Conference Session – How Creating Your Business Creates a New You
Biography
Susan Schenk is an Occupational Therapist and a ‘real’ life Mom strategist. She uses her personal story and professional background to empower Moms and Therapists so they will know how to support kids in a real way — so kids can ‘learn their way’and be successful at school and home. She uses technology and other devices to allow kids to develop the skills they need, so they can get stuff done! She provides online courses to OTs across Canada and the United States. She also has 1-on-1 support and group programs that will empower Moms as they walk through steps and strategies to support their child in a new way. Her passion is to support kids with learning differences so they can show others what they know.
Tell us about your business
When I stepped into the business world with Technology & Tools for kids, it was to help parents so they could support their child – as I understood what it was like to learn differently and I knew I could support parents in this area. But just like any good business plan, what I thought was gonna happen didn’t! I was led to help other therapists when I heard that OTs were looking for support with the iPad and nothing could be found. I ended up creating a framework for why OTs need to use technology and my online course was born. But throughout this journey, a story was calling me and it was my own! I was led to write my story about my life as a person that learns differently to offer insights into this misunderstood world as a person and a parent and to offer new perspectives as a professional. My book Beyond OK From invisible to invincible was created over a span of 2 years. Now my new goal is to empower others through my journey with Beyond OK. I did not step out with these ‘plans’ in place but I was led to help others in ways I never knew was possible. You see, becoming an entrepeuneur messed with my life, it made me go deeper, be braver, help others with a voice of understanding and compassion. My business is now my ‘call’ in life to help others — it’s about connecting, supporting and offering hope.
How are you hoping to connect with conference attendees?
I want to connect with others at the conference in a new way — not just in a business way but in a personal way — my business mission has turned ‘personal’ and so will my approach to business conferences.
I’m hoping to connect at a ‘heart’ level — person to person – parent to parent — whatever part of my story touches them and makes them want to shift their business to a more personal goal.
What advice would you give conference attendees?
1. Ask others to attend the conference with you- even if you have never met them before face to face – it’s a great way to make a new friends for life.
2. Enter the conference with a sense of accomplishment — you are there because of what you are doing or what you are about to do!
3. Be yourself — people like that!
Connect on Twitter @susanotkids and at http://www.beyondok.ca and on facebook on instagram and on pinterest
