meet SUZANNE
SEO, Digital Marketing Expert
& Photographer
for creative ENTREPRENEURS
hi, I’m SUZANNE, the CDO (chief digital OPTIMIST) of this operation
You might know me as a photographer, traveler, SEO instructor, business coach, tourism startup founder and guide, yoga instructor, athlete. real estate investor or friend.
This Digital Optimist website is the current iteration of my offerings and passions.
I’m most enthusiastic about taking my entrepreneurial skills and experience and transforming them into something useful for others.
I am multi-passionate! If you’re looking for someone to help you with a creative project, I’d love to hear from you!
professional SECTION
PHOTOGRAPHY, SEO and CONSULTING
I have been self employed for most of my life. I have had entrepreneurial endeavors and partnerships in manufacturing and sales, personal training, retreat production, real estate investment, photography, tourism and am now adding seo and consulting to the list.
The consistent quality throughout my life is my commitment to delivering high quality outcomes and taking action! I am as adventurous in business as I am in travel. My visual expertise has served me well, and now I feel like it is time to give back.
personal STUFF
MOVEMENT, SPORTS and CONNECTING to SELF and OTHER. My recent history.
In my spare time I love immersing myself in nature and learning new skills. Summer of 2024, I revisited my youth in Alberta and connected with new (and mainly old!) friends. I also returned to the Maritimes and practiced working remotely to grow my online seo and consulting business. I was rehabbing a knee injury and my only activities were hiking and gym attending.
In 2023, I traveled to Portugal (twice) and Eastern Canada. I ran a half marathon, and explored and led photography adventures to the Scottish Highlands and Faroe Islands, two places that were on my bucket list. Next up are Dubai and Socotra Island. Possibly Madagascar and Mauritius.
In 2022, I facilitated a wellness & movement retreat called a Radiance Retreat, which you can read about here.
I love playing guitar, spinning poi, playing beach volleyball, learning handstands and have been certified in yoga, partner yoga and aerial yoga.
my FOCUS in LIFE and BUSINESS is to SHARE knowledge, FACILITATE others’ BUSINESSES
Overall, I strive to be centered and mindful, and open to new experiences and people. In addition to the technical business stuff, I’m passionate about movement and adventure. As I’ve experienced injuries over the years, my pull to movement has shifted from more intense activites like beach volleyball and pole dancing, to things like partner yoga, back country hiking and long distance cycling.
I’ve been self employed almost forever.
I am passionate about a LOT of things, and I spent the past 12 years building successful photography and top rated tourism businesses in Vancouver,
I am now focusing on wisdom sharing and celebrating my love of music, movement, travel, beautiful places, architecture and design, trying new things, going new places, life long learning and connecting people.
LEARN more ABOUT me
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I think it’s a cute play on words that also represents exactly what I love doing as I evolve past photography.
I optimize images through photography by making sure clients get high quality brand photos
I optimize someone’s personal or business digital presence by helping them enhance their website and social media
And I am optimistic!
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My love for people and innate skills for teaching resulted in my founding a company called Vancouver (and Victoria) Photowalks in 2011, which quickly rose to the top ten activities on TripAdvisor.
Vancouver Photowalks and the guides we employed helped educate and inspire thousands of people in photography and show them my favourite areas of the city.
You can check out the five star reviews here.
Due to my involvement with the tourism industry, I had the pleasure of working with many top tourism companies to help develop imagery for advertising campaigns, including Tourism Vancouver, Landsea Tours, and many others.
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As a lifelong entrepreneur, I enjoy working with marketers, creators and business owners. I appreciate and celebrate the technical, human, and creative elements involved in starting, running, and growing a business. Innovation is very exciting to me and it thrills me to see people realizing their dreams and bringing new ventures to life.
Photography has enabled me to see behind the scenes in many events, to the point where I could probably transition into event planning if I wanted to. I’ve been behind the scenes at investor pitches (kind of like Dragons Den), been inside some of the most beautiful homes in the city, and gotten to travel to exotic places like Vancouver Island and Whistler for commercial shoots. At this point, I’ve done so much that I’m pseudo-qualified to be an event planner, real estate agent, home-stager and business coach.
Feel free to ask me about any of these things, or, you know, photography.
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Yes, a whole bunch of them! They aren't all related to photography or seo mind you. But here's the list:
Certified Professional Life Coach certificate from the Transformation Academy | 2024
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training | Yoga Alliance Certified | from Pacha Mama in the jungles of Costa Rica | 2022
Aerial Yoga Instructor from Circasana | 2021
Partner Yoga Instructor | Elysabeth Williamson | 2021
Bachelor of Arts, Geography | UBC 2007
Business & marketing courses from two colleges in Alberta
Extensive photography courses and workshops
I am also a Squarespace Circle Member which means I have special Squarespace powers. Inquire within 😆
I host coworking events ONLINE! You’re invited.
The DIGITAL
optimist POD
The Convergence of SEO, Tech & Creativity
Dive into the my world with the Digital Optimist pod, where episodes explore topics such as entrepreneurship, SEO, technology, organization, photography, travel and being a single woman in my 40’s.
Available on Spotify.
