The Economy & You
By Nell Taliercio | October 21, 2008
There’s a lot of talk about the economy as of lately. It’s about all we hear about in the news and during the election process.
So I’m curious how many of you have been touched by the down turn in our economy? If you have a telecommuting job, were your hours cut or were you let go? If you own a business, have you lost clients or found it difficult to gain new ones?
Do you have a plan to get through these hard times? Because, we will get on the other side of this crisis one day but it could be a ways off. Any plans in place to keep that telecommuting job, get a new one or more? Any plans to grow your VA business even when many people want to tighten the purse strings?
Topics: Just General | No Comments »
Charge Your Worth
By Nell Taliercio | October 13, 2008
Recently there was a conversation on a work at home mom forum about charging what you’re worth. It made me think of my own story. I started my VA business back in 2004 and when I did my skills and experience were low. So it was my decision to also make my rates low.
Until I could gain the skills, experience & confidence I needed to up my rates I just couldn’t feel comfortable charging $30.00 per hour. And the more skills and experience I gained the more I did increase my rates.
After awhile I closed my doors and focused on affiliate marketing. I took on freelance VA projects here and there but my business closed. I closed my doors never seeing more than $15.00 per hour. (I started my business at $10. per hour) I now look back and see that I should have been charging more than that.
So when I decided to re-open my VA business doors early this Fall I had to take a good hard look at what I wanted to charge. Not only wanted but what I knew I was worth. Even knowing that I had tremendous experience, education and skills in the area I was specializing in I still had a hard time setting the rate I knew I was worth.
But this time around I stuck to my guns and didn’t let fear interfere. I didn’t let the self doubt creep in. I didn’t let the thoughts of “I won’t get clients at this rate” take over my confidence that I am worth the rate and will get clients and they will be thrilled to pay me what I’m charging.
So what about you? Are you charging what you’re worth? Tell me your story about your VA rates.
Topics: Virtual Assistance | 2 Comments »
Social Networking Can be a Bad Thing
By Nan Gomez | September 30, 2008
I agree that social networking can be an important part in bringing in new clients and making contacts but if you don’t put a time limit on the social networking aspect of your business it can be a bad thing. If you’ve ever tried to keep up with more than one type of social networking you’ve not only seen how addicting it can be but also how time consuming it can be.With sites like twitter, facebook, myspace, and on and on and on you can see how much time you’d actually have to spend posting, making comments, keeping up in conversations, etc.
I’ve tried it and yes it can be a nice little break away from work when you need a breather or just to communicate with another adult but it can be addicting and become a pitfall for your business.There is a time and a place for social networking and it you want to make it a part of your business why not schedule a small block of time daily for social networking and stick to your time limits. This way you’ll get the benefits of social networking without allowing it to be a pitfall for your business.
If you’d like to find out a little more about some other activities you may be allowing to damage the growth of your business, stop by PremiumVA.com and pick up the free report: Avoid Pitfalls Detrimental to Your Business. I’m sure you’ll find you are probably doing at least one of the items discussed. So, find out what it is and how to resolve it for the betterment of your business.
Topics: Just General | 1 Comment »
Getting Back in the Groove
By Nan Gomez | August 14, 2008
Well it’s been almost a week since our medical/vaction trip out of state, and it took me a little while to get back on track with home life and work but I’ve done it. It’s hard getting that work groove back but once I did I was on a roll. It only took me a day so and another day or so to get all caught up and finsih all my clients’ pending projects just in time for mid-month invoicing.
Better to be caught up than behind right? Do you blog? Now that’s the one thing that is taking me a bit longer to do. I think I’ll take Friday off to take care of my personal things, and work on my business. It’s important to take time to grow my business as well as help others build theirs. Do you take time to build your business?
Of course as soon as I get back in the groove with stuff at home, school will be starting and throwing me all off again. That is going to take some getting use to too as my little one will be going to school all day with her big brother. Going to be lonely but I’m hoping work will continue strong and the potential client jobs pending at the moment come through to keep me busy.
Topics: WAHM Life | 1 Comment »
When a Vacation Really Isn’t a Vacation
By Donna | July 17, 2008
Do you find that sometimes taking a vacation really isn’t worth it? You spend the whole week before getting ready – preparing your house for your time away (this could include a myriad of duties), washing and packing clothes, working extra long days to make sure your/clients’ work is all caught up. Then when you come home you spend the whole week after – cleaning up your house/airing it out (because even though your darling husband didn’t come with you, he’s left you a week’s worth of dishes and take out boxes to clean up), unpacking and washing clothes (not to mention the darling dear has left a week’s worth of laundry strewn all over the house), and then working extra long days to get caught up on everything that you missed while you were away. Oh, wait, I’m forgetting the week’s worth of mail spread out over every visible counter / table top space that you have to go through and sort out the bills, junk mail, catalogs, magazines, etc. because no one else can do it like you do. Oh, and the hundreds of e-mails that have accumulated in your various e-mail accounts because where you were either didn’t have internet or if it did, it was so slow it wasn’t even worth attempting to use it. And let’s not even discuss getting the kiddos back into their routine. “I don’t care that Grandma let you eat your breakfast in the living room. We eat our meals at the kitchen table!”
I know this is not unique to work-at-home parents/families. It seems to me whether you work outside of the home or work-at-home, vacations become “working” vacations, even if it’s just to check in to make sure there are no fires burning, so to speak. Since I’ve entered the world of work-at-home, most of my vacations have been “working”, even a week up in way northern Vermontf or a snowmobile trip, I found my way to a WiFi hotspot and checked in with one of my clients on a daily basis. I just wonder . . . since when did taking a vacation become “work”? Or am I just taking the wrong kind of vacation?
Topics: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Re-evaluating Your Business Practices
By Christina Lemmey | July 16, 2008
How efficiently does your home office run?
I love working at home and count my many blessings but my family has been feeling neglected. My kids are just not used to seeing me do anything other than play with them or cleaning the house.
So, today I started to think about how I can work more efficiently so I can still earn my monthly goal but also work more regular hours. Don’t you just hate the feeling like you’re running a race to meet deadlines?
The first thing I did was color code all my clients for my online calendar. Might sound kind of dorky but having one color for every entry just made the entries all meld together.
Next, I scheduled all my weekly projects and clients who have given me deadlines.
I have discovered that one of my biggest vices is Twitter. I love it as much as the next person and I’ve even gotten a few clients from using it - there is DEFINITELY some value - but I just have to limit my usage. Rather than checking it all day long, I will check in the morning and after my work is completed.
And finally, I need to focus on one job/client at a time. I’ve mentioned before that multitasking is a challenge for me and one that is not working for me right now. Staying focused on one job keeps my brain from getting muddled, too 
What are some ways you’re improving your business practices?
Topics: Virtual Assistance | No Comments »
It’s Not Personal, It’s Work
By Christina Lemmey | June 29, 2008
I have always known that I would find myself in a service-based business. That’s just what I enjoy doing, helping people complete their projects and increasing their business.
However, being a part of a team or partnership means that you still need to take direction and criticism from your client. Afterall, this is THEIR business, THEIR livelihood, THEIR rules.
Nobody deserves to be beat up and sometimes demanding clients need to be let go if the relationship is not mutually beneficial. But as a service provider you need to be strong and be able to take constructive criticism. By listening to your clients’ requests, your job will get easier and eventually they won’t have to tell you the same wishes over and over again.
Sometimes it’s difficult to hear the criticism and not take it personally. Afterall, many service providers take great pride in their work and want to be known as “the best.” I for one despise when I make a mistake but it’s important to thicken your skin and realize that the criticism is about WORK, a project, not about you as a person.
And in the end these criticisms will only make you better at your job so you can provide better service to future clients.
Topics: Virtual Assistance | 1 Comment »
The Danger of Comparing Your Biz to Others’
By Nan Gomez | June 17, 2008
Personally speaking it’s really easy to begin comparing my level of success to that of another virtual assistant who opened her doors the same time I did. This is a very damaging thing to do!
Everything happens and everyone grows in different time frames. We each have our own personal challenges to overcome, our own individual goals and standards that we aim for at different times in our business venture. It’s important to remember that. I have to remind myself of that. Just because someone else seems to be doing better or getting more clients doesn’t mean I’m not doing a great job with the clients I do have.
Sometimes it’s personality. Someone shy has a harder time initiating a job offer where as someone who is outgoing will have no problem doing that at all. Just like our children, we all grow at different stages and times in our lives and so do our business so, just as we wouldn’t compare our children to other children don’t do it to your business either.
As long and you and I do our best and give our businesses our all that is all we can do and you need to remember that and so do I. 
Topics: Just General | 5 Comments »
Taking Breaks Can Help Your Productivity
By Christina Lemmey | May 22, 2008
When you’re a WAHM, it’s super easy to fall into a habit of sitting at the computer for countless hours doing work, networking, etc. Needless to say, I prefer doing my online work to doing housework so I’ve gotten a bit disorganized these last few weeks.
But yesterday I had piles of laundry to catch up on and I was having a bit of writer’s block, so I just took a break to fold some laundry. By the time I was done folding, maybe 10 minutes later, I had my client’s promo written in my head; the same promo that had me stumped just a short time earlier. It truly amazed me how it just worked itself out after I had stopped staring at the computer screen.
From now on I’m forcing myself to take breaks during my work day, especially if I’m having difficulty figuring out a problem. Stepping away is sometimes all it takes to clear your head and the solution will come to you.
Topics: WAHM Life | 6 Comments »
Do You use Set Working Hours?
By Aurelia Williams | May 20, 2008
Many WAHMs feel that it is really important to establish set working hours. Usually they set this hours to ensure that their client work as well as their work around the home gets done.
When it comes to my clients, I do have set working hours. It makes it so much easier to stay on top of my online and offline life.
Do you have set working hours? If so, how is it working for you? If you don’t have set working hours, do you think it would help?
Topics: Work at Home Life | 4 Comments »