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It Takes a Minimum of 21 Days to Form a New Habit

Lately I have been working on a new strategy to market my business. My business has changed completely in the last year – totally planned changes! – I have gone from running a full time VA business of my own, with some VA training and coaching on the side – to now owning two VA associations, and having my training and coaching at the forefront, and my VA business considerably downsized. It’s been a complete flip – and with that come new challenges. I have earned my main income from my VA business for many, many years now. I know how to market it. I know how to network for it. I know how to find clients whenever I want… Read More »It Takes a Minimum of 21 Days to Form a New Habit

Did You Reach Your Goals This Month?

I taught a workshop this month about goal setting. I know, I know. I talk about goals a lot. But as a business owner, goals are essential to your success, your profit and your growth. If you don’t know what you are trying to achieve – then how can you achieve it? I set lots of goals. Some I reach, others I don’t. I don’t beat myself up about the things that don’t go well. But I do ask myself why they might have failed, so that I can do better next time. For instance, I joined a 100 connections challenge earlier this year. The challenge was to reach out 100 people in 100 days about your business. That means… Read More »Did You Reach Your Goals This Month?

Don’t Wait to Make That Connection

I recently hosted a conference for Virtual Assistants. When you plan an event, you call everyone you know to see if they want to attend, or if they can help or support you in some way. At least I do! It’s important to remember that everyone you come into contact with in your business can play some sort of role – to get the word out, to point you in the direction of great resources, to become your clients, etc. Building your business depends on the connections that you make. And yet, so many VAs I know don’t make those connections regularly. At least not consciously. So at the conference, I kept making a point of telling the people in… Read More »Don’t Wait to Make That Connection

Do You Dream Big?

Have you ever made a vision board? I attended a workshop last week that was hosted by a colleague – it was called Grilled Cheese and Girl Talk. Why on Earth would I not attend such an event?! (you had me at grilled cheese!) The workshop was put on for us to make vision boards. And they even fed us, courtesy of MLTDWN. Wow. So good! I am not a creative person. I honestly have done so many personality tests and brain tests and my creativity is almost totally stifled by my logical side of my brain. So I never GOT what it was to do a vision board. I have never done one prior to last week. Sure I set… Read More »Do You Dream Big?

Say No to Get More Done In Your VA Business

Do you ever feel like you are running so fast that if you stop everything will crash in on you? It’s like that scenario of having so many balls in the air, and if someone tries to catch one for you, they will all drop. That was me, the last couple of weeks. I have a lot going on, like most of us, and my life is busy and so is my business. But it’s really not a good way to be all the time. You have to have ebbs and flows of activity. You have to be able to rest and then come back strong to work well. I know this. I teach this. But sometimes I don’t do… Read More »Say No to Get More Done In Your VA Business

Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant is Hard

I have officially been in business for myself for 20 years. I always remember it because I was 8 months pregnant with my son when I was leaving the office to be off for a while, and my boss asked me when I could get back to work. I worked for a local restaurant chain’s head office. I sort of motioned to my big belly and said, ‘Um, having a baby here, not sure how you expect me to come back to work.’ And he suggested that I could do my work from home whenever I was able, and as soon as I was able. He needed the work I was doing to continue, and he just said to track… Read More »Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant is Hard

7 Simple Tips to Building a Sustainable Virtual Assistant Business

This week I am celebrating my 7th anniversary of Your VA Mentor (I began teaching in 2010). It’s very exciting, and it occurred to me that perhaps I should share my tips with you, for how to remain in business long-term. They are simple tips, and they are ones that I have lived by over the last 7 years. Now granted I have not run Your VA Mentor full time up until now, but I have spent a lot of time and money keeping it in business to serve you – and I’ve done it by using the tips below! 1. Start with your passion.  Whatever you decide to do in your business, know that you will have hard times.… Read More »7 Simple Tips to Building a Sustainable Virtual Assistant Business

5 Reasons to Attend a VA Conference

Working as a solo virtual professional, we sometimes run the risk of having a little too much solitude. Sometimes networking mainly consists of water cooler-type conversations with our colleagues, and then jumping back to client work. That’s why it’s important to seek out opportunities to get out there in person. Live networking events are a great way to have actual conversations with people. It’s a great place to learn and grow, and basically refine your art of conversation. I am hosting the first VA conference in Ottawa, Ontario in May! Are you coming?   The VA Conference will be a great place to connect with your colleagues and take time to work on your business (instead of just working in… Read More »5 Reasons to Attend a VA Conference