Top tips

Yep today I received a few from a Business Link advisor. Our meeting was great, helpful and informative if a little one sided (from her I mean, for once I shut up!!).

Hoping to implement some of what she told me (for my bullet pointed list from the meeting click here). I really need to get on with trying to source some funding for my basic equipment needs i.e. get a lovely iMac!!!! Interestingly advisor was a typical PC and went on about limiting my market by going Mac due to compatibility issues??!!! Oh well, no point in Mac evangilising there!!

And then it's network, network, network.....

Blog on my website

This is turning into a complete nightmare!!! All I want to do is have a blog on my own website (it will be about other things than are on here and be more creative industries focused) but can I find an easy way to do it...can I hell!!!

Tried blogger, can get it to point to the right place but can't get it to look right unless I can modify the code (which I'm not exactly having much success with) and so I looked at Wordpress....and

My hosting company doesn't support it!!!! Change hosts I hear you all cry (well you did on Twitter :-)) But I've already had to move it twice and, therefore, pay twice. I can't really afford to move it all again!

There has got to be a simpler way...

Maybe if I'm less tired and I'll try again with the code another night.

End rant...well for now anyway.

Women in Business Networking event

It was brilliant!!! Despite suffering from a migraine and, therefore, drugging myself up to the hilt before I could even get out of bed let alone attend the event, it was still brilliant. Lovely, supportive and informative women who were very welcoming to a new comer like myself. It was a bit strange to be recognised straight away by someone I have never met before from my Twitter profile picture but I guess thats actually a good thing. Rapport established straight away as she had an idea of my personality from my tweets anyway.

There was a fabulous and informative presentation on branding from a professional which has made me check that I am remaining 'on brand' and trying to clearly define my core values.

Also, which I was not expecting at all from my first visit, I had some fairly significant interest from a potential client!!! Just trying to effectively follow though and provide the information I said I would in a timely manner. Need to make a good impression in this game!

Also made a good contact with a Business Link advisor with whom I am in the process of setting up an appointment to explore possible grant applications so RRVA can go full time and be my proper focus. Exciting and totally worthwhile event all in all. Thank you to Barbara for such a brilliant opportunity, and I'm now trying to get enough money together to join properly.

I then went home and crawled back into my darkened room and bed until the kids came home, and then went to sleep at the same time as them.

Website & other things

After a fairly long discussion of with Ben my web designer my website is finally up as I want it to look! So please go and check it out.....www.rrva.co.uk

Now to promote it lots!

Also formatting a few word documents for information, client consultation etc. packs ready for any follow ups I have after tomorrows event. Hopefully I'll get at least 1!

Hopefully won't be up too late or need to be up too early.

Failure....oops!

When it comes to work I really must focus on my own business paperwork too! I know it's important but I do everyone else's first! So this weekend everything except my business plan got done.

Oh well, there is always tonight.

Getting busy

I have some Sub work for another VA to do first this weekend ... well actually tonight! I have set myself the task of stopping procrastinating and actually finishing my business plan by the end of the weekend too, as I want to apply for some funding and I also have to perfect my 1 minute pitch for networking.

There is also the small task of redesigning husbands spreadsheet for his tax return ready to send to his accountant as soon as possible!

But it's all good. Interest is growing and I have a few meetings in the offing about possible recommendations and further contacts. What I want to achieve, I think, is profile raising and the paperwork behind me so that I'm actually ready when the work starts flowing in more rapidly. Plan and organise....and practice what I preach!!!!!

Funding

Thinking about applying for some sort of business loan so I can actually concentrate on getting RRVA running properly and earning decently. It seems to be the only way I can sensibly focus on my venture to be honest but not sure if it is wise in a global recession....

Working on the financial forecasting bit of my business plan so hoping when I've finished that bit I will have come up with a view.

Answers/suggestions on a postcard please............

(I'd rather have GB £'s but I guess US$ would do!!!!)

Even more networking

I've recieved my guidelines for the next networking event, how and what to say in my 1 minute elevator pitch.

Think I better get practicing!!!

Networking.....

I know, I've blogged about this quite a bit but it is important!!! Plus I learned a really basic lesson that I should have realised before I went to my first event....don't think you can network and promote your new business venture at an event run by people you work with in the day job! Doh to me on that one!!!!

Perfectly pleasant evening, lovely people and nice (if slightly loud) venue. Introductions set the tone from my business point of view. Not a good place to start, my fault entirely.

So on to the next one.