110. From Broke to a Billion: Building a Sales Empire with Mara Dorne
Mara Dorne, self-made millionaire and top leader at a Fortune 500 subsidiary, joins The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast this week to share her insights and wisdom in all things business. Mara has built a remarkable career in a male-dominated industry. She made history when she exceeded $1 billion in sales before turning 40, so she knows a thing or two about the formula for success.
In Part One of their discussion, Mara opens up to Dwayne about her resilience, rebuilding from scratch, and how finding her WHY changed everything. They unpack everything from the changing sales landscape in a post-COVID world, to the non-negotiables of leadership, recruiting, and mindset.
If you agree that business, and life, should be about pursuing purpose and passion, not paycheques, this episode is for you!
Highlights:
00:00 – Mara opens with her mantra: “A.B.C. – Always Be Closing.”
02:10 – From broke to a billion: Mara’s journey to leading 1,500 agents.
05:45 – Why remote work kills culture — and why energy drives sales.
10:15 – Insights from Tony Robbins and Patrick Bet-David on adapting to change.
12:10 – “Work-life balance is a theory — it doesn’t exist for go-getters.”
16:30 – Always be recruiting: how to build growth through referrals and social media.
21:15 – Bob Proctor’s influence and the role of personal development in leadership.
33:00 – “Scared money don’t make money” — how to invest wisely during downturns.
42:45 – The moment everything changed: from broke to $92K in six months.
56:30 – “When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you do good.”
Key Takeaways
- Recruit Your Way Out of a Slump - Growth solves almost every sales problem. When in doubt, fill your pipeline with new energy and new people.
- Structure Equals Success - Freedom without accountability is failure. Even independent agents need rules, rhythm, and standards.
- Invest in Your Business—Smartly “Scared money don’t make money,” but blind spending isn’t strategy. Inspect every process before you invest.
- Confidence Is Built, Not Born Confidence grows through preparation, discipline, and mastering your craft—especially when no one’s watching.
- Culture Is the Competitive Edge In-office synergy, shared goals, and consistent communication drive long-term retention and results.
- Own Your Mistakes, Lead from the Front The fastest way to rebuild momentum is to get back in the trenches and show your team what leadership looks like.
Mara is a self-made millionaire, best-selling author, public speaker, and award winning BILF ('Boss I'd Like to Follow') who built a remarkable career in a male-dominated industry. As a top leader at a Fortune 500 subsidiary, she made history by exceeding $1 billion in sales before turning 40. Beyond her corporate achievements, Mara is passionate about mentoring and has guided over 1,500 health insurance agents nationwide, with a particular focus on empowering female entrepreneurs.
Links:
Website: https://maradorne.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDorneRegion
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mara.dorne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maradorne/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maradorne/
BILF Podcast: https://maradorne.com/bilf-podcast/
Quotes:
“ABC, always be closing. It’s a constant conversation. I’m telling everybody that I know in my life works in this, even my ex-husband and my husband—it’s crazy. And why wouldn’t you want to offer that to somebody if you’re doing well with it and you know that there is uncapped income potential, unlimited growth, you can be your own boss, you’re in business for yourself, not by yourself.” Mara Dorne
“Scared money don’t make money. I learned that very early on.” Mara Dorne
“Inspect what you expect. And if you don’t do that—because sometimes you think they got it—they don’t got it.” Mara Dorne
“It’s an unbelievable story of necessity. When things are that desperate—and you know, necessity is the mother of all skill, as they say—you just have to find a way.” Dwayne Kerrigan
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Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.