We recently connected with Susie Rakowski and have shared our conversation below.

Susie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

It would be a great joy of my life if my self-care book, “From Sue to Suetastic,” a manual for a shattered life, was the foundation of my legacy. The combat-tested, step-by-step self care manual outlines 15 steps to help readers re-discover joy, purpose and energy in their lives, especially after loss and deep grief. The comprehensive guide is a blueprint to transport readers out of dark times and improve their overall well-being. I’m gratified by the feedback that suggests countless readers have achieved personal growth and fulfillment from the manual that outlines how I went from broken & beat to finding my own inner healing superhero and anyone can do it, too!

Susie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Having worked for a wide variety of publications from The Wall Street Journal to the celebrity weekly, The Star, I discovered my passion for writing about issues that would improve the lives of others. I was especially compelled to help people navigate the journey to find their True North. I launched a how-to magazine with two spin-offs to provide rock-solid, no nonsense insights and advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners, empowering them to thrive in today’s competitive market. I was dedicated to deliver high-quality content in the three print magazines, notably Small Business Opportunities, a leading global publication sold via foreign language bookstores and on newsstands in hotels and airports worldwide. After decades of producing content on the topics, we passed the how-to start your own business baton to our online colleagues. It has been a great joy of my life to have received feedback from thousands of readers–first-time entrepreneurs–who took the plunge to launch their own small business by following our
blueprints for turning passion into profit.

I pursued an independent major at Vassar College in “Science, Technology and Society.” This course of study inspired me to translate technical information for the lay audience and that is what I have tried to do in my writing, interviews and how-to pursuits.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

We’ve all experienced tough times in business and in our personal lives. Some facing financial hardship, others crippling depression, grief, despair or a real feeling of being discarded, undervalued, let down and left out because of the cards we’ve been dealt. I went through a series of devastating loss, parents, sibling, my life partner and several friends and it left me feeling shut down, beaten and frustrated by Life.

Gloom and melancholy seem to circle our collective space. I knew no one was coming to save me; the world is not an easy ride in exchange for living a good and decent life. I put together a series of steps to guide me back to optimism and passion for life. When several friends said, “how did you bounce back?” I offered them some tips and they asked me to write them down. I did and “From sue to Suetastic” was created. They encouraged me to publish the book and I did so through Amazon.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think I’ve always been a team player and that has helped me in life and in business. I’ve always wanted to see others do well and generate good energy for ‘the herd.’ Seeing the glass ‘half full’ has been a guiding principle of my life. Life is hard, let’s work together to make it better.

So many people have been beaten down by aspirations, hope and dreams that have failed to materialize. It is easy to become cynical when seeing Life is not how it was presented to many of us:
-Talent doesn’t always win
-Passion and dedication don’t always pay off
-The cream doesn’t seem to always rise to the top

Making a pledge to ourselves that change is possible can help inspire a new plan and direction for life, business, relationships and overall well-being. The important thing is to just start.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.suetastic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquamaid/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquamaid
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susierakowski/
• Other: Originally from Brooklyn and having spent most of my life in Manhattan, I now live on the eastern end of Long Island, NY and enjoy putting info together on the East End in a hobby website called EventHampton. Eventhampton.com and You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@eventhampton67

Image Credits

Photo of Phoebe Legere and myself when I played in Phoebe’s band MONAD is by Derek Ridgers

Photo of me teaching a financial literacy class for Phoebe Legere’s arts education nonprofit Foundation for New American Art is by Phoebe Legere