It is now OFFICIAL!

It is now official!!! I will be a full time VA from the 5th February 2010, so just under 1 year since my initial 6 month plan but I am still immensly proud of myself!

Now to get some clients in and make it earn the cash to keep me in shoes (and pay the bills).

VERY soon to be VA

I am aware I haven't posted on here for rather a long time now, as I have moved to my RRVA blog, since I started trading properly in April this year. However, it seems appropriate that I say it on here too.

I will VERY soon be a full time VA!!!! Yay, whoop and hurrah!!! Slightly off my 6 month hope, and it will be nearer a year when I achieve my goal but not bad!!!

Suffice it to say by February 2010, mission accomplished! Then to drive the business onwards and make it the success I know it will be.

Being helpful ... for free!

I do keep doing this and not in a marketing 'give-something-free-and-hook-them-in' kinda way or a big thing about the fact it's my expertise I'm giving away (well apart from this!) but just because it's a nice thing to do. If it brings me clients then great, but if not, at least I helped someone out.

And also a note on being organised....
I'm currently printing out a few new client consultation forms that I complete as I converse with any potential client for reference and to help identify what they require (as I'm sure all good VAs do) but I just don't want to get caught on an unexpected call with no notes to guide my talk or notes on a client in lots of different places!!!

VAs that Lunch and Night Owlers

These are 2 completely awesome skype groups set up by Claire Lydia Ray of Vomnet-uk for UK/European and Australasian VAs to network, chat and generally help each other out. You can drop in and out of the thread and I have honestly not met a more wonderful, supportive and inspiring group of people. VAs are very supporting of each other whether a newbie or a pro, you got an issue, drop it into the conversation and you get instant helpful comments, a virtual hug when needed and inspiration when you get a difficult/interesting to work with client or project.

I found this group and was invited to join via the VA Twitter community and have particularly participated in Night Owlers which is from 10pm (GMT) onwards every weekday. It's convenient as it in no way impinges on the day job or distracts from my VA activities and the wonderful ladies are helping me to stay determinedly fixed on my 6 month plan and are helping me to believe I can actually pull it off!

If you are a VA in any of the above categories or happen to be around when our respective time zones coincide, I seriously recommend you come join in!!!

Creative Business Networking

I attended the LCB Depot TCB Social tonight and have to say it was great. Some useful but short presentations with opportunities to meet with business services afterwards as well as mingle. I met some interesting new people, people interested in research, people who already know me and friends! So enjoyed myself.

I have been thinking a lot recently about how I should approach these evenings (having been reading The Dream PA's Virtual Assistant Handbook) and I went with just being myself. Helpful, offering advice or to put people in touch and using my local knowledge to point people in the right direction. I hope that this strategy engages peoples interest and leads to paid work. Plus it is much less nerve wracking attending as myself rather than getting worried about representing my company, I mean I AM my company after all!!!!

I went to Creative Coffee Club yesterday too and made some good connections there too. Bring on the next event! The more I do this the more likely it is to pay off!

Things are getting busy....

My to do list is getting rather long now and whilst my motivation is still there to keep working towards my Master Plan of full time VA in 6 months my body just feels like this picture. Mmmmm I'd really like to just curl up and sleep for a few days to get back my ability to function properly!!

But with all these new business set ups you just don't get the luxury! So I'm off to Creative Coffee Club tomorrow and then LCB Depot TCB Social on Thursday. I have a computer to back up before it dies on me and a marketing plan to get out of my head and onto paper....well screen anyway!

Oh and a Fabulous networking place to share with you all called Be Fabulous!! Hope to see you in the forums and help inspire each other!

Lots going on!

I've been busy with lots of different things over the last week and am having guilt that I haven't fit in blogging!

I've opened a business bank account, I've set up a meeting with Creative Leicestershire, struggled with some coding and spent the weekend in the total signal dead zone of North Shropshire!

Next big thing on the horizon is the Creative Networking (TBC Social) event on Thursday evening at the LCB Depot in Leicester. My main challenge will be getting people who know me from my day job role to view me in a different light. It could either work in my favour or not....

Some work to be getting on with

The business cards I sorted out for a friend have arrived today and look really great! She starts her music leadership career as of today so good luck Cherie, inspire those kids!!!!!

Now, off to source a good web designer for my brother's music production (fledgling) company! Where does he find the time?? Air line pilot by day, sleep deprived new daddy of 11 week old by night and also metal type music producer......

All I need now is some clients who will actually pay me!

Wireless router should arrive Tuesday ........

Well allegedly anyway! After me phoning up to find out where there hell it was that is.....I discover that they've frozen the order on the computer system because it won't work with our speed broadband. Oh but they haven't bothered to call and tell me!!! Anyway one that will work should now arrive on Tuesday. At least I'll be able to work from bed then as I seem to be working into the night a lot at the moment.

Big lesson learnt!!!

Yes it was about payment. Having been on training courses and read it everywhere on the VA forums and blogs about always getting payment in advance, guess what newbie, desperate to get going me didn't do......obvious isn't it.

Don't get me wrong, client has paid and everything but the dynamic between us is a bit skewed now. Its a bit too employer/employee which is NOT what I want at all!!!! Plus I was really anxious and I mean worried with sick feeling in my stomach anxious until I actually got the payment....it's my own fault I know.

Anyway payment in advance in future!

Distracted from my VA aspirations.

I have been somewhat distracted over the last couple of days from anything Virtual Assistant related. However I have just joined an online course for VAs that's based in the states and also been doing lots of searches to make sure no one else has the same name as I want to trade with/use! It seems a bit trivial but I definatly want to be certain before I order any business cards or anything - otherwise it could get expensive!

I've got Monday off work to focus on my business but it currently depends on whether my daughter manages to be healthy enough to go to nursery. She really doesn't seem to be getting on well with getting teeth. Oh well fingers crossed for a Virtual Assistant focused day.

Keep organising!

Whilst I'm motivated by the forthcoming arrival of my daughter's 1st birthday party on Sunday I am keeping going with the tidying/organising frenzy.

I have been to WHSmiths and purchased an array of storage boxes in their sale and shall be requesting the matching magazine files etc from the children for my birthday and/or mother's day. So the bureau and surrounding work area is on track. Just need the office chair and Mac now!

Tidying phase 1 results....

So here is the toy containment and book facility now resident in my living room...

and Phase 2, tidying of my work space in progress.....
Promise to keep you posted (excuse the pun)!

Fitting in this business set up with the rest of life

I have realised that tonight I can either keep reading advice, writing my business plan and other things related to setting up as a VA or I can do the ironing.

My son does not have any t-shirts to wear tomorrow, so I think my decision is made for me there!

On a VA related note though I have had some very useful feedback on this blog from Sue Thomas so it looks a bit different (if you can tell!) so thanks Sue.

Free guides to setting up as a VA

I have, quite frankly, been bombarded with these from varying places....I can feel a rant coming on! Whilst I am sure that all these people may mean well and be actively encouraging people (well let's be honest here - women) to look at being a VA as a career and growing the industry, I feel rather overwhelmed by all the information. Some of it is conflicting, most of it says don't believe what other sites tell you and pretty much all of it is followed up with a "to find out more spend an exorbitant amount of money to get a book/do a course/join a forum etc etc. I'm setting up in business for pitys sake, I haven't got the money to spare!!

I shall read the 4 I currently have and let you know which ones I think are any good tomorrow. And I may even try not to be rude about them - you never know.

Fellow mumtrepreneur disscussions

Today has been a day for discussing business ideas with a fellow mumtrepreneur. She is looking into more dynamic ways to teach music to young children so it is more fun and helps them learn more effectivly. I have offered her any admin help she may need in setting up like business plans, applying for funding to start up and key from area is my contacts who may be able to help. She's a friend so it's good practise for me and a way to build up my VA expereince. Another potential client I hope!

As my latest Tweet tells you, I'm just tackling the storage issues in my house so that I can actually have a vaguely dedicated work space without having to move house!!! It's too distracting to try to work surrounded by children's books and toys - will post a picture when it's done.

Radio silent for a couple of days

Well I probably will be a bit quiet as we're away for the weekend and it is doubtful that I shall have anything VA related to report.

I have good intentions for next week on sorting out my website (finally), sorting out my logo and getting on with things generally!

Keeping positive

Keeping positive today, or at least trying to. This will happen, people will be satisfied with my work and seek me out for my expertise!! If I say it enough it will happen.

I'm waiting for feedback on my first bit of client work, trying to sort out my website template so it is 'branded', get my logo designed and still have a job and look after my family. Phew, how do we do it all???? I know lots of other mum's and VA's do.

Going to email Jacky from Back Office PA now. I met her at the VA Success Group Training day and she has asked us all for some questions re blogging etc that she can ask someone she know, just want more people to read this really and up my ratings!

Actually working!

Yes tonight I have actually started my first piece of work for my client. It'll be there on that there intraweb for them to review in the morning. I foresee having no time in the evenings at all if this keeps up! Guess until this is my proper job that's how it's gonna be.

I'm quite pleased about that really!

Valentine's day

Yes I had a day off from writing this blog yesterday, here's a little example of why....

Also a reminder to myself why I want to be VA in the first place, so that my work fits in around my life and not the other way around.

Right back to sorting out that quick task for my client!