Grief Into Purpose | Susan Malzoni on Determination Adversity and Meaning

Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset - Shawn French | Adversity & Determination Expert

Susan Malzoni shares her journey of transforming personal grief after losing her husband into a powerful mission for wellness and purpose. T

Key takeaways

• Grief can be transformed into a catalyst for creating meaningful change and purpose-driven work.
• Protecting personal energy by maintaining boundaries and surrounding oneself with aligned individuals is crucial for long-term success.

Main topics

• Grief and purpose
• Energy management and boundaries

Notable quotes

"I think everyone who has determination wants to do something bigger. And I just felt like I needed to do more than just help other people."

"Fear really does lower your vibration. It really makes you act."

Conclusion

Susan Malzoni's story exemplifies how profound personal loss can lead to transformative

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) I think everyone who has determination wants to do something bigger. And I think as much as I was helping other brands succeed, I felt like none of them were really hitting the mark that I was passionate about. I just felt like I needed to do more than just help other people. I wanted to create something different. Speaker 1 (0:20) She's the founder of the wellness brand Vida Mina and is deeply involved in the Make America Healthy Again movement. Welcome Susan. I have to introduce you to my friend Susan Malzahmi who is developing a company called Vitamina. Unfortunately Speaker 2 (0:35) I got a little interrupted with an unfortunate passing of my husband. Fear really does lower your vibration. It really makes you act. Speaker 3 (0:44) Six months after Victor passed away, you didn't hide. No. You went through your process and then you showed up there in front of 1,400 people and raised over 4.3 million dollars. You're strong. Speaker 3 (1:06) So I have with me today, Susan Malzoni. Welcome to the Determined Society. Thank you Speaker 2 (1:10) so much. Speaker 3 (1:11) Absolutely. Well, so good to have you and to finally meet you. You've Speaker 2 (1:14) been Speaker 3 (1:14) connected for about a year now. And, you know, I knew it would happen eventually. And I'm so glad it did. Speaker 2 (1:19) Yeah. And Speaker 3 (1:20) what a, is there a better place to do it other than your ranch? Speaker 2 (1:24) My house, yeah. It's beautiful. Thank you. It's just like my little place. I call it the retreat. It's a place we just come, the family's always together and we're. just a place to disconnect and reflect and i Speaker 3 (1:36) can feel that you know because i see the family here and it's really awesome but also i'm usually more hyped up my energy level is like this right now so i'm calm yeah so i don't know if you guys got anything pumping through the vents it's Speaker 2 (1:49) just an energy we have it just um we vibrate on just a different level i like that and this house feels Speaker 3 (1:55) healthy Speaker 2 (1:55) It's very healthy. Yeah. Speaker 3 (1:57) Aligned with Speaker 2 (1:58) what I stand for is health and wellness. So we try to keep that throughout everything. You know, we just keep everything quiet and we have time just to sit and connect and create things. Speaker 3 (2:11) I love that. Yeah. The connection part is lost a lot of times. And, you know, even in our home, we try to meet for every meal at the dinner table, like every single one. The dinner is like a non-negotiable. Speaker 2 (2:23) in our house too tv Speaker 3 (2:24) off devices are thrown somewhere and my kids don't have devices just my my wife's and i but you know um it's important to do that it Speaker 2 (2:33) really is it truly is Speaker 3 (2:34) people Speaker 2 (2:34) i grew up in a family of five you know very traditional conservative household in wisconsin and six o'clock that was it like we had to be at the table otherwise you know it was There was problems. If you didn't even show up at six o'clock for dinner, it was a problem. Speaker 3 (2:49) The values were different then. Yeah, totally. Right. What did you learn from your family that helped you in all your success and everything that you've built since then? Speaker 2 (2:58) I've learned so much from my family. I mean, I was the youngest of five kids. So I got to see all the mistakes my older brothers made, which were a lot. And so I was able to avoid those without having to deal with a lot of wrath from my parents. But, you know, I actually learned to be really independent because, you know, the youngest of five, my parents were in their 40s and 50s when I was born. So I was not really a planned child. So I kind of grew up on my own, kind of watching what my brothers and sister did. And I said, you know, took in the good things and tried to avoid the bad. They really laid the groundwork more than even my parents, actually. Speaker 3 (3:37) Really? Yeah. Speaker 2 (3:38) Yeah, I spent a lot of time with them. My parents were, you know, older and doing their own thing. And although I did spend a lot of time with them, a lot with my grandparents as well. I just got to take in all the great things from, you know, all my older people around me. So that's Speaker 3 (3:53) amazing. Yeah, that's amazing. You know, the one thing I've noticed about you, you keep your private life, your life very private. Yeah, Speaker 2 (4:01) I do. Why Speaker 3 (4:01) is that? Speaker 2 (4:02) Well, several reasons. I believe that energy is really important. And sometimes when people are envious of certain things you do, energy can shift towards you. And so I just like to preserve my energy and my family's energy privately. I've noticed a few times in my life when I haven't done that or I've been a little careless and let people in my life that I shouldn't have. It's backfired. So, you know, lesson learned. And I just try to keep my circle tight now. Speaker 3 (4:37) I can relate to all of that. I ask the question and I also do the same. Speaker 2 (4:43) I Speaker 3 (4:44) don't put anything out about my kids usually. In the beginning I did. Speaker 2 (4:48) But Speaker 3 (4:48) then I realized that can't happen. I need to allow the people who are in my circle. They can know things. Speaker 2 (4:56) But Speaker 3 (4:56) I have to be careful who I give my energy to. Speaker 2 (4:58) Because Speaker 3 (4:59) it can rob you of your peace. And we're all trying to do some amazing things. And I think that's important because the world needs people making moves and starting new movements and and really giving back to community because it's missing right and when you are attempting to do something like that you can't let other energy in because it's going to stop you. Sure. You know? Yeah, Speaker 2 (5:26) definitely. Well, I think a lot of times there's a lot of people with bad intentions, unfortunately, in the world or their own insecurities. And a lot of times, especially women, they, you know, it's unfortunate because I'm a woman. They just sometimes don't want to see other people succeed. Other women succeed. Many times they say they do, but it's an energy that they put out that sometimes isn't always authentic. that's men. It happens with men too, I'm sure. So, I just try to keep the people around me as energetically aligned with me as possible. And, you know, just so I can focus on doing what I need to do. And I know I have a bigger purpose in life than just hanging out in Palm Beach and going to, you know, frivolous parties, Speaker 3 (6:11) which Speaker 2 (6:12) I do to support certain, you know, things that I'm passionate about. But it really comes down to preserving your energy and taking that energy to do what's good, you know, for the world. Speaker 3 (6:24) Absolutely. You made a good point though, about women, supporting women or lack thereof. Right. You see it all over the internet. Yeah. You know, where do you think that comes from? Speaker 2 (6:38) I think it comes from the same thing that when men have that issue, it's kind of ego, you know, it's like, or, and insecurity. So when a woman, which unfortunately society has made women feel insecure about themselves with social media, you know, you got to get Botox or fillers and all these things to keep up with the other people. Cause she has less wrinkles. She looks younger. You know, it's a lot of pressure put on women. And when they feel insecure, sometimes that insecurity can roll over into maybe not wanting the best for other people because they don't feel good about themselves. So I make it a really, you know, a point of being conscientious of, I hope, you know, my intentions are pure with people. I do really think they are, especially women, because I want them to feel good about themselves. Because when women feel good and positive, they do great things, just like men. That's the same thing. So, and men, you know, sometimes it's the same thing. It's whose muscles are bigger, who's got a bigger car, better job, more money. It's kind of this, you know, unspoken competition. And I, I try to avoid that. Speaker 3 (7:49) I think both genders really struggle with that and how they're going to operate out in society. Because I also think, cause I don't know anything about being a woman, right? All I can do is lean on the women that I'm connected with and listen to my wife. and whatever she says that's her truth and that's what i have to understand right Speaker 2 (8:07) men Speaker 3 (8:08) we have a lot of silent battles yeah Speaker 2 (8:10) you do we Speaker 3 (8:11) really do um it's more surrounding you know protecting the family but also the pressures that we feel yeah because women will they they do so much right my wife does Speaker 3 (8:25) I don't even know how she keeps track of everything she does for the kids, the things that she needs for their school events, et cetera. Now, granted, I do the grocery shopping. I do all the cooking. There's a lot of things that we share and we're both pulling our weight. And a lot of times I don't speak up on what I'm going through because I want to be there for her only. And I don't want to go, oh yeah, me too. You know what I mean? And so sometimes I think men, emotionally intelligent men can kind of, keep that and bury it down a little bit. And then it's also important when that happens to have another man that you can go to and be open with and get mentorship, even if it's just a buddy. Speaker 2 (9:06) Yeah. No, it's hard for men because they were taught, you know, to be a masculine man. They don't share emotion. Now, you know, recently that pendulum has kind of swung to the other direction. There's a very fine line in that, I feel. I can only speak from my own experience with the men in my life, but like, I feel like my two boys are extremely balanced. They have that emotional side, but they're also like the male figure, but they're also able to really share their emotions. And I think that's important for all men to be able to do that. You know, suicide rate in men is like extraordinary and especially military or people who men who have been in roles of protection and. being assertive and aggressive suffer from, you know, that bottling in their emotions. So there is a fine line we still have to work through in society to, to really define the roles a little bit more and give men an outlet to Speaker 3 (10:06) express Speaker 2 (10:07) themselves, to help with that. Speaker 3 (10:08) Great point. Speaker 2 (10:09) Yeah. Speaker 3 (10:10) I remember the time I was sitting there watching TV. And my son is standing right behind me, looking over me and laughing hysterically. And I'm thinking, what are you laughing at, son? He goes, dad, you're balding. You have this massive bald spot on the top of your head. Immediately, I was mortified. I'm Speaker 2 (10:30) like, Speaker 3 (10:30) take a picture of this thing. And he did. And come to find out, he wasn't just joking with me. He wasn't just. playing around or whatever kids do, he was telling me the truth. So immediately I took action and got a hold of lock lab. And I'm going to tell you what I've been using this product for four months in my hair is growing back. It is fuller and I need haircuts more frequently. So being on camera and taking constant pictures all the time for the determined society podcast, I have to not be bald. I mean, it's just one of those things. I'm not ready for that yet. Lock Lab has given me the opportunity to regrow my hair so it's fuller and I could not be more happy with the results so far and I know they're just going to get better. I just take one pill a day so it's super simple to fit into any routine. Lock Lab was formulated by past president, the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery and one of the American Hair Loss Association's 2026 best surgeons in the world to give men the most hair back medically possible. You can get Lock Lab 100 % online and delivered direct to your door. Simply click through the questionnaire and once approved, you'll receive your treatment in days. If you've been thinking about doing something about your hair loss, now's the time. Go to locklab.co and take the first step with a free consultation. I have come in contact with so many former Navy SEALs that reach out to me and, hey, I just want to check on you. Are you good? I was like, I'm great, man. What's going on with you? Ah, man, like I just, I'm struggling today. I was like, okay, well, let's hop on the phone. Right. And they just think, but they're open now. So that pendulum you're talking about, to me, that's the most masculine thing you can do. To Speaker 2 (12:22) recognize you have a problem that you need to share or get help from. You know, we, not to change the subject, but there's so many different, it's not a subject change, it's just modalities that are helping veterans right now. I can talk about two different things that I'm involved in. One is alternative medicine. As you know, I'm passionate about medicine. There's so many things that help men who have PTSD and women. alternative treatments like ketamine treatment and other kinds of things that were, you know, once not looked at. But now that is kind of mainstream. The other thing is dogs. You know, I'm very passionate about that topic as well. And at our rescue, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, it's, you know, it's the largest no-kill cage-free shelter in the United States. We have a whole veteran training program. So, we train dogs to help with vets who have PTSD. And the it's so incredible because the people we place them with you know they're like suicidal yeah men Speaker 3 (13:24) and Speaker 2 (13:24) their lives change completely when they have a dog completely it's incredible it's Speaker 3 (13:29) beautiful you you know i did i did a show there you did i did a big dog around oh absolutely did i had a dog in my lap the whole time oh Speaker 2 (13:37) my Speaker 3 (13:37) god with lori simmons i did oh Speaker 2 (13:39) my Speaker 3 (13:39) god it was about a year ago yeah i love that place Speaker 2 (13:42) Yeah, it's pretty incredible, isn't it? It's all puppy Speaker 3 (13:44) town. It's Speaker 2 (13:45) all Speaker 3 (13:45) everything. Beautiful place, right? It is. It Speaker 2 (13:48) is Speaker 3 (13:48) absolutely incredible. Speaker 2 (13:49) Yeah. Speaker 3 (13:49) You know, I do want to back up a little bit though. Because you did something that not a lot of people do. You know, you were helping brands and other people build their portfolios and build their presence. Speaker 2 (14:05) Right. Speaker 3 (14:05) Not a lot of people shift out of that into what you've done, which is start. vitamina and go into the health space, that change or that shift terrifies most people. Yeah, Speaker 2 (14:19) truly. Speaker 3 (14:20) I can relate. Speaker 2 (14:20) I Speaker 3 (14:21) left something and I started this. Speaker 2 (14:23) Wow. Speaker 3 (14:24) But what did you learn in that process of you taking that big leap from... focusing on other people to building you. Speaker 2 (14:34) Yeah. Well, I kind of, I think everyone who has determination wants to do something bigger.