to school to get enough credits in natural science to be eligible to apply to become a park ranger. When I took the civil service exam, my experience and education only earned 74 points, barely above the 70 points required to apply for the job.

The process took one year, working as a financial analyst by day and going to school in the evening. I had to keep it quiet because it was not the type of work environment that would celebrate someone trying to become a park ranger, and they would have replaced me with someone more dedicated to the company.

It was a big risk to step away from being a financial analyst and chase becoming a park ranger. But I was not the only one who took a risk. A park manager was willing to take a risk and hire a brand new ranger with a non-traditional background. He had no reason to believe someone sitting at a desk the week before in a shirt and tie and playing with numbers in a spreadsheet would make a good park ranger, but he took a risk because he understood the risk I was taking.

After eight years as a park ranger, I returned to school for an MBA. After receiving my degree, I wanted to stay involved with parks without being a park ranger again. This led me to launch the Park Leader Show in 2014, a show for leaders in the parks and conservation field. Lee Cockerell, the retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, was a guest on the podcast to discuss what parks can learn from Disney. After two appearances on the Park Leaders Show, Lee teamed up with me to launch the Creating Disney Magic podcast. In time, Lee and I began to partner on other projects like courses and live events. People notice when you work with someone with such an excellent reputation. I started getting requests from other former executives for me to help them create content and build a presence. Now, my business focuses on assisting former executives to move to the next stage of their careers after their corporate life is over.

After what is usually decades of a corporate career, executives retire with so much experience and wisdom that can benefit so many up-and-comers. But how do they share their stories and knowledge to help more people? That is where I come in. I work closely with them to find the correct stories, the most relevant lessons, and the best platform to help them reach an audience. We get the right words in front of the right people.

How’d you meet your business partner?

It all started with a podcast. My first podcast, The Park Leaders Show, was for park rangers and park professionals. I wanted to do an episode about what natural parks could learn from Disney, but I had no connections at Disney. On Amazon, I found the book Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell. After reading it, I thought he would be a guest for the podcast to talk about what parks can learn from Disney. But why would the guy who ran Walt Disney World for a decade be a guest on a small podcast for park rangers? I don’t make it a habit to say “No” for other people, so I reached out to him. As it turned out, his sister law had been a park ranger with the National Park Service for 30 years, so he was happy to be a guest on the show. That is how Lee Cockerell and I met, and ten years later, we have a podcast with more than 500 episodes. We launched the Cockerell Academy with courses in leadership, management, and customer service, and we host live events. It has been a great partnership all because I made an “ask” that seemed unlikely to get a yes.

Lee and I have made a good pair, and this is why the story matters and is worth telling. We were each an expert in different areas. Without each other, we could not have built what we have. It took a special blend of what each of us did with excellence. The key is to understand what you are an expert in and then look for someone who complements what you do, fills in the cracks of what you don’t do, and, when combined, will create little magic that would not have been there otherwise.

Also, don’t undersell yourself. And don’t say “No” for someone else. Make your offer and let them give the answer.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I started my business, the main focus was copywriting. When the Creating Disney Magic podcast became popular, I began receiving requests to host or help people launch podcasts. Having podcasts as a big part of my business was not my plan, but I went with it. It turned out to be a worthwhile pivot. Over the years, I have hosted podcasts on various topics: leadership, management, real estate, pharmacy, travel writing, book publishing, sales, and so much more. I’ve recorded more than 2,600 episodes with more than four and a half million downloads. It wasn’t a forced or necessary pivot but one that felt right as the opportunity presented itself. Podcasting was an excellent base for building the other aspects of my business and introducing me to a broad audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jodymaberry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarjmaberry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sugarjmaberry
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodymaberry/
• Twitter: https://x.com/jodymaberry