Meet Susan

My name is Susan Smith and I am the person who had the brainstorm for this project back in June of 2008.  I’m not sure that brainstorm is the right choice of words, because it really came from years of wondering just exactly what it was that I was supposed to be doing in this world. 

I’m not a youngster anymore, in fact I’m a mother and a grandmother.  Like many of you, my family is my heart and my soul.  They may make me crazy from time to time, but that’s what family is for, right?  

During the early years, I was faced with providing for two young boys, primarily on my own.  I never finished my college degree, so finding work that would sustain us, was not an easy challenge.  With the help of a few lucky breaks, I found myself in the roll of customer service/inside sales for a very nice company.  It turns out that taking care of customers and finding things that they want and need is something that I’m really good at.  I know how to listen, so matching customers to the products they needed was something that came naturally to me.  Becoming an account executive for the company was the next logical step.  

Being in sales was good to me. I was able to provide quite well after awhile for myself and the boys. But after years of selling, I began to feel very empty.  You see there is not much about the job that really made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile.  

Mid life came along, and I guess I had a crisis, because I quit my job!  Yep, just decided I could not do it anymore. 

During that time of not being employed, I spent hours and hours volunteering.  You could say it became my new profession.  The only difference was that there was no income.   Instead, it became a time to learn, and learn I did.  I learned that there are many nonprofit organizations that need help and the missions of these organizations are very worthwhile.  I learned that I could not possibly volunteer at every organization that I wanted to help.  And, I learned that many of them could use some help in an area that I happened to know something about, online participation and communication. 

So, here we are.  Together We Flourish provides me with the platform and the opportunity to help many organizations with one tool.  There is nothing more gratifying than knowing that the work I do today helps the organizations that serve so many.  I may not be out there saving lives and providing food for the hungry, but I am supporting the folks who know how to do that work best.  

We are now entering a new phase with this project.  In the months ahead, it is our goal to become a nonprofit organization with our own 501 (c)(3).  Stay tuned.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress