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Women of Distinction

It is known that the num- I started teaching these ele- market crashed. We had out. But when I was on the in that journey that busi-
ber one fear in life is public ments in the beauty indus- spent 20 years building it, ground praying, I heard a ness is business is business.
speaking, and the number try. Because they were not and it was destroyed over- voice, I’m going to call it my What’s different is the cost
two is death by fire. So, most being taught in cosmetolo- night. We were too heavily God, and the voice said to of goods. What’s different is
people would rather burn gy schools.” leveraged in real estate. So, me, 'I will never leave you. I percentages. And if you do
to death than speak in front Having interviewed so when the market crashed, will never forsake you. I will enough research, and I’ve
of a group. many professionals over we lost 90% of our portfo- be here for you. You don’t always been a researcher,
Dr. Susie also has a pas- the years, I can tell you that lio. And to give you a sense need a man. You’ve always you could find the answers.
sion for helping women, this happens not only in the 90% of that portfolio was done this on your own. It’s I supported them in build-
especially single moms, so cosmetology business, but $10 million in real estate. It always been you. Get up ing their business. I took
she pushed forward and I have found this lacking devastated me. I remember and tell your story.' At first, Lisa Nichols from $80,000
continued to do what she even in the medical field, being on the floor bawling I couldn’t deal with telling to $10 million and we took
did because the feedback dental field, and law field. and praying and saying people I just lost all my the company public. We did
made her strong enough Students are taught how to why? I was not saying Oh, money. I am supposed to a complete turnaround sit-
to keep going and let excel at their chosen profes- poor me, I knew I had been be a well-respected coach; uation with John Assaraf’s
women know that they sion but not how to become a good steward. I read the how could I admit this?” company as well. That was
could do whatever they set good business owners. books. I hired coaches and At the time Dr. Susie my springboard into entre-
their minds to. “Today, I not only speak consultants and did ev- had signed a non-compete preneurship.
Shortly after Dr. Susie to groups of hairdressers erything I was supposed in the beauty industry, so Dr. Susie was teaching
started speaking, she was but am often asked to to do. But there was one she could not go back into at the Millionaire’s Forum.
approached by the Paul speak at medical, legal, and thing I lacked. I didn’t know this industry. “I felt desper- People went there to learn
Mitchell team. They want- dental conferences and just asset protection. I was too ate. I didn’t know what to how to raise money. Dr.
ed her to do these little about any field where run- over-leveraged.” do. I only knew this indus- Susie talked to the founder
cluster classes for them to ning a business is central to Dr. Susie’s marriage of try. I didn’t know any other and said, “You’re teaching
teach salon owners and success regardless of your 17 years crumbled. Her industry. I was an icon in these people how to raise
technicians how to build chosen area of expertise.” husband couldn’t handle this field. I would walk into a money, but you’re not
their businesses. She had Dr. Susie continued on the failure, so he left and room, and everybody knew teaching them how to build
a marketing calendar, and her journey and ended up moved to Singapore. “This who I was. I would walk into a business. So, they’re blow-
they loved her approach to building the largest train- person who said, I will nev- a regular room, and no- ing all this money that they
growing a business. As with ing and development com- er leave you, I will always be body knew who I was. are raising from these inves-
many businesses, you are pany in the beauty industry. by your side was suddenly Dr. Susie’s identity was tors. He suggested I teach a
taught how to execute and She then sold it to Thomp- gone. While he went to Sin- wrapped around this busi- class there. So, I did.”
improve your skills in your son Learning Publishing gapore and sunk his toes ness. “At the time I still had Although this wasn’t
field but are rarely taught for an eight-figure deal. “I in the sand, I was left hold- two clients. I had John her expertise, Dr. Susie
how to run a business that thought that this would be ing the bag. I had to clean Assaraf, and Lisa Nichols, knew she could get up to
utilizes these skills. “The my chance to retire. I was 40 up the mess. I had to go both very influential in the speed and find the answers.
fact is that 15% of anybody’s years old. I was living well. into foreclosures and short speaking world. They were What she did have was a
success is their vocation. It’s I remarried, finally finding sales. It was awful. I was like, very high-profile clients. knowledge of money. “It’s
the job we do, it’s the skillset the love of my life, and we wait a minute. We’re sup- I decided I would do for simple, money in money
that we have. It’s the voca- also had a real estate devel- posed to be brave or die in them what I did for myself. out. Don’t spend as much
tion we choose but 85% is opment company. At this this together. It took a lot So, I leveraged that ex- as you make and invest. I’ve
sales. It is necessary to learn point, we had been married of therapy to get over that pertise and just did what I always invested in real es-
marketing, operations, fi- for seventeen years. Then and to be able to talk about knew how to do, which was tate and done well. The first
nance, and communication. 2008 came around and the it without bawling my eyes build businesses. I realized thing I did when I accumu-

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