Meet Teri Houghton: Virtual Assistant for Creative Entrepreneurs

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teri Houghton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teri, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I think balance doesn’t truly exist. What does exist is doing your best in each part of your life. It is a give and take situation. Some days I am a better mom and some days I am better at my job. There are days when I just need time for me to refuel and deal with all life gives us. I want to be present in whatever part of my life that I am in. I want my clients to know that I am behind them pushing them to do their best. I want them to feel I am here to support them as they grow. The other side of that is as they grow so do I. I want my kids to know that when it is Mom time that I will do my best to be present and cherish the fleeting moments of their childhood. Life is a give and take situation. Sometimes I feel balanced in the best way I can and somedays I feel off center. In the end it is an imperfect life but so worth the journey!

What should our readers know about your business?
My business serves creative entrepreneurs with a variety of skills. I come with a major in accounting and a minor in dance. That reason alone makes me happy in a spreadsheet and thrilled to be working in photoshop. As I set up my business the dream was for clients to hire me for a set of hours per month. They would be able to mix and match my services in the way that best fit their current needs. Just like life I believe business needs change and I wanted them to have flexibility. To hire me is to have options of services ranging from creative to administrative. This has not been an easy journey. I am the mother of five kids and a lot of my life was being the primary caretaker of my children. I had my own business at the time but not at the size I would have liked it to be. Life was full of other obligations. Finding myself as a single parent and a strong desire to succeed is what makes me work at the business everyday with visions and dreams of all it can be! Just like for anyone I have my own set of challenges but I believe in hard work. Doing my best everyday is what will make dreams come true. My brand and story are about lifting others up in their businesses. It is about walking beside them as a partner while taking some tasks off their to do list. I believe in working together, being honest, and to never quit trying. I want my clients to know that they can meet their dreams and goals and I can help them get there. Looking at their business and helping them come up with options and new solutions is what makes my heart so happy. Working together, being kind, and never giving up is what I want my business to stand for!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in a small town by the mountains. My favorite place to be would be on a weeklong backpacking trip. We would go up in the San Isabel forest on a trip filled with all the beauty Colorado has to offer. I would love to show them the the Colorado wildflowers in the day and at night we would have a campfire with the stars above us. The days would be filled with hiking and perhaps a stop at a stream or two. It would be a chance to unwind and be outside which is my favorite place to be. After a week of backpacking we would have to head to Mt. Princeton hot springs which is one of my favorite places in Colorado. How good a hot soak would feel and perhaps a massage to finish off the week! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout honestly goes to my kids. They are the reason I get up everyday and they are the ones who push me to be better. I want to lead the next generation in a positive way. Through all the seasons in life my kids are my “why” in life. The other group I want to give a shoutout to is Ewomen. This group of women inspires me in so many ways. They are a group of women with a commitment to pull each other up alongside of them and grow not only as individuals but as a group. I believe in my heart it is better to walk beside each other alone.

Website: https://houghtonllc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mylifemylensphotography/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teri.houghtonprichard