Marsha Perry, Perry Internet Consulting

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Name: Marsha Perry

Hometown: Livingston, Montana

Current Residence (City, State):  Bellevue, Washington

Education: B.S. in Business Management

Professional Background (brief, please): bookkeeper/accountant, data analyst, web developer

What you wanted to be when you grew up: either a helicopter pilot or a psychologist

What you are: web developer

Brief Summary of your Start Up:  I take care of websites so business owners can take care of business. I design, develop and maintain websites.  Above all else, I take special pride in my ability to truly partner with clients.  Having a website can be scary at first.  Talking to me isn’t.  I help guide people down the technology path.

Company Website? http://www.perryweb.com/

What inspired you?  I owe my success in part to a man named “James”.  (The name has been changed to save him from embarrassment.)  He was the worst technical support person I ever had.  His total distain for non-technical people drove me to become more technical.  I either had to figure things out myself or go without.  That put me on the road to becoming a website developer.

How long have you been in business? Since 1998

How did you fund it?  Web development is a low-overhead business.  Plus I started part time and built my business up over time.  By the time I started working on my business full time (in 2003) I had a firm customer base.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)?  Another web developer, Karen Atherholt, has been a great help.  She gave me my first corporate web development job.  To this day she’s a large part of my business.  Thanks Karen!

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Bellevue Chamber of Commerce

Current Business Challenge? keeping up with business growth

What are you doing about it? I’m learning to schedule my time more wisely.  Plus Karen and I work closely together.  She subcontracts for me when I get too busy.

Favorite motivational quote: Without the questions you’ll never find the answers.  Remember to ask questions.

Family?  I live with a wonderful man named Erroll.

If so, how do you balance family and business?  In my case the balance is essential.  I have to be centered so that I can truly listen to my clients.  I need to be able to hear the questions they don’t know how to ask.  I can only do that if things are right in my world.  Looking on my family life as an essential part of my work helps keep me balanced.

Favorite book? The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

What do you do to relax? I read, I spend time with Erroll, I sit in the backyard and listen to the birds

What do you want to change most about your world? My greatest purpose in this life is to be a friend.  I want to be a friend to my clients and save them from dealing with any James-like people.

What are you most proud of?  People can be reluctant to change careers or start their own businesses.  I know I had some sleepless nights thinking about it!  I overcame my fears and did it anyway.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses?  I had a real problem thinking that I needed to do everything myself.  It was just my pride.  Once I got over myself and realized that I needed to focus on my strengths and not waste time doing things I’m not good at life got better for everyone.  For example I’m great at writing code but not at designing websites.  I’m just not an arty gal.  Now I have Karen do the designs for me.  The websites look better and my customers are happy.  It’s all good.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? The telephone.  I’m not arty but I am chatty!  On the geek end I love HomeSite 1.  It’s what I use for all my hand coding.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use?  Rubies!  I love the deep, rich red.

Would you be interested in being a Fairy Godmother to another woman entrepreneur? (I am working on a secure system to do this, any ideas?)  I’d like to hear more about this.

What business subjects would you feel comfortable mentoring in? I love helping people with their first websites.  This can be a very intimidating process and it doesn’t need to be.

Would you be interested in going to lunch with other women entrepreneurs for a “networking tea party”? Fun!

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