How a Father’s Words Shaped Beverly Flores’ Courage to Lead
By: Deb Monfette
Before she was a Fortune 100 leader, keynote speaker, and CEO, Beverly Flores was a ranch girl in rural America, raised by a single father who believed that determination, resilience, and humility were the foundations of a full life. She spent her childhood surrounded by horses, open fields, and the kind of quiet lessons that stay with you long after you leave home.
Her father was an academic, a world-class horse trainer, and her greatest champion—the man who saw her strength before she did. When Beverly was a teenager, he wrote her a letter that would become her lifelong compass. In it, he acknowledged qualities she hadn’t yet learned to appreciate: “Sometimes you are too serious, too scared of failure, and too good,” he wrote. “But I would rather you be the way you are than the opposite. Yes, sometimes, somewhere in your life you will fail, but I know that you will try again and again until it works.”
Those words that are equal parts challenge and reassurance would guide Beverly through a career that spanned 24 years at John Deere, where she led global teams, helped the company break new ground at the Consumer Electronics Show, and became one of the most recognized names in agricultural marketing and communications. When the time came to pivot again, she did so with the same courage her father had seen in her decades earlier, founding Thyme Out Consulting LLC, a leadership transformation company helping professionals and organizations realign with purpose, energy, and authenticity.
In this conversation, Beverly reflects on why her father’s words remain a touchstone and how they continue to shape her work, her parenting, and her vision for the future.
Photo Courtesy: Beverly Flores
Q: What do you remember most about receiving that letter from your father?
Beverly Flores: I don’t think I fully understood it at the time. When you’re fourteen, being told you’re “too serious” or “too scared of failure” feels like a flaw. But looking back, I realize my dad saw me clearly. He recognized that my seriousness was focused and that I cared deeply. And being afraid to fail? That just meant I cared about doing things well. He helped me see that what we often call our weaknesses can actually be the very traits that carry us forward.
Q: Your father wrote that you would “fail, but try again and again until it works.” How has that shaped your view of failure?
Flores: That line has stayed with me through every chapter of my life. I’ve faced failure plenty of times, personally and professionally, but I’ve always found a way to keep going. My dad’s message was really about persistence and purpose. Failure isn’t final; it’s simply feedback. It’s where resilience is built. And that’s something I remind my clients of all the time: your worth isn’t determined by what goes wrong, but by how you respond when it does.
Q: You’ve often spoken about how your upbringing shaped your leadership style. What lessons from those early years still guide you?
Flores: Growing up on a ranch taught me about consistency, work ethic, and patience. Animals don’t rush, nature doesn’t rush — and yet, everything gets done. My dad modeled integrity and steadiness. That’s the energy I try to bring into every space I lead. Whether I was in a corporate boardroom or working with a client one-on-one, I wanted to create a sense of safety and momentum, where people could show up as they are and still move forward. One of the things he always said was “just do your best; if that gets you first place or last place, that isn’t the point. It’s about knowing you gave it your all.”
Q: After more than two decades in the corporate world, it took courage to step away and start your own company. What gave you that confidence?
Flores: It was that same voice from my dad’s letter—the belief that I could try again until it worked. After 24 years at John Deere, I reached a point where I knew it was time to move forward. I wanted to help others lead with energy and authenticity, not just endurance. Founding Thyme Out Consulting was both terrifying and freeing. But it also felt deeply aligned. “Thyme” represents courage and strength, and “timeout” represents strategy. Together, they remind me that growth begins when we pause long enough to listen to ourselves in order to be our best.
Q: How do those lessons show up in your work with clients today?
Flores: They’re everywhere. Through my EEI System™ (Energy, Enthusiasm, and Intensity), I help leaders reconnect to what drives them at their core. It’s not about pushing harder; it’s about finding alignment between who you are and how you lead. When you tap into that, everything can shift, including your confidence, impact, and sense of purpose. That all ties back to what my dad was really telling me: don’t be afraid of your own strength.
Q: Final thoughts for women who may be standing where you once stood — ready to grow, but afraid to fail?
Flores: I’d tell them to trust the process. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to start. Courage isn’t always loud; sometimes it’s just a quiet decision to keep showing up. My dad taught me that failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s part of it. And the truth is, every time you try again, you’re already making progress.
Q: As you look ahead, what are you most excited about in your work and what’s next for you in 2026?
Flores: This next chapter is about expansion—not just in my business, but in the movement I am creating. With Thyme Out Consulting, I’m developing new executive coaching experiences, leadership intensives, and keynote programs that help organizations and individuals lead with greater courage and alignment.
What excites me most is seeing the ripple effect when someone reconnects to their purpose. When a leader is energized and authentic, their entire team can shift. That’s the work I want to keep doing—helping people find that spark again, and reminding them that leadership doesn’t start with strategy. It starts with the self.
The world doesn’t need leaders who are perfect. It needs leaders who are awake—who have the courage to be human, to tell the truth, and to keep trying until it works.
To learn more about Beverly Flores and Thyme Out Consulting, visit www.thymeoutconsulting.com or follow her on LinkedIn.
