Prior to starting my business, I worked in High Tech in Silicon Valley. I worked with some of the smartest people, successful entrepreneurs and growth companies of the last 50 years. Previous employers include Interval Research — an R&D think tank funded by Paul Allen the co-founder of Microsoft, Philips Electric in their video conferencing unit, and a startup later purchased by Microsoft. Along the way, I learned a lot about what to do and what NOT to do to create a successful business.

​

I have been a remote worker since I became a virtual assistant in 2001. Back then clients needed the same kind of help they need today. They need to get organized. They need to reclaim their time so they can focus on what they do best. And they need to figure out the best way to grow their unique business.  As the field of internet marketing was emerging, I taught myself how to build websites, how to get those websites to rank well (aka search engine optimization), and how to use the internet to build a fanbase.

​

So with all these years of administrative and business development experience my college degree must be in business, right? Of course not! I have a bachelor’s degree and most of a master’s in psychology. It was the best training possible. In my first career in mental health, I learned some invaluable lessons. I learned that everybody has their own unique learning/communication style and it’s my job to figure out what that is and work with it. I also learned that stressed out people don’t see solutions to problems the way people in a calm, creative mindset can. Through my various careers, I’ve seen it as my job to guide people through chaos to a more organized and calm place.

​

I’m a born organizer. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid when I made up my own game of “library” where I created my version of the Dewey decimal system, labeled my books and created my own card catalog. I also love teaching and training. I’ve taught classes about internet marketing and building an online audience at Mercy Corps HQ in Portland, Regional Arts Council, Willamette Writers, and Wordstock PDX the local book fair that attracted thousands of attendees as well as internationally known authors and agents.