Whether consulting, mentoring, or training, Suseela uses her time volunteering with WomenVenture to connect with her community.
As a former business owner herself, she knows how vital a network of support is to the success of new entrepreneurs. “When I started my business, I did so many little things that I should not have done. It’s easy to get caught up in the little things and not focus on the things you need to – especially for small businesses.” Now that she’s able to look back on her time running the businesses, she says, “I can help people learn from the start.”
Entrepreneurship wasn’t always Suseela’s dream, but it’s where she found her calling. With an educational background in computer engineering, she started her career with a company working on the software side of computer engineering. “Once you started working and the project was almost done, they gave you a new project,” she remembers. “I wanted to see the full project.”
She started a consulting business to do just that, and almost 25 years later, the business was still going strong. That was five years ago, when Suseela sold the business and retired.
After retiring, Suseela received a recommendation from a friend to volunteer for WomenVenture. Suseela connected with Elaine Wyatt, the CEO of WomenVenture at the time, and the rest was history.
While Suseela has taken on many volunteer roles at WomenVenture, her favorite is training the Getting Ready course. “I love the onset and excitement of the new businesses!” she says. “When I look at [the class] and see the enthusiasm of the people, the energy…it’s infectious.”
Especially in a year full of so much isolation, Suseela’s volunteer work has brought her closer to her community than she was before. She says, “Sometimes you lose the perspective of what other people are facing, especially this last year. When you’re too comfortable in your own livelihood, you lose some worldly perspective.” Her suggested antidote? Get out there and volunteer. “Make time for it, to engage with your community. Even if it’s the shortest amount of time, the satisfaction you get is worth it.”
Want to know how to join Suseela and other volunteers like her? Check out our volunteer opportunities.
Meet other WomenVenture Volunteers
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Tunisia Irby
Three years ago, she volunteered with WomenVenture for the first time and hasn’t looked back.
2019 WCCO Good Neighbor Award Winners
Learn more about the three recipients of the WCCO Good Neighbor Award in recognition of their contributions as WomenVenture volunteers.
Ready to volunteer?
Want to use your skills to help a women entrepreneur? Register for one of our upcoming information sessions to learn more about how to get involved. Information Sessions are updated monthly.
Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here
Volunteers play a vital role in helping women entrepreneurs succeed.
