Meet Sumana Soonthorn

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

Hi Sumana, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

People often ask how I found my purpose. The truth is, it found me after I got lost. Finding my purpose didn’t happen overnight. I used to be a civil engineer in Thailand working on projects internationally. I was rewarded with plenty of satisfaction and lessons learned in constructing, designing, and overseeing the creation of bridges and tunnels. I earned a master’s degree and built a successful career. I became one of the few women in my field at the time, working with confidence in a male-dominated industry. For over fifteen years, I built a successful career with achievements that made my family proud.
On the surface, I had everything, stability, respect, and financial security. But deep inside, something was missing. I felt stuck in a routine, uninspired, and disconnected from what truly mattered to me. But over time, I began to feel like I was living someone else’s dream.
Every morning I woke up feeling tired, not from the workload, but from the routine. I couldn’t see a future that excited me anymore. I had everything I was “supposed” to want: a stable job, a good salary, and professional respect. But I felt empty. Something inside me was craving freedom, creativity, and real connection.
So I took a break and started to travel. I backpacked across many countries and explored cultures, mountains, and adventures. Traveling gave me time to reflect, reset, and reconnect with myself. I had no exact plan, just a desire to feel alive again. Then one day during my travels, something shifted. I felt like I had space to breathe. I wasn’t just “on vacation.” I was being reintroduced to myself. That was the moment I realized: I wanted a life that felt real, not just successful. One of my biggest turning points happened. I have backpacked around the United States with many states. I felt a sense of freedom here, space to reinvent myself.
That’s when I made a life-changing decision. When I return back to Thailand after the backpack is over. I decided not to continue the path of engineering because I was looking for something more, freedom and purpose. I left my engineering job, moved to the U.S. and began studying massage therapy. I found Andaman Institute of Massage where I became certified as a Massage Therapist in the state of California 2019 (CAMTC) and I became a medicare provider (NPI).
At first, people thought I was crazy, leaving a respected career to become a massage therapist? But deep down, I knew it was right.
Massage therapy wasn’t just a new skill. It was healing, human, and meaningful. I wasn’t just working with numbers and structures anymore. I was helping real people feel better in their bodies, relieve their pain, and restore balance in their lives. And in doing that, I found balance in mine too.
From there I worked with many respected and skilled therapists I met along the way to hone and develop the skills required to craft our version of Thai massage. I will be honest, I was not a skilled therapist out of the gate. It took a lot of time and patience from both clients and my seniors with countless hours of practice to develop both the skills and confidence. Eventually, I opened my own business, Siam Bodyworks, in San Diego.
I fell in love with this work because it brings healing, connection, and balance, not just to others, but to myself too.
My purpose is no longer about titles or achievements. It’s about making people feel better in their bodies and lives, and it’s about creating opportunities for other Thai women like me to build a new life here with dignity, skill, and independence.

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?

Behind all this is a woman who has always believed in doing what feels true, even when it doesn’t look conventional.
Hello I am Sumana Soonthorn AKA Sue, Founder of Siam Bodyworks. I was born in a small rural village in Thailand and I was raised by two extraordinary individuals whose lives have been defined by dedication, sacrifice, and service to others. My father was an elementary school teacher, and my mother was a public health nurse. Early in their careers, they worked in a large city where opportunities were more abundant and life more convenient. However, they both made a profound decision that would shape not only their own lives but mine as well—they chose to leave the city and return to their rural hometown.
Driven by a deep sense of responsibility and compassion, my parents dedicated themselves to helping the underprivileged in remote and underserved areas. They believed that real change begins at the grassroots level. Despite the challenges of working in a place far from modern comforts, they gave their all to improve the lives of those who had the least.
Growing up, I witnessed their relentless commitment. I saw my father pour his energy into educating children who might otherwise be forgotten by the system. I watched my mother travel long distances to provide medical care to those with no access to healthcare. Their sacrifices were not just acts of duty—they were acts of love.
Their life’s work has deeply influenced me. It taught me that success is not measured by personal gain, but by the impact we make in the lives of others. I am who I am today because of the values they instilled in me: hard work, empathy, and the courage to serve.
Growing up, I didn’t have many resources, but I had big dreams. Education was my way out, and I worked hard to become an engineer. I was proud to succeed in a male-dominated field. But as time passed, I realized that success without passion can still feel empty.
As a child, I didn’t imagine living in America. But I did imagine freedom—freedom to grow, to choose, to help others. I’ve always been curious and adventurous. I’ve always loved exploring, hiking, mountaineering, and pushing my limits in nature. I think that adventurous spirit is what eventually helped me break out of my comfort zone and seek something different. Those passions shaped me as much as school or work did. They taught me resilience, patience, and how to find joy even when things are hard.
That spirit is still with me today in my work as a licensed massage therapist in the state of California, business owner and Founder of Siam Bodyworks and someone who’s building a new kind of life. It’s not always easy but it’s deeply fulfilling. I see my clients not as “customers” but as people with stories, stress, trauma and silent battles. I listen with my hands and heart.

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?

1. Courage.
Leaving behind everything familiar to start over in a new country and career takes courage. You need it to leave behind what no longer serves you, even when it’s comfortable or successful on paper. But I believe if your inner voice keeps whispering that there’s more to life, you owe it to yourself to listen.
2. Adaptability
Moving to a new country, starting over in a new field, and opening a business, all of that requires flexibility and the ability to learn fast. A new culture means learning new systems, new languages, and new ways of thinking. I had to learn how to market myself, run a business, and work with clients from all walks of life. I made mistakes, but I kept going. Whether in massage therapy or life, truly listening to people and caring about their needs creates trust, connection, and loyalty. I was managing a team of engineers or giving a massage, I always focused on people. Understanding what others feel and need is what creates connection—and connection is the key to success, in any field.
3. Consistency
Success didn’t happen overnight. When I was learning massage therapy, I attended a school of massage in California for almost a year and got certified, became a licensed massage therapist of California. I practiced every day, refining my technique, understanding the human body, and building trust with each client. Even after opening my business, I kept improving: training more, learning more, and staying focused. Progress comes from showing up day after day, even when it’s hard or slow. Consistency is what transforms skill into mastery, and dreams into reality.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Building Something Bigger Than Me
My current challenge is growth, how to expand my business beyond just myself. I want to transition Siam Bodyworks into a Thai massage school one day,
Why? Because I’ve seen so many Thai women, other immigrant women or the women who want to become independent struggle to find work that respects their dignity and utilizes their skills. I want to teach and empower other women to build their own careers. I want to offer them more than just a job. I want to offer them a path. A chance to learn, earn, and grow. Just like I did.
But turning that vision into reality isn’t easy. There are licenses, regulations, finances, and logistics to figure out. I’m still learning every day. I’m reaching out to mentors, attending business workshops, and writing out my long-term plan step by step.
Right now, I’m taking small steps, learning from other educators, networking, and setting clear goals for the future. It’s a big dream, but I believe in taking one step at a time, just like when I left engineering. I’ve already lived through one major transformation in my life and I know I can do it again.
In the End…
Finding my purpose didn’t come from reading a book or taking a course. It came from listening to myself—especially when it was hard. It came from being willing to walk away from “success” in order to find joy, meaning, and freedom.
Today, I live with less pressure and more passion. I measure success not by how impressive my title sounds—but by how many lives I can touch. And I hope my story reminds someone out there: it’s never too late to rewrite your life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sdsiambodyworks.com
• Instagram: @sue_sumana
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumana-soonthorn-637188146/
• Other: @siambodyworks

Image Credits

@sue_sumana