Several years ago, I interviewed Susan Boresow in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Susan is currently the President of MY SALON Suite. At the time of the interview, Susan at President of TITLE Boxing Club. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Adam: What is something about you that would surprise people?

Susan: I’m an open book so I’ll answer any question you throw at me and I do my best to be extremely down-to-earth and approachable. One thing that people may not know is that I have a huge family. I am one of 14 children and now I have 54 nieces and nephews. I never forget a birthday so I’ve earned the title of favorite aunt! 

Adam: How did you get here? What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Susan: One of my first setbacks as a leader was not bringing the right team member on board. I learned quickly that bringing the wrong person on board – whether that person was a team member or a franchisee – takes the team or even the entire company a step back. The sooner you can make decisions and part ways, the better off you are. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Susan: An effective leader empowers his or her team, they set goals, have a clear vision, and know the value of the brand they are leading. They also need to have a vision for where their employees are going. People who are joining the workforce today are looking for a clear career path, and they need to know what opportunities they have. Along with setting forth a clear path, a good leader looks for ways to develop their people to ensure they stay on the path for growth. 

As far as getting to the next level of leadership, the biggest piece of advice I can give is to always take initiative. Take every opportunity given to you, and create more opportunities. In a previous role, I was working in the marketing department and then started overseeing operations, development, training, and more. Doing this not only showed my commitment to my job but also helped me learn new things that have all benefited me in my [current role]. Seizing every opportunity will help every aspiring leader grow. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?

Susan: 

1. Never deviate from your values and have a clear vision.

2. Be kind and respect everyone. Being approachable, helping others, valuing every partnership you have will all lead to running a better business. You never know when you’ll need someone’s help in the future, or when the help you’ve provided to someone will change their life. 

3. Take care of yourself. This is more important today than ever before. Stay healthy. Work out in a way that works for you. Keep your stress level controlled. Meditate. Do things that make you happy – for me, that’s eating chocolate chip cookie dough!

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Susan: One of my mentors told me once “you’re the prize” meaning you should never lower your standards and you should never compromise your values for anyone or any company. You are a prize for whatever company you work for. You need to value yourself. Don’t think you can’t do something. Don’t think you can’t achieve something. Think highly of yourself. Those are words I think everyone needs to hear. 

Adam: How can anyone pay it forward?

Susan: The best quality a leader has is to pay it forward is to mentor someone: help someone in your industry or life, give someone an opportunity. If they have the passion and the drive, give them a chance. I’ve been given opportunities by leaders who saw potential in me and it changed my life. I pay it forward every chance I get by taking on and mentoring those who have great passion and a great attitude.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and on LinkedIn and listen and subscribe to Thirty Minute Mentors on your favorite podcasting app.