When success became overwhelming: How Marianne found clarity and confidence
When your success starts to overwhelm you, it’s a sign you’re doing something right—but also a sign you might need support to keep it all moving forward.
That’s exactly where Marianne Henry found herself.
Marianne is a renowned musician and arts leader in the Brazos Valley. She performs with the prestigious Marian Anderson String Quartet, directs the Brazos Valley Youth String Chamber Orchestra (BVYSCO), teaches a studio of violin students ranging from beginners to All-State musicians, and recently launched Unity In Strings, the nonprofit arm of BVYSCO.
In her first email to me, she wrote:
“I am now very much overwhelmed by my success, LOL!”
Between running multiple programs, performing, and balancing her personal and family life, keeping everything going was a challenge. Each week included rehearsals and performances she both coordinated and led, lessons for her violin students, meetings with faculty and community leaders, marketing and fundraising efforts, operational paperwork, and countless other details to keep everything running smoothly.
In addition to her professional commitments, Marianne and her husband share caregiving responsibilities for their 18-year-old autistic son. Supporting his many daily needs is an important part of her life, and while it brings joy and purpose, it also requires significant time and emotional energy. With so many moving parts, staying organized and clear-headed felt impossible.
How we work together
We started meeting weekly for focused accountability and operational clarity. In each session, we:
Reviewed what she accomplished in the past week
Built out next steps based on progress and emerging needs
Added and prioritized new tasks
Identified what was working well and what needed to change
Talked through operational questions to ensure she had clarity on exactly what needed to happen
The impact
Since we started working together, Marianne has:
✨ Launched Unity In Strings, expanding her community impact
✨ Continued to grow BVYSCO, bringing music education to more young musicians and their families
✨ Felt less overwhelmed, with greater confidence and organization day to day
✨ Maintained focus across her diverse roles while creating space for her personal and family life
She describes our sessions as equal parts tactical and clarity-building, giving her the structure and support she needs to keep momentum.
“I am very much at ease sharing with Courtney my concerns about my business. She is a wonderful listener and very supportive.”
Moving forward with confidence
Marianne no longer feels buried under her to-do list. Instead, she has a trusted partner to help her think strategically, stay organized, and keep moving forward—with clarity and confidence.