Susan Sharp | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in Iowa and that rural upbringing irrevocably shaped my love of wide-open spaces and quiet. It's in that quiet that my creativity emerges.

Hi I'm Susan and I help individuals & organizations in mid-life strengthen their communication & free their creativity, And when you're more creative you're better at relationships, problem-solving and team-work.

I’m a best-selling author of Mid-Life Wisdom and 3 other books with 3 on the way.

I spent 23 years as a professor in higher education before taking a mid-life gap year and rising out of the ashes of burnout.

I'm also an accomplished abstract artist and my art appears on the set of Season 7 of Orange is the New Black.

My work can be seen at www.susandsharp.com and www.asharpcontrast.etsy.com.

Current position (3)

Mid-life Creativity Expert, Online Workshops

A Sharp Difference

Artist

A Sharp Contrast

Creative Genius

Pinoodles

Achievements (3)

Best-selling author

I'm the author of Mid-Life Wisdom, The Farty Boys, and Frodder Spires, and I've contributed to the 1 Habit book series, and The Change 13th edition.

Top 7% Etsy Seller

Susan has sold more on Etsy than 93% of other sellers in her successful Etsy shops www.pinoodles.etsy.com and www.asharpcontrast.etsy.com.

Professor

Retired professor of theatre and public speaking

Degrees (3)

Executive Certificate Negotiations

Notre Dame

2011

Communication/Theatre Arts

M.A. University of Northern Iowa

1993 to 1995

Communication/Theatre

B.A. St. Ambrose University

1988 to 1990

Presentations

Presentations (6)

Mid-Life Wisdom: How To Survive & Thrive in Mid-life!

Straight from her book Mid-Life Wisdom, best-selling author Susan Sharp shares key insights into what it means to love and accept ourselves and our past so that we can move forward and live out the best half of our life to come.

Participants are encouraged to bring their copy of the book or purchase at the event and take time to engage in small groups.

Re-framing our sins, errors and mistakes and forgiving our own cringe-worthy behaviors is vitally important to living a fulfilled life and helping others on their journey. Forgive yourself, forgive others and see yourself as worthy of love and acceptance; then go out and help someone else to live in that grace.

This can be delivered as a keynote address or workshop and online.

Beyond Burnout: When vacations & vodka aren't enough!

Hear Susan's story of leaving her career in higher education because of complete and utter burnout and how she successfully transitioned to a whole new life.

What you will take away:

+Understand the signs and symptoms of burnout
+Navigate the fear and self-doubt of starting over
+Identify your unique gifts and passions
+Understand forgiveness and why its important to move forward without malice or regret.

Career change is inevitable for most people in the workforce. Once you have mastered the idea that you are not your job title you can let go of fear and embrace career and life change.

This can be delivered as a Keynote address or workshop, and online.

Color Code Personality Science: Understanding our Driving Core Motivation

This workshop teaches how to increase interpersonal skills using the very powerful Color Code Theory. The Color Code Personality Assessment is unique for several reasons. First, it goes deeper than mere personality--it identifies Motive--why you do what you do. Secondly, the Color Code is easy to use and implement. Rather than having the memorize a string of letters or numbers like some assessments, the Color Code uses colors to represent Driving Core Motives

At the end of this workshop you'll understand the 4 core personality types, how to motivate others, enhance your business performance, and improve relationships.

This can be delivered as a 1/2 day, 1-day or 2-day workshop in person or online.

The Handmade Movement: Why artisans, crafters and artists matter so much

Join Susan Sharp, a top 7% Etsy seller and best-selling author as she shares her own journey into the handmade movement and why she considers it to be such a worthwhile and valuable endeavor. Susan's art has appeared in numerous galleries and her art and handmade wares were used on Season 7 of the Netflix Drama Orange is the New Black.

Susan will discuss various handmade traditions, share some of her own techniques and methods and engage her audience in craft. Q & A to follow the program.

This presentation can be tailored as a key-note address or workshop and as an online presentation.

Work that Matters: Finding, nurturing and leveraging the talent in your organization

It is estimated that the average employee is using less than 40% of their skill set in any job. That's 60% of talent and giftedness that is wasted. Just like physical health, we have to use it or lose it when it comes to skills and gifts.

This workshop is for those organizations that want to find, utilize and leverage the gifts and talents of their existing workforce and who are ready for a change in workplace culture as a result. Happier employees, more engagement, and more productivity are just a few of the benefits.

This is a 1-2 day workshop delivered online or in person.

Creative Calling

It bubbles up out of nowhere. It wakes you up in the middle of the night with ideas. It keeps revealing itself everywhere. It's your creative calling. Creativity is nothing new but what is new is the rate at which people seem to be waking up to its importance in their own lives. What unexpressed talent, vision or idea is gnawing at you to be realized? What's holding you back? We'll discuss finding, honing and realizing your creative capacities in either a keynote speech or workshop. Delivered in person or online.