Sue Bevan Baggott ’83 came to Lehigh to pursue a chemical engineering degree, which she put to good use in a nearly two-decade career in global innovation with Procter & Gamble (P&G) before founding her own business, Power Within Consulting. Lately, she also serves as a mentor for Lehigh’s Creative Inquiry program and the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship.
What led you to start your own consulting firm?
I enjoyed my time at P&G, but I always had in the back of my mind to do something more independent and entrepreneurial. I got an offer from a boutique consulting firm that allowed me to take the first step. I started Power Within in 2014 to help my clients gain the human-centered insights they need to drive their business and innovation strategies to accelerate growth. In the last seven years, I’ve been working with high-growth startups — coaching, advising, mentoring, and angel investing. My work in the entrepreneurial ecosystem has helped my work with the Baker Institute.
Mentoring is a great give-back as well as a way to pay it forward.
Why do you mentor?
Mentoring is important to me because I would not have had the success I’ve had in my career if not for the mentors and sponsors who helped me. Every time I shifted into something new, I always sought out people to mentor me. Mentoring is a great give-back as well as a way to pay it forward. You’re investing in the next generation of leaders that you hope will do amazing things. I love celebrating the success of the students I interact with. That magnifies my impact by helping others achieve their goals. My personal mission is to empower positive impact through innovation and connection. Mentoring, angel investing, and consulting help me achieve that.
What advice do you give to your mentees?
I help them see all the different possibilities there are to achieve their career and impact goals. I impress upon them the importance of surrounding themselves with multiple mentors — building authentic relationships with the people around you is what leads to any type of success. And I tell them to have the courage to try new things. I believe people can achieve almost anything if they set the right vision, get the right help, and put in the time and effort to learn the skills they need to move toward their goals.
How did Lehigh help you achieve your success?
Foundationally, it gave me phenomenal training in engineering — which is all about learning to solve tough problems. And although I didn’t see it at the time, being in engineering classes with mostly male professors and male students taught me a lot about building relationships and navigating in spaces where I was in the minority as a woman. I also built strong leadership skills in sports and as a sorority member. Lehigh taught me how to climb mountains in high heels — both metaphorically and in reality!
What’s your favorite Lehigh memory?
I have two: First, carrying the first-year flag at our freshman Rally. Going to Lehigh was a dream for my grandfather, Lathrop Bevan 1921, and he was one of my major mentors who led me to choose Lehigh. It meant so much to him, as well as my father, Robert Bevan ’60, that I was representing our family as the fourth generation to attend and the first woman. Second, my graduation from Lehigh, which my grandfather got to experience shortly before he passed away.