Who is Renée Marino?
I am a lover of life who has always had a deep feeling within me that the purpose of my life is to
utilize every God-given gift that I was given to help others, because otherwise, why would I have those gifts? With that said, my dream since a little girl was to be a professional singer/dancer/actress on Broadway and beyond, and even while living that dream for many years, I still felt a pull inside that there were other gifts I needed to explore. This pull is why I decided to become a communication coach, speaker, and author. Coaching and writing were always passions of mine, and although I will always be a performer down to my core. I have always known I needed to activate my other gifts because not doing so would mean not entirely living my purpose. I am a constant student, an imperfect action taker, and a genuine people-person continually growing spiritually, emotionally, and wholly.
What’s your backstory?
I gained the opportunity of a lifetime, because of my ability to communicate authentically and directly. In 2013, I was playing Mary Delgado, Frankie Valli’s wife, in “Jersey Boys,” on Broadway. Clint Eastwood came to see the show one Sunday matinee because he was directing the upcoming film of “Jersey Boys.” A few weeks later, they began calling people in from our company to audition for the film, and they put out a breakdown, (a description of the type of person they were seeking) for the role of Mary Delgado. I called my agent to ask her to call the casting department and ask if I could have an appointment to audition for the role, and after two weeks, she called me back to say, “Renée, I don’t know what the problem is. They won’t give you an audition for Mary, but they’ll give you an audition for one of the Angels, who sings “My Boyfriend’s Back.” I was so upset and confused because every other woman I knew was getting an appointment to audition for the role, but here I was playing the role at the highest level I could be on Broadway-and they still wouldn’t give me an appointment. After feeling my feelings for a little while, I threw my hands up and said, “I did everything I could, so I’m still going to audition for an Angel!” In the audition room that day, the casting director and I were talking for a bit and then he said, “Ok, would you like to sing the song first, or read the scene?” At that moment, I took a breath, and heard this little voice from within saying, “You have to do this, it feels too right.” I looked at the casting director and said, “You know Geoff, I gotta be honest with you. I was really hoping to come in and read for the role of Mary Delgado.” He looked at me and said, “I was just thinking the same thing.” Well, I did the audition that day and felt so grateful that I simply got the chance to audition. About three weeks later I got a call from my agent saying, “You’re Mary sDelgado in the movie. Clint Eastwood loved you!” I felt like I was in a dream! The first day on set Clint walked up to me and said, “You know I went around to all the different casts but nobody was in your class. Then you came in and put yourself on tape, and it was the icing on the cake!” He and I would eat lunch together every time I filmed, and one day we were sitting with one of the producers of the film when they were talking about how Clint knew that he wanted me for the role when he saw me on Broadway. I said to them, “Do you want to hear a funny story? I couldn’t even get an appointment for the role. The only reason I ended up auditioning for Mary is because I opened up my big mouth in the room!” They were completely confused, and responded, “What do you mean, we requested the girl from Broadway to come in and audition?” Well, what happened was a miscommunication with a casting associate who was casting several films and once, and happened to drop the ball on calling me in for Mary. I love this story so very much because it is not only a powerful example of why having the ability to honestly and directly communicate is so key, but also, how communication with oneself is most important. If I didn’t stay in constant communication with myself, by having quiet time to tap into my wants, needs, and struggles, then I wouldn’t have been accustomed to hearing the quiet voice of my soul/gut instincts that spoke to me that day. Bottom Line: At first look, this story can appear to be about an actress who got her lucky break, but when you look deeper, you can see that it’s a story about the opportunities that become available when you can communicate honestly and authentically within and to others!
The new year 2022 is here, what is your intention this year?
My intention for this year is to embrace simplicity. As a communication coach, author, speaker, and entrepreneur, there are many tasks to tend to and decisions to make, so it is pretty easy to become overwhelmed. So, for 2022, the minute I feel like there is too much going on and I find myself frustrated, I will immediately remind myself to simplify what I am doing at that time. This idea of simplicity also goes for the thoughts running through my mind-letting the ones go that are not bringing me peace, and I am also simplifying my closets, desk, and any place where I find clutter. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.
How do you define success?
Success for me can be defined in one of my favorite quotes by Confucius: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Getting paid to do what makes your heart sing is not only success but such a gift. Success can also be defined by living a well-balanced life overall. Balancing times of growth and learning, with times of taking action, balancing times of eating healthy, with times of enjoying French fries and cake, balancing times of focused work, with times of play, and balancing times of self-care with times of service to others.
You were named by Yahoo Finance as one of the Top 10 Communication coaches to follow in 2021. How did you feel about that?
I was completely honoured and humbled when I was chosen by Yahoo Finance as, “one of the top 10 communication coaches to follow in 2021!”
What sparked your interest to become a communication expert?
As a girl growing up in an Italian-American family who sat around the kitchen table constantly communicating with my family through conversations, eating, and laughing, my deepest love was always connecting with people. That love was manifested in my becoming a professional singer, dancer, and actress on Broadway, in film/tv, and on tours for over sixteen years, where connecting with people from the stage, screen, or in-person was the true purpose of the work. One of the greatest opportunities of my life, playing the role of Mary Delgado in Clint Eastwood’s “Jersey Boys” film, was made possible because of honest and direct communication. I’ve always believed communication is the foundation of our relationships, personal and professional, and the answer to many problems that we face in our lives. Because of this belief, in 2017, I had the idea to write a book about communication, and while performing in my last Broadway show, Pretty Woman the Musical, I began writing my book. Once the show closed, I knew that I was ready to start a new chapter in my life with communication, but I didn’t know where to begin in creating my own coaching business until I took a course from Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi that helped to guide me. Before I knew it, I was coaching clients, continued writing my book, and signed my first book publishing deal. Today, my book, “Becoming a Master Communicator,” is out in the world, and I’m so grateful to be helping organizations, companies, schools, universities, and individuals enrich their communication skills!
Why is “Clear and strategic communication” pivotal to the growth of any organisation?
Everything starts with communication, and when we learn to master this skill, we become limitless. This means that in any organization (just as in any company, relationship, etc.), communication is the foundation that sets the tone for how successful or unsuccessful that organization will be. When communication is clear and strategic, there is less of a grey area for misinterpretations or assumptions; therefore, teams can work together more efficiently and effectively. On the flip side, if communication is indirect, only happening through emails and/or text messages, and team members don’t know where to turn when questions arise, this leads to confusion and more room for errors, frustration, and unnecessary misunderstandings.
Tell us about your book ‘Becoming a Master Communicator’.
I wanted to write a book that could help people understand clear and honest communication must be a priority to have the relationships we want, the careers we hope for, and live the lives we desire. “Becoming a Master Communicator” is an exciting and practical guidebook that transforms readers into confident, authentic communicators in their personal and professional lives. In this time of digital technology, we have more outlets than ever before to connect, so this book is a powerful, value-packed resource that teaches communicators to know when to utilize digital technology in their interactions and when to put the screens down to have a direct conversation. Within the pages is a ton of simple and easy-to-implement tools to help individuals practice effective communication in their daily lives. There is also a “Reflections Section” in each chapter where the reader can take time to absorb what was read by writing down answers to the questions in each section.
What in your opinion stops women from achieving success?
One of the main things stopping women from achieving success, in my opinion, is believing the negative voice in our heads. Whether it’s saying, “You aren’t smart enough,” “You’re not as good as so and so,” “You’re going to embarrass yourself,” or any of the other destructive messages, by believing what that negative voice is saying, we’re holding ourselves back from what we’re truly capable of achieving. We will thrive if we learn to observe what the voice is saying instead of investing in the negative thoughts. A powerful practice to use is this: When you hear that voice, notice it, then thank it for trying to protect you. We often want to fight the voice and feel like it’s our enemy, but in actuality, it’s doing what it can to prevent us from feeling pain from failure. Therefore, the negative voice loves us (but has a funny way of showing it.) After you thank it, say, “I got this,” and do the next best thing you can do at that moment to positively move you forward.
What, in your opinion, defines a stellar woman?
A stellar woman takes the time to communicate with herself, so she is in tune with her needs, struggles, desires, gifts, and the quiet voice of her soul. By taking the time to connect with that quiet voice, she can be guided by her gut instincts, which never steer us wrong. As a result, she can move about her life more grounded, with more clarity and energy to serve those she is meant to serve through her gifts.
If you had to go back in time, and meet your 15-year-old self, what key advice would you like to give her?
I would say, “Renée, you do not need to be so hard on yourself. Find more time to laugh at your mistakes instead of judging yourself for them. Beating yourself up does no good, so when you feel that push to talk negatively about yourself, take a pause, and realize it’s a sign to laugh at that negative voice and go do something that makes you happy!”
If you were given the magic wand to bring about change in the world, what would it be?
I would use the magic wand to turn everyone into complete listeners. This means that instead of “half-listening” by talking over one another, or waiting for the other person to stop speaking, so we can start, we would allow one another the space to be fully heard and let ourselves fully hear what is being said. I believe the dividedness we’re experiencing in the world is from an attachment to our labels, whether religious, political or otherwise. This attachment prevents us from listening fully because we tune out and begin making assumptions the minute we recognize a difference of views. If that magic wand could help us all drop the labels and judgments and listen entirely to one another, there would be much more kindness, peace, and working together as the team of humanity that we are!
Leave one challenge or message for the Stellar women readers to help them achieve their 2022 goals.
Remember that small shifts equal big changes when working to make positive shifts in your life. The best way to achieve your goals is to infuse joy into every step along the journey to achieving those goals!
Make sure to order a copy of Renée Marino’s Best-Selling Book, “Becoming a Master Communicator,” right here: www.BecomingaMasterCommunicator.com.
The book has been endorsed by Dean Graziosi, Russell Brunson, Bryan Adams, Chazz Palminteri, Dhomonique Murphy, Pat Quinn, Jenna Kutcher and many more.
You can follow Renée on Instagram: @IAmReneeMarino
Facebook: @CoachReneeMarino
LinkedIn/Twitter: @ReneeMarino
Website: ReneeMarino.com.
Thank you so much for your contribution