Meet Sue Ryan

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

Sue, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

Throughout my life, my dad was constantly asking me questions and teaching me lessons. He’d say: “I want to teach you how to think so you’ll know what to do when I’m not here for you.” and “I want to teach you how to be safe in case I’m not here to help you.”.

His questions were based on curiosity – never judgment. He wanted me to reflect on each type of experience in my life to learn what it had for me.

I clearly remember an experience when I was in second grade where his questions introduced me to my optimistic perspective. The company my dad worked for transferred our family every couple years, so being the new kid was familiar territory. At my new school, excited to get to know my fellow classmates and become part of a group, I tried out for the first thing available – the choir. I wasn’t selected.

I remember dramatically going to my dad in tears. I was a failure. I was embarrassed. I told him I didn’t know how I would ever face my fellow classmates again (I did mention I was dramatic!). Sobbing, I asked him “Why did this have to happen to me?”.

Dad began gently asking me questions. As he did, something shifted. I began to look not at the outcome of the experience, but at what was behind the outcome. By the time he was done asking questions, I realized I hadn’t chosen choir because I wanted to be in the choir, I chose choir because it was a group. Through his questions I realized I’d been given a gift, not a rejection. I wasn’t actually interested in singing in a choir. The choir director didn’t reject me, he actually helped me because I would have soon learned I didn’t want to be in the choir, wouldn’t have enjoyed it, and wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be in a group doing something I actually liked.

Through dad’s thoughtful questions that day, I learned lessons that still guide me whenever I face new opportunities. His gift of curiosity – for me – sparked my optimistic perspective, and two ways I nurture it:
1. Unquenchable curiosity that leads me to continuously ask “What else is possible?”.
2. Knowing every experience has a purpose for me in my life – even if I don’t know what it is in the moment.

I believe optimism is about having confidence in the future or in the success of something. Sometimes my greatest successes come when the outcome is not what I anticipated – what others may call ‘failure’.

Through this learned optimism, whether I’m facing challenges or celebrating wins, I’m continuously looking for the lessons. I approach each experience optimistic about what it will teach me about myself, so I continue to become the best version of myself, optimistic I’ll learn more about how to make a positive impact in the lives of others.

From this optimism, one of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned over time is to let go of the need to know the lesson in the moment of the experience. In the moment of an experience, we can’t possibly know if its outcome is ultimately good, or ultimately bad.

In the moment of my rejection to be part of the choir, I thought it was the worst thing possible. Several weeks after I was not selected to be in the choir, the opportunity to be on the track team became available. Because I wasn’t already committed to the choir, I could join the track team – and loved my experience!

Sometimes our lessons appear immediately, sometimes they take years to reveal themselves. I’ve learned this is exactly as it’s meant to be. My optimistic perspective reassures me every lesson arrives at the perfect time, whether it’s for me or for helping others on their journey. The lessons are always there, ready to be discovered when we’re ready to receive them.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a passionate communicator, unquenchably curious about life and unabashedly happy. I express myself as a keynote speaker, leadership coach, family caregiving coach, author, online course creator, and podcaster. I am clear on my life purpose – helping people become their greatest leading themselves and others. This begins with me. I live what I teach. I’m the founder of Sue Ryan Solutions and The Caregiver’s Journey, where I combine my 30+ years of enterprise software sales experience with my personal journey as a family caregiver to help both individuals and businesses thrive while navigating change.
Known playfully as “The Energizer Bunny on Caffeine” for my energy and “Soogle” for my unquenchable curiosity, I specialize in two areas that are increasingly interconnected in our world.
1. Through my programs including Leadership Through the Dimensions of Change™ and The Prodigy Zone™, I guide leaders and businesses through transformational change. What makes this work especially meaningful is leaders finding their authentic leadership style so they lead with confidence and clarity.
2. I’m passionate about helping businesses address an urgent and growing challenge: the exponentially increasing number of employees struggling to balance their careers while navigating family caregiving responsibilities. Through my Leadership C.A.R.E.S.™program, leaders are guided to create environments where everyone thrives – the caregivers, their teams, and the business.
Committed to helping other family caregivers learn faster and more easily than I did, I created The Caregiver’s Journey online course, which received the 2023 Caregiver Friendly Award for outstanding media from Today’s Caregiver Magazine.
I’m currently focused on expanding these initiatives through multiple channels. I co-host The Caregiver’s Journey podcast with my friend and business partner, Nancy Treaster, sharing practical tips and candid conversations about caregiving. As a keynote, TEDx, and DisruptHR speaker, I’m bringing awareness of these critical issues in businesses and on platforms around the world. I’m the author or contributing author to five International best-selling books, beginning with “Our Journey of Love: 5 Steps to Navigate Your Caregiving Journey”.
My mission is to empower and embolden individuals to maximize the opportunities and potential change will bring. Whether coaching Fortune 100 executives or family caregivers, my focus stays grounded in my father’s early teachings: “Continuously ask yourself: What else is possible? Don’t settle for good enough. Boldly live what you believe.”
Looking ahead, I’m excited about expanding the reach of Leadership C.A.R.E.S.™ to help more businesses create supportive environments where both businesses and family caregivers thrive.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three key qualities have been foundational to my journey:
First, unquenchable curiosity – what friends playfully call being “Soogle.” This isn’t just about asking questions, it’s about approaching each situation with genuine interest in the lessons it has for us to learn. For those of you early in your journey, I encourage you to practice asking questions without judgment. Don’t just ask “why” something happened, ask “What else is possible?” in any situation.
Second, resilience through optimism. My father taught me to look for the purpose in every experience, even challenging ones. This isn’t about being blindly positive – it’s about maintaining confidence that every experience has something valuable to teach us. If you’re just starting out, begin by reframing “failures”. Embrace experiences where the outcome is not what we anticipated. They light the way to our success. Ask yourself what each experience is teaching you about your true path.
Third, the ability to bridge different worlds and perspectives. Throughout my career, I’ve connected corporate leadership with caregiving insights, blending hard business skills with deep emotional intelligence. For those beginning their journey, seek out diverse experiences and don’t be afraid to bring your whole self to your work. Your unique combination of experiences and insights is your greatest asset.
My advice? Don’t build the qualities that shape you in isolation. Live them daily; learn with and from them. Let your curiosity guide you to new possibilities. Trust that setbacks often lead your imagination to new opportunities. Most importantly, stay open to how the blend of your life experiences come together in unique and powerful ways to serve others.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I tap into the same curiosity my father taught me, and I direct it inward. I break things down into smaller and smaller pieces until they feel manageable because I’ve learned even the biggest challenges become clearer when I look at them one piece at a time.
I also use a strategy I call “exploring the breadth of possibility.” I ask myself three key questions: What’s the worst that could happen? What’s the best that could happen? And based on what I know right now, what do I want to happen? These questions help me move from feeling overwhelmed to exploring what else is possible through unquenchable curiosity.
A powerful lesson I learned through both my corporate career and my caregiving journey is that we don’t have to navigate challenges alone. We’re at choice to or not to. I used to feel like I had to figure things out on my own – I definitely wish I’d learned this lesson earlier in my life! I’m glad I live from it now. When I’m facing a challenge, I create a list of three people I can reach out to if I haven’t found a solution on my own within 24 hours. Sometimes just knowing support is available helps reduce my feeling of overwhelm and helps me see more clearly.
My advice? Feeling overwhelmed is often a signal that we’re trying to solve everything at once – and/or on our own. Break it down. Look at all the possibilities. And don’t hesitate to reach out for support – we’re all on this journey together and we’re more resourceful when we combine our gifts and talents.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sueryan.solutions/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suearmstrongryan
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/
• Youtube: @thecaregiversjourney
• Other: https://thecaregiversjourney.com/

Image Credits

TEDx – Ira Bowman
DisruptHR – Scott Markowitz