Suzy Girard-Ruttenberg brings over 18 years of marketing and coaching experience to her role as founder and president of Girard & Associates, a Florida-based firm committed to the development of business owners and the personal growth of women worldwide. Since its inception, Girard & Associates has worked with over 100 companies and thousands of women.

She began her career as a marketing manager for EZ Communications working with business owners to implement custom marketing and media plans. In 1990, Cox Broadcasting recognized Suzy's work and offered her the director of special projects post where she developed custom platforms to support local and national business marketing campaigns.

In 1993, Suzy co-founded GATE International Inc. and served as its CEO. Within five years, GATE became an international leader in internet consulting, e-commerce and marketing services for companies like SONY Music, Blockbuster, DirecTV and Goodyear Tire. While at GATE, Suzy continued to coach her clients and founded a women's mentoring program to provide pro bono coaching services to women in transition.

In 2002, Suzy pursued a lifelong dream of launching a coaching practice devoted to serving entrepreneurs and mentoring women. In 2005, she launched SWAN, the Strategic Women’s Alliance Network, a nationally syndicated coaching support program designed exclusively for women business owners who are intent on aggressively growing their businesses while balancing family and maintaining quality of life.

Suzy is a parent advocate for Inclusive Education. She is devoted to furthering developmentally appropriate learning and socialization opportunities for all children through effective and well-supported inclusive programming, and she is committed to furthering this cause locally and nationally. Suzy has been happily married to music producer David Ruttenberg for twelve years and is the mother of four-year-old Phoebe Marlo, who she describes as “The greatest life coach I have ever had”!

Your Hottest Investment: You
Experience the art and science of business growth through self-investment.

Don't Mix Money and Emotions
In part 2 of a 3-part series, Suzy Girard Ruttenberg explains how keeping the two things separate can do your career--and your life--a world of good.

Test Your Financial Savvy
Are you in an abusive relationship with money?

Make Your Strategic Plan Work for You
The biggest secret to moving your business forward is planning backward.

Doom or Boom?
In times of uncertainty, growth opportunities abound for innovative thinkers.