About Us
Mary Jo Smith is the Founder and
CEO of AVAS Social Media Management & Promotions a social media management and consulting agency in South Bend, Indiana. MJ (as she likes to be called) has worked with some of the top names in Internet
Marketing as well as consulted with dozens of entrepreneurs, businesses
and nonprofits across the United States. She
is also the co-founder of Alliance Virtual Assistant Solutions, LLC a virtual consulting firm providing administrative consulting and support to numerous companies across the country. Prior to founding AVAS, LLC, she served for 20+ years as the Accounting & Administration Manager for Imagineering Enterprises, Inc. a leading global metal finishing and
development company. Later she co-founded Pascitec Inc. a calibration services company in Northern Indiana.
MJ has degrees in Business Administration and Accounting but her love and passion is the internet. As a baby-boomer she is able to relate her varied business experience to the internet and help her clients take advantage of the marketing offered by this media. MJ is fascinated with the technology that connects people and interests around the world and strives to keep abreast of current trends.
MJ is passionate about helping individuals and businesses effectively market themselves online using social tools. Since June 2010 she and Karen Bachert have been teaching others the fundamentals of Facebook, expanding from informal groups to workshops hosted by a local college.
For more information, send us a request on our Contact Us page, or call (574) 514-5193
Karen Bachert
is an accomplished conference host, motivational speaker and author who
has been recognized for her passion, creativity, excellence in
leadership, and for her contributions and strong commitment to the
personal and professional development of other people. Karen is the
creator and founder of the What's My Crazy Life All About?
program and the publisher of the “Happily Ever After” E-Newsletter, the
founder of the Authors and Artists “Talent for Giving” Group, and
author of the award-winning book, Quality of Life.
With
an extensive background and proven track record in the business world,
Karen has developed and facilitated hundreds of personal and
professional enrichment programs for company owners, senior executives,
sales and marketing professionals and trainers in the United States and
in Europe and she currently serves as an Advisor for United Senior Resource Center.
Karen and her husband live in South Bend, Indiana and have three daughters and ten grandchildren.
Mary Jo Smith
acknowledges that Business Administration and Management was not her
first choice in careers but recognizes that she enjoys it and is very
good at what she does. With more than 30 years and a degree in
Accounting and Business Management she says she is still learning and
new technologies excite and challenge her.
As
part owner in a small business she understands the challenges of
acquiring and keeping customer and clients, the challenge of choosing
the right marketing tools for the best results and the bigger challenge
of maintaining enthusiasm for all that running a business requires.
Mary
Jo's thirst for knowledge and skill enhancement has made her an expert
with QuickBooks, MicroSoft Publisher & PowerPoint, website creation
and many of today's business related programs.
Mary Jo and her husband live in Mishawaka Indiana with their spoiled cats and have recently celebrated 25 years of marriage.
Karen and Mary Jo met in 2009 at a local networking group and together participated in numerous programs designed to promote networking and social media. They realized that social media, especially Facebook™. is the most dynamic and direct marketing strategy for today and for tomorrow. Karen started their partnership by promoting monthly "Facebook™ Friends Get Togethers" at the Mishawaka Borders store. The get-togethers became so successful they decided to expand into workshops to help entrepreneurs like themselves move from a personal Facebook™ profile to a Facebook™ FanPage for their businesses. One of their goals is to help others eliminate the errors and stumbles too many have made when attempting to create a business page. By providing guidance and tips to move in the right direction, it is fun and exciting to watch entrepreneurs launch and expand their business pages.
