I live in Houston, Texas with my husband Nathan and four beautiful boys! Good grief, I have a LOT of kids. Back in the day, I started out working in college as a server up in the Twin Cities, Minnesota and I remember it being some of the longest hours of my life, but I was great at! My dad, a very successful entrepreneur, always told me that everyone should experience serving tables to really understand what “hard work” feels like. I got married and started a family back in 2004 and that is when my professional career started out in the multi-family housing industry working as a leasing consultant for property management companies in Minneapolis. I thought that serving tables would be the most grueling work I would experience in my life…but I was wrong. Leasing high end apartments for 8 years busted my butt and helped me develop professionally on so many levels. I had to learn how to do everything from customer service, to sales, to complex administrative work, and even good old fashioned hard labor. Yep, you heard me right. You try hauling plastic tubs of staging decor up three flights of stairs in a suit and heels to “stage” an apartment, and put candy bars and soda cans in the fridge! I’ve never been in better shape in my life both mentally and physically. Hard work indeed!

In 2011, I moved on to greener pastures when I was recruited by a brand new social media marketing firm out of Minneapolis. I spent a lot of time talking with small business owners about the power and value of social media and guerrilla marketing, as well as the importance of online presence in today’s world. It was a tough sell back then with the baby boomers representing about 90% of the brick and mortar businesses in my area. Sadly, this little start up company that I was so excited about didn’t last long as we found we were a little too ahead of the game back then. It shut down about two years later, but we all learned a lot about business do’s and dont’s, and I had all kinds of new tools in my tool box when it came to online marketing, branding and sales.

Upon being laid off, like most people back then, I tried my hand at direct sales and became an independent consultant with a very large MLM selling health and wellness, skincare and cosmetics. I figured it was a temporary gig, but when it exploded out from under me it quickly became a booming business that launched me to the very top level of the company. It was such a great opportunity that fit my life perfectly for several years, but I came to realize after a time that despite my huge success and financial gain, I really desired a way to work from home during the daytime while my kids are at school so that I can show up for my family more fully while being a full time provider. So I knew it was time for change, and thus Wheelhouse VA was born.

Growing up in an entrepreneurial spirited family, combined with my vast experiences in the professional world, I have successfully built my freelance business working with clients that I love and doing work that I am proud of. For the last three years I have worked on a 100% referral basis and there has been no shortage of work streaming in. I think that is a testament to the work I do and how I care for my clients year after  year. I work hard and I love life! A true optimist at my core. Integrity, charisma, determination and joy…those are a few words that describe me well.

Maybe a little sassy too, but who doesn’t love a little of that?