Women In Charge
By Cheryl Fenton
A Great Communicator
Suzanne Bates might look familiar. Maybe you've seen her around Wellesley as a neighbor, or inside your home as a former WBZ-TV morning news anchorwoman. Regardless of where you recognize her face from, it's impossible to miss her enthusiasm.
"Every morning I can't wait to go to work to see what else we can do!" she exclaims, "and that's the appeal of your own business."
But it's not to the news desk that this savvy businesswoman now retreats. In 2000, Bates left the station to start her own company. Now she spends her time "tuning the voice of leadership."
As President and CEO of Bates Communications, she leads a team of consultants who provide communication strategy and training for executives in skills such as public speaking, business writing, media interviews and executive presence. Bates also recently published Speak like a CEO: Secrets to Commanding Attention and Getting Results.
"As I look back, I think I was probably always headed this way," she says. "At the beginning of my career, I loved journalism and still do. I found it exciting to cover stories, meet business and political leaders, and be 'where the action is.' As my career progressed, I became interested in business," she said enthusiastically.
"I launched Bates Communications because I realized that there was a great opportunity out there," she continues. "Many successful business people need coaching and training in communication skills."
Her affiliations read like a Who's Who of women in business – member of the Leadership Council at Harvard University's Center for Business and Government, past president of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, member of The Boston Club, CEO Club of Boston College, and the National Speakers Association. She also boasts the 2002 Woman of Achievement Award from the Boston Business and Professional Women's Association and the 2003 Woman of Distinction from the MS Society of New England.
"To be successful you have to put your heart and soul into it," Bates observes. "If you want to own your success, having your own business is a great idea," she says. "I wouldn't recommend it just because you want a flexible schedule. A business gives you flexibility but also demands a lot from you."