Susan Campbell founded “More Than Moving for Seniors,” in 1998. The idea was conceived after helping her father move from the family home to a retirement community. Susan recognized the need for a caring, compassionate company to assist families as their loved ones faced life-changing transitions.
What began as a home-based business in 1998 has grown to occupy over 3500 square feet of retail, office and warehouse space in a Richmond area industrial park.
Now the company offers a wide range of services with individual attention to every aspect of a household move including packing, moving, unpacking and clearing the former home.
The company has added a consignment shop, “Susan’s Selections”, which accepts household items for consignment from their moving clients as well as from the public at large. It also operates an Estate Sale division for both their moving clients as well as the public.
The company has grown steadily over its twelve-year history and currently employs 19 full and part time employees.
A Richmond native, Susan Campbell, has a BFA from Emerson College and is a past president of the National Association of Senior Move Managers. Susan and her husband, Roy Lambertson, share management duties in the business.
In order to get an outside perspective and to help improve the company’s profitability, Roy approached SCORE Richmond in late 2009 and was assigned to counselor Art Mattox, who participated with management in a complete review of their marketing, financial and operational business practices. It was evident from this review that the couple was stretched thin by the many operational duties of running three businesses, leaving little time to focus on growing the company.
With encouragement from their counselor, Roy and Susan have begun to devote more of their time in sales related activities. In addition, they hired a part-time sales representative who targets both individuals and seniors’ organizations that can influence a move. As a result sales are up 70% over 2009 year to date.
Art brought in another Score counselor with internet selling expertise, Eric Sundberg, who reviewed and suggested changes to their website, the key portal for new customers to obtain information on services offered by the company. Art also introduced Roy to the University of Richmond Law Clinic to review leases and other business documents.
The company has grown both in size and profitability and the future looks very encouraging! Susan & Roy express their appreciation for the assistance provided by SCORE Richmond and recommend the free service to any small business owner or would-be entrepreneur.
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