I am a proud bilateral cochlear implant wearer who has transformed profound hearing loss into a purposeful and impactful life.
As a motivational speaker, I’ve had the privilege of inspiring audiences across the United States, visiting over 50 cities in 2019 and 2020 alone, including Alaska. My passion is empowering others to overcome challenges and embrace resilience through talks on Leadership, Success, and Change.
I’m also the author of Sunny and Her Cochlear Implants, a children’s book celebrating the power of hearing technology, and I hold a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development from the University of Houston.
Beyond speaking, I find joy at the barn, training Arabian and American Saddlebred show horses and teaching riders to excel in competition. My creativity extends to entrepreneurship: I own Dussling Fine Finishes, a thriving furniture refinishing business born by accident. My appreciation for quality wood furnishings also led me to discover Shelf Genie, where I now work as a Designer. This role allows me to blend my design skills, creativity, and keen sense of visualizing the “end product” to help clients improve their spaces.
My journey has been shaped by overcoming immense challenges. Born with progressive profound hearing loss, I was fitted with hearing aids at age three and navigated life in a hearing world. In 2005, I became completely deaf due to Single-Sided Sudden Deafness. While devastating, this led to a transformative decision to receive cochlear implants, which I consider life-changing.
Though I faced professional setbacks—including being fired twice—I turned adversity into opportunity. Painting furniture, initially an stress-reliever, evolved into a successful business. Today, I am blessed to make a living do what I love.
I live in Tomball, Texas, with my beloved cat and dog, Maverick and Charlie while my horse “CBMF Street Lady” aka Beauty lives nearby in Magnolia.
Read my story in Houston Voyage Magazine: https://voyagehouston.com/interview/conversations-with-susanna-dussling
Susanna Dussling 