Expat Women: Business Ideas: Interviews With Entrepreneurs
Bellingham Explorer
Silvia Reed
Peruvian-American Silvia Reed has spent most of her adult life traveling the world for her husband’s work in South America, North America and The Middle East. Silvia loved the travel and new cultures, but confessed often being frustrated that her regular relocations made it difficult to hold down a job.
As a repatriate in Bellingham (Whatcom County, United States), Silvia is now making up for lost time – running a business that draws on the skills and knowledge she learnt while she was abroad, to connect Bellingham residents and newcomers with the very best that Silvia’s new hometown has to offer.
Expat Women's Interview with Silvia
Expat Women:
Silvia, tell us more about Bellingham Explorer.
Silvia: Bellingham Explorer is primarily an Internet site, which showcases the attractions and entertainment in Whatcom County, United States. It features businesses that contribute to our local tourism (hotels, restaurants, spas, wineries, coffee shops etc.) and places/events where both local residents and tourists can go to have a great time.
Our profit is generated by the sponsors who buy space on our website to advertise their company. We also host local tours, but these events are not intended to generate profit – our tour events are a contribution to our community, in an effort to provide a face-to-face venue for people to learn more about what Whatcom County has to offer. For the most part, the people that attend our tours are local residents, but on many occasions we have tourists from other regions of the State and even British Columbia, Canada.
Expat Women: Where did you get the idea to start the business?
Silvia:
For years, I worked as an executive assistant in large corporations and in law firms in the United States, but our constant relocations did not allow me to keep working and I felt there was something missing in my life.
It was my years as an expat wife – where I dearly enjoyed our traveling all over the world, meeting new people, learning more about other cultures, and helping people who were ‘new in town’ – that really inspired my creation of Bellingham Explorer.
Expat Women: What was special about your last relocation, to Egypt?
Silvia:
Egypt was special because it was there that I articulated my true passion: connecting people and places.
In Egypt, I became the President of the Latin American Ladies Association in Cairo. We organized events that included a full display of each country's folklore. At the time, our organization had a website and a magazine – both of which were used as a source of information for our members and visitors, as well as an avenue to generate funds for the local charities we supported.
This was the beginning of Bellingham Explorer. I felt I could apply what I learned in Cairo, when I repatriated to Bellingham. Was I convinced that it would work? No, but I was convinced that this was my passion and that I would do whatever it would take to ‘make it happen’.
Expat Women: Why Bellingham?
Silvia: Prior to Egypt, we lived in Bellingham, Whatcom County, for a short time. When we started thinking of an online magazine for tourism, we thought Bellingham would be the perfect market.
Bellingham is a privileged area – located between major cities like Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seattle, Washington; and boasting ocean views and less than a sixty mile drive to Mount Baker. It is a beautiful place.
Expat Women: Does anyone help you with Bellingham Explorer?
Silvia: Like most small businesses, I have been running every aspect of our enterprise (except I outsource the technical parts). As of Spring 2012, my husband will get more involved. Due to his long hours of work, he has not been able to take a more active role in our first two years, but we now generate enough profit for Bellingham Explorer to cover its expenses, plan for its expansion and pay a salary.
Expat Women: So, your husband has been supportive?
Silvia: My husband, Marlyn, has been incredibly supportive. When I was abroad and feeling a sense of emptiness because I was not working, he encouraged me to experience new things and grow personally. He always said, “You are far more than just a job”, which I appreciated. His kind words always helped me to pursue my dreams. Now he cannot wait to retire and take part of my dream. Our dream.
Expat Women: Do you have any plans to expand to other cities in the future?
Silvia: Our goal is to make Bellingham Explorer a full online enterprise (unlike now, where we feel we need to combine online with face-to-face). This way, we can set up in different locations based on the Bellingham Explorer model, while we still operate Bellingham Explorer remotely.
Expat Women: Finally Silvia, what are your top five tips for women interested in starting a business?
Silvia:
1.
Follow your passion. Entrepreneurship demands many hours of hard work, and while money is be one of your goals, it will be your passion that will keep you going and ultimately help you grow your business.
2.
Be confident. Think of your business as an extension of yourself. Be confident, articulate your dreams and goals, and know your self worth – because all of this will reflect on your business. Surround yourself with people that will inspire and encourage you, and help you make informed decisions. Successful businesses come from self-confident people.
3.
Do extensive market research and plan, plan, plan. Legal issues, market evaluation, financing options and a business plan. Do not wait until your enterprise is operational, because with the responsibilities of running your business, you might not have enough time then to plan for different courses of action. The more you plan, the better prepared you will be.
4.
Learn to delegate. It is important that you know each step and area of running your business, however you do not have to know the intricacies of each step. Be ready to delegate and outsource to the right professionals (such as bookkeepers, tax accountants, marketing and public relations experts, website professionals, and more).
5.
Balance your life. Never loose sight of the reason why you started a business. Always remember that your business is an aspect of your life, it is not your complete life. Always make time for your loved ones. Enjoy the fruits of your work with the people that mean the most to you. Allow your business to grow in a healthy and maybe not such a speedy manner, so you can also enjoy the most important "gifts" in your life.
Expat Women: Silvia, congratulations on your initiative in setting up Bellingham Explorer and we wish you all the very best for 2012!
