Stories chronicling Susan's exploits as mountain climber and author have appeared in some of the nation's leading newspapers and magazines. See a partial list below.
Newspaper and Magazine Coverage
Featured Article
One Woman's Ascent to the Top of the Career Ladder
If you're driving results, you can move up the corporate ladder. It doesn't matter who you are because that's what's important to a business. This piece was originally published by Diversity Executive Magazine in November 2010.
Goal Oriented: Sales veteran and mountain climber Susan Ershler shares her top-performance tips
By the time Susan Ershler decided to climb to the top of Mt. Everest in the Himalayas – the highest mountain in the world — she was managing a 100-person sales team and trying to reach a $300 million sales goal for U.S. West, a small telecom company. These articles tell the story of how she accomplished both goals.
Articles About Susan Ershler
Mountaineer scales heights in business, too
"I believe our jobs are very stressful. I schedule my hikes in my calendar and treat it like a business meeting. We get the best ideas, I feel, when we're stepping back from the business..."
View as Web Page »
Philanthropy Fund to Boost Financial Literacy
"The Women's Philanthropy Fund of Orange County, the largest women's giving circle in the nation, raised more than $130,000..."
View as Web Page »
Vision Drives Activity
"Everest gave me the confidence to to other things I thought were out of my reach..."
View as PDF »
Climbing to the Top
"Never be a Lone Ranger. When you're working in a large organization, your success rate is increased if you become one heck of a team player..."
View as PDF »
Trekking Nepal to Everest Base Camp
"This is my third trip to this region of the world and the memories and emotions from each adventure are distinct..."
View as Web Page »
In Rarefied Air, Rarefied Company
"Surmounting Everest's 29,035 feet remains one of the great mythic achievements, an undisputable display of skill and courage against ice and rock, bottomless chasms, body-numbing temperatures and tent-shredding winds, all in an oxygen-deprived danger zone five and a half miles up in Nepal. Whatever the numbers, this is an elite group..."
View as PDF » • View as Web Page »
• View article at NYTimes.com »
Bellevue Couple Scales Peaks on Seven Continents
"When someone's been weathered off the mountain, they just want to take time off. But they didn't have that attitude..."
View as PDF »
Couple from Kirkland are Back on Top
"I spent three years pursuing this, and it all came together in one day..."
View as PDF »
Peak Experience for Eastside Couple
"They built a house together eight years ago, so how hard could climbing Mount Everest be?..."
View as PDF »
The Ershlers' Seven Summits
"Climbing though the hierarchy of corporate affairs, she learned lessons that have served her in pursuit of mountaintops. Never quit. Try to figure out what you can learn from disappointment and rejections. Move on. Failure is just a requirement to attain loftier goals..."
View as PDF » • View as Web Page »
Her Story
"As I struggled through snow and ice and over crevasses, I sometimes had trouble breathing. But nothing matched my sense of accomplishment when I stood on the 14,410' summit... Whether it is rejection or failure, never quit, try to figure out what you can learn from it and move on..."
View as PDF » • View as Web Page »
Sue Ershler: Quest for the Seven Summits
"If I can have any kind of impact, it would be to get people to strive for their dreams... Sue Ershler exudes success — but it didn't happen overnight..."
View as PDF » • View as Web Page »
Climbing the Seven Summits with your wife
"Things worth doing aren't necessarily easy and Everest certainly wasn't for us..."
• View article on the Lowe Alpine site »
Bellevue Couple's Love Reaches New Heights
"For a few days they had to hunker down in winds so fierce they were just hoping that their tent didn't blow away with them in it..."
• View it on the KOMO Website »
Couple Climb Into the History Books
"It's one thing to be able to go mountain climbing and say you've done these things, but to do it with your husband or wife is pretty darned special..."
View as PDF » • View it on the PI Website »
Bellevue Climbers Ready to Relax
"I feel great. We don't have a scratch on us and nobody got hurt. You couldn't ask for more than that..."
View as PDF »
Newspapers
- USA Today — "Record-setting day on Mount Everest" — by Don Cronin
- Seattle Times — "A Peak Experience for Bellevue Couple" — interview with Lynn Thompson
- Seattle Times — "Bellevue couple scales peaks on 7 continents" by Gina Kim
- Seattle P.I. — "Bellevue climbers ready to relax" — interview with Carol Smith
- Seattle P.I. — "Couple climb into the history books" — by Kristin Dixon
- Eastside Journal — "Couple from Kirkland are back on top — Ershlers conquer Everest, stand atop 7th continent" — interview with Mark Baker
- Eastside Journal — "Bellevue couple set record on Mount Everest" — by Associated Press
Magazines and Catalogs
- Wild Roses Outdoor Research Catalog — Feature Athlete Article
- Washington State University Magazine — November edition story
- Lowe Alpine — September 2002 featured article web site, "Climbing the Seven Summits with your Wife"
The Stats
- 4th American Woman to Climb the Seven Summits
- 12th American Woman to Climb Mt. Everest
- The only American female speaker who combines 23 years Fortune 500 corporate leadership experience with her experiences of reaching the summit of Mt. Everest and all Seven Summits.
Featured News
Susan Ershler's Video
Sample of Susan Ershler's keynote presentation as well as footage from Everest, including the summit:
View the video »
PDF DocsTestimonials
Susan's ability to relate the challenges, risks and rewards of climbing to the business world were invaluable. As we set out to reach new peaks, we will reflect upon her words of encouragement and structured approach to reaching our goals.
Sue's presentation was an outstanding story where we shared the excitement of her journey to the summit and how this experience is related to our business, specifically in terms of setting goals and teamwork. She is truly an inspiration for all of us!
Thanks for an absolutely fantastic presentation at our Luncheon. As they were leaving, our guests one after another kept saying, 'This was the best presentation ever'. So we're very pleased...
Susan's presentation was extremely well received by our management team. It was very beneficial as she took them through her goal setting process, gave them a good idea of the discipline in training required and perhaps the most important part was her determination...
The Book
The Ershlers' Book: A powerful, inspirational, true adventure story... more »
Now on Kindle!
In the Press
Surmounting Everest's 29,035 feet remains one of the great mythic achievements, an undisputable display of skill and courage against ice and rock, bottomless chasms, body-numbing temperatures and tent-shredding winds, all in an oxygen-deprived danger zone. Ms. Ershler worked hard to get there.
A go-getter by nature, Ershler knew big success meant dreaming big.
Susan and Phil Ershler became the first couple to climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents together.
Does Susan believe one can learn to be a leader? "If one is performance-driven, passionate about helping others progress, knowledgeable in their field, willing to support their team even during the tough times? They will probably be a pretty good leader," she says.
Susan Ershler had climbed to the top of her sales profession before she ever strapped on crampons. She approaches climbing goals and sales goals the same way: setting them high and keeping them constantly in mind.