Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Suzi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Suzi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

What was a big risk I took in business?
Being a business owner means constantly making decisions — and most of them involve some degree of risk. After more than 30 years as a business owner, I’ve certainly taken my fair share. But the biggest, boldest risk I ever took? Following my passion.

Capitol Realty has been in my family longer than I’ve been alive — and I’m 66. I took the helm as broker/owner over 30 years ago. Based in Newport, Capitol is one of Rhode Island’s oldest real estate firms and built its success on a reputation for exceptional client service.

Over the years, I was also deeply involved in the community — serving on the Town Council, sitting on numerous boards and commissions. Newport can be a very buttoned-up community. While I certainly sold my share of traditional homes, my niche was investment properties and summer homes, so my clients tended to be more… let’s say, polished and professional.

And while I genuinely enjoyed so much about my career at Capitol — the people, the pace, the quality of life — real estate was never my passion. In fact, the year before I officially took over the company, my youngest had just started full-day kindergarten and I was planning to go back to school for my MSW and become a therapist. But life had other plans. Capitol needed leadership, and I stepped in.

For the next 20 years or so, life was a fast-moving, full-tilt ride — one foot in front of the other, raising a family, building a business, and saying yes to opportunity.

Then I got sick. (That’s a longer story for another day.) An autoimmune issue knocked me down — and in my search for healing, I did a deep dive into nutrition, supplements. At first, I was laser-focused on food and functional medicine… but I kept stumbling across studies on mind-body practices, especially hypnosis. At the time, I was as skeptical as many of my real estate clients might have been. But the more I read, the more intrigued I became.

I started watching every video I could find, reading everything I could get my hands on, and practicing on anyone who would let me. The results I saw were powerful — even transformative. Quietly, and mostly for my own curiosity, I decided to get certified.

Now this is where the risk comes in.

I knew I had found something that felt like a calling. But I had no intention of leaving real estate. I didn’t want to and frankly I couldn’t afford to (it takes a lot of $150 session to match a commission on a multimillion dollar house).

I am not a fretter, And typically make decisions very easily and trust my gut. but there was a lot at stake here. I had no idea how people would perceive this.

Would I lose credibility? Would people think that I was less committed to real estate? That I was doing something “woo-woo”? Would they joke that I was hypnotizing clients into buying homes?
I wasn’t sure how to share this new path — or even if I should.

As fate would have it, the decision sort of made itself.

Shortly after I got certified, I ran into a local newspaper reporter — someone who used to cover our Town Council meetings. When he asked what I was up to, I told him about the hypnotherapy training. He laughed and said, “Can I write that story? — Suzi Nance: Councilwoman. Business Owner. Hypnotherapist.” I told him he could write it — but only if he let me hypnotize him first.

Thankfully, he achieved exactly what he hoped to in our session. Two weeks later, half the front page of the weekend edition was his story/my story.

That article created an instant hypnosis practice. With my phone ringing off the hook with people wanting hypnosis appointments, in what I thought would be a temporary solution, I turned my conference room into my hypnosis office.

For the first few years I still focused primarily on real estate, but little by little I began to shift more time to Hypnotherapy. The scope of what I was doing also grew, I began running wellness retreats for wounded veterans and their caregivers all over the country, partnered with hospitals and corporations. I published two books. I became a certified hypnosis instructor.

Luckily during this time I had a very component team of agents to rely on to keep Capitol moving and allow me to focus where I wanted.

Last fall, in a bittersweet moment, I said goodbye to my last agent, transitioned fully into my hypnotherapy practice and transformed the office into one better suited to a hypnotherapy practice and to accommodate workshops and courses.

So, did I lose clients when I “came out” as a hypnotherapist? No current clients that I know of. Many of my real estate clients were long-term investors who came back again and again.

Were there people that I didn’t know that were going to call me and then saw that I was a hypnotherapist and decided not? I’ll never know. But, I wasn’t aware of any negative financial impact on my business, our numbers year to year were where they were expected.

Did everyone understand it? No. Some thought it was quirky. Some probably still do. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. That risk — stepping into the unknown, following something that lit me up — changed my life. And now, I get to help others change theirs.

Suzi, 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?

I’m Suzi Nance —A Change Strategist, Author, Certified Hypnotherapist, Health and Wellness Coach with advanced certifications in Health and Wellness Nutrition from Harvard Medical School and Advanced Pain Management, a trusted resource for hospitals, physicians, schools, corporations as well as families and individuals. I have a private practice in Newport, RI and lead transformative workshops and retreats around the country.

My path into hypnotherapy wasn’t planned. It began when I was dealing with a personal health crisis and, like so many others, went looking for answers. I started researching everything I could about nutrition and healing. That journey led me — somewhat skeptically, at first — to hypnosis. But the more I learned, the more I was blown away by the science behind it. Not the stage-show stuff, but the real work: rewiring the subconscious, quieting the nervous system, breaking old habits, releasing trauma. It was powerful. And personal. And it worked.

What I offer:
Private hypnotherapy sessions to support everything from stress, anxiety, and emotional eating to smoking cessation, fears, and self-sabotage

Customized workshops for companies, schools, and organizations looking to help their people manage stress, boost confidence, and communicate more effectively

Speaking engagements on the power of the subconscious, rewiring behavior, and mind-body healing

Certified Hypnosis Training for professionals who want to integrate these tools into their work

Books and online programs designed to help people break free from limiting beliefs and step into a life they truly love

What sets me apart?

Honestly? I’m a connector and very perceptive. I have the ability to help people get to what I call “the beef” of what has been holding them back from achieving what they want in a very short time. Then the skill to work with their subconscious to make it happen, always without judgment, and with a sense of humor.
What I want people to know:

You can live a life you love! Change is possible!

About hypnotherapy- it is science-backed, neurologically sound, and one of the most underutilized tools for personal change we have. I want people to know that the power to change is already within them — sometimes they just need someone who knows how to help them access it.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Yes, Training matters, absolutely, but without question, most important is the ability to really listen. Not just to what someone is saying, but to what they’re not saying — the pauses, the shifts in tone, the quick glances or subtle body language that reveal where the deeper story lives. I’ve learned that those micro-moments are gold. That’s often where the real work begins.

It’s also about your ability to connect and create a place where clients feel completely safe and seen. A place that’s free of judgment and full of belief — belief in their ability to change, to heal, to become who they want to be. Because when someone sits across from me, I know they already have the answers inside them.

My job is simply to help them access that power. — that’s where the magic happens.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

It might sound simple, but it’s this: treat every single person like they matter — because they do.

I’ve always believed that if you truly value your clients, listen deeply, respect their time, and go above and beyond to serve them well, word gets out. People remember how you made them feel.

They tell their friends. They come back. They become your biggest champions.

There’s no marketing strategy more powerful than genuinely caring about the people you serve — and backing that up with excellent work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://suzinance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzinance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suziconklinnance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzinance/