EXPERIENCE 59 | Suzanne Miller, Welcome Coordinator at the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce & Founder of Do A Liz Thing
My guest was Suzanne Miller. She is the Welcome Coordinator at the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. She's a wife and a mom and a grandma, and she's just a really neat lady.
We talk a lot about leadership at every level, even if you're not the CEO or the president of a company, how you can still be a leader within the organization. Suzanne is the founder also of a movement called Do A Liz Thing and it stems from the tragic loss of her daughter.
Episode Sponsor: InMotion, providing next-day delivery for local businesses. Contact InMotion at inmotionnoco@gmail.com
💡Learn about LoCo Think Tank
Follow us to see what we're up to:
Facebook
Music By: A Brother's Fountain
My guest on today's podcast was Suzanne Miller. And Suzanne is the welcome coordinator at the Fort Collins area chamber of commerce. Uh, she's a wife and a mom and a grandma, and she's just a really neat lady. I, uh, I'd like to tease that, uh, what I most look for in someone to, to see if I want to be their friend, is whether they seem to really like me. And, uh, Suzanne and I liked each other a lot and Suzanne's, uh, worked at a number of adjacent to leadership positions, um, where she's a director of first impressions, a community ambassador she's been on boards, nonprofits she's really involved in every place. The, uh, community is developing and evolving and becoming a better place. She's not every place. You sure might find her. And so we talk a lot about leadership at every level, even if you're not the CEO or the president of a company, how you can still be a leader within the organization. Um, Suzanne is the founder also of a movement called Do A Liz Thing. And, uh, it stems from the tragic loss of her daughter. And we talk about that a little bit. Um, if you haven't met Suzanne, uh, you will like her when you do. And so I'd just like to thank Suzanne for being on the program today and uh, I hope you'll dig in and enjoy this podcast with Suzanne Miller.
Curt:Welcome back to the local experience podcast. This is your host Curt bear, and I'm joined today by Suzanne Miller. And Suzanne is the welcome coordinator for the Fort Collins area chamber of commerce. She's the founder of a local movement called dualism thing. And she's a board member at the front range community college foundation. And, uh, she's been there, done that for a lot of years in this community. And so, Suzanne, thanks for sharing your time with us here today.
Suzanne:Thank you for the invitation to be a part of this. Well thank you for inviting yourself. Okay. Yes. The only way to go. That's not what I was going to say, but
Curt:I'm sorry. I'll put you right at this point.
Suzanne:You're not, you're not at all.
Sorry.
Curt:You're right. Tell me about, uh, tell me about why you joined the chamber.
Suzanne:Well, it was a wonderful experience. COVID, uh, changed the world and where I was at ginger and baker. That experience no longer existed. I just assumed I'm a woman of a certain age I'm washed up and there's no, uh, I'm not importable. And so I texted a few friends, um, messaged a few friends saying I'm looking for some fresh volunteer opportunities. That was the mindset. If you know of something fresh and new. Yeah. Let me know. And I sent that out to four or five people and within 10 minutes, I got a response from an, had just said, president CEO of the Fort Collins area, chamber of commerce. Yeah. Strictly volunteer or would you be interested in paid part-time? And I think that was on a Tuesday. I met in the office Friday and I started Wednesday. It was just, well, I
Curt:think that's wonderful right up there with the best decisions the chamber has made, including promoting and to director of the
Suzanne:chamber, uh, Jim, where the Fort Collins area is fortunate to have her. They have got something special with an Hutchison in charge there, for
Curt:sure. Agreed. So tell me about your job, your new job.
Suzanne:It is a wonderful spot for someone who has lived in Fort Collins for 40 some years, who has been engaged in a variety of community events. So you, that leads to connections and knowledge of interworkings of other entities in town and the community navigator. Well said that takes, that allows, um, connections to happen. And that has come into play in a very positive way at the chamber, because there are random number of calls and email requests each day, for things as random as where do I bury someone right to, I need, uh, a child, I need a baby seat. And I don't know where to get one. I had no funding. Uh, what do I see when I'm in Fort Collins? We're thinking about relocating here, where should I start? And I've just accumulated a list of popular relocation or visitor links that I'll send them, and then they'll stop in and request things. And we build connection, a senior citizen moving here on her own after her husband's death, her children lived in a surrounding area and. She wanted to move here to be closer, but she had no social network in the marker. So we met for coffee. We just began a casual friendship. I'm not her bestie won't ever be. We don't have that history, but it was, um, a chance to reach out to someone and show them that Fort Collins is filled with people like that. I agree and connected them, connected her to a few of those people. I
Curt:felt so welcome since I moved here in 1999. And I was just thinking to myself, like the number of there would be no way to train an intern or a young person, um, to know all the things that you know, so like good job on Ann for making that hire because yes, you're you have all of it. If you don't have it. At, at a link, you can send somebody, you've got it in your head. You can, you know,
Suzanne:like a Rolodex of just because the, the more, uh, the wider your net is of connection and organizations that you're aware of, or have been a part of, then you know, more about what they do and the community good that they offer and how to work that system.
Curt:And that's probably kind of some of our commonality and maybe why we resonated when we first met a few years ago, was that kind of wide, broad, and messy network of interests and things. Would you care to jump in the way back? Let's go. Where'd you come from? Uh, where'd you grow up?
Suzanne:Uh, my, uh, husband and I, um, met. Well, I'll start first with the kids. I grew up as a little kid in a east central town called Newcastle Indiana. So a ball state was the nearby university. I attended there, there was, um, um, activities that I was a part of, but I was a kid.
Curt:So town, was
Suzanne:it like a big town, a little town, Newcastle, Indiana, maybe 10,000 people. Okay. Um, a factory town Chrysler was a big thing there. My, uh, high school Chrysler high school in new castle, Indiana, and the claim to fame, the largest high school gym in. Serious. It's Indiana basketball. Mine. You come out of the womb.
Curt:So there was like 10 quarts of basketball or
Suzanne:something like that. The high school gym, only one high school in town, uh, holds 10,000 people. Oh my goodness. The high school gym. And it was filled in back in the day. If you saw the movie Hoosiers. Sure. Honey, that's real life. Is
Curt:it still like that? Still? Like I know in Texas football is still the thing, right? Indiana basketball is the,
Suzanne:yes. It's changed some, uh, due to, uh, the changes I have now. I forget what they call it bit. Triple a, not three, a four, and all of that. Um, in my high school days, there was no. it's you show up and you play. And the entire time from ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade, my little new castle Trojans team was in the final four for the entire state of Indiana championship. So the current, um, excitement that you, that surrounds the CSU team now that is altogether familiar. And the way that I grew up with us, that's what basketball looked like every Friday night in Newcastle, Indiana.
Curt:And your husband was from there too.
Suzanne:He was from a town a little ways away. Um, we met here's the quick story. He and I were, um, didn't know each other at all. He was invited by a friend to come to the church that I was a part of. And he visited there. I was singing a solo. He asked a few people who that was, and we met for lunch and it's about a big metal
Curt:boom. Oh, college years high school.
Suzanne:No, I was 27. Jim was 32 when we married, but yeah, that was quite a thing. You remember what you were saying? Yes. Um, oh, no, I don't. Nevermind. No, you thought I
Curt:was going to ask you to sing a bar too.
Suzanne:I don't, I don't recall, but my doom remember that, uh, I met him the next day. I got my hair cut by a friend who also attended that church and she said, Suzanne, we heard you went out on a date because that wasn't a common occurrence. And she asked me what I thought. And I said, you know, I wouldn't be surprised if I married the guy. It just was, he came back to my apartment after lunch. I played my guitar and sang every John Denver goofy song. I knew with the three chords I could play. It's awesome. I think we had a five-hour lunch date and that was in August. I was engaged in December and married in June
Curt:that, uh, it kind of hearkens to, well, my wife told her mom just after our second or third date. Well, Mary Kurt, you know, and like, it, it reinforces that notion that the woman is the picker. Ultimately I think, you know, like a guy can court, a gal and stuff and hope that she'll choose him and stuff. But in the end, I, I feel like that's the way it should be. At least I don't know if it always is.
Suzanne:I don't know if it is, but it sounds to me like, well, from what I know of you, that your wife picked a winner, and I know why.
Curt:Yeah, that's awesome. So you went to college at ball state for what?
Suzanne:Uh, who knows? I was confused. Scared. I did not end up with a degree from there, but that was home for a while. And then, uh, met Jim and then, oh my gosh. You know, just cuckoo crazy and love. And then did you
Curt:guys start a family right away?
Suzanne:We here's the story I'm married in June and the following may, we had always talked about this marriage counseling, um, place that we attended. Put down goals that you're interested in life goals, where do you want to live? What would you like to do with your life and so on? And don't discuss those, do them separately. And then let's come together. And on both of our lists, we had live in Colorado. And so before our first anniversary, uh, we moved to Colorado. My husband found a job with an insurance company, uh, same group that he was with in Indiana, and we made our move. And here we are in Fort Collins, 40 some years later. Yeah. And that
Curt:was his background was kind of traditional property, casualty insurance, or he was a
Suzanne:farmer, a farmer from Iowa. Well, no farmers agent, but the ag dairy farmer industry. That's his name? It was
Curt:his niche. Gotcha. Instill is. Okay. Awesome. So. Did you land in Fort Collins then
Suzanne:landed in Fort Collins. We did.
Curt:You didn't have the internet to research it or nothing?
Suzanne:No, but the, the, the manager, his regional manager said there are two places open one open. Now one will be open later. We lived in Pueblo for a few years and then the agency in Fort Collins became a viable option. And so here we landed. Gotcha.
Curt:Cool. So tell me about. That first month or two of living in Fort Collins, like what did you find it's discover? What was that experience like for you? Did you work right away
Suzanne:or no, we had kids. Um, and so that wasn't, I mean, four kids and four and a half years. So think about it a four and a half, a three and a half, a two and a half at a newborn Irish. I don't know. It was just, it was just messy and fun. And to have had a career, I would have needed to have a multimillion dollar career to make sure
Curt:you have to have three babysitters. Yeah.
Suzanne:So I was the at-home mom and we adored those years. I have a friend who told me later, said the Miller's missed most of the eighties. We were just, you know, raising
Curt:yeah. Change the diapers. Yeah. Well, but you don't miss that. You know, that's like some of the most valuable time you could ever spend, right. The best. So. I guess, tell me about starting to engage with communities. Some of those first in case, you
Suzanne:know, that's a wonderful story. Then I was working a little part-time jobs. I, I was everyone's buddy and everyone had a, Hey, you want to come help do this for a while? And that's sort of been my calling card. Of course, I'll come do that for a little while. And, um, I worked at the Colorado one, the local newspaper at the time and helped with advertising and circulation. And take
Curt:me back as this like early nineties, then
Suzanne:that was 2000.
Curt:So the kids were probably like in high school,
Suzanne:elementary, junior high and approaching, uh, high school age. Okay. Um, and I worked there and my manager whom I can't recall her name now sent me out. I had business cards, which delighted me. That just seemed like I had arrived in the business world because I was given a business card. I. That's still just that flush of excitement and pride. I remember taking that business card home and showing it to my husband, as you know, it could have easily been as much pride as saying I had met the president because I was given a business.
Curt:I remember when I first came to Fort Collins and I was a banker. So I was went through this credit management training and I worked in a bank a little while, but when I started first taking my own loans, you know, you sign for the bank. And I was like, ah, so responsible, I'm signing this document for this organization.
Suzanne:Exactly. Well that happened. And she told me go to this event. It's a chamber after hours event at mobi arena. And off, I went with my little bag full of cards to hand out to people in those days seeking advertising or whatever. And, um, I just thought it was wonderful. I mean, what an exhilarating experience to be mingling and mixing with people, promoting what your purpose was and your job, but also listening to their stories. And I just thought this is perfect and I love this and I want to do this more.
Curt:Well, I'm imagining. After, like, I'm sure you had friends and families and stuff, but after all that focus on the kids, you were probably semi starved of adult conversations and learning all about the world a little bit. I
Suzanne:felt, I mean, it couldn't have been any more satisfying in that humble moment in 2000 to be out on the patio at mobi arena, drinking a glass of wine and handing out business cards. I couldn't have felt that I was in a finer experience. Had I been on the red carpet on Oscar night? It just was that grand sensation. Yeah.
Curt:Well, I think that enthusiasm for every moment is one of your calling cards, honestly. Um, so talk to me about like next steps in your career. Well, I commuted at that time. Let's see, that was, I moved to town in 99 and so we kind of started our networks. It's surprising that we didn't run into each other. No five years, six years ago probably is when we first met. I think that's right. So anyway, by guns,
Suzanne:well, as I said, I have just been everyone's buddy, so, and that's kind of a nice niche, you know, the, the negative is don't build up, you know, you don't have an IRA to transfer that kind of thing, but you, there are other treasures that are not just dollar associated. Yeah. And, um, I think I have a wealth. I
Curt:could probably give you a title, like most connective, mostly part-time employee in the history of Fort
Suzanne:Collins. I don't know how you'd put that on a business card, but through those continuing, Hey, would you like to, Hey, I need someone to come and help. Then your network continues to grow and you learn more and you see more. And that leads to learning more people in their businesses and how they work and what needs you could fill. And. Ways they could help this other person that you met in that has a need and putting those together, that became a wonderful web of connection. And I always tell people, everyone has a story and everyone has a hurt and everyone has a dream. And so just to hear those things and to learn about that, to let them know that you're interested in their story, I think it grows friendship and connection trust, and, um, yeah, people share more in that way. What
Curt:was your official title at the, at the Colorado one where you like add sales assistant or something like
Suzanne:that? Single copy sales slash advertising. There was no, it was a created position.
Curt:So how long did that? I
Suzanne:think until 2007. Okay.
Curt:And then she made it about that time that the inner sphere became something that you were engaged with or not quite yet
Suzanne:quite yet, but, um, yeah, there were a few again. Hey, you want to come help? A friend who has a CPA firm it's tax season. Do you wanna come help during tax season? You want to come help I'm opening a bicycle shop. Do you want to come help spring opening at a garden center? Sure. I'll do those
Curt:things. Anybody want to give a shout out to like the things that you found the most joy in
Suzanne:bath nursery was wonderful. Sarah bath was very kind Monday Miller was exceptionally kind. Um, Archie sold ski. He sold all of those leads. Yes. A good buddy and a good friend and a lot of ways down through the years, um, Sue would be Sue wouldn't
Curt:associate. Yeah. I met her finally after she was one of those also where we've worked in the same community forever as a banker for a long time. Of course. And, uh, we like bumped into each other at a cocktail party. We both heard about the other, uh, anyway,
Suzanne:he's a dear one. And then, um, where you and I connected at in a sphere. Yeah,
Curt:yeah. Yep. You were there early days, right? Like you were one of the first
Suzanne:I think so, um, you know, faces of Innisfil
Curt:kinda when they actually,
Suzanne:it was fun, you know, to be there at that front desk and see all of that energy and excitement, and it was just a good time. And you believed in the mission. I wasn't in the right role. I had no idea what I was doing, but still it was such a good spot that it filled me up. And the connections that I've made there are lasting. So
Curt:have you been engaged in different non-profit causes along the way to.
Suzanne:Yes, boys and girls club of Larimer county, Kathy Wright. And I met years ago. And I think one of the most valuable pieces of advice she gave at that time, they couldn't afford me to be their development director, but they paid my rotary dues for a while. And so, um, I did that for a short time, but Kathy's advice was, you know, Suzanne, you build your reputation by the teaspoon full, but it will come back to you in bucket loads, if you do it right. And you let people know that they matter to you. And that's, that's been, uh, a true verifiable, um, statement that she made 20 years ago, I suppose.
Curt:Well, isn't it interesting how. Like life has all these moments right there. Like every moment is a moment. But then when we, when we look back and we can see some of those impactful things, and sometimes it's not until years later, when you realize how impactful those things are, um,
Suzanne:she was a wonder, I will always admire and adore Kathy. Right.
Curt:So tell me, um, about your family. By this point, you've been kind of bopping around your kids are. Um, probably now high school age and stuff
Suzanne:back then. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Um, wonderful. Two girls, two boys, um, active in a variety of things too. Uh, one girl, one boy, very interested in athletics and all that offered, uh, from elementary at O day and then bolts and Lusher and Fort Collins, high school. Then one of our kids, Tran our daughter transferred over to Rocky to be a part of that system, but all through that. And then the traveling teams and all of that and working bingo at the bingo hall on north college. Now it's a pot store, I think. Oh really? I think. But yes, if you worked before my
Curt:college roommates worked in a bingo hall and like, they literally had to like put their clothes that they worked in, like in a bag in the corner of the closet to keep it from like stinking up the whole place.
Suzanne:Yes. And we did that for many parents did for the sake of raising traveling fund. Yeah. And so we did that for a lot of years. So again, that's connection engagement and for a good purpose. And so supported our kids there too are involved in musical endeavors, choirs, and musician things, all of that kind of thing. So those were our, uh, our kids years. Um, Liz, our oldest, um, was active in youth ministry. Our son, Alex as well, Sarah, uh, wanted to be in speech and debate. And our third child, that was, oh my goodness, just the wind. She wanted to be in speech and debate and just going really, you're going to become skilled in
Curt:that. You've already got a lot of heart for it. If you get skilled, besides.
Suzanne:Yeah, those were PA and then our youngest son, Ben, just traveling back and forth with sports things. So it was busy, active times, finding ways to connect with each kid in their area of interest and show support and show love and raise four teenagers. And it was busy, exciting, frustrating, all of those things that every point. It feels with a teenager in the house. Yeah.
Curt:So ministry and church has always been a pretty significant part of your life. Liz sounds like she was involved in that pretty heavily as well.
Suzanne:Yes, I'm active. And a lot of different things served, uh, in a variety of ways. Jim and I used to host a junior high youth group. The youth minister of the church has said, you know, we have something for youth high school kids that meets every other week, but that junior high age group, they need a little more attention. Could, since you have four in the house already of your own, would you host be open to hosting every week at your house? Uh, the junior high youth group and. Um, we did a lot and there were messages every week there would be on the low end 15 and the high end in season when you could play outside and do all of those things. 25 30 kids feeding these parents started offering to chip in and, oh, that's good. Yeah. With some of the pizza costs. So that was a huge help, but that was a delight. I, um, yeah. Well,
Curt:it's an uncommon experience, right? Is that ability to engage, not just with your children, but to be there when they are hanging out with their friends and
Suzanne:learn, but that helps in understanding that age group, because there's, I don't think there's much. There is hardly any creature in God's creation. That's more difficult and challenging to love, delight than an adolescent. And to hear how they handle conversation exchanges between each other and what they think is funny and the way they support and put each other down. And also with them being immature and not realizing in the moment that you're standing right there and can hear everything they say, but they're talking in honest, real ways. And you get insight from that if you listen. And, uh, that was valuable time out. I'll never regret that my, the stains in the carpet is long gone, but I know those, those moments were worth it. Yeah.
Curt:So I guess lead me. I get through if there's any more career highlights, but I know we're going to be at close to. The loose thing here. Yeah. Um, and from a timeline standpoint, do you
Suzanne:want to, well, our, yes, I'm career, you know, just, uh, continued on doing what I was doing, um, and then landed at the chamber. So here we are, um, in 2008, uh, our daughter, Liz was, um, 23 year old youth, youth minister had, um, been in youth ministry as an intern here in Fort Collins, and then hired as a youth minister in new Orleans, just outside of new Orleans during. And we had to evacuate her and get her out of that area. She flew into Houston and then flew home. But as soon as airports were opened, then they needed those high school youth to come in and help with the mammoth up there. Uh, we went down at Thanksgiving to see her, and of course there was no housing available members of the church housed us. They just said, FEMA has taken every available hotel. That's not damaged. So you're welcome to stay in our home. And they were gracious and kind in that new Orleans area and wonderful people. Uh, then Liz was invited to go and, um, transfer to, um, Fredericksburg, Texas, um, and serve there as youth minister. Um, she was loved by those, uh, the students here in Fort Collins and in new Orleans and in Texas. Okay. We got a surprise phone call one morning that, um, at a retreat, uh, Liz had, who had been diagnosed with epilepsy at age 12. And that's an awkward time think about that to have something that she had grand mal seizures. So you fall down, you pass out in a way there's all the shaking quaking. Um, and you're 12, 13 years old. That's a tough, tough go on your assault on your ego and all of that. But Liz was loved and, um, she had a good support system around her with friends, right. And then with medication. Those seizures were controlled. Most of the time Liz skied drove, swam all of the things hiked. And then in her role as youth minister, she had to do those things too. So it didn't stop her life, but it changed some things for her, um, temporarily, um, you know, I mean, during medicine changes, it would be a little bit of a challenge, but those were temporary moments on the whole. You didn't look at Liz and say she looked different. You didn't notice anything. Yeah. Liz was a vibrant, wonderful youth minister engaged with junior high and high school kids. Right. The call came in, uh, from this retreat saying that Liz had had a seizure. We were familiar with that at home. They weren't, and they had taken her to the hospital and said they would call us later. We had had that happen before where w. People than unfamiliar settings didn't know about what to do. And, um, they were more concerned than we were. And when those occurrences would happen, um, later though, the hospital staff called us and said, we couldn't revive Liz, the seizure that she had stopped her heart. And we are so sorry to share this news with you, that Liz is gone. And to hear that, that, um, w we are a family of faith yet that knocks you flat. And, um, it did for quite a while. And, um, I mean, these weren't, this, wasn't the thing that you thought would be in the life of this vibrant, engaged. A young woman who led youth adolescence and high school students and engaged in their day to day life working through their struggles with them. That age is vulnerable and she was the point person for them. And now that to have that news, we, that wasn't what we expected at all.
Curt:And I guess you had down there,
Suzanne:I don't know. Okay. Arrangements were made. Um, Liz, Liz was here, was brought here. Um, we had a Memorial service for her. It was overwhelming. There were a thousand people at her Memorial circle's three-year-old it was astounding. And when I say that seven different ministers spoke he'll think that we were there all day and it wasn't that, but each one. The minister, the senior minister at the church in new Orleans wanted to come because he loved Liz and wanted to share a message of condolence and remembrance of Liz. The minister at the church in Fredericksburg, Texas came because he wanted to share that same and bring messages of love and support from the youth. There. Uh, people here ministers wanted to be a part of that celebration of their remembrances of Liz. So each one shared a bit. Um, it was, I'll tell you one quick story. A friend in the insurance industry had a new hire. He was the owner of this insurance company. And with his new hire, he said, I want you to go somewhere with me and the new hire thought lunch sure. On the boss I'm in. And he asked him, where are we going? And the man said, we're going to a funeral, but he said, I want you to go to this one because you're going to feel something and you're going to learn something and they attended, yeah, John Bell. I love that, man. I invited his new hire, um, to, uh, Liz's Memorial service because he knew that it would be a celebration. And the impact that this young woman Liz had on these people, um, was touching and it was profound. And it was told in many different ways. And the John Bell said the man loved being there, you know, and hearing the stories. And he walked out uplifted rather than what he had supposed. It would be this horrible, sad time.
Curt:Yeah, I'm sorry to chuckle. I'm just imagining that young mad, like we're what, yeah.
Suzanne:Yes. So even in her death, I, when I speak to people, I often say, and I'll probably repeat this because I say it so often. One of the, uh, wonderful parts of Liz's Memorial service was when I had found her Bible that they shipped to us from Texas. She had, uh, notes of the secret to a happy life. A happy death and a happy eternity in her handwriting. And it was the 23rd Psalm and her notes. You know, this, I don't know if she had, who knows what age she was, but it was the 23rd Psalm and underline under the secret to a happy Aternity was follow me all the days of my
Curt:life. Is that the one that the Lord is my shepherd.
Suzanne:And what I tell people is that we all leave footprints. We all leave awake behind us, but it is what is in those footprints that matters most. And Liz Miller left footprints of goodness and mercy behind her, her entire lifelong.
Curt:What I remember. The dual thing didn't just happen then. But like, like, remind me what
Suzanne:happened from there some years later, because, um, you can do them, you can do a movement, but it's also a parent I've had. Sometimes when I've done presentations about loss and grieving, it's about what to, and what not to say to people, because I think where we just don't, it feels, and we want to
Curt:care so much. And we don't want to
Suzanne:say that. I'm pretty sure don't say that. That would be in the know, but people want to help, but we're not equipped to handle that. And so well-meaning, well-intentioned people have said some horrible things to us that hurtful things. No, not at all. That's poor phrasing that should be edited out, but have said things that they didn't know that landed with such a thud in our hearts. Um, one of them being, um, after do a Liz thing was started some years later she met me and just said, Hey, it's do a Liz thing day. And I just thought, do you, oh my gosh, What you're saying, I, I know you don't, but you know why we're doing this dual listing, how this came about it's because our daughter is dead and this is the day that she died, but you know, to her, it was, Hey, it's do a listening day. It's excitement. It's things that you focus on others it's that time of day. Yeah. But yeah, that has happened. Yeah. Back to how it started on the first anniversary of Liz's death. Wa we just didn't know what to do. March 28th, 2008. Yeah. What do you do? Do I. I don't want to close the blinds and just sit in a dark room and wait for the day to pass in. Agony. Part of me wants to, but that's no, no, no. We are called to life. There is no retirement. You are calling is to pick up a talent, find a way to serve and get busy doing it. Yeah. And to be withdrawn from life didn't feel right. And that was certainly not how Liz lived her life and friends suggested as that day was approaching. Why don't you go do things like Liz did so routinely for others in her world, in youth ministry, working with those adolescents and high school students, she would send them notes. I have verification of that from new Orleans, from Fort Collins and in Fredericksburg, Texas stacks and stacks of notes from the students themselves or their parents saying you don't know. And you don't know what did Liz did and you don't know the impact that it had on our student or the student saying in my life and it's lasting. And so we decided as a family, let's go do those things that seems decent and right to do. And so we invited some friends to go and do those things. Some friends at Innisfil, Emily Wilson, I love just said, I'll help. I'll put a website together for you and set up the Facebook page. And so it was launched. I had no idea what it was there it is. And we invited people to go do something outside of themselves with the whole notion of the focus being on others as Liz, um, was mentioned so often in the Memorial service and down through these other years. And when people. Comment. Liz saw me, Liz got me. And that's because I say she lived her life, others focused for sure. And when you see life through that lens of looking at others, then you notice those things. And that's what do a Liz thing is about? It's not doing just a, it's not about buying the cup of coffee. It's not that it's, although that is wonderful and that is stepping outside of yourself. And as I also say a lot, the habit of self-preoccupation is a hard one to break. But once we do that and you see other people and that's your focus, then the world looks differently for you. That's what do a list thing is about seeing others saying, how can I intentionally disrupt that life for just the. Well, maybe it's a momentary for good for so nothing self focused, but just to do something
Curt:intentionally. Yeah. A door opened is one thing. A door opened with a really nice smile to somebody that's feeling glum. Like sometimes you can help change somebody's day just with that little after.
Suzanne:Exactly. It is not, uh, uh, there's no need for it to be a high production value is being aware of that person. As you said, opening the door for them and looking at them and saying, here you go in a line on I 25 heading north or south, letting that person in without giving them the big hello with your fingers in a special way. Just come on in there's room for you. I've got time. So many yeah. Making space, making space and saying, I see you and you have value. And I want you to know that.
Curt:So is that kind of, I guess the call to action for dual, his thing is to like, with intention, um, to, to see, to receive and to I provide what that person might need. If you can figure if you
Suzanne:know them in your circle. Yes. Do those things. I read a great quote the other day that said, you know, eulogy. I don't need to be given only after the person is dead. Say those things to them now. And I would say for do a Liz thing, those people that, you know, do those things
Curt:for them credit where it's due and give appreciation and all that, all that kind of stuff.
Suzanne:And that's what it's about. It's not, how can I come up with something creative? That's not my natural bent, you know, to be this creative DIY showy thing. Uh, the, the original plan was that people would post their, do a listing actions on the Facebook page. And then that would be an inspiration for others. But people just say, I don't, that seems a little braggy to me. And so I'll just say, would you share it with me? I'll post it anonymously, but that might spark interest for someone else to say. I never thought about that. I
Curt:know. Well, and I was thinking to myself that, um, Liz's mother definitely modeled that others focus for her, uh, even just hosting those youth groups and things like that. What has that always been? You, you mentioned that like before Jim came along, when you were 27, you didn't really date a lot boys and things like that. Were you that same kind of connective person or have you really kind of transformed or
Suzanne:I, the connecting maybe didn't happen until that flashpoint happened at the Colorado one with. The manager whose name? I can't recall right now, but she was instrumental in saying, you can go do this. You should be good at this. So that started in 2000 and that's just grown. But before that, I was involved in this wonderful little church family of people who were just kind and funny and, you know, you would pray and they'd say, you're the new young one you pray. And then as I was praying over our meal or whatever, they'd steal my food and hide my plate. It was just, they were funny and charming and engaging and real deal salt of the earth people. And so it wasn't this spooky. Crazy unapproachable group. They were real people that invited me into their home and I saw kindness and I saw so much, you know, just genuine affection. And I, I always say, that's what the love of God should look like is, do love God and you love people. And that's what they showed me from the time that I knew them. And so that part in the connecting has always been there, but then other things has developed
Curt:well, and you've kind of been there paying attention a lot through these different journeys and stopped. What are some things that you would say are consistent about. Succeed, uh, like at the chamber level of Colorado and you've been networking and things like that. You've seen people start businesses, grow businesses, shrink businesses, go out of business. Like that's a question out of the blue kind of for you, but is there some things that you really say are
Suzanne:steady? It depends on what your definition of success is. Is it, uh, the financial piece only? Is it, um, I would say, how do you treat your family? How do you do in your business dealings with one another? Those are the real things that are success. If your employers, employees speak well of you, if your family speaks well of you, those things are successes.
Curt:Okay. Well, so, but, and sometimes they go together, you know, I think a lot of times business success comes with the tribe that you can assemble. Um, around, you know, a leader or a cause or whatever. Um, and so like speak well of you because of integrity because of shrewdness
Suzanne:you're the business guy. You're better equipped to say that. Yes. Uh, we're all to become skilled. You know, we some have, uh, more talents and gifts than others, but if you're using the skills and the talents that you have with your best level then, and for the right purpose, then you will be a success. I like that. There is no, there is no endeavor. That's worthy of more, um, praise adoration than another, if you're giving it your
Curt:best. Yeah. But if you're doing good work, that benefits people.
Suzanne:Yeah, that sounds a little, I suppose it could sound, um, I'm not sure of the word, but it's real life too. You do the best you have with what you have been given. And then you go from there and you feel confident in that it's confidence that you see in people or a lack of confidence that's maybe, but confidence or lack of confidence, not in your skill only, but that you're doing what you have been gifted to do to the best
Curt:level. Yeah. Well, and, and, you know, as businesses grow and leaders grow and stuff, sometimes they realize, well, I gotta, I gotta build some new skills here as well. Um, who are some of the favorite leaders that you've been around? Not just working for, but you know, I know you've like you go to a gala and you know, like 43% of the people there and the rest are new to town.
Suzanne:Um, there's a, there's a saying about you can have friends. Um, and I would say I have, I do have a variety of friends and some of them, uh, fall into that a mile wide category. And there are those people in your life that fit in that you have friendships that are wide, but then there are others that are a mile wide, but only an inch deep. And you see them and you nod your head and say, Hey, nice to see. That's what I
Curt:was thinking like you, and I don't know each other terribly well, we haven't spent a lot of time together, three, four
Suzanne:hours and act when we do time gets not cocktail. Talk, how about those Broncos for sure. And those are the people that I enjoy talking.
Curt:So who are some of those heroes? Are fans, some of them, some of the people that your biggest fans of besides myself, of course
Suzanne:you are really putting me on the spot.
The Top Episodes
Start Here
