Susan Swartzwelder’s passion is to help entrepreneurs ‘organize the chaos’ and get new businesses in small towns up and running successfully.
After 20 years working in the financial industry, Susan realized she was ready for a new challenge and went back to school to earn a degree in software and database management.
She worked at a small software start-up company and found that she enjoyed using her new skills to improve processes, as well as, teach people to use software and databases. She had the opportunity to try every role in that business and ended up running it for a while. That gave her a taste of how to help people get businesses up and running.
During the recession of 2009-2010, she noticed that a multitude of retail shops in her small town were forced to close and realized the many out-of-work individuals who were looking for jobs, probably wouldn’t find one. She recognized that she had the knowledge and passion to empower these people and show them how to make a great living doing something they really love, right in their own backyard. The economy slowdown helped Susan find purpose in helping other businesses grow. And, thus it began.
One of her more successful projects involved two women, with a passion for tea and antiques, who wanted to leave their corporate jobs to open a tea parlor, in a very small town. They were fortunate to find an authentic early 1900’s mansion that they turned into their tea parlor. Even though this boutique shop is located in a small town, the business has become successful as a destination trip for people who love tea; the ladies recently celebrated their fifth anniversary in business. Susan couldn’t be more proud of them.
Susan told us; “I am dedicated to helping people in small towns start a new business, so they can do what they love most. I’ve created Small Town Startups to help bring us all together so we can share ideas and offer support to one another.”
One of the ways Susan helps to bring people together is the Chesterland Innovation Center. It was created to allow interaction among peers to discuss beliefs or events in their lives that were blocking them from starting a new business, plus help find solutions to overcome those roadblocks.
Over the years Susan has amassed a large amount of expert resources and needed a way to connect the experts to the new startups. The Chesterland Innovation Center offered the perfect solution to hold classes on a variety of business topics, such as, sales, marketing and finance. Plus, the center brings in experts to provide education and consultations with new business owners. Susan also offers rental office space, at Chesterland Innovation Center, for small business owners to meet with clients, without a huge monthly office cost.
Susan’s greatest joy comes from watching new entrepreneurs successfully completing their own marketing and finally hearing that cash register ringing or depositing that first check in the bank. That moment, the new business owner realizes the accomplishment of their dream and hard work and Susan knows they are on their way.
She has a vision to expand her small town values and business acumen to other rural areas across the country. Today’s virtual technology allows her to connect with other business people without traveling to their location. The technology can leverage her time and knowledge to reach more people.
One of the ways she can become connected with more people is through her membership in the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Virtual Chapter. There, she can meet others who are also in rural locations too far away to attend a NAWBO meeting in person. She hopes to cultivate relationships throughout the country that will help her gain access to the small town folks that want to start businesses and could benefit from the programs offered through Small Town StartUps.
Susan is the creator of the Business Launcher Program, a quick-start online program designed to help virtual students get their business idea up and running fast. You can find it at http://business-launcher-academy.thinkific.com/collections.
Being the mover and shaker that she is, Susan is also involved with her local Business Development Committee that is working to coordinate the growth and development of the Chesterland downtown area and make it more small business friendly. She also was the founder of the Red Key Network, a women’s business group for Geauga County and is involved with Geauga Growth Partnership.
Her work is her passion, and satisfies her creative mind, but Susan also has a full life away from the daily grind. She and her husband own seven acres and recently began growing herbs. She is enjoying learning about growing her own products and discovering what the market place is seeking, turning that into a side business.
Speaking of her husband, Susan can always turn to him when there is a problem that needs fixing, or to help find a solution to a problem. He is her, Mr. Fixit!
In addition, they now have two grandchildren that get lots of their attention, plus when time allows, they enjoy riding their motorcycle.
Spending time with family is a high priority these days. Susan is very happy with her current life situation. She is right where she wants to be.
Her ultimate goal is to help small town America stay vibrant. Susan told us,
“My vision is to help bring resources to small town communities that don’t necessarily have those types of resources that can help get businesses off the ground. I’m talking about the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, coaches, and consultants, and people who don’t necessarily fit into the big tech arena where a lot of the resources are being placed for business start-ups today, and so my goal for my company is to become that resource for small town America.”
If you would like to learn more about Susan and Small Town Startups email her at: susan@smalltownstartups.com, or call her at: 440-655-2720. She is also on Facebook at Small Town Startups and on LinkedIN at Small Town Start.
If you would like a free 30-minute consultation with Susan visit her website: smalltownstartups.com.
