Building an Empire While Living Like a Pauper with Susan Sierota, SS Partners and Board Chair of Manifest Climate

I'm so excited to introduce you to the incredible Susan Sierota, a dynamic and passionate two-time exited founder who has devoted her life to helping others, mentoring budding entrepreneurs, and driving positive change in the world. 

 

In our conversation, we dive deep into the pivotal moments of her upbringing, her unique approach to education, and how she overcame adversity to create her own destiny. Susan grew up in an upper-middle-class family, but despite this, she faced significant challenges, leaving home before she turned twelve and learning to be independent from a very young age. 

 

Susan emphasized education as her ticket out and earned a community college degree, even after dropping out of high school. She shared her extensive experiences from working at Procter & Gamble, where she moved through the ranks and used the company's benefits to further her education, eventually earning an MBA. 

 

We later dive into her transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship. Susan candidly talks about the struggles and learning moments from her first startup, emphasizing the importance of not living beyond one's means and the power of delayed gratification. She later founded a tech company focused on animal health, driven by a deep personal mission after losing her dog to cancer. 

 

Her journey illustrates the balance between financial prudence and pursuing a mission-driven life. This episode is not just about financial success; it’s about resilience, growth, and the impact one can have by staying true to their values.

Key Topics:

1. Learning to fend for herself at age 12
2. Paying for a college education on credit cards
3. Getting a master’s with the help of P&G
4. Susan’s first introduction to saving and investing through work
5. Learning to never live outside of your means 
6. Susan’s first introduction to real estate as an asset at 26
7. Laying the groundwork for her first startup
8. Setting boundaries for herself around money while launching the business
9. Early lessons and mistakes from leaving corporate to launching her first business
10. Taking time to travel after exiting her first business
11. Opening a Crossfit gym and advising businesses on the side
12. How her dog inspired her next business venture
13. How Susan is continuing to build her body of work today
14. Play long-term games with long-term people

Connect with Susan online:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierota/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

 

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com 

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