“Put yourself out for each client – meeting deadlines and ensuring that your work is of the highest professional standard.”
Marsha Lake of Marsha Lake Secretarial Services (MLSS) was born in the UK and during school holidays would work in her father’s printing company, which gave her a strong base in layout and proofreading.
Upon arriving in Australia, Marsha worked with employers for many years, starting as a Junior Secretary and working her way up to being a respected Secretary and Executive Secretary. Marsha was responsible for many staff and became an ‘organising expert’ and a ‘time management specialist’.
During maternity leave from her last job Marsha took the time to reflect on whether she wanted to work for an employer upon returning to the workforce or start her own typing business.
After a year Marsha decided that she wanted to be her own boss – and a chance encounter with the manager of a local real estate agency gave her that start.
Now at MLSS, Marsh and her team support time-poor small business owners to alleviate their frustrations of preparing their own documentation to clients, by designing high quality presentations, reports and transcriptions, remotely or face-to-face.
Marsha’s ethos for her business is “Put yourself out for each client – meeting deadlines and ensuring that your work is of the highest professional standard”.
Marsha has been a member of the HerBusiness Network since 2020 and says that having a network of like-minded ladies, who you can call upon at any time – to ask questions and for advice – is such a necessity to the continued success of her business. She has made friends and collaborations within the community and loves the feeling of “Knowing that you are not alone”.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Bev Barnfather, Connector, Business Owner, Facilitator, Mentor – I’ve known Bev for many years. Always consistently on social media, inspirational words of experience and encouragement. She is a Mentor to many.
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
I started the business from a negative work situation and decided at that time to never work for an employer ever again and turned this into a positive and successful business over four decades. At that time, I had no idea how I was going to start a business, as this was a first. Luckily, I had my late father and other businesses who helped me in areas for which I was not familiar with.
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
I am very passionate about small business owners in particular, to become more successful and gain new business to grow – by helping them to produce high-impact presentations, documentation and transcription services
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Network to meet like-minded business owners to collaborate with, discuss any areas you need assistance with and reciprocate in helping them in your fields of expertise.
- Be succinct in how you present yourself in a few words – so that the prospective client can clearly understand what you do and how you can assist them.
- Ensure you have a good accountant, bookkeeper and solicitor to work on the finite details for your business.
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
- When starting out in business, ensure you have honest and experienced business owners to help you in areas that you are not familiar with.
- Be clear with your message about what you do.
- Always be honest, down-to-earth, use your experience to make the prospective client feel comfortable that you are the one that they want to work with.
- Most importantly, listen to the client at all times, to ensure you are both ‘on the same page’.- and will spend time talking to them – to make them feel more at ease with you, to gain that long standing client / friend relationship.
- ‘Put yourself out’ for each client – meeting deadlines and ensuring that your work is of the highest professional standard.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
- Have a knowledge of accounts – although a bookkeeper is an incredible asset!!
- If you cannot type, learn quickly – so that you can communicate effectively.
- Investigate the computer programs and other tools your business need e.g. Adobe products, Microsoft programs, Zoom, Social Media – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram etc.
- Go to Networking groups and meet like-minded business owners j- and listen to how they run their businesses, to help you to operate your business.
- Be visible on social media – ‘like’ posts and make up your own ‘posts’ and start to gain connections.
This is a good start – if you collaborate with others to help you as well.
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
- An ideal business would be that you are working in areas which, not only are you familiar and have expertise in – but you also have some incredible clients who may you feel good and are very appreciative of how you help them with work and listening to them.
- In between, having time to have coffee / lunches together with clients and/or business associates, to discuss business projects and possible collaborations.
- Not working 24 hours a day – but taking time to relax, spend time with family and friends, massages, walking / exercising, going on holidays.
- Importantly knowing when you are overdoing it with work – and stopping and taking time to relax.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
- Having a network of like-minded ladies, who you can call upon at any time – to ask questions that you may have.
- Making friends and collaborating with them and your clients.
- Knowing that you are not alone.
Learn more about Marsha and Marsha Lake Secretarial Services.
