Natasha Suber Perry: A Businesswoman to Watch for Innovation, Virtual Office Services

 Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, held on November 19, is a prime time to salute pioneering female entrepreneurs and support the growth of women who strive to make an impact in business.

Natasha Suber Perry, principal and owner of the Waldorf, Maryland-based Suber & Company (SCO), has worn multiple hats. Suber Perry served a little over a decade in military service. SCO, now in business for 11 years, was inspired by an experience when she ran her first home-based business in 1998. At that time, she provided administrative services.

“To market my business as much as possible, I posted flyers on a number of college campuses, grocery stores, office supply stores, you name it, with my home address and home phone number. I learned quickly that this was a huge mistake. Fortunately, I found a company that offered virtual office services in DC and established my business address and business phone number,” Suber Perry said.

The virtual office concept was a novel idea to her at the time, but it was something that she wanted to set up in communities like hers that were not located in cities. 

Today, SCO provides flexible office solutions to freelancers, small businesses, non-profits, and larger enterprise companies. Services include dedicated private offices and/or desks; coworking spaces; and virtual office solutions, including a business address, business phone, hourly meeting rooms and/or private offices.

“Currently, our team provides services to over 420 business clients and the overwhelming majority are minority-owned businesses, with more than half being woman-owned businesses,” said Suber Perry.

She further explained that most clients start with the Corporate Mail Service Plan. It provides a brick-and-mortar business address; mail handling and daily notifications of mail receipt; two credits for office/meeting room hours; and access to a membership portal. As clients grow, they can upgrade their plans or add on services, such as business phone lines and additional office hours packages, or things such as dedicated offices and/or suites. with utilities, Wi-Fi, and business phone lines. 

“To offer the most flexibility, our services are month-to-month,” said Suber Perry.

Although SCO currently operates an approximately 10,000 square foot space in Waldorf, more offerings are on the horizon.

“Within the next month, we will be launching a platform for Baltimore and Anne Arundel Coworking Operators to partner with SCO to expand their network as well as ours. Still, interested small business owners can join our membership network for access to our client community, where we provide great small business resources, access to our spaces, and business credit reporting,” said Super Perry.

The entrepreneur provides three resources that may be helpful to fellow business professionals, including local SBA Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). Check multiple SBDC centers in your state to access SBA consultants and advisors for everything from business planning to business funding. Another resource is local government Economic Development Agencies. Suber Perry remarked that funding from state grants and lending sources is often funneled through them. Additionally, many of them sponsor small business training, cohorts, and networking opportunities.

“Third, I have found industry-specific associations to be a great resource for my business. I am a client of a global coworking association and the resources and tools my team and I have gained from membership far outweigh the cost. The annual on-site conferences are a great way to connect with potential partners and/or mentors within your industry,” she added.

The best source of funding can be from angel investors when individuals may not be ready to pursue traditional lenders, according to Suber Perry.

“This is usually people within your own network circle. If angel investment is not an option, there are still a number of small business grant opportunities from state agencies like your local Economic Development Agency, non-profits, and private entities.”

She shared go-to resources for tracking small business grants. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the US Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency; Hello Alice; Accion; Amber Grants; TEDCO Maryland; and private corporations such as Amazon, Walmart, Comcast and Verizon are among them.

Like most small business owners, capital has been a serious obstacle for Suber Perry. To support periods of growth, she has gotten creative before seeking external funding and turned to her faith.

“I have learned that if I am faithful in this entrepreneurship journey, God will always be more faithful with the plans He has for me. Every single need has been met when needed, and I have complete trust in that regardless of potential obstacles as we move forward,” she added.Visit www.subercompany.com to learn more about SCO.