Up Close & Personal with Susan Janzen
If skills were flowers, then the bouquet that Susan Janzen has put together throughout her life is one for the books! Whether as a singer/recording artist, teacher, Realtor, coach, or podcast host, Sue has proven herself as a multitalented marvel in every sense of the word!
“It’s pretty cool how things happen, isn’t it? I have always made deliberate choices that have moved me further in my career and I love what I am doing.”
Sue began her professional career as a singer, which allowed her to perform in several monumental events across North America and act as an Ambassador for the City of Edmonton as Klondike Kate. In addition to her performing career, Sue also received her Bachelor of Education degree, which she used to teach children with special needs for six years. Then, Sue’s entrepreneurial spirit came knocking, leading her to become a licensed residential Realtor in 2003. After her granddaughter survived a case of near sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and was subsequently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI), Sue discovered some shortcomings when trying to find an Accessible Barrier Free home.
“The reason that I dived into being an expert in accessible and Barrier Free homes was because of everything I witnessed through not only my time as a special needs teacher, but all the issues and problems that my granddaughter had just getting around with her wheelchair.
That sparked my passion to help people who had mobility challenges.”
With her perspective and genuine passion leading the way, Sue made it her mission to ensure that the Real Estate Board and her fellow Realtors were informed about the importance of adding search criteria to help make finding accessible homes easier. Sometimes she would find a listing that said it was accessible because it had an Elevator but upon looking closer, she saw that the building had 10 steps to the main lobby. This is not accessible.
“I made it a point to call every single Realtor that had ‘Accessible’ on their listings just to be sure.
Most were surprised and unaware, so they would change the criteria if it was misleading.”
This passion and sincere desire to provide much-needed support and information for parents and caregivers of children with adaptive needs also led Sue to begin her latest venture, The Living & Loving Every Day podcast that she hosts live every week. With this new platform, Sue has been able to shine a light on others who have committed their lives to the benevolent betterment of their communities, expanding her amazing work even further than before. Despite its youth in the grand scheme of Sue’s extraordinary career, she is excited about the potential that the podcast holds for her future.
“I love interviewing people who are inspiring in all walks of life, and I’m happy because I am very deliberate about where I put my time and energy. I love what I do and occasionally I even get to sing with the 16-piece Trocadero Orchestra. I am exactly where I need to be. Life is so good.”
Subscribe to The Living & Loving Each Day Podcast with Susan Janzen B.Ed today!
Our founder, Kat Mooney was a guest on Sue’s podcast – click here to view
