What if your childhood was a prison disguised as adventure?

In this gripping episode of Decidedly, Suzanne Heywood shares the shocking true story of growing up trapped on a sailboat for nearly a decade—with no friends, no school, and no way out. Her parents set off to “follow Captain Cook,” but what began as a three-year journey turned into a cult-like isolation across the oceans.

At just 16, Suzanne made a bold escape, taught herself through mail-order courses, and earned a place at Oxford University. Today, she’s the COO of Exor—one of Europe’s most powerful holding companies.

🎧 Suzanne reveals:

• The psychological toll of her unconventional upbringing

• What it took to escape and reinvent her life

• How education became her lifeline

• Her philosophy on decision-making and leadership

• Why resilience—not privilege—is the ultimate advantage

If you’ve ever felt stuck in someone else’s story, this conversation will remind you: your life is yours to rewrite.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro: Defeating Bad Decision-Making in Life andBusiness 

00:50 When Sanger Lived on Ramen 

03:13 Introducing Suzanne Heywood 

04:21 Suzanne’s Family’s Decision to Sail Around theWorld 

06:37 Early Childhood Questions About the Voyage 

09:00 Suzanne’s Father’s Motivation for the Voyage 

11:25 Questionable Parental Decisions

13:41 Dangers and Limited Food on the Boat 

16:04 Life at Sea: Loneliness, Limited Friendships, andSchooling 

18:28 Food Shortages

20:46 Stuck on the Boat

23:10 A Manipulated “Vote” to Keep Sailing

32:55 Education as Suzanne’s Escape from the Boat 

40:01 Limited Communication and CorrespondenceChallenges 

47:08 Sacrifices Made to Pursue Education 

49:33 Struggles of University Life and Financial Hardships 

51:56 Suzanne’s Reflections on Parental Choices andFinancial Strain 

57:26 Suzanne Heywood’s Decision-Making Tip for Business Owners 

57:48 Key Takeaways 

59:47 Message from the Producer

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Thank you to Shelby Peterson of Transcend Media for editing and post-production of the Decidedly podcast.

SANGER’S BOOK: ⁠⁠A Life Rich with Significance: Transforming Your Wealth to Meaningful Impact⁠⁠

SHAWN’S BOOK: ⁠⁠Plateau Jumping: What to Change When Change Is What You Want⁠⁠

MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION?

At ⁠⁠Decidedly Wealth Management⁠⁠, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy. 

LEARN MORE: ⁠⁠www.decidedlywealth.com⁠⁠

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CONNECT WITH SUZANNE HEYWOOD

Website: ⁠www.suzanneheywood.com⁠

LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanneheywood⁠

Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/suzanne.heywood⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/suzanneheywood1⁠

Suzanne Heywood’s story is anything but typical. At just seven years old, she was pulled from her home and set adrift on a small yacht with her family, facing ten years of brutal storms, danger, and isolation on the world’s most unforgiving oceans. It’s a tale of grit and survival that shaped her into the powerhouse she is today. Now a respected business leader, Suzanne is here to share her wild, unfiltered journey, captured in her memoir, Wavewalker.