This month..

Hello, my name is Kathie Thomas and you are on this newsletter list because you have subscribed to my website for services, products, or the newsletter itself. Or perhaps we've met and you've given me your business card so we could stay in touch. Welcome to all new subscribers.

I mentioned last month about changes on the horizon. This newsletter comes via the new service I'm shifting to and I've re-uploaded my database to this system. If you do not wish to receive my newsletter via email you may unsubscribe on the link at the bottom at any time, but I hope you choose to stay with us. My newsletters are designed to educate readers about using web based services and technology to help enhance your web experience, either for your business, or on a personal level.

So much has happened over the past few months I feel like I'm in a whirlwind! Do you ever get that way? Where do I start?

I've been on this amazing journey of exploration over the past few months. Last year I felt like I was at saturation point and couldn't take anything else in, but I've passed that point and this year has been one of continued learning and breaking through new barriers. Very exciting but at times rather wearying too. However, I'm a driven person and on a steep learning curve.

• Speaking internationally
• New Book
• Business and Social Networks
• World Vision

Updates

This year I had a goal to increase my speaking engagements and hopefully gain an overseas booking and that has definitely happened. I've recently been booked to speak at a conference in June 2009 in Canada after participating in a US based teleseminar where the conference organiser heard me speaking. So, if you are in Niagara , Canada or can get there June next year I'd love to meet you! Details for my speaking itinerary or booking information can be found at my site at KathieThomas.com.

I've been writing another book, this time with a number of co-contributors and the book is nearly ready to go to print. Thank you to all who have been participating in this exciting new project. The book is a compilation of real-life stories that some might call co-incidences but which I refer to as God-incidences. The title is “ It Happened By Design” and it will be released in October. Please watch that site for further details.

If you read my blog SOHO-Life.com you will see that I've begun to do a series on different networks online. In fact this will be one of my topics when I speak in Canada next year and it's funny that I'd already begun to write about this topic before I was asked to do a workshop. Many will have seen my posts about using LinkedIn.com for business networking online and my recent series has been on how to use Yahoogroups, either as a member of a network or as a moderator or group owner. If you don't understand how this type of online networking works, and you know you need to gain more presence online, then I encourage you to pop over and read the posts there. I'm also happy to answer questions – why not ask them via the comments facility at the blog so others can learn more too?

I'm currently exploring the use of Facebook for business purposes. Until recently I really thought of it more as a social networking tool for family and friends and just a bit of ‘fun' but I've begun seeing evidence that it is so much more than that, so just a few days ago I set up a page for myself as an Author, Blogger, Speaker and Virtual Assistant Coach & Trainer. And something amazing has already happened. You can read about it at BlogHer.com.

Finally, I recently shared on my VA blog about how my husband and I sponsor children from World Vision. They do amazing work for children around the world and unlike the rumours that abound around about various charity organisations, this one uses only 18c in the dollar for administration of the charity and the rest of the money definitely gets to the children it's intended for. I recently heard Rev Tim Costello speak about this very thing.

Anyway, “A Clayton's Secretary” is partnering with World Vision in a time of need. A few weeks ago I was approached by World Vision Australia with a request to support their current Child Sponsorship campaign by mentioning this extremely worthy cause in my newsletter through my business but this is such a worthy cause that I'm also putting it on some of my blogs for more to see.

In light of the tough economic conditions that all Australians are facing right now, World Vision staff explained that it is becoming more challenging than ever for them to find sponsors for children in desperate need.

Children whose families are struggling to survive chronic food shortages and skyrocketing global food prices.

That is why I can't think of a better use of this space than to ask you all to consider sponsoring a child right now.

For less than the cost of your daily café latte, you can not only change the life of a child, but of their entire community.

Would you like to join us and sponsor a child?

Please follow this link to learn more about child sponsorship.

Have a great month everyone!

Kathie M. Thomas

Thought for the day:

"We are abled by our abilities not disabled by our disabilities"
Author Unknown

New Productivity System

Lorraine Pirihi has been busy updating her system and products and has lots of goodies available for you, including a new Productivity & Profit System. Why not take a visit to:
TheProductivityQueen Store

Need a speaker for your event?

“Worth More Than Rubies is a great starting place for moms who desire to work from home. Packed full of practical, useful information as well as the story of Kathie's own journey, I know this will bless many, many women.”
~ Jill Hart, CWAHM.com

Are you working for your family or because of your family?
This topic really hit home for me. It made me feel good about working from home, I felt validated. Kathie's stories about her family and what it meant for her to work from home and what it meant for her family to have her there just made the whole conference worthwhile. Everything else was a bonus.
~ Suzie, proudly working at home on www.suzs-space.com selling pre-loved books

Kathie M. Thomas gives women permission to return home and shares with the audience how she did exactly that, bringing up 5 daughters, while establishing a new industry, using skills she'd developed in the corporate world for over 20 years.

Where is Kathie speaking this month?

14 September 2008
Morning church service @ 10.30am
C3 Church Hobsons Bay
South Kingsville Community Centre
43 Paxton Street, South Kingsville .

17 September 2008
Flying Solo Inaugural Conference, Sydney

Get noticed! - Grow your profile by speaking & writing
Hosted by Sam Leader
What better way to spread the word about your business than by speaking and writing about what you do? All members of this panel have done just that to great effect. Discover how you, too, can get your name out there from panelists including Kathie Thomas , the self crowned Queen of Virtual Assistants, life coach Trish Weston and business attraction expert Richard Woodward.

Kathie can speak at your next meeting, seminar or conference on:

• Email Etiquette
• Blogging for business or a book
• Hidden Benefits of Working at Home
• Mothers are Worth More Than Rubies
• It's a Virtual World

About Our Organisation…

What is a Virtual Assistant?
It's a term for home-based secretaries, administrative and secretarial support, and others who supply remote or virtual office support.

We are as close to you as your computer and can do almost anything traditional support staff do - except virtually. You don't need to provide office space, equipment, software or furniture - we have our own!

Location no issue as the work is carried out 'virtually' no matter where you are!  However, if you need someone locally we can supply. See our list at VA Directory

We have a new resource for the VA Industry called VANetwork News. If you're interested in what's happening, or would like to know more about the industry, then please do visit! There are opportunities for suppliers of services and products to sponsor the newsletter.