Today we’d like to introduce you to Leecy Chiles.
Hi Leecy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I built my career in healthcare marketing long before I realized it would become the foundation for my own business. I spent nearly a decade directing marketing within a Fortune 100 healthcare company. This is where I learned how real growth happens when you understand the full patient journey and build marketing that reflects how people make decisions about their health. Those years shaped the way I think about strategy, messaging, and helping providers connect with the patients they’re best suited to serve.
After becoming a mom of two boys, I reached a point in my life where I wanted more freedom in my work and more ownership over the kind of impact I created. I launched Marae Marketing in 2024 with a focus on strategic support for health and wellness providers who felt stretched thin trying to handle marketing on top of running a practice.
What started with simple strategy sessions evolved into three core offers that reflect the way I work today: The Weekly Marketing Plan, The Practice Intensive, and The Growth Partnership. Each one gives practice owners a clear path, steady support, and a way to build marketing that fits their real life as business owners and clinicians.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a business while raising two young boys has brought its own brand of challenge. I worked through the familiar growing pains: learning how to set boundaries, trusting myself as a founder, and rebuilding my identity after leaving corporate life. I also navigated the shift from being the “internal person” who runs marketing to becoming a partner who guides clients through change.
There were seasons when everything felt new. New clients, new systems, a new rhythm to my days. I had to learn patience, especially when projects moved slower than I wanted or when I needed to rebuild processes from scratch. Those moments shaped the business more than the easy ones. They gave me clarity on what I value: simple strategy, steady growth, and a business that supports my life with my family.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outside of my work in healthcare marketing, I’ve been building a passion project that feels close to my heart. After becoming a mom, I found my way back to reading during a season when I was craving something just for myself. What started as a simple hobby turned into a full creative outlet. It started with one book, then another, and now I’m slowly creating a home library filled with stories I love and an ever-growing TBR stack that seems to multiply all on its own.
I read everything, including contemporary fiction, historical fiction, romance, thrillers, and the kind of character-driven novels that make you feel like you’re living inside someone else’s world for a little while. I love stories about friendship, found family, personal growth, and those quiet, everyday moments that remind you why reading feels like home.
This personal love for books is turning into the early foundation for a future bookstore. It will start online and eventually grow into a community space built around books, connection, and slow moments. It’s a longer-term dream, and it also brings a different kind of energy to my life and keeps me connected to creativity in a way that shapes everything I do.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have had people in every chapter of my career who shaped the way I lead and work. My former colleagues and leaders in healthcare taught me how to build marketing with purpose and follow-through. My team at Lewis Media has expanded how I think about media, local markets, and building community through smart partnerships. My clients make the work meaningful. Their trust gives me the chance to build strategies that fit real practices and real lives.
Megan Hopkins deserves special credit. She went out on her own before I did and was one of the first people to tell me I could build something of my own. She shared what worked for her, talked honestly about the hard parts, and kept reminding me that my experience and perspective were worth betting on. Her encouragement made the leap into business ownership feel possible.
I also have a circle of moms and entrepreneurs who celebrate wins, share ideas, and keep everything in perspective. CEO Moms Connect has been a steady source of connection and support. Most of all, my husband and my boys are the reason I care so much about how this business grows. They are the heart behind the way I design my work and my days.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maraemarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maraemarketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Marae-Marketing-61560189925254/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marae-marketing
Image Credits
Headshot: Focused Creative, Kylie Butler
Other photos: Sophia K. Hunter Photography
