Advantage Strategy Consulting, Inc.

Your experience will be focused on problem-solving and equipping you with the knowledge and tools to grow and succeed. Mary Jo uses humor in every presentation or workshop to keep it fun and engaging. Whenever possible, Mary Jo works in interactive exercises that increase learning and keep the focus of the audience.
Mary Jo is passionate about what she does, what she shares, and her audience. Her authenticity and passion engage her audience and help them retain her message and teachings.

A college professor challenged Mary Jo as she prepared to graduate to do ‘more’ as an engineer. He believed that engineering degrees should be used in ways that served and helped people, making a difference in their lives. Mary Jo found her passion while working at FEMA, responding to natural disasters, and working to make people safer from flooding. When she left the government, she found that she had gained unique expertise in strategic planning and federal proposal processes. In this realization, Mary Jo found that what she loved most in her work was helping groups of people have ‘a-ha!’ or ‘lightbulb’ moments.

Facilitating engaging workshops allows her to help professional service firms turn on that ‘lightbulb’ so that they can write better proposals, win more work, and grow their businesses.

Mary Jo is most passionate about working with small firms, particularly woman- and veteran-owned, who face additional challenges in growing their businesses and succeeding.

Mary Jo Mullen has spent her career and life finding ways to help others succeed. Mary Jo has delivered projects and programs for engineering firms and the federal government for nearly 20 years. She used this valuable experience and founded Advantage Strategy Consulting to help small businesses that are traditionally disadvantaged in the marketplace.

Shortly after starting her business, an opportunity arose that Mary Jo had considered for nearly 15 year, running for office. In April of 2017, Mary Jo was elected to the office of Lisle Township Supervisor. Her office is responsible for assistance and social services for those that food insecure, in financial need, unemployed, or are seniors.

Mary Jo is a licensed Professional Engineer, certified Project Management Professional, and certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BS in Civil Engineering. She is a proud process and planning geek, and has 3 wild and crazy boys. When not speaking or consulting, you will find her at a pool, park or indoor playground laughing with her kids.

Speaking engagements simply require a projector & laptop for a presentation, generally in Powerpoint.

Facilitated workshops require ample wall space for large post-it notes and an uninterrupted wall (no windows, light fixtures, etc) about 12' long for a facilitator's wall.