Archive for: VA Vitals

4 Reasons I love running my own business

Janet BarclayI’ve had my own business since 2002, and by the time this month ends it will have been my full-time job for eight years. That time has gone by so much faster than the previous eight years, and it’s not just because time seems to pass more quickly as we get older; it’s because I really love what I do. Don’t get me wrong – there have been some rough days, but I’ve never regretted my decision to become self-employed. In fact, I often feel sorry for my friends who work in traditional jobs, even though they have paid vacation and sick time, dental plans, and other benefits.

Do you know what I’ve got that they don’t?

1. I get to set my own schedule.

Even though I generally work 9 to 5, it’s because it works well for me, and not because it’s company policy. I wake up early and while drinking my first coffee, I get my work organized for the day, before I’ve even showered, had breakfast, or walked the dog. I can’t even remember the last time I needed an alarm clock to get me up! And if putting in a couple of hours on the weekend is going to make my upcoming week easier, that’s okay too – because it’s my choice.

2. I don’t have to buy an extensive wardrobe for work.

No, I don’t work in my PJs, contrary to popular belief. I rarely even work in track pants, though it’s nice that I have that option when I feel like it. But I can dress casually and comfortably, and because I’m not out with people every day, it’s no big deal if I tend to wear the same things most of the time. Saves me money too!

3. You can’t beat the 10-second commute!

On mornings like this, I admit to being a little smug when I see other people out scraping the ice off their car windows. Weather is never an issue for me, as I don’t have to allow extra time for poor visibility or road conditions. In fact, I don’t have to allow for travel time at all! Not using my car every day really cuts down on my expenses as well as meaning I can keep a car far longer than most other folks.

Read about the fourth and biggest thing I love about being my own boss, along with answers from 20 other entrepreneurs.

Do you run your own business? What do you love most about it?

Take a Peek at The Naked VA

woman peekingOne thing I’ve noticed about the virtual assistant industry is how supportive we are of one another, some even more than others. Many VAs have started online or local networking groups, while some offer mentoring or coaching, sometimes for profit but often just for the sake of helping others.

Ruth Martin of Maplewood Virtual Assistance definitely fits into the latter category. Her blog, The Naked VA, offers an in-depth look at our industry, providing valuable insight both to aspiring VAs and to entrepreneurs who may be in need of a virtual assistant. To provide a broader perspective than just her own experience, she regularly interviews other virtual professionals, and I was recently honoured to be featured on her blog.

Read my interview on The Naked VA.

If you have a question you’d like me to answer, whether it’s about the VA industry, my own business, or something else altogether, please leave a comment or send me a message, and I’ll do my best to answer it.

What goes around comes around

Linda Samuels

When I signed up for Twitter four years ago, I had no idea how much it would help me to expand my network. I’ve received referrals and inquiries, books and products to review, guest blogging opportunities, and connections to people I now consider friends, even though we’ve never met in person. One of those people is Linda Samuels, author of The Other Side of Organized.

Linda is a regular participant in the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival, and was kind enough to write a guest post for me about how she fulfilled her dream of writing a book, so when she invited me to take part in her ”Ask the Expert” series, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. If you’ve ever considered enlisting help, whether from a virtual assistant such as myself, or in any area of your life, I hope my answers to Linda’s questions will enlighten you and perhaps even encourage you to take that next step.

You may not realize that the topic for August’s Professional Organizers Blog Carnival was Top Ten Lists. Linda’s submission was titled 10 Best Sources for Organizing Help, and much to my surprise and delight, not only did she include the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival on her list, she cleverly used that opportunity to announce my upcoming appearance on her blog.

Linda and I are very different kinds of people: my personality type is ISTJ while hers is ENFJ, yet despite that, or perhaps because of it, we get along nicely and learn much from each other. Our relationship reminds me of that old song:

We belong to a Mutual Admiration Society.

Is there someone in your life who inspires and supports you? I’d love to hear about it!

Lapping Up the Link Love…

in the spotlightI’ve been up to my old tricks again… here are a few of the questions I’ve answered for other bloggers lately:

People are even talking about me behind my back!

And, even though I wasn’t mentioned by name,  I was pleased as punch to see the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival which I’ve hosted for over three years mentioned in the Quo Vadis blog.

But hey, I’m happy to share the spotlight – feel free to post links to your latest work here too!

Photo ©Warren Miller / PhotoXPress

Sharing My Passions

sharingI hope you’ve enjoyed my recent series of posts inspired by TEDx Waterloo over the past couple of months. Attending the event and writing about what I learned has been very rewarding, but I’ve been busy with other things too!

I’ve been a speaker:

  • Social Media Q&A session for Professional Organizers of Canada, Halton-Peel Chapter
  • Presentation on Online Networking for Welcome Inn Community Centre’s bizPLAN program
  • Presentation on Using Pinterest to Market Your VA Business for the Golden Horseshoe Virtual Assistants Group
  • Presentation on Social Media, Youth & Employment for the Youth Employment Network

I’ve been a guest blogger:

I was interviewed about blogging by whohub.

I was in the April Carnival of Pen, Pencil & Paper.

But enough about me! How have you been sharing your passions?

Photo: © Gary / PhotoXpress