Lorie Nelson, founder and owner of Signature Virtual Assistance, knows that the Illinois Metro East Small Business Development Center’s path crossed with hers at just the right time.
The entrepreneur credits the local SBDC and its director, Patrick McKeehan, with providing the right expertise on her marketing brochure. Thanks to the Illinois Metro East SBDC, says Nelson, her company learned precisely how to reach the ideal clientele.
After 32 years of working for others in multiple administrative assistant and bookkeeping capacities, Nelson launched her admin firm, Signature Virtual Assistance, in August 2012.
“My previous employer is now one of my top clients,” Nelson said, who is a motorcycling enthusiast. “I was on the plane coming home from a 3,000-mile biking adventure in Alaska a couple of summers ago when I knew it was time to follow my dreams and start my own company doing what I love.”
By the time Nelson’s path intersected with the SBDC, she’d had a number of key elements already in place including a board of directors, a clear knowledge of the virtual administrative services she planned to offer and a website. But where the SBDC was able to step in quickly and support her was in identifying her market – small businesses – with instructions on how to specifically target to them.
“Patrick and the Small Business Development Center helped me categorize my services, introduce testimonials into my marketing, describe my professional background and skills, and then identify my primary target market,” said Nelson. “The SBDC provided constructive criticism of my existing marketing pieces and worked with me one-on-one to improve them.”
A calculated risk taker with a strong faith, Nelson had prayed for months about launching her start-up business. She says it was not luck at all that brought McKeehan and the SBDC to her.
“I had joined the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce in the summer of 2013, one year after my official new business launch,” Nelson said. “One of the chamber’s ambassadors, Robert Pickerell, referred me to Patrick and the SBDC.
“I know Patrick was put in my path at exactly the right time. I believe God sends us the people and the guidance we need if we’re faithful to ask Him for it.”
SBDC staff met with Nelson every four to six weeks, coaching her on her marketing efforts. “The organization definitely benefitted me,” she said.
Because Nelson’s services are conducted virtually, her business and the number of potential clients know no bounds. Reaching well beyond Southwestern Illinois, she is currently working with new clients based in California, Florida and Texas. Many of these clients have already provided Nelson with new business opportunities through their own referrals.
Signature Virtual Assistance’s services include email newsletters, email management, calendar management and a host of bookkeeping expertise in areas such as accounts receivable/payable, expense reports and payroll.
Her company also offers document creation services including policies and procedures manuals. In summary, Nelson’s firm supplies “virtually” any administrative service that a small business needs.
“Particularly since the economic downturn in 2008, small business owners and managers have been intently focused on reducing expenses and overhead,” said Nelson. “Studies have proven that the average business owner saves between $80,000 and $100,000 annually by using a virtual assistant.
“Our goal is to take care of any and all administrative functions a small business requires and free them up to do what they do best.”
The Illinois Metro East Small Business Development Center assists start-up ventures like Nelson’s as well as existing businesses located in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. The Center provides no-cost business counseling service funded, in part, by the Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
By aiding entrepreneurs and companies in defining their path to success, the SBDC positively impacts the Metro East by stabilizing and strengthening the region’s economy. These impacts are achieved by providing direct, one-on-one assistance through counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses. When appropriate, the SBDC strives to affiliate its ties to the region to support the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large.
To learn how the Metro East SBDC at SIUE can help your entrepreneurial efforts or small business, contact the Center at (618) 650-2929 or sbdcedw@gmail.com.
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