Meet Sue Rasmussen

My grandma used to tell the story of how, when we visited them at their lake cabin summer home (still my favorite place on earth) when I was a little girl, I would go around the already immaculate cabin and straighten things up, sweep, and ask if I could move the furniture around.

I thought that was just as much fun as swimming in the lake, catching frogs in the woods, swinging on the hammock, and picking blueberries!

And growing up as a teenager, I was always rearranging the furniture in our house, not only in my own room but also in our living room, family room, and basically any room I could get my hands on. I didn’t know the terms or philosophy for any of what I was doing; I simply wanted the room to 'feel better.'

I was also constantly organizing and re-organizing my stuff…my drawers and my closets (you should have seen my lovely shoe racks!), my planning-for-school schedule, anything that needed arranging, I was arranging it.

What Led Me To Becoming A Coach

Prior to creating my coaching practice, I was working in corporate America, making great money, doing work that I was good at (but was draining my energy every single day)...and my life had gotten pretty darn complicated. I was working crazy hours every week, doing work I didn't truly love, doing a lot of high impact, high energy sports, and surrounding myself with stuff I didn't want or need, all in an effort to keep my mind off the fact that I was also in the middle of a painful divorce.

So the Universe jumped in to give me a beautiful opportunity to slow down, although not necessarily the way I would have chosen. During a sports injury, I broke the calcaneus bone in my heel, which meant months in a cast and on crutches, intense physical therapy, and a full year before I was walking comfortably again. My body was telling me in no uncertain terms to slow down.

At that time, after realizing that I had lost touch with what really mattered to me (and since I had a lot of unexpected time on my hands), I decided that it was an opportunity to review my life, my activities, the people I spent time with, and, of course, all of my stuff and my living environment.

The process of simplifying, clearing out years of stuff (this is where I learned first-hand that 'organized' and 'clutter-free' are two VERY different things), and making conscious decisions about what I wanted to keep in my life and what I wanted to let go was absolutely transformational for me.

I moved to a home that completely inspired me. I left a career that wasn't uplifting in any way (except for the fact that it paid me very well). I studied coaching principles for three years, applied them to every area of my own life, and launched my new business as a coach. I created a new career that delighted me to the core. I created a community of wonderful friends who completely supported me just as I am.

I completely transformed every aspect of my life, simply by taking a good look at everything in it and deciding what could stay, what needed to go (what I now call clutter!), and what else I wanted to add.

(If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur, check out Sue Rasmussen and Business to see how I learned the impact clutter is having on your business results.)

What Qualifies Me To Coach People

To date, there are only about 650 coaches worldwide who have received the highest credential of Master Certified Coach from the International Coach Federation - that's less than 1% of all coaches! I am one of those coaches.

Reaching this level of credential was a very rigorous process that included a thorough evaluation of my coaching style, my formal coach training, my actual client hours and number of clients coaches, and the results and satisfaction from previous clients. (By the way, I'm also on the faculty of CoachInc.com to train coaches).

And in the end, results are what really count, right?

With the combination of my years of training (I continue to invest every single year in my own personal development and ongoing learning), my specific background, my passion, and my extensive experience working with clients for the past 12 years, I have a very unique ability to help people quickly see what's getting in their own way, let it go, and actually create what they want in their lives. And that's exactly what they do.

Want to see examples? Check out my client stories to see what kind of results people are getting.

I also live my life the way I coach my clients to live theirs...in other words, I walk my talk. Before you hire a coach, see if they have created the kind of life you want (balance, personal freedom, plenty of time to do what you love, clarity of purpose, peace of mind, and so on).

The Kinds of Work I Do With My Clients

I teach people how to clear out their clutter, organize their life, and stage their home, either for living in it with delight or for selling it faster, for more money.

I also coach my clients how to clear out what's getting in the way of what they really want; in other words, I help people make room for what really matters.

How I Live My Life

In 1998, several months before I had even heard of coaching, I wrote out exactly how I wanted my life to be.

And today, I'm living that life.

I wake up without an alarm clock, after a full night's rest. I go out for a big hike or walk with my dogs, often before the sun is fully up (yes, I'm a morning gal) so I can catch the beautiful Arizona sunrises and hear the birds chirping.

I do most of my work in the mornings, when my energy is highest. I write my newsletter, write articles for my website, work with one-on-one clients, coach clients by email, and plan for my programs...all in my lovely, very simple little office (or I take my laptop outside and sit by the pool). 

And when I feel my energy shifting, I take a break. I spend my afternoons doing whatever I want to do. Then  I often go back and work a bit more in the evenings (writing, mostly), because I have another energy surge at that time and I really enjoy working for an hour or two of quiet contemplation at night.

My home and my office are simple, streamlined, and organized. I have plenty of room in my closets and my cupboards and drawers, even though my place isn't large (I have lived in very big homes as well as small homes, and I much prefer small and simple). 

I live a simple life, have a business I love, work only with clients I really enjoy, have plenty of free time to do what I want, and best of all, I have freedom.

I deliberately created this life for myself. How did I do it? I've walked the path of learning, growing, not knowing how it would turn out, learning some more, and all along, taking the actions I knew to take. 

My Invitation For You

If you're ready to gently and deliberately let go of what's holding you back so you can create the life you want, I want to hear from you! Contact me or check out my programs and teleclasses. If we discover I'm not a fit for you, I would be glad to refer you to another coach.

And make sure you sign up for my free newsletter so can get quick tips, easy articles, and tons of free, practical resources.

Still Want A Little More?  :)

What I love: family, friends, great conversations with people I love, dark chocolate, books by Elaine St. James, pretty toenail polish, sunrises in the desert, Northern Lights, and my Border Terriers Coco and Harry (I believe dogs have the answers to life - they know how to be present in the moment, play often, and fully enjoy their food!)

My favorite activities: Hiking up a mountain in the desert, doing yoga in the morning, walking a labyrinth, working on my mosaics, custom painting old wooden furniture, finding new little off-the-beaten-track restaurants, swing and salsa dancing, watching great movies, decorating, and reading.

My favorite place in the world: the dock at Kabekona Lake in Minnesota, early in the morning before anyone else is awake.

My not-so-secret quirk: I love to organize my closets! Is it any wonder I do what I do? :)


My Professional Experience:

My background includes business development, personal branding, marketing, and program development for companies in France as well as for employees and consultants of major US companies including Motorola, Boeing, and American Express.

After working in the corporate arena for 12 years, I shifted my focus to private practitioners, working with the top marketing coaches in the country to coach the clients of such companies as Peter Montoya, Inc. and Successful Professionals. Since I started coaching, I have worked with over 4,000 small business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants in 27 countries.

In addition to working with my clients one-on-one, I'm a Certified Teleclass Leader with Teleclass International and Teleclass.com and a teleclass-leading faculty member of Coach U. I was also selected to be a member of both the CoachInc.com and ICF credentialing assessor teams which work to uphold the quality and integrity of coaching worldwide.


Educational Background:

I'm a magna cum laude graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, receiving a double major in French and Business Administration, with an international business emphasis. I completed my undergraduate business studies at the l'Institut de Gestion de Rennes in Rennes, France (an international management institute).


Affiliations and Memberships:

• International Coach Federation (ICF). The International Coach Federation is the professional association of personal, business, and marketing coaches that seeks to preserve the integrity of coaching around the globe.
• Coach U. The leading global provider of coach training programs.
• CoachVille. A world-wide community for coaching, coaches, and coach training.

For more info, check out my Fast Facts or Sue Rasmussen and Business.

---