Business Profiles- Virtual Assistants

Virtual Assistant

Name:  Dawn Goldberg
Business:  Virtual Angel
URL: http://virtualangel.biz

Job title
Virtual Assistant

Job description
I provide administrative and business development support to small business owners and sole proprietors

Reason for starting at home business
I am a stay-at-home mom, and I still want to provide nurturing care to my children.   However, I want to use my brain and my skills!

Deciding factors or motivations influenced you
Virtual assistance is done, well, virtually!  I make my own hours, and through the certification process at AssistU, I learned how to choose my ideal client and love what I do.  And I do!

Describe how having an at home business has changed
your lifestyle - I've always been busy, but now I feel as if I'm REALLY busy!   Between taking care of my girls and making sure we have enough activities to stimulate and entertain them and then working, there isn't much time for other things.

What is your personal passion and how do you express that in your business
My personal passion is to be the absolute best that I can be, not just good or above average, but the best.  In my business, I always go above and beyond for my clients.   When I'm doing something for them, I do it as if I were doing it for myself.

Office location - home office, separated from the rest of the house

Start up costs
AssistU certification - $2300, Chamber of Commerce dues - $250, Adding additional software - $200-$300, Stationery/letterhead - $150

Start up strategy
I'm going to do it well or not do it at all

Years in this business
Started my business in March, 2002

Income potential for this career
Depending on the hours:  $12,000 - $50,000

Ideal customers
Small business owners who are enthusiastic about their business, intelligent, willing to enter into a long-term relationship with a virtual assistant, able to trust and let go.

Previous career
administrative assistant, English teacher

Transferable Skills
Writing, editing, web design, word processing, organization

Necessary Skills, Education for Job
Good skillsand experience as an administrative assistant, youmust know at least one word processing program well,knowing other software programs is a real plus, you must enjoy working with people, you must be trustworthy

Equipment, software, and tools needed for Job
good computer, good word processor program, spreadsheet software, graphics program, web design program (if you're interested in that), good e-mail program, great knowledge of computers, fax capability

Industry Insight
There is so much potential for virtual assistance.  I think there are so many business owners out there who really need the help and don't even realize there is a solution.

Most Effective Marketing Strategies
Joining the Chamber of Commerce and networking; sending out letters to former colleagues, business associates, friends, and family to inform them of what I'm doing.

Top revenue streams
retainer clients

Pricing strategies
two-tiered pricing structure:monthly retainer or pay-as-you-go

Recommended resources
www.assistu.com

Best part of the job
my clients really appreciate the work I do and the effort I make

Worst part of the job
not having as much free time as I would like

Secrets to your success
I never do somethinghalf-baked; it's the whole way

Worst business mistake and what you learned from it
Nothing really bad; just too enthusiastic anddidn't think through a certain process for my client first.

Helpful advice for someone getting started in this
career - Make sure you have the support of your family and closest friends.  Make sure they understand that this is something that is important to you.

What are your future plans for business growth
Right now, as my children get older and are in school more and more (right now they are 6 and 3), to be able to devote more time to my business.

How do you balance your career and family life (IEchild care etc)
I've had to let go of some things:if the laundry piles up, it's not the end of theworld.   I have also asked my husband to help more:cooking one night a week, etc.

Is your spouse involved in your business?
he is my computer and technical advisor

Any tips on keeping your spouse happy and supportive when you own your own business? Really, really, really try to separate home from business.
Don't work every night!  You must learn to let go.

Do you involve your kids in your business, if so then how.
No, they are too young, but my six-year old will do drawing or crafts at the desk with me while I'm working.

Were your parents business owners or entrepreneurs, if so tell us your story.
No

Virtual Assistant

Name:  Kasey Zanolli
Business: Ivy Virtual Asistant
URL: www.ivyvirtualassistance.com

Job title
Owner, Virtual Assistance Practice

Job description
I provide high-level, off-site administrative assistance to small- and home based business owners.  I work in long-term, collaborative partnerships with my clients.

Reason for starting at home business
Some reasons include: needing to travel, becoming a parent, a job layoff, health reasons, wanting to be your own boss, being a single parent, being disabled, moonlighting, wanting a simpler life,
home schooling, upholding family values,

When I was pregnant with my second child, I realized that the stress I already felt juggling my sales job and raising my son would be compounded when my daughter arrived.   It was an easy choice, a peaceful home life came first.  However, I knew I wanted to work and be productive in a satisfying way. I wanted to contribute financially to our family as well as  provide an example for my children of a balanced, working mother.

Deciding factors or motivations influenced you
I did a great deal of research on home based business opportunities and found many to be extremely vague until money was exchanged, or to be MLM programs, which I was not interested in.  I read an online article about virtual assistance and could not stop thinking about it as it truly meshed with my experience, skills and values.  I started researching online communities for virtual assistants, of which there were more than I would have thought when first hearing about the profession.  I settled on AssistU and was accepted to their virtual training program.

Describe how having an at home business has changed your lifestyle
The biggest and best way my lifestyle has changed is that I now have the flexibility to do what I want with my children. This ranges from being able to have them in a playgroup to being able to take them to the doctor during the day if they are sick.

What is your personal passion and how do you express that in your business
My personal passion is helping others to make their lives easier.  I get a charge out of being able to unburden my  clients so they can live the lives they want to.

Office location
My office is located in my home, in a second floor loft. Honestly, this is not ideal, as it is a loft, and so does not have a door on it.  This is a problem for several reasons.  It is out in the open, and sound travels in my open floor plan house.   I have to be very careful that my children do not disrupt my work area or damage my computer. My four year old now can understand and stays clear of the area, my 19-month-old is another story!  We plan on moving to another house within the next 5 years and I definitely plan on looking for one that has an office with a door onit!

Start up costs
For this profession my start up costs were minimal and truly could have been even less.   The biggest expense was investing in my training with AssistU which was $2,000.   I definitely felt this was a justifiable expense as I wanted to give myself the best start in this business and felt that AssistU would give me that.  There are less expensive training programs out there for VAs and of course, one can have a successful VA practice without specific "VA"training.  There are several books and numerous articles about VAs, online communities to join, and of course the  corporate and personal experience one would bring to
starting her own business.

As far as other costs, I already had the computer and cable modem.  I added a fax machine ($189) and had a second phone line installed (cost varies depending on phone company in your area).  Even these costs can be avoided with some creativity and the help of services like efax.com, gotvmail.com, and a distinctive ring feature.  I also invested maybe $300 in additional software.

Start up strategy
My life was at a stage where starting a home based business could be done with minimal stress on my family.  I was already working only part time and we had adjusted to living without my full time income.  I completed my 20 week training and started my business while continuing to work part time.  My job was very flexible and allowed me to set my own hours.  My children were in day care 2 days per week and I would drop them off, return home for several hours to work on my business, and then go to my part time job for a few hours.  My pay really only covered the cost of day care but it allowed me those few hours that I could really focus on my VA business.

Years in this business
I have been in administration and customer service for over 10 years and have had my own VA practice for 6 months.

Income potential for this career
The potential really depends on how much you want to work. The more billable hours you work, the higher the income. From my research, the average work week in this profession is 30 hours per week and incomes range from $30,000-$70,000.

Ideal customers
Some of the types of businesspeople that work with VAs are authors, speakers, consultants, coaches, salespeople.  Many are home based businesses themselves, who don't have the space, equipment or desire to have someone work physically in their office.  Some of the traits of people who work most successfully with VAs are being able to see a VA as an equal, not an employee, understanding the power created by a partnership with a great assistant, and being able to not live in "urgent" mode.

Previous career
My previous experience is customer service, mostly in the hotel field, with some time in the call center industry. Most recently, I had worked in hotel sales and event management as an administrative assistant, sales manager and event coordinator.

Transferable Skills
So many of the skills I learned in the corporate world are transferable to my VA practice.   All of the computer skills have been invaluable, as well as my sales training.   Other skills I have taken with me are negotiating, preparing marketing materials, phone skills, and learning to have resources.

Necessary Skills, Education for Job
I have a BS from Cornell University, a certificate from AssistU, and have taken numerous computer classes.  Is an Ivy League education necessary in this field?   Certainly not, but it has been very helpful to me as far as networking and contacts.  Also, as I stated earlier, specific training in the VA field is not absolutely necessary either but again, it has given me a support network of other VAs to call on and I feel given me the best start I could have in this field.

There are definitely some skills that are required to be successful in this business.   These include having worked in an administrative or support role, telephone skills, writing skills, knowledge of the internet and email, enjoys working in solitude, truly enjoys being in a service and support role, and is ready to create a successful business.   Other "soft" skills include being intuitive, proactive and focused.

Equipment, software, and tools needed for Job
At the very least, someone starting in this business needs a computer (Mac or PC), a modem, internet access, virus protection, a backup system and a phone line.  Other software that is helpful is an office suite, like MS Office, and then really it just depends on what your clients need. Many VAs have an accounting program like QuickBooks, a database program like Access or ACT!, or web design software like FrontPage or Dreamweaver.  Other equipment that can be added is a fax machine and scanner.

Industry Insight
As a fairly new profession, virtual assistance is still emerging and evolving and so there are various definitions of a virtual assistant.  I have built my practice around the definition as set forth by AssistU: A virtual assistant is an administrative professional working remotely/virtually in long-term collaborative relationships with clients, and providing them with professional administrative and personal support.

VAs who value this definition are far more than an at-home secretarial service and do not do piecework or project work. We prefer to develop relationships with a few clients than to do projects once or twice a year with hundreds of clients.  However, anyone can set up her own practice anywayshe wants to.

Most Effective Marketing Strategies
For me, my most effective marketing strategies have been networking and follow up.  I feel developing a few, well-designed, high quality marketing pieces are very important.   Also effective although many people do not like it, is targeted telemarketing.   This may involve developing a list of contacts in your target market, calling them to let them know of your services and following up with them periodically.  After being established, many clients will come from referrals.

Top revenue streams
My revenue streams are from my top clients.  Some use more hours per month than others and some vary from month to month.  Presently, my revenue only comes from billable client hours.  Future revenue streams could include sales of products like e-books.

Pricing strategies
Common pricing strategies for VAs include offering a two-tiered pricing structure.   That is offering a pay as yougo rate of say $40/hour or a retainer rate of say $350/month which pays for 10 hours of time.  Some VAs only work withclients willing to pay a retainer in order to have a morestable income.  I like to start out on a pay as you go rateand when the client is comfortable and the amount of hourswarrants it, move in to the retainer rate.

Recommended resources
I would highly recommend the AssistU website to anyone thinking about this business as it is filled with content, articles and FAQs about the field.  Another resource is the IVAA.org website.

Best part of the job
The best part of my job is the flexibility it offers, the chance to be with my kids, and the relationships I develop with clients.

Worst part of the job
The worst part of the job is separating it from home, concentrating when my kids are around, and juggling childcare.

Secrets to your success
One of my secrets is the belief in abundance, feeling that there is plenty of business out there for me to be
successful and knowing that the right client will come around when the time is right.   Also, I have the luxuryright now of taking the building of my business slowly.   I am only working the number of hours right now that I want towork.  My goal is to move to more full time hours as my kidscome of school age.

Worst business mistake and what you learned from it
Really the worst mistake I have made so far is selling myself short.  That is feeling the urge to offer a lowerrate or compromise my standards in order to get a client.  I just have to remind myself of the high value I provide, and that if someone is making me feel that way, then she is certainly not my ideal client.

Helpful advice for someone getting started in thiscareer
I would advise doing a lot of research and self-examination to see if this career really makes sense to you.  Also, take advantage of being able to talk to others in this profession.  Both AssistU and IVAA offer this opportunity.

What are your future plans for business growth m
As I said earlier, I plan to expand the number of hours that I work in my practice as my children get older.  So within the next two years, I plan to be earning more than I was in my corporate job.

How do you balance your career and family life (IE childcare etc)
Right now, my children are in half-day day care 2 days per week and my husband is off on Fridays.  This gives me 3 days with some child care where I can work uninterrupted and make phone calls.  On the other days, I work when my children are occupied or napping or I work in the evenings on those days. It does involve some juggling but it is definitely worth it. Also, being able to pull myself away from work when it is infringing on family time or when my children truly need me.

Is your spouse involved in your business?
He is to the extent that he is supportive and takes care ofthe kids so I can work.   He is not involved in the actual operation of the business.

Any tips on keeping your spouse happy and supportive when you own your own business?
Try to have specific work times and family times and stick to them.  This will not always happen but if you give your family 100% when it is "their" time, they will be more understanding and cooperative during "work" hours.

Do you involve your kids in your business, if so then how.
My kids are too young to be involved, but in the future I would defintely like to involve them, to help set an example for them.

Were your parents business owners or entrepreneurs, ifso tell us your story.
My parents were not business owners or entrepreneurial in any way, which made starting my business both scary and exciting at the same time.  My parents' generation felt that having a good job, with a good title and benefits was extremely important.  My parents did however set a wonderful example of being successful working parents, were very ambitious and reached the top of their respective professions.  They are very proud of my business and entrepreneurial spirit.

Virtual Assistant Home Business

Name: Jean Hanson
Business: VA Office Solution
URL: http://www.vaofficesolution.com/

Job title
Virtual Assistant

Job description
I give my clients more time to grow their business!  I do this by taking over the administrative tasks that don't need their personal attention.  I do all the work virtually, from my home office, so my clients can be located anywhere in the world.   I work with my clients in long-term, collaborative relationships.  This enables me to get to know their business so that I am more in-tune with their needs.

Reason for starting at home business
My husband and I lived about 1600 miles away from our families for  16 years.   We owned our own business and found that we weren't able to leave it for long, so we missed out on a lot of visits with our families and found it hard to take vacations.   We sold the business this past year, sold our house, and moved back to the Midwest so we could be closer to our families.  Since we were starting over, we needed to decide what we wanted to  do for a living.  I knew I wanted to start my own business because
I couldn't imagine going back to work for someone after owning my own business for 15 years.  I decided that it would have to be something I love -- something I'm passionate about, and it took me several months before I found just the right profession.   I had one of those WOW! moments when I discovered the term "virtual assistant".  After more research, I decided to apply to a virtual training program and was accepted.  I worked my business part-time through the transition of selling our business, taking the training program, and moving across the country! I've now completed the journey.  I've graduated from the training  program, sold the business, and moved to the Midwest, where I'm now actively looking for additional clients to fill my virtual assistant practice.  Life is great!

Deciding factors or motivations influenced you
I turned 40 years old and looked back at the past 20 years.  I didn't like what I saw -- it seems all I did was work!  I decided that I was young enough to make a major change in how I was living my life and decided to go for it.

Describe how having an at home business has changed your lifestyle
I've learned a lot about setting standards and boundaries for myself and my business.   This is my business so I can run it any way I choose to, and I choose to work the hours I want to work and give myself permission to take time off when I need it.   Admittedly, it can be difficult working at home -- for me, because it can be lonely.  However I'm making a point to get out of the house to attend networking functions, and I do belong to virtual assistant organizations, which really gives me a lot of support.

I try to work as I normally would in any office.  I have a routine, which I believe is important to keeping your focus. I do tend to work long hours right now, since I'm building my practice, but that's OK. Why?  The difference now is that I *love* what I'm doing -- I don't dread going to work every day.

What is your personal passion and how do you express that in your business
I am very passionate about being able to help my clients become more successful in their business.  I discovered this when I started working full-time in my husband's business. He became more successful, very fast.  It's because I was able to take over some of the administrative tasks that he was handling himself.  When his time was freed up, he was able to spend more time promoting the business, and more referrals kept coming our way.

This is what I try to get across to my potential clients.  They too, can become more successful by handing over some of the tasks that they don't need to personally attend to -- those things that don't contribute to the bottom line.  My logo reflects this.   I have a path that goes through the "VA".  This signifies the Path to Success.  My tagline is: Follow Your Path to Success with a Virtual Assistant!

Office location
My office is located in a spare bedroom in my house.

Start up costs
I would say around $5000, $2200 of which went to training costs.  I did have most of the computer equipment I needed, but I did invest in additional software and new office equipment.

Start up strategy
I started on a part-time basis (I had one client), because I still  owned a business and I was participating in the training program.  The training program finished just as I was getting ready to move so the timing was right.  I established the business in my new state and am now marketing both locally (by joining networking group and Chamber), and nationally (through website and other Internet methods).

Years in this business
This business - one year
Previous business - 15 years

Income potential for this career
For the first couple years of having a full-time practice I can  make from $30,000 - $40,000.  My five year goal is to go through two levels of certification, which will enable me to raise my rates and make around $50,000 - $60,000.  These figures are realistic for remaining an independent virtual assistant.  There are ways I can make additional income by expanding the business to include additional VA's and/or using my website to create passive income, but at this point the only expansion I have planned is to create some additional passive income through the website.

Ideal customers
Home-based business owners are ideal for me.  Some of the professions that I enjoy working with are life coaches, real estate brokers, crafters, gift-basket businesses, authors, speakers, website designers, artists, and photographers.  I also have a niche for new entrepreneurs that have never had their own business before.  I find that I can offer a lot of advice and resources to them.

Previous career
Retail sales and operations manager

Transferable Skills
I have lots of human resource skills, administrative, as well as training and marketing skills.  I've worn all the hats as a small business owner, so I bring years of entrepreneurial experience to
the table.

Necessary Skills, Education for Job
To be a virtual assistant you must have excellent computer and Internet skills.  I believe that getting the proper training is essential as well.  I could never have accomplished all that I've been through in the past year without the training, support, and community I've received with Assist University (assistu.com).

One other thing that must be considered if you are an administrative assistant with dreams of owning your own business. Just because you have great computer skills, does not mean that you'll be a successful business owner.  You have to learn how to change your thinking, and value yourself and what you have to offer your clients.  Too many people are so desperate for that first client, that they lower their standards, and lower their prices.  They are doing themselves and the profession a disservice because we are worth more than the $15 - $20 we would get paid as an employee.

Equipment, software, and tools needed for Job
The best, fastest computer you can afford, a good printer, CD burner, phone system, a comfortable workspace and chair.  DSL or cable Internet service is the best, but many VA's are still able to work with dial-up.  For software you need at least a good office suite such as Microsoft Office, anti-virus software, and a firewall.  You can add additional software as your business grows.  A VA should also have a website - it's the best way to let people get to know you.

Industry Insight
Virtual assistance is growing by leaps and bounds.  Those that get the proper training, understand that working in long-term, collaborative relationships with their customers are what adds value to their clients businesses, are the ones that will be successful.  This profession will continue to grow and evolve as more and more people leave the large corporations to start their own small businesses. Many of these people will need the expertise of a virtual assistant.

Most Effective Marketing Strategies
Building relationships and referrals are the keys to effective marketing for a virtual assistant.  I've talked to many VA's that were able to start with one client, and from that one client they were able to build their practice from referrals.

Top revenue streams
Typically, VA's charge one or two hourly rates for their services.  If they are deeply niched, they are able to charge more.  For example, website design is a service that many VA's are able to charge a much higher rate for.

Pricing strategies
Most Assist University trained VA's price their services with an hourly rate.  There is a Pay-As-You-Go, for those people whose needs vary from month to month.  There is also a Retainer rate, for those clients that use their VA on a more regular basis, and use a minimum number of hours each month. Other VA's charge a different price, depending on what service they're providing.  To me this is too complicated and too confusing to the client.  We need to make it simple.

Recommended resources
Assist University http://www.assistu.com
IVAA http://www.ivaa.org
IAVOA http://www.iavoa.com

Best part of the job
Working with my clients!  I get to choose the people I want to work with, so I pick people I enjoy, and whose businesses I enjoy.

Worst part of the job
The back-aches I get from sitting at the computer all day - I wish there was more I could do away from my desk!

Secrets to your success
Having a great support group, and believing that I can be a
valuable resource for my clients.

Worst business mistake and what you learned from it
Staying in a job that I grew to hate because I was afraid of starting over.  When I finally quit that job and put all my energy into my own business, I discovered that it was the best thing I ever did and wondered why I hadn't done it sooner!  I learned that you're never too old to start over and that you should pursue your dreams if that's what is going to make you happy.

Helpful advice for someone getting started in this career
I've already said it earlier - get some additional training, belong to VA organizations for support, and start thinking of yourself as a business owner.  I would also suggest working with a life coach or business coach.  They stay by you every step of the way, and help you to get rid of the distractions that keep you from reaching your goals.

What are your future plans for business growth
I have plans to obtain two additional levels of certification with Assist University.   I plan to continue expanding my e-zine because it's a great resource for small business owners, and I'd like to eventually write some e-books that I can sell on my website.

How do you balance your career and family life (IE child care etc)
I read Cheryl Richardson's book, _Take Time for Your LIfe_, which has helped me tremendously.  She really helps people get rid of clutter and distractions that keep you from being productive.  She also talks about setting standards and boundaries, which can be applied to our personal *and* business lives.  This is a great book for people that want to have more balance in their lives.I'm very organized, so I don't let things pile up.  If I let the piles take over, I'll never get out of my office, and I want time with my family too!

Is your spouse involved in your business?
He talks about what I do with people he meets, and he's very encouraging when I could let myself get discouraged.  Actually, I'm more involved in *his* business than he is in mine -- I'm his VA, you see ;-)

Any tips on keeping your spouse happy and supportive when you own your own business?
Well this is a tough one if your spouse has never owned his own business -- they don't always *get it*.  I would explain to him exactly what I need from him.  In my case, I just need someone to listen to what's going on in my business, and someone who will let me vent once in a while.  I remind him that I don't necessarily need his advice, I just need him to listen.

Do you involve your kids in your business, if so then how.
Unfortunately, I was never able to have children, but I'd sure like my nephews to be able to help me some day -- kids are such computer whizzes :)

Were your parents business owners or entrepreneurs, if so tell us your story.
My father didn't own the business, but he managed it, and he hired me for my first job.   My sister also worked for him previously and warned me not to do it because it would put a strain on our relationship.  I did it anyway, and we got along great!   I believe my father helped to shape my work ethic. He never let me be idle. I could have sat around and chatted during slow times, but there was always something to do.

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