Meet Elizabeth Bell of Sublime Computer Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Bell.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Working as the VP of Sublime Computer Services is actually my second career. My education is in Nursing and I worked for over 20 years as a Registered Nurse. I loved being a nurse and still have a current license.

My husband, Adam, is a self-professed “computer geek” and worked for many years in the IT department of large corporations in Nashville. He is also an entrepreneur and in 2008 started his own IT company. I was involved behind the scenes with Sublime but continued my nursing career. When we started the company I thought about how great it would be to work from home and with Adam, but I didn’t know how that would ever work since I know nothing about fixing computers.

In 2015 we began a new marketing program that really helped us grow our customer base. This was great, but it was hard for Adam to do both tech work and also marketing, networking, sales, and operations. We began to discuss ways to delegate some of these roles. I have always been outgoing, talkative, and open to learning new things. In 2017, I joined Adam at Sublime to handle business development.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a completely smooth road, there have been bumps along the way. For one thing, the nursing school did not really prepare me for the business world. There was a steep learning curve as I had to learn how to utilize new tools, new terminology, the protocol for meetings and follow-ups, etc. I tried to wing it for the first six to nine months and was failing miserably, so I went and took some business classes which helped a lot.

Another thing that was tough for me was learning how to work from home and on my own schedule. I had always had a job where my day was planned out and scheduled and I always knew when I was done. With this job, I’m never really done. There is always another project happening. Working on my own took a lot more discipline than I was expecting and to be honest I’m still working on that.

Adam and I also had to learn how to work together effectively. We have a great marriage, but we are both very Type A, strong personalities. He is an expert in IT and he is a driven business owner. I had been an expert in nursing and suddenly when I came to Sublime I didn’t know anything. He had to learn how to give me direction in a constructive way and I had to learn not to get my feelings hurt. Now that we have “found our lanes” it works very well. But the joke is that I quit my job many times and he always says he fired me several times too.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sublime Computer Services?
Sublime Computer Services provides fully managed IT (Information Technology) services with 24/7/365 support, cybersecurity protection, secure storage solutions, disaster recovery, phone systems – all things technical. What that means is that we are the IT Department for our clients. We take care of their IT so they can focus on growing their business. Adam and I are business owners so we have a passion to help other business owners protect and not lose what they have worked so hard to gain.

Our target clients are growing businesses with 10-100 devices and in almost any industry, but we have found that we are a great fit for medical/dental offices, manufacturing facilities, and financial institutions.

Things that set us apart:
– We provide so much more than just IT support… we provide IT solutions. We really partner with our clients to find out their needs and plans and then figure out how technology can help them reach those goals.
– We also provide education and peace of mind to our clients with webinars, “lunch & learns,” newsletters, blogs to teach internet safety and best practices.
– We are HIPAA verified and also very knowledgeable of compliance needs for businesses in industries under regulatory boards that require certifications (medical, financial, manufacturing). We have many clients that fall in these industries and we assist them in annual audits.
Something we are very proud of is our staff. We really think we have the best staff in the world! We have assembled a team of really smart individuals who are knowledgeable about technology, are eager to learn about new technologies, and also have great personalities.

We have excellent customer service and strive to always leave a place better than we found it. We strive to exceed expectations. We get feedback from clients every day about how great their service was (quick, efficient, friendly).

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business – After reading this book Adam and I began running Sublime on this system (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and it really was a game-changer for us.

Holy Bible – We try to run our business and family and friendships on Christian principles.

Dear Bob And Sue: Sounds silly, but these books about a couple that took time off work to travel the country and see all the National Parks really inspired our family to travel now, not wait until things were perfect or we had retired. There is so much beauty in this world and I want to see it all!

Double Date With Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue podcast – I just started listening to this, but it’s been fun to hear from different couples who have been married a long time about what makes their marriage work.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.sublimecomp.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sublimecomp/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sublimecomp
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuErZK4kfLhfFnRGTIlK7DA
• Other: https://blurringthelinespodcast.com/

Image Credits
Adam Bell