About Susan Escott, founder of Virtual Essentials
About Susan Escott,
founder of Virtual Essentials
About
Susan Escott,
founder of
Virtual
Essentials
Creating websites, social media, and marketing, providing small businesses, not-for-profits and start-ups with administrative support both virtually and in person.
Business administration is strategic and ever changing.
It's not easy to do it all on your own. Nor is it necessary.
You can't do and be everything for your business.
Focus on what you do best, and outsource the rest.
Hi I’m Susan Escott. In a career spanning over thirty five years, I have worked in communications, media, banking, accounting, customer service and business administration, and am winner of the prestigious Local Government NSW RH Dougherty Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Communications.
I love to support small businesses, not-for-profits and start ups traversing the minefield of business growth and success. My aim is to take the pain out of building brand awareness, through creating effective websites, both development and design, social media and marketing.
I am also a one-stop shop for office administration – for the small business that only requires support now and then, or for a set amount of hours a week, or month, to ensure they have their administrative tasks accomplished.
Fifteen year ago, with two young children, I left my job in accounting to start a bookkeeping business. I advertised in the local papers, distributed business cards, scattered flyers, but still never found enough constant work for my business to prosper. Within a year I returned to the security of a full-time job.
Through my work at a local Council, I was faced with many inspirational small business owners struggling to gain traction in their business, just as I had. I wanted to help them, but couldn’t. It was at that time I learned some horrific information.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that 1 in 3 business’s fails in the first year and 60% fold within those first three years.
Three years ago, when I decided I really wanted to give ‘working for myself’ a second go, I hesitated. I wanted a guarantee that I wouldn’t end up failing once more. Not only did I want to ensure my own success, though, but the success of other small business owners.
I set about researching why small businesses fail. Seeking to understand what the common factor is preventing some from prospering, even when operated by the best, most knowledgeable and most passionate in their industry. I discovered it often came down to marketing: gaining position and being recognised above their competitors. This takes time and know-how that is in short supply when working on building a business.
Realising that with my established skills and experience I was in the ideal position to change this, that I could provide small businesses and start-ups with websites, social media and marketing strategies, I decided to become a Virtual Assistant and undertake administrative and marketing systems to enable business owners to focus on what they love without having to hire a full time staff member.
To complement my skills and knowledge I signed up for training with some of the leading experts both in Australia and the world.
I study marketing with, and am mentored by, Cham Tang, one of the leading marketers in Australia, and co-founder of Authentic Education. Cham has spent over $1Million of his own money advertising with Facebook and is now invited to Facebook headquarters for updates and training at least once a quarter.
I then chose to study business automation systems with Cham, or as he is referred to at Authentic Education Dr Efficiency. This training taught me the means for business operators to free up time to focus on their key product or service.
Through my investment with Authentic Education I also study sales techniques, coaching and presenting skills with Cham’s partner Benjamin J Harvey. Ben has trained the likes of John Asaraf and Dr John De Martini.
For the website development component I sought training from former US Intelligence Officer, Julia Taylor of GeekPack. Through this training I was able to learn more than just the basic Website creation, but also about design and development, personalising each website to suit the needs and market of each individual business. I then undertook an internship with GeekPack to further develop my skills and assist others to do the same.
I also possess a Certificate IV in Small Business Management and I am a Professional Member of the Australian Marketing Institute.
My vision is to reduce the number of small businesses that fail within the first three years, by providing tailored business support as required.
Utilising all my skills and knowledge I have created a system to guide small business owners to achieve growth and profits whilst making a living doing what they love. My plan is to build a business’s online presence through websites, both development and design, social media and/or marketing strategies, or support them with their day to day administrative tasks
I understand how overwhelming it can be competing in the digital world. That you, as a small business owner, are looking to succeed, to grow, to give yourself more freedom, and would rather focus on what you do best.
Outsource the Rest to Susan Escott of Virtual Essentials to ensure your website, social media, marketing and business administration are working for you – when you need it.
If you seek something else head to my contact page to arrange a meet up.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch and discuss what I can do for you.