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Women of Distinction

Dr. Susie Carder

Conquering the Road to Success

By Judith A. Habert
Photos Courtesy of Dr. Susie Carder

and after they were done would change my life forev- just knew I needed to be
baking, they were evenly er. I found something that in front of women who
distributed to all of us. I re- I loved and excelled in. At had money and who could
alized that if I hung onto my the time, I didn’t know how pay me to do their hair. I re-
cookies while my brothers to build the business side. member waking up the day
and sisters ate theirs, these All I knew was that I was of my talk and I was so sick.
homemade treats became passionate about what I did. I was throwing up. I was so
a commodity. I watched At this point, I had two ba- scared. I called my contact
them eat their cookies. And bies, an 18-month-old and at Hewlett-Packer and told
I was disciplined enough a 6-month-old, to care for her how sorry I was, but my
to not eat mine, so I could on my own since I had just aunt died today. Luckily, she
trade them to get out of do- escaped from an abusive was willing to reschedule
ing the dishes or the laun- marriage. I had grown up my date several weeks later.
dry when my turn came in a bad situation and was I had picked up some books
around. I did really well at determined not to have my at the used bookstore on
Halloween and Easter too, girls experience the same.” doing presentations, and
as I wouldn’t eat my candy, Dr. Susie made a point of even with some knowledge
I would save it to get out of focusing on the part of her on how to handle a speak-
those horrible chores” business that was weak- ing engagement, I woke up
Dr. Susie’s Dad gave her est. Her business acumen. that morning sick again but
orn and raised in San and I didn’t see her again a bit of advice that stuck So, she would go to book- knew I had to go through
Diego Dr. Susie grew up until I turned 29. As a young with her. He told her, “Sue, stores and look for books with it this time. I did, and I
Bin the Imperial Beach girl, I was left with many un- you can have anything you from experts on marketing wasn’t great, but I did man-
neighborhood, “My dad answerable questions. Am I want if you just work hard.” and building her business, age to get over my fear and
was a military man. My good enough? Am I lovable Dr. Susie took that advice but she knew she couldn’t obtain four new clients, so I
stepmom was a seamstress. enough? Over the years and started working at afford them; it was at that knew this process worked.
I was one of nine brothers I’ve done a ton of work to any job she could get. She point a choice between By the time I was 27, I was
and sisters. We were six get over these feelings, but cleaned houses, did yard buying a $15.00 book or making a quarter million
girls and three boys and as a kid, you don’t know any work, babysat, and was al- feeding her girls. She would dollars a year as a hair-
we somehow managed to better.” ways selling everything she venture to the used book- dresser. And back then, the
make it work. We lived in a Dr. Susie didn’t have could find to her neighbors. store and was able to find average hairdresser made
three-bedroom house with the answer, so she felt as She knew if she wanted to used copies for a quarter about $30,000 a year.”
just one bathroom. When if she was always strug- do anything special, she or fifty cents. She studied Dr. Susie continued to
we turned 18, our dad gave gling to obtain approval would save money so she them every day and soon book Lunch and Learns,
the girls two options: get and love. She knew one could go to cheer camp or figured out what she need- and her business continued
a job or get a husband. In thing for sure, and that was sports camp. This is how ed to do to make six figures. to grow. Her children were
any case, we were expect- that she did not like being Dr. Susie became an entre- Dr. Susie came upon a the motivators to work
ed to move out. I guess poor! From an early age she preneur by the age of 9 or book that had an idea in it through her fear, knowing
you could say I wasn’t one learned how to get around 10. She was a very bright that enthralled her, “I don’t she had to be able to pro-
to let grass grow under my the being poor thing. “All young girl who realized even recall the name of the vide for them. “It wasn’t
feet; knowing the options, of us kids had chores to that she should always book all I remember was it because I wanted to be a
when I turned 17, I decided do around the house, as go the extra mile. “If I was said, if you go into corpo- speaker. It wasn’t about my
to leave. I was a spicy little you can imagine, doing babysitting, I would clean rations and speak, you can ego. It was about survival.
thing, and I decided to con- the dishes was a huge un- the house as well, so when find your ideal client. So, I When you look at Maslow’s
trol my own destiny.” dertaking in a family of families were looking for a talked my way into Hewlett Hierarchy of Needs, the bot-
At 17 Dr. Susie worked 11. Every night was like babysitter, they would call Packer to do a lunch and tom level is food, shelter,
at Kentucky Fried Chicken Thanksgiving dinner as far me because I did more than learn” and clothing. And that’s all
while still attending high as dishes were concerned. the others they would hire.” It seemed like the per- I was trying to do. I needed
school. It was enough Of course, we didn’t have At the age of 18, Dr. fect road for Dr. Susie to to create a consistent in-
money to pay her rent, but a dishwasher, we were the Susie decided to follow her take until the day came for come for myself so I could
not much was left over. “My dishwashers. Laundry was desires and went to live with her to give the speech, “I properly care for my family.
upbringing was very tu- another massive chore. I her aunt in Chico, where she had never spoken in public After a while, the fear
multuous. My mom aban- learned the art of bartering. enrolled in cosmetology before and had no desire subsided, and Dr. Susie
doned us when I was five, We would make cookies, school. “That single decision to be a public speaker. I started to enjoy speaking.
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