ABOUT SUE VICORY
She was born in DeKalb, IL and grew up in the Midwest. She married her college sweetheart and had two daughters. She began working at her family business, W.F. Norman Corp in Nevada, Missouri. Her passions in life were running, film, music, travel and anything outdoors. By all accounts, she was living the American Dream and had made a very nice life for herself.
But just as most women her age were starting to think of retirement and taking it easy, she was not. Her name is Sue Vicory and she is Director of Kindness at her company, MY POWER OF ONE. Sue spends each day sharing her philosophy of the POWER that resides within each ONE of us to make a difference in our world.

After her girls left the nest, Sue became an “encore entrepreneur”, and started a second career as a filmmaker. According to the Kauffman Foundation, senior entrepreneurship is not a new phenomenon, but it is becoming increasingly prominent. Data analyzed by the Kauffman Foundation shows that Americans in the 55 – 64 age group have started new businesses at a higher rate than those in their twenties and thirties in every single year from 1996 to 2013 (see the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity). Businesses started by those ages 55 – 64 accounted for nearly one-quarter of all new businesses started in 2013, a share that has risen from 14 percent in 1996. http://www.kauffman.org/blogs/policy-dialogue/2014/october/the-golden-years-are-here-at-last

Since 2003 Sue’s time has been spent creating community based films and projects within her not-for-profit production company Heartland Films, Inc. Her first film was entitled “Homelessness & the Power of One”. The film debuted in 2005, shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans. It went on to raise $200,000 for shelters while winning numerous awards. The 10-minute documentary took three years to make as she traveled to 15 cities across the US. It was during this process of filmmaking that Sue met Stephanie Tillman. Stephanie was a homeless drug addict whom Sue met during the filming process. A strong bond was formed between the two and in 2014 Sue was inspired her to create an e-commerce company she called MY POWER OF ONE. The partnership goes something like this. The company sells t-shirts and hats (among a few other items) featuring one word. Words include: Inspire, Brave, Create, Peace, Empower, Hope, Kind and so on. MY POWER OF ONE donates 10% of their annual profits to worthy causes nationwide. Sue does the marketing and is the business brain behind the brand and Stephanie screen prints the t-shirts. Stephanie was then inspired to start her own business called Ikros and has founded an organization called HOPE raisers. Theirs is a friendship that formed during very significant times for both women. For Sue, it was during an exciting time in which she was making her first film. For Stephanie, it was during one of the lowest points in her life. They remain friends to this day. www.mypowerofone.com; www.ikros.com; www.HopeRaiser.org

In 2010 Sue debuted her feature documentary, “Kansas City Jazz and Blues: Past, Present & Future” at the historic Gem theater on 18th & Vine in Kansas City, MO with Marilyn Maye headlining. Her fourth film “One” a feature documentary premiered in July 2014 and is a film about global humanity with regards to our individual significance and impact within it. A companion book, After the Question, written by her daughter Tracy and illustrated by her daughter Katy, encourages its readers to “go and do”.

Most recently Sue created Team XX, an all-female team of filmmakers. Team XX was the first ever all female team to enter the 48-hour San Diego film project. A team of 25 women created the film “Down Stage” and also won a 2016 Telly Award. Sue’s short narrative film “Absent” was made in 120 days and had its world premiere at the San Diego Film Festival. The film won first place in the Audience Choice Awards and was also nominated for three awards at the San Diego film festival and won a 2015 Telly Award.

Sue recently produced a “My Power of One” web-series pilot and created a website to increase the visibility of women documentary filmmakers from around the world called “Women Documentary Filmmakers”.

In 2016, Sue traveled with her husband and golden retriever Kacy on a 12-month tour through 48 states called “My Power of One 12 Acts of Kindness”. She is continuing in 2017 with “12 Acts of Kindness” and her first act of 2017 is in Encinitas, CA for the Carol’s House, a Domestic Violence Safe Home.

Next up are two animated films beginning production in 2017; “After the Question” and “Ruby’s heartbeat”.

Sue’s filmmaking awards include:
– Three time Telly Award winner (Absent, Down Stage and One)
– Emerging filmmaker grant sponsored by General Motors and Women in Film
– Spirit Award winner from Kansas City Women in Film and TV
– Angel Award in Harlem, NY

Sue’s filmmaking credits:
– Homelessness & the Power of One
– Kansas City Jazz and Blues: Past, Present & Future
– 1898, The W.F. Norman Story
– One
– Down Stage
– Absent

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