Ironwoman, Coach, and Podcaster: Susanne’s Life Journey 

Susanne Mueller is a woman of stories and pursuits. Originally from Switzerland, she grew up hiking in the mountains with her family and going skiing after school. “For after school programs, we would go skiing,” Susanne said. “Because the mountains are within half an hour’s reach, it’s not that you have to drive four hours like in the USA.”

Running As Her New Passion 

After moving to New York City to work for an airline, Susanne took up running as her new passion. She found that the running community was very welcoming and inclusive. “You put the running shoes on, you wear a hat, you have glasses, and you run, and everybody is, in a way, equal,” she explained.

26 Marathon Races 

Running became more than just a hobby for Susanne – it was her life outside of work. She completed an incredible 26 marathon races over the years. “I don’t know how many half marathons or other distances I completed, but I basically was running all the time,” she said. Susanne even trained for and completed an Ironman triathlon race, earning her the nickname the “Ironwoman.”

Successful Entrepreneur 

In addition to her athletic pursuits, Susanne is a successful entrepreneur. She does executive coaching for a living. Susanne hosts her own podcast called “Take it From the Ironwoman,” which has over 400 episodes and is available in 5 languages. On the show, she interviews guests and shares her philosophy that the principles of endurance sports can be applied to business and life.

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Running Has Shaped Her Career 

Susanne believes running has shaped her career. “I think running has helped me as an entrepreneur. When people want to give up, you’re like, no, no. You use that marathon mentality,” Susanne stated. Her coaching style emphasizes goal-setting, training, evaluation, planning, execution, and celebrating success – the same steps she followed in her athletic career.

A Motivational Speaker and Mountaineer 

Susanne is not only a marathon runner and Ironwoman, but also a motivational speaker and mountaineer. She gave a TEDx talk sharing her five-step process, and even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to check it off her bucket list. “I always say I don’t go for the small steps, but just really the bigger steps,” she remarked. What makes Susanne’s coaching and podcast so compelling is her openness, authenticity, and ability to connect with people through vulnerability. She doesn’t shy away from the unglamorous realities of running and athletics.

The Most Fun

“In the running group I was coaching, there were mainly only women, and it was pouring rain, and people were like, no, we’re going home. I’m like, no, come. This is the most fun,” she recalled. “I gave them the “mascara talk,” okay, if you have mascara running down your face, please tell everybody.” Be honest and be kind to others.

Many Adventures Ahead

Susanne brings this same spirit of realness and accountability to her work as an executive coach and podcaster. She asks insightful questions, provides candid feedback, and isn’t afraid to point out areas for improvement in a caring way. Susanne inspires people worldwide to embrace challenges, push through struggles, and live life. For this ironwoman, there are many adventures ahead. 

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