If you were to type in “What is a Virtual Assistant”? You will come across various organizations that will provide you a definition – whether you read the definition from IVAA.org or VANA or Wikipedia, the common theme is that a VA (Virtual Assistant) provides online virtual support services that are administrative at it’s foundation.   A VA is an acronym for Virtual Assistant.  There are many misconceptions about VA’s (Virtual Assistant’s) and I want to share my story about how I got started, and how I had to re-train my mindset to think and act like a business owner, identify my ideal clients and be able to articulate my services, experiences, and talent in order to attract and retain them.  For starters, the last thing I wanted to do was start a business.  I had been in high tech for 20 years, and I admit, I was addicted to the high energy, fast paced environment. I got bored easily in some of my roles, so working temporarily in sales, marketing, or human resources was ideal for me.  I enjoyed wearing lots of hats, learning new skills, and learned to cultivate my love for details, project planning, and technology that inevitably prepared me for my transition as an online virtual business service provider, also known as Virtual Assistance.

I like how succinct IVAA.org describes the term:

What is a Virtual Assistant? Virtual assistants are independent contractors who (from a remote location, usually their home or office) support multiple clients in a variety of industries by providing administrative, creative, and technical services. Not sure exactly how a Virtual Assistant can support you? Check out “101 Ways to Use a Virtual Assistant” for ideas.

When I first began to explore the opportunity, IVAA.org and VANA were the two sites I began to read and explore my options.  I thought with 20 years under my belt in the high tech industry that it would be a no brainer to jump in and get started, but – I learned that there will be many “but’s” because it’s quite a different ball game transitioning from corporate, even tele-commuting to the role of a VA .  A VA is a true business offering niche services, and I learned the hard way that not having a clear idea who your customers are, what specific services to offer your clients, and managing your schedule is quite different than an 8-5 regimen.  Although when I did jump in with both feet, it was fun, and I did attract clients that I enjoyed working with, I had to learn that I was not an employee, and I found that I worked long hours and for little pay. After a year of juggling clients and feeling unfulfilled, I knew it was time for me to take a leap of faith, invest in online training, coaching, and orientation into the role of a VA business owner and my world unfolded. Fast forward 3 years later and I find myself evolving, my business transforming, and I have much to share about my the steps I took, mistakes I made, and how I want people who are considering this path, what kinds of things you need to do before you quit your job.  I will be happy to point you to resources that are online, as well as as encourage you to sign up for training and coaching, so you don’t spend money on the wrong things, get the right business plan in place, office set up, marketing materials, website, objectives and goals, target clients, and so much more.  There is a lot to running a business, and as much as I enjoy working for myself, there have been times that I wanted to throw in the towel.  The up side is the freedom to work from home, but within that freedom is responsibility – scheduling your household duties, your appointments, your work outs, training, studying, researching, managing your own business ops and managing client work.  Everyone will have their own style eventually, however, having a plan, and getting your foundation in place first, will help you build upon that foundation and prepare you for your ideal clients and success.

I will be writing about what you need to do first before quitting your job.  If I had to start over, I would have invested in VA training starting with the why I want to work for myself, then the who, what, when, where, and how.  My series will cover the things I learned from various coaches, my own experience, and suggestions, as well as utilizing internet marketing and social media marketing to kick start your online awareness and getting your name and message out to your ideal audience.  There are many positive reasons for working for yourself, so I’ll cover that, too, using podcasting and video.

I encourage you to comment, ask questions, especially at http://www.Facebook.com/CyberQueenVA – eventually, I will be sending you over to another website to learn about my online marketing and social media marketing services that have helped me attract and retain quality clients, and how my online presence attracted rich opportunities for me.