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Where Will You Find Your Next VA Client?

I love being a Virtual Assistant. I love working with my clients, and I love meeting prospective clients. I know this, but it’s interesting what really reminds you of that sentiment. I have been recovering from surgery the last couple of weeks and to say I am going stir crazy is probably an understatement. Not only do I have to heal, but I have some limitations imposed by doctor’s orders. No swimming and no driving. And no lifting things over 10 pounds. So what’s a girl to do? The lifting part I’ve got down. That means no laundry!! Easy enough. But the other two – no driving and no swimming? I had planned to spend my time ‘off’ by the… Read More »Where Will You Find Your Next VA Client?

Do You Really Have What It Takes To Be a Successful Virtual Assistant?

Getting into business is easy. Staying in business … not so much. There is the basic stuff that you have to know, like business and marketing, of course, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about you. Your personality. Your perseverance. Your personal strength. Arlene Dickinson talks about this in her book All In. She says if you don’t have the personal strength (she calls it a few different things – mental muscle is one of my favourites – but basically it is really about resilience and personal strength) then you will not be able to cut it as an entrepreneur. I totally agree with this. Not everyone has the mental strength to be a business owner, and… Read More »Do You Really Have What It Takes To Be a Successful Virtual Assistant?

Do You Make Time for Self Care?

I think it’s a female thing. Taking care of others before taking care of ourselves. I don’t do it on purpose, and you might not either, but it happens. It’s often instinctive. That never-ending list of things we need to get done ticks away in our heads and sometimes we forget that we need to slow down. We need to take time for ourselves. To care for ourselves. Do you make time? I remember way before my VA days, I was in my early 20s trying to figure out what I was going to be when I grew up. I was working as a courier driving packages around the city. It was a good job and I was able to… Read More »Do You Make Time for Self Care?

It Takes a Minimum of 21 Days to Form a New Habit

Lately I have been working on a new strategy to market my business. My business has changed completely in the last year – totally planned changes! – I have gone from running a full time VA business of my own, with some VA training and coaching on the side – to now owning two VA associations, and having my training and coaching at the forefront, and my VA business considerably downsized. It’s been a complete flip – and with that come new challenges. I have earned my main income from my VA business for many, many years now. I know how to market it. I know how to network for it. I know how to find clients whenever I want… Read More »It Takes a Minimum of 21 Days to Form a New Habit

Did You Reach Your Goals This Month?

I taught a workshop this month about goal setting. I know, I know. I talk about goals a lot. But as a business owner, goals are essential to your success, your profit and your growth. If you don’t know what you are trying to achieve – then how can you achieve it? I set lots of goals. Some I reach, others I don’t. I don’t beat myself up about the things that don’t go well. But I do ask myself why they might have failed, so that I can do better next time. For instance, I joined a 100 connections challenge earlier this year. The challenge was to reach out 100 people in 100 days about your business. That means… Read More »Did You Reach Your Goals This Month?

Don’t Wait to Make That Connection

I recently hosted a conference for Virtual Assistants. When you plan an event, you call everyone you know to see if they want to attend, or if they can help or support you in some way. At least I do! It’s important to remember that everyone you come into contact with in your business can play some sort of role – to get the word out, to point you in the direction of great resources, to become your clients, etc. Building your business depends on the connections that you make. And yet, so many VAs I know don’t make those connections regularly. At least not consciously. So at the conference, I kept making a point of telling the people in… Read More »Don’t Wait to Make That Connection

Do You Dream Big?

Have you ever made a vision board? I attended a workshop last week that was hosted by a colleague – it was called Grilled Cheese and Girl Talk. Why on Earth would I not attend such an event?! (you had me at grilled cheese!) The workshop was put on for us to make vision boards. And they even fed us, courtesy of MLTDWN. Wow. So good! I am not a creative person. I honestly have done so many personality tests and brain tests and my creativity is almost totally stifled by my logical side of my brain. So I never GOT what it was to do a vision board. I have never done one prior to last week. Sure I set… Read More »Do You Dream Big?

Say No to Get More Done In Your VA Business

Do you ever feel like you are running so fast that if you stop everything will crash in on you? It’s like that scenario of having so many balls in the air, and if someone tries to catch one for you, they will all drop. That was me, the last couple of weeks. I have a lot going on, like most of us, and my life is busy and so is my business. But it’s really not a good way to be all the time. You have to have ebbs and flows of activity. You have to be able to rest and then come back strong to work well. I know this. I teach this. But sometimes I don’t do… Read More »Say No to Get More Done In Your VA Business