About Rita Suzanne
Teaching how sales and marketing really work. And calling out the tactics that prey on people.
I'm Rita Suzanne, a marketing strategist and business development professional in Westerville, Ohio, near Columbus. I break down deceptive and predatory marketing, talk about what ethical sales look like, and share the systems that make following through easier.
My background in business and marketing
About 20 years in business and marketing, and a systems person the whole way through.
Eight years in corporate management
My job was streamlining operations: finding out why processes break and building ones that hold.
My own business since 2014
I've built websites, marketing systems, courses, and memberships for coaches and local business owners. I've also hosted, attended, and spoken at networking events, which is where I learned how much follow-through matters.
I'm a single mom of teenagers, so everything I do has to work with real time and energy limits. I've also sat on the parent side of the special education table, which is part of why I pay attention to how schools and families get sold to.
Why I call out deceptive marketing
I came back to marketing because of what I saw after I started working full time in grief support: a lot of deceptive and predatory marketing, aimed at people who deserved better. Calling it out became my mission.
In more than a decade of building marketing, I saw how often a credential is issued by the same organization that sold the training behind it. A credential is only as strong as the independence of whoever issues it. When someone is grieving, they shouldn't also have to untangle misleading claims just to understand whom they're trusting.
I've lived through a lot of loss myself, and that's why I take this seriously. It isn't a qualification. I'm not a grief coach, therapist, or clinician, and I don't try to be.
The deceptive marketing I call out
These are the patterns I see most, in coaching, grief support, and anywhere people are making a hard decision:
- Credibility theater. Looking official without anything behind it.
- Borrowed authority. Leaning on someone else's name, logo, or credential to look established.
- Certifications that only mean someone finished a program. Presented as if they verified something more.
- Readiness claims. Like being certified to support grieving people after a weekend.
- Urgency aimed at people in crisis. Pressure tactics used on the people with the least room to slow down.
What I'm doing now
NBEFC
I handle outreach to special education leaders in schools for the National Board of Executive Function Certification.
INBGC
As Executive Director of the Independent National Board for Grief Certification, I lead Program Administration. Learn more at inbgc.org.
These are separate organizations. What I share here is my own view.
Speaker bio
For event hosts, podcasts, and media. Copy it as is, or contact me to book a talk.
Rita Suzanne is a marketing strategist and business development professional with about 20 years in business and marketing. She breaks down deceptive and predatory marketing and talks about ethical sales, following up without being pushy, and building referral relationships on purpose. She is Executive Director of the Independent National Board for Grief Certification. Rita is based in Westerville, Ohio.
Common questions
Who is Rita Suzanne?
Rita Suzanne is a marketing strategist and business development professional in Westerville, Ohio. She breaks down deceptive and predatory marketing and talks about ethical sales and follow-up systems. She is Executive Director of the Independent National Board for Grief Certification.
Is Rita Suzanne a grief coach?
No. Rita is not a grief coach, therapist, or clinician. Her background is business, marketing, and operations. She has lived experience with loss, but she doesn't treat it as a professional qualification.
What is deceptive marketing?
Marketing that creates a false impression to make a sale. Common examples are fake urgency, borrowed authority, vague promises of results, and credentials that imply more than they mean.
What is the Independent National Board for Grief Certification?
An independent credentialing body that publishes a professional standard for non-clinical grief support and certifies the people who provide it through the Board Certified in Grief Care (BCGC) credential. The board does not provide training. Learn more at inbgc.org.
Is Rita's content connected to the board?
No. Rita's content and speaking reflect her own views. The board does not review, require, or endorse them.
Can I use Rita Suzanne's bio and headshot for my event?
Yes. Use the speaker bio on this page and download the headshot. If you need a different length, send a message.