Happy End of Financial Year or EOFY (well in Australia anyway!) It's that time of the year yet again! TAX TIME! Disclaimer - I'm no Bookkeeper or Accountant, so for all of the info below, please speak to your Accountant first to make sure you are able to claim these expenses. I did, however collect this information from reputable sources, including the ATO.😄 So, What Can I Claim? Your Home Office Office furniture Software subscriptions (Microsoft word, Adobe, Photoshop etc) … [Read more...]
Finding Clients
Not long ago we had a discussion in the VA Directory Facebook Group about how we go about finding clients. It was a lively discussion and I see this question being asked in many groups, mainly by VAs but also by all other business owners. Overwhelmingly the consensus was word of mouth or referrals. This is awesome and becomes easier down the track when you’ve been a VA or a business owner for a while and you have established your business with a number of clients ... ... but what about when … [Read more...]
3 Tips for Gaining More Time in Your Day
Solopreneurs often bemoan the fact that their to-do lists are miles long and they wish they had more time in the day to get all their tasks done. Add in the number of clients they have to serve during the week and the stress can become overbearing. Even though we all have only 24 hours in each day, here are some strategies for working more efficiently so it feels like we’re gaining extra time. 1. Use the Time Blocking Method on Your Calendar Time blocking simply means assigning a block of … [Read more...]
Benefits of multiple clients
Despite the Virtual Assistant Industry being a good 20+ years of age, there are still people entering our industry with the wrong idea. Probably because there is so much misinformation out there. Which is a real shame, as it puts newbie VAs on the wrong foot to start with, and many potential clients also, when it comes to engaging support. I don't know how many times I've said it, but Virtual Assistants are self-employed owner/operators - running their own businesses. That is always how it … [Read more...]
Wondering how our VAs can help you?
I recently ran a poll on our VA Facebook Group and this is the result of the poll responses. This chart may change, over time, as more VAs join our group and respond to it, but I thought it might help you to see the types of things that can be done for you. It might even make you realise there is more that can be done for you than you thought. You may be wondering about the cost as well and that will vary considerably, depending on the type of work being done. Some will charge hourly, … [Read more...]
Including your children in your workplace at home
With the current world wide isolations in place, because of COVID-19, many of us are now working at home, be it our own business, or for a boss and, for many, this also means having the kids at home. The two can mix quite amicably but it can take time to settle into a routine. Believe me, I've done it! Having brought up five young daughters who were aged 7-13 when I started my business in 1994. They're all grown now, four are married, three with children, and are working at home, doing very … [Read more...]
Are you Zoom’d out?
If you're like me and starting to have regular online meetings, you may find yourself doing far too many, in too little time. I've heard some are spending hours every day in online meetings. Was that the norm for you? Regular daily meetings? Remember you are in control of your diary. Set a routine and try to pace yourself. I've decided no more than one meeting a day but for others that might not be realistic. Perhaps one in the morning and one in the afternoon - if they're not long … [Read more...]
Virtual Assistants and COVID-19
I had the privilege of being asked to participate in a panel discussion with 4 other industry leaders, Ingrid Bayer, Liz Parker, Rosie Shilo and Susan Wilkin, here in Australia, being run by AAVIP. It was a great discussion, with all sorts of ideas on what VAs can do to help their existing clients, and potential clients during this global time of crisis, as well as keeping their own businesses operating and looking after themselves mentally and physically. I thought I would share my own … [Read more...]
Are Virtual Assistants Good or Bad for Business?
I recently answered this question at Quora and thought I'd bring the discussion here on my own site. My answer was in response to the inference that they could be damaging to someone's business. And there seems to me, that some think you just engage a VA when you want something done - they don't realise that this can be a long-term arrangement. I'd like you to consider that a Virtual Assistant can be long-term use, not just short-term. Why engage lots of different VAs when you can keep one … [Read more...]