Susan Otten, raised on a family dairy farm in Minnesota, grew up believing that faith and family come first, help others if you can, and hard work always pays off. These core values became the foundation of a life built on service, success, and significance...
…After a thriving 15-year career at Apple, Susan transitioned into high-impact leadership roles. She served as a strategic consultant, business development executive, and led branding and marketing at two global agriculture companies. She also worked as COO of a behavioral health consulting firm. Today, she is the founder and CEO of Indie Do Good, a logistics company supporting mission-driven brands that make a positive impact in their communities and the world.
In one of the most inspiring chapters of her life, Susan Otten became one of fewer than 10 women over the age of 65 to complete a full thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, which spans 2,194 miles from Maine to Georgia.
Her goals were bold:
Together with her daughter Gretja, Susan hiked 154 days, crossed 14 states, and overcame extreme challenges including two emergency room visits for serious head injuries (requiring 9 stitches and 10 staples). Remarkably, she was back on the trail within 12 hours of each injury.
Their journey raised over $95,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which honored them as “Rookies of the Year” for their extraordinary efforts.
Susan is not only an inspirational thru-hiker and Parkinson’s advocate—she’s also an accredited business communicator, award-winning mentor, and visionary strategist. Her passion lies in helping others become better leaders, business owners, parents, and entrepreneurs by sharing the powerful life and leadership lessons she learned on the Trail.
Her story has been featured on both local and national CBS News, in AARP, and on multiple podcasts, blogs, and video platforms.
National Media:
Podcasts:
Blog Features:
Articles & Community Features:
Viral TikTok Feature:
DadChats (2M followers) – 1Good Thing Wednesdays spotlight
Related Posts
Lorena Tomasini is the owner of MALM Life and Health Insurance Agency. She’s part of a mother-daughter team where they help families and business owners with financial protection and creation using life and health insurance all done digitally over the phone or computer so people can be in the comfort of their home or office while taking
Read MoreTom Schwab has built his business from being a regional player to a national leader /Ep 3 Tom Schwab has built his business from being a regional player to a national leader in under 3 years with no marketing or sales department. Tom is a digital marketing engineer. He helps solopreneurs, entrepreneurs and small business
Read MoreAmanda H. YoungAmanda H. Young is a powerful energy healer, business clarity coach, author, speaker, and intuitive.She resolves physical and emotional pains by clearing fears and beliefs to help her clients heal on the deepest level. Using Energy Mastery™, an incredibly effective modality that she also teaches, she remotely assists clients around the globe while
Read MoreElzie D Flenard, III Elzie D Flenard, III is the founder of Enterprise NOW!. Enterprise NOW! is a business development firm that helps businesses launch, grow, and maximize through coaching, business training, and pod-casting. Elzie is the host of the Enterprise NOW! Pod-cast, Elzie has more than a decade of experience as an engineering professional
Read MoreJessica N. Levenson Jessica N. Levenson brings over fourteen years as a straight-shooting innovative search and content thought leader to her role as VP of search and engagement at TechTarget in Newton, MA. In her current role, Levenson leads a team of SEO and social media managers overseeing full-cycle SEO and social media strategies for a portfolio
Read MoreAbout Fatima AlamFatima is an accomplished business advisor, national speaker, and visionary leader known for her ability to drive change, inspire action, and create meaningful connections in the rapidly evolving world of emerging technology. With a unique talent for cutting through the noise and eliminating the unnecessary,… …Fatima consistently finds creative ways forward in even
Read MoreAbout Walker FergusonAs a student-athlete and entrepreneur, I’ve spent my college career balancing the intense demands of being a safety on the Wake Forest football team with building a wellness startup, Ascend. My journey is one of resilience, innovation, and growth—transforming challenges into opportunities both on and off the field… …Ascend is a meditation and
Read MoreAbout Timothy RexiusTim Rexius is a personality that checks all of the above. Family of 8 and a beautiful, determined wife, CEO and Pres of Rexius Nutrition, Co Owner of Iron heaven Gyms Inc. President and Founder of VHI Supps and the OPP Omaha Protein Popcorn Company and if you think it stops there –
Read MoreDave Chesson- Dave Chesson is the guy behind Kindlepreneur.com, a website devoted to teaching authors about book marketing and the digital world. His works on keywords, and sales optimization have been featured and promoted by Amazon itself. Dave is also the creator of KDP Rocket, a software that helps authors see what’s really going on in the book
Read MoreAbout Yasmine Ben SalmiYasmine Ben Salmi: As Heard on Radio & As Seen on TV, Newspapers, and Magazines Purpose:To eradicate low self-esteem by liberating 1 million young people through the teaching of self-love. Website:https://linktr.ee/YasmineBenSalmi… Key Achievements & ContributionsGlobal Black Impact SummitGuest speaker at the Global Black Impact Summit, founded by the legendary Clarence Seedorf, Chairman of the
Read MoreSusanna Halonen- Susanna Halonen, also known as the Happyologist, is a happiness coach and writer. She uses the science of positive psychology to help you to kill your self-doubt, embrace positive thinking and build a lifestyle you love. She is the author of Screw Finding Your Passion, a published researcher and a regular commentator in
Read MoreAndre Abi Awad- Andre Abi Awad: Founder Entreprenergy, First Arab Podcast interviewing Successful Arab Entrepreneurs, with the First Yearly Arab Summit connecting 1,000 Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs to Leaders and Founders from different industries beside ICT. During the past 9 years, visited 14 countries as a Motivational Speaker, Trainer and Hustler, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs, mainly in
Read More