Susan Bell

Sue is espy’s stylish accountant and head of operations. She grew up in Ottawa and finished school there, where she studied accounting and business. Sue started working in banks at 17 years old, where she continued her studies through the programs and courses offered to employees at the time. When she had her family, she continued to work part-time with the bank in order to stay up to date. As her son and daughter got older, she began working again as an accountant at a consulting firm, where she stayed for twelve years.

You are already thinking that is a qualified woman. But Sue is even more impressive. After a break from work, Sue was employed by Shell as the Senior Financial Analyst. However, the nature of such a high pressure position just wasn’t the kind of career Sue was looking for anymore. “I really didn’t need to climb the corporate ladder at this point in my life.” After 2 years with Shell, she answered espy’s online ad for the accountant position and was hired on the spot. Sue really wanted to work with a smaller team where she felt more like part of the family; a fun place she could use her skills and her mind, but still have the opportunity to interact socially in a less stressful position.

Sometimes you just want to run out in flats, so you need a shorter pair!

She had been a client of espy’s before. The first time she came in was for Oprah’s favourite jeans – the now infamous Cookie Johnsons. She had called all around Calgary trying to find somewhere that carried the fabulous line of denim and found espy. Megan Szanik helped her find the perfect pair – well – two pairs really. Sue needed one hemmed for heels and one hemmed for flats. “Sometimes you just want to run out in flats, so you need a shorter pair!” That’s why she is so perfect for espy. Although she isn’t a stylist, she knows what she is doing when she is shopping.

Sue is always put together. You won’t find anything out of place on her. She knows how to dress her body and that’s why she knows what works for her. Her accessories are always just right too. Her favourite thing to wear is jeans, which makes sense as she wasn’t allowed to wear jeans growing up. Her father was in the Air Force, so she had some pretty strict rules about clothing as a child. Even in school she had to wear to skirts. When she was 16 years old she bought her first pair of jeans, and at the time it was a big deal to finally have a pair. They were Levi’s, she loved them, and she was relieved to wear pants instead of skirts in the Ottawa winters.

Now, Sue’s favourite jeans are her Fidelity’s. She laughs when she admits that she even irons her jeans, but working at espy means she doesn’t have to be embarrassed about taking good care of her clothes. It’s what fashionable women do – whatever it takes to look their best so they can feel their best, and Sue definitely fits into that category. “It’s hard not to love fashion.” espy is the place where Sue can use all her qualifications, skills, and experience in an industry she loves and an environment that is fun, relaxed and full of people who also iron their jeans.