Jon Chin, CPA, Audit Partner
Armanino, LLP
“I’ve been lucky enough to have been coached by Susan for a year and my transformation has been remarkable. As a person in the fast-paced business world, my mind was always full of thoughts and ideas and it was hard for me to be present. With Susan’s coaching, I was able to learn to clear my mind and be mindful of my environment, which led to better communication, leadership, and connection with my team and family. Susan was supposed to be my leadership coach, but her impact was so profound that it transformed more than myself as a leader, it changed my life.”
Richard Cleek, President & COO
Norman, Fox & Co.
“The challenges that faced Norman, Fox & Co. in September of 2003 were formidable. The company had been unprofitable for three consecutive years and on the edge of bankruptcy with an executive management team that was frozen with fear and uncertainty. As newly appointed President I was presented with the enormous and challenging task of turning this company around. Many of my colleagues said it could not be done. Your approach to understanding our company, our people, our culture and our issues was very different than any I had ever experienced in my 25 years of management. I was extremely impressed with the speed with which you became intimately knowledgeable about our business and our people. Your ability to go beyond the situation presented and see what is really causing the challenges is truly a gift. Your talent of coaching me allowed me to not be a problem solver but to discover on my own what I was doing to prevent myself from making things happen. Your practices changed how I looked, approached, took action and resolved the issues. I went from a person whose energy was so intense to being at peace even under enormously stressful situations. Because of your coaching I was able to return the business to profitability after four months as president.”
Brandon Taga, Chief Financial Officer
CBRE Global Investment Administration (GIA), CB Richard Ellis
“Thank you, Susan. It has been an incredible journey that all started with me being so lucky to find you as my coach. You’ve been a great partner to me for the last 3 years. In that time, I got promoted from Vice President of Corporate Finance of one division of my company to CFO of another division and started a family; both things I was “stuck” in before meeting you. I truly believe it’s no coincidence those things happened after we met. You’ve inspired me to just relax and be me and with that things came naturally. I promise to continue my practices and we will certainly stay in touch. Thanks for being a great coach and always keeping it fun.”
Mike Evans, Sr. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Norman, Fox & Co.
“When we began our coaching sessions 6 months ago, little did I know, I was going to begin a journey of real change. In just a few months, I have done the things I wished for, but so much more and through a different route than I anticipated. Susan, your insight to me and others in the company has been extraordinary. Before we started on this journey, my department was a mess. Now, I feel like I have a team behind me. Who would have thought that my whole department would change because I changed. I am much more balanced. The stress is still there, but I am handling it better. This is allowing me to work on the big things and not worry about the petty stuff. My team is more productive. They are working together and taking initiative. They are more focused on goals and accountability because I am.”
Kimberly Khanbeigi, President and CEO
Kiyonna Clothing, Inc.
“In 2010 I met Susan and learned for the first time about executive coaching. At first, there was this tiny fear that nagged at me when I considered diving in. What if I’m doing things wrong? Do I really want to fix me? I’m so busy doing, this is going to take me away from my business even more. Well thankfully I listened to my heart and not my head. I went for it and discovered the opposite. Inside me were amazing gifts and talents that I started to learn to understand. Seeing these amazing things in me made me more aware of the gifts and talents of my team, and that awareness lead to renewed passion and productivity. Susan’s approach was tailored to me, and as a working mother of 2, this just made sense. Within the first 6 months of hiring Susan, we enjoyed record breaking sales. A year and half later, I can honestly say that I know my team is passionate and we will double what we did last year in sales. Every CEO should consider the expense of a business coach like Susan an investment. If you want to sleep a little more at night, enjoy working with your team more than you ever dreamed, and make a lot more money, she’s the one to call.”
Daniel Stewart, General Manager
Krispy Kreme (Great Circle Family Foods)
“Your coaching has single handedly made one of the biggest impacts in my life, my store’s hard profit numbers, my staff’s morale, my relationship with my management team and other subordinate employees, and my wife and children. If I had to put a price on what Susan has developed and helped me personally develop, it is absolutely priceless. I don’t see how companies run without people like her to help guide them and keep them focused in the right direction. What an asset it must be to have a coach like that by your side. In little more than a year since coaching me, my store numbers went from hitting 30% of my monthly budgeted goals to 100%. I went from several human resources issues a day to 1 HR issue in the last year. I had a management team and staff that had turned against me and created a phone campaign to get me out to the same people who now share the same desire and goals. The employee morale has sky rocketed. More than 90% of my staff that was here in the beginning with me are still here today. We’re expecting the best year financially. We have developed employee incentive programs to continue our morale boost. Our team is a true team now and is operating like one. We all respect each other and the results are in the numbers. As Susan continues to help some of my managers and other managers throughout the district, we continue to see bottom line profits rise as a result of creating that corporate culture that fosters the type of environment that allows employees to grow.”
Sommer Adams, President
Ransom Pump & Supply, Inc.
“Susan, I now have my own construction business and I’m really enjoying it. I think of you often as I’m still using the tools I learned every day. Thank you for helping me uncover some wonderful gifts that I had in myself that have significantly helped me to let go of my judgments about others and instead see the gifts in them. These tools have been especially helpful in staying cool, calm and collected with others in my business and life with situations that used to trigger me. Even these many years later since our coaching together when at PAR Electric, I’m still successfully working with this new way of thinking and being. Thank you. You have been such a blessing to me.”
Bill Welsh, Founder & President
Burlington Engineering, Inc.
“Susan’s depth of understanding her client’s needs and how to find and obtain solutions to these challenges and goals is unique and has been very profitable to my family and me. The actual dollar amounts are still being defined, but I can assure you that they are much greater than I would have achieved without Susan’s personal coaching. Susan has an amazing ability to hear what is said and unsaid, to read people and to relate to them as individuals. She then translates those findings into “outside-the-box” process improvements that positively impact our bottom line. That ability is very rare and very welcome.”
Armando Apodaca, Chief Operating Officer
International Right of Way Association
“The entire staff of IRWA was going through a very difficult transition period with a new Executive Vice President, continued loss of financial reserves and lay offs. Without Susan’s help, the senior staff would have only skimmed the surface and would have not affected true change for the organization. She conducted assessments that discovered the root causes that were triggering the responses of the support staff and compiled an “Integral Coaching Program” for each department head. Susan’s coaching has been significant in my change from manager to leader. My team is more productive because I am empowering them to do their job by being more open to what they have to offer. I am solving challenges not by offering solutions but be being a better listener and hearing what they have to say. My trust in them to do their jobs has freed them to be more proactive in coming up with solutions. And because I am taking more time to connect to my people and know who they are and where their talents lie, I am better able to address what I need to do to assist my team in being more effective in their positions. Another direct result of working with Susan was my recent promotion from Vice President to Chief Operating Officer.”
Sarah-Serena Overhoff, Campaign Director
Orange County Museum of Arts
“Susan’s coaching style is inspirational and thought provoking. She does not do the coaching work for you – you must have the courage to open to new ways of being, seeing and hearing. For nearly two years, she nurtured and guided me to understand many things personally and professionally. I am the real leader I was always meant to be by seeing the “gifts” of others – derived from “Sawubona” leadership, the methodology Susan practices. For example, by supporting my former colleagues’ gifts, we soared to new heights producing the highest number of annual philanthropic gifts raised for the USC Marshall School of Business and Leventhal School of Accounting. This summer, with an open approach to work and life, I was recently presented a fantastic career opportunity aligning my passions for the visual arts and education – after ten years at USC, I accepted a position to serve as the Campaign Director for the Orange County of Museum Art (OCMA) in Newport Beach. I love my new career and finally, have the time and energy to give back to others and my community – it is a joy. Susan, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your dedicated support, friendship and love. I am relishing my new way of being and embracing my life’s journey. It is magnifique!”
Fred Nasri, Chief Financial Officer
International Right of Way Association
“When Susan first entered IRWA a year ago, there were numerous challenges within our organization. After doing an assessment of our departments, she found that many of our challenges lied within the management style of our Senior staff. After eight months of following the coaching path that Susan set for me, I can clearly see major improvements in productivity. I attribute that to adding “human touch” to my management style. My open door policy now works! This change has resulted in more deliberation of various issues and finding better solutions together. The positive feedback from my staff in my change as a leader is eye opening. Even my wife is pleased with the changes she has seen in me. That probably means the most to me! For the first time I have a more balanced life. I took a 2 week vacation in June and will also take another in December. I can not remember having ever taken 2 vacations in one year. I attribute all this progress to having a team that is truly behind me.”
Stephen Doyle, Manager
Construction Field Forces, Substation Construction & Maintenance, Southern California Edison
“Susan, I would very much like to thank you for all you have opened me up to! Your coaching has had a profound impact on my life, and I feel so much better for it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! You have been a great coach!!”
Eric R. Rustigian, Certified Escrow Officer
Glen Oaks Escrow
“When we first met a year ago, I had a division that was falling apart. I could not figure out how I got to this point. I was absolutely sure I was not the one at fault. In my eyes, all of my employees were at fault and they were the ones making our working situation unbearable. Through your awesome coaching, you have shown me to not only look within myself first, but how to read, listen and understand other people. The results were instant once I started doing the practices you created for me. They were easy to do, which helped in actually doing them. Over the past year in working with you, I have not only grown as an employer, but as a person too. I had forgotten what was important to me, not only in work but in my personal life as well. I have been able to rebuild my relationships and regain the trust of my staff. I am now more effective as a manager of my employees and a better role model. I have also gained the respect of people above me and below throughout the company.”
Rob Ukropina, Founder & CEO
Overnite Express
“Susan, you have a gift to see right through the challenges executives are facing into what is preventing them from overcoming those challenges. As Founder and CEO of Overnite Express, you focused me in on areas that I was not paying attention to and helped me to develop within myself ways to better support my people towards their success. During the most difficult transition of my career when I sold Overnite Express, your coaching allowed me to finally let go of my patterns of always focusing and helping others, to now focusing and helping Rob. What emerged was finding new meaning and purpose in my life and a new vocation that I have passion for. Thank you Susan for the gifts you bring not only as a coach but as a human being who truly cares about people.”
Deidre Alves, Vice President, Professional Development
International Right of Way Association
“Susan Inouye is a gift in my life. She transforms you back to who you really are and develops you to new heights you never dreamed. She brilliantly understands that professional excellence is uniquely connected to personal strength which is a vital cornerstone of her beautiful work. She preciously and most gently challenges and guides you to be honest with yourself so that you can learn what you need to learn on your personal and professional journey. One of the things that is so amazing about Susan is that she enables you to talk freely and honestly about anything- without fear. This is very rare and special. I exceedingly value Susan for the profound work she is doing with me as an Executive Coach and I truly and most sincerely know she is a destined and divine gift in my life.”
Dr. Gideon H. Jostrand
“Working with Susan over the past 6 months has been simply magical. She is a catalyst that helps you take action in every aspect of your life. I feel like a different person than I did six months ago and I had no idea that I could feel so in charge of my business and family. I am a huge success in a large part thanks to Susan. I recommend Susan without any hesitation to be one of the finest business coaches I have ever had the chance to work with (and I have worked with others but unsuccessfully).”
Valerie Fries-Wade, Chief of Education
International Right of Way Association
“I was fortunate to be able to work with Susan over the course of two and a half years. The original plan was to provide me with tools to further develop my management skills. What I was not prepared for was the life changing experience which unfolded over the time we worked together. Not only did my management style change, but my work-life balance became functional for the first time. With the guidance from Susan I was able to shift priorities in my life and work and use tools for focus. I gained confidence and was then able to pursue and achieve a lifelong goal of an advanced degree and I give credit for this transformation to Susan.”
Evania Lee, Marketing Manager
Kiyonna Clothing, Inc.
“If you asked me two years ago as to whether I needed coaching in my life, I would have laughed and said, “Who has time for that?” I was set for one mode – charge forward, hard and fast. I was set in my ways to control everything that I could while believing that I was the only one that could do the job, the best way possible. What I didn’t realize was that I was on a clear path to burning out – fast. In working with Susan, she encouraged me to slow down and really examine myself, my habits and patterns and understand not only my gifts but the gifts of others. Knowing my gifts and those of others has allowed me to better interact with them with greater compassion. Susan has helped me unlock so many parts of my potential that I never knew existed. Through her recommended practices and firm encouragement, I have been able to lower my stress level, be happier and accomplish things I never knew that I could with strength and confidence. Slowly but surely, I am gaining the confidence and trust of my team and colleagues. I am learning to be held accountable to what I say that I will do. I am incredibly thankful to Susan for her encouragement and guidance in my journey. She has worked with me to define key mantras in my life that will help me grow. Like a personal trainer, she is helping me strengthen the muscles that will enable me to live a confident, strong, compassionate and honest life.”