Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sue L Canfield on February 16, 2010 at 3:13pm

Here are a few factors to consider:

Do you enjoy working independently?
Do you enjoy taking the initiative?
Do you have the necessary skills?
Do you have the necessary equipment?
Do you understand what it means to be a business owner?

Once you determine this is the choice for you, then you need to set up a solid foundation. This includes:

Business Plan
Marketing Plan and Calendar
Determining your rates
Accounting practices
Policies and Procedures
Contract
Identifying Your Ideal Client and Target Market
Marketing Your Services with a website, blog, social media.

Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Vickie Turley on February 18, 2010 at 5:24pm

Camille:

My response will probably be different from others, but I can tell you I have a lot of experience in this subject matter.

The thing that struck me the most about your post was when you said, "I am looking for something I can just do part-time from home."

In my experience, being a virtual assistant is not a part-time job. To be a successful VA, you have to be in the mindset of being a business owner versus being a part-time employee. There is a big difference in that thinking. Being a great VA is a lot of work and definitely not something you can just "play" with to bring in a little extra income. It is a full-time commitment to something that you want to spend your time doing.

That being said, you may want to consider subcontracting to other VAs. We are always looking for people who have skill sets we don't normally provide and that's where subcontractors come in. My suggestion would be to begin by joining some VA forums and learn all you can about the industry. You may come to the conclusion that being a business owner and an amazing VA is really for you.

I'd be happy to talk with you offlist about this more if you are interested. Just send me an email.

Good luck in whatever you decide. There are so many opportunities out there so I'm sure you will find that special calling.

Vickie Turley

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Permalink Reply by Sue L Canfield on February 18, 2010 at 5:31pm

I absolutely agree with Vickie that your mind set be that of a business owner, not an employee. I also believe that a VA can work part-time and still be successful if that's what they choose to do. Being successful does not mean you need to work 40 hours each week. Of course you need to work hard at your business. Yet, I have never worked 40 hours a week in my VA business and consider my business a success.

Once you define what success looks like to you, then you can more clearly define what you need to do to reach your goals. Subcontracting may be just the thing for you.

It's always good to have more than one viewpoint. So though Vickie and I may not completely agree, we are both successful at what we do and wish you all the best!

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Permalink Reply by Heike Miller on February 23, 2010 at 1:45pm

What I found about the industry is that you need to be constantly on top of your game with new technology and applications. I have done many training courses to be up-to-scratch with Internet Marketing and Social Media. I understand that many VAs will do admin work, but I found that a lot of work is actually in the Internet Marketing support field. I guess that's probably because it's my passion.;)

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Permalink Reply by Yours Virtually on February 24, 2010 at 12:57pm

I think all of you have touched on core factors for starting a Virtual Assistant busy. I'm finding that it is hard work and each client has different needs. It can be very overwhelming, but as long as you prioritize and stick to your schedule, it can be done. I know that I will need to subcontract to other VA's soon and am in the process of working on paperwork, etc so that I will be prepared. I am not the creative, graphic artist type so I would be very interested in the expertise of others on this forum. Also, staying on top of my game with new technology is key. I am always in search of online courses in general accounting, administrative, internet marketing and social media, so if any of you have information, I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much.

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