While serving as Community Relations Manager with Barnes & Noble, Susan coordinated all events in the store including children's events, musical events, book clubs, writers' groups and author visits. She took a special interest in the writers' groups and promoting local authors. Susan enjoyed helping new authors who were learning the book business. She found them to be motivated, eager and delightful to work with. Working closely with the author to coordinate a book signing, she personally handled the process of writing press releases, developing mailing lists for publicity and getting the community excited about the upcoming event. It became Susan's personal quest to hand sell the works of local authors prior to, during and even weeks after the event.

Susan felt very fortunate to meet so many wonderfully-talented writers and soon realized that her genuine interest was to work with them one-on-one and more in-depth. It became apparent that writers have to do everything for themselves. Susan discovered that the writer is required to be creative in order to write their book. They need to be good at public relations in order to get someone to publish their book. They also must be marketing gurus to get their books in books stores and most importantly, in the hands of readers.

Creative types like to be creative - they enjoy writing books, creating music and illustrating. Most don't particularly want to be PR specialists or marketing consultants.

Susan recognized the need of authors to build a success team and she started her business to provide administrative, public relations and marketing assistance to authors. Since launching her business in 2003, Susan has expanded to add terrific clients who are business coaches, speakers and entrepreneurs.

The Small Business Owner

Susan understands the needs of the small business owner because she is a small business owner. She works side-by-side "virtually" to help you grow your business and achieve your professional and/or personal goals. She is a high-energy person with much enthusiasm and a passion for her clients' success! She is an out-of-the box thinker with a love of learning.

Professional Experience

Susan Sullivan has over 20 years of professional administrative and management experience. She has excelled in a wide variety of industries in the public and private sectors -- from law to education, municipal government, energy and public relations. You will find a common thread throughout her career history showcasing her skills in project management, organization and customer relations. Susan's career history includes:

Susan is a native Californian and says she can't imagine living elsewhere although she absolutely loves traveling to other places! She is blessed with an active family of two sons and a step-daughter and a very supportive husband. "One of the many benefits of owning my own VA practice is that I have more flexibility to enjoy time with family and watch as my children grow into young adults."

When Susan is able to find some quiet time, she is a voracious reader, and is especially hooked on the whodunit mystery novel. She also loves reading biographies of the famous and infamous. She enjoys scuba diving off the coast of California and in tropical locales; and when she's not feeling quite so adventurous, she takes time out to play with her two little Maltese dogs, Simon and Sammy. Her husband jokes that if he could switch places with anyone it would be the pups—can you say spoiled?

If you can't find Susan at her computer you may check poolside rooting on her son's water polo team. But never fear, she always returns to the office and her VA practice because that is her livelihood and feeds her true entrepreneurial spirit!