I often get requests for help from those just starting out in our industry. Often they have set up great looking websites, have some brochures ready to give out - they just don't have the clients and don't know where to start. So they ask if I can get them started, or send work their way, or give advice... there are so many things they ask for, and I could spend all day, every day, assisting others and not getting my own work done. There's a saying: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, … [Read more...]
Making Things Add Up In Business
One of the topics of discussion via our forum this week has been about required registrations for the Tax Office. Here in Australia we need to register for Australian Business Numbers (ABNs), and also Goods & Services Tax (GST) if earning over a certain amount. I'm sure in other countries there are obligatory requirements for people in business - small or large. It amazes me how many do not investigate this side of getting their business started. They ask via chat forums for advice on … [Read more...]
Working Virtual With a Presence
In my field I get requests for help almost every day from those who want to be VAs or those who have been trying to get their businesses going for a while but not getting anywhere. In most cases there are some fundamental things missing in their approach to develop business and two of those things are: networking and having an online presence. They pay out money here and there for what seems a great opportunity and promise of lots of work, and then find nothing happens, except their money is … [Read more...]
Putting Your Eggs All In One Basket
Discussions via the VA forums get quite interesting and it's good to see really meaty topics take place. Recently one of my team posted a series of questions for other members to answer and it gave real insight into the background of many, their experience, why they started out as VAs, would they ever return to the corporate world, and so on. One answer given to a question asked brought to memory something I'd done a couple of times (hopefully I've learnt from it) where I became dependent on … [Read more...]
Advice For New VA’s
Time again on VA forums I see the same request. "I'm just starting my business and want to know how to get clients". They get a number of responses and are often encouraged to read the archives of the forums for further information. I thought sharing via this blog might help those considering a career as a Virtual Assistant. Apart from the obvious requirements such as computer, internet connection, suitable software, good knowledge in how to use that software and suitable experience in … [Read more...]
Spirit – Of Adventure & Achievement – TAMT
I have a collection of cards that are meant to be topic stimulators in meetings and I find them great for posts to this blog. The topic this week is: Spirit - Of Adventure & Achievement What does Spirit - Of adventure & achievement mean to you? To me it means having the spirit to venture forth and try things out, to be willing to have a go at something for the sake of adventure but also for the sense of achievement after that thing is completed. To know that even if you are not fully successful … [Read more...]
Learning on the Job!
I was thinking this morning about a recent chat with a client who indicated through their conversation that I should be charging them cheaper because they’re getting me to learn a new system and it would then be something I could do for other people. When I say cheaper – I mean considerably lower than I was charging – although I had already lowered the rate from my real rate. It then occurred to me (this morning) that my entire business life has been spent learning new things as each … [Read more...]
Employee Mentality or Business Owner Thinking?
It is often hard, when starting out as a VA to determine what information you should be seeking, whether something can be sourced elsewhere, or whether you should be doing it all on your own? I participate in several VA forums and often see new VAs asking for items that they really should be sorting out for themselves. Things like contracts, rates sheets, brochures, business plans and other items. What should they expect help with and what should they be doing on their own? The key word here is … [Read more...]