This summer Peace of Mind Virtual Assistance celebrated 15 years in business! It certainly doesn’t seem like that long ago however, as business owners we all know, time flies. I am very grateful to the Lord and all my clients and colleagues who helped me and the firm grow over the years.
It is a tremendous honor each day to lead my firm and support our clients. As a veteran in the industry, I’m often asked what do I think of this article or that one. While I’m glad there is a tremendous amount of information on the internet about Virtual Assistants and the industry, much of it is incorrect. Due to this, it can be very confusing for business owners contemplating partnering with a VA to understand if a VA is the right fit for them and their business.
First and foremost, a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Professional is a business owner first, support professional second. Though this seems like a simple concept, it’s one of the biggest misconceptions I see. There is much confusion over this and sadly there are VAs who misrepresent themselves (They do not see themselves as a business owner) so its no wonder their clients don’t either.
This is not a gig until we land our next career role…
Too many new VAs and sadly some who have been in business for a few years are not serious about being a business owner. A VA is NOT someone who can type or is making a little money working in their basement. As a veteran professional VA, my business is my career which supports my family. I’m not looking for a promotion, I own the company. My team and I support our clients everyday based on our expertise of many years owning our VA businesses and 20-30 years of corporate experience.
Peer/peer relationship not boss/employee…
Though VAs are in administrative, financial or technology support roles, we are on the same level as our clients whether they are an attorney, CPA, or Ph.D. We do not work for our clients, we are their partner in the success and longevity in their businesses. As their partner, we consult with them on a host of items that only another small business owner would understand.
Professional VAs charge enough to stay in business…
A few years ago, I was asked to speak at a roundtable of seasoned women business owners. One of the topics I spoke about was rates and asked these awesome ladies what I refer to as my lightbulb question ‘Could you stay in business if you charged $25 – $50 an hour for your services?’ They all gasped and said ‘Of course not!’. Then I asked ‘Then why do you look for cheap professionals to help you manage your business? Don’t you want these people to be able to afford to stay in business and be a long-term part of your team?’ You guessed it…the lightbulbs went on all over the room and a few heads hung in embarrassment. VAs are just like the clients we serve – we all realize owning a business is a financial investment…
-Equipment, software, office space and supplies
-Certifications,licenses and courses
-Networking groups
-Professionally designed marketing collateral
-Conferences
-Coaching
-Team members
I look forward to hearing your story of success when you partner with the right VA or VP for you and your business!
Sue
Leave a Reply