I’m a Success and Results Coach, creator of Courageous Chicks, and I work with powerful women like you, who are ready to break out of a mundane life and pursue their dreams.

I’m passionate about this work because I’ve been through the journey myself. In fact, I spent a full decade of my life in a long-term existential crisis, knowing that something felt off but unable to put my finger on what it could be. My family now refers to this period as my “dark decade.” I finally emerged when I gathered the courage to start following my heart, first by authoring a children’s book, and now by helping other women make their dreams come true.

You see, while some of that “dark decade” was spent doing essential work on myself, I know now that with the right tools and guidance, the process could have happened much faster. That’s why I created the Roadmap To Your Dreams program—so that you can step into your power right away!

However, let’s back up. Because the truth is, a lot of what I offer as a coach comes from capacities I developed during my “mundane life,” and even from the dark period.

I come from a family with an incredibly strong work ethic. Neither of my parents attended college, but through grit and perseverance, made great strides in achieving successful careers in computers and law enforcement. My generation was the first to attend and graduate college, and I’ve always placed a high value on education and learning.

Because I saw my mother’s success in the computer industry, I pursued information technology as a career path, and quickly found success by my mid-twenties. I have a natural ability to organize and prioritize effectively and stepped into leadership positions early on. My IT job gave me an income my family could rely on and work I could handle with confidence.

Yet there was a part of me that wanted something different—something more meaningful, more exciting, and more personal. That part started speaking to me early on in my career… it just took me many years and many wake-up calls before I finally listened.

First, in 2008, I experienced a breakdown. I screamed at my husband out of nowhere one night. But after seeing a doctor and receiving treatment, I felt “normal” again… at least for a while.

A year later, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. As I went through treatment, I revamped my lifestyle and diet, becoming healthier and stronger than I was before the diagnosis. But as soon as my doctor permitted, I was back at work, following the same old safe but unfulfilling pattern.

Over the next few years, I had several depressive episodes, each requiring me to take leaves of absence from work. I’d fool myself into thinking I just needed a break, and I would be stronger when I went back—but in reality, everything about the job was wearing me down.

And it wasn’t just the stress.

It was the fact that I was not fulfilling my purpose.

For me, it was a workshop through my church that finally opened my eyes to my calling. I started by quitting my job and writing a children’s book (a dream I’d had since my youth), and within weeks I was feeling refreshed, energized, and joyful.

I had gained extensive experience in my IT career in leading, mentoring and coaching my teams. A core part of my purpose is teaching and encouraging others.

Coaching was a natural next step once I recognized how many women in our society have had similar experiences, but don’t know how to take action for the changes they want. I knew the skill sets of organization, goal-setting, and long-term planning – abilities I’d cultivated over my three-decade IT career – could help other women get through their “dark decades” in way less than a decade! So I threw myself into starting my business, and I’ve never been healthier, happier, or more aligned.

The awakening to purpose can take many forms. It’s not always an overnight process. But when the time to make a change has really come… you know.

Are you a courageous woman looking to make big progress towards stepping into your power and living your truth? Learn more about working with me here.

 

Professional Bio

Sue Hollowell is a Success and Results Coach, currently living in Olympia, WA and pursuing her dreams daily.

Sue worked for 33 years as an IT Project Manager. It was through this work that she found her “genius zone,” and cultivated skills of organization, planning, and goal-achievement. After several health crises and a spell of empty-nest syndrome, Sue left her long career (and her comfort zone!) to follow her passions. She authored a children’s book because the two characters in her head, Ollie and Caroline, would not leave until she did so.

Sue’s training and experience in her career, position her as a ‘go-to’ person who brings caring and compassion to coaching women, along with a tenacious focus on achieving results.

She’s never felt more aligned, healthy, or joyful.

When Sue is not with clients, you can find her hanging out with her husband, senior cocker spaniel Max and hunkered down with stacks of mystery novels.