Probably the biggest problem with being a small business owner is right there in that phrase. Small. Small means few or no employees. Small means you end up doing most, if not all, business tasks yourself, whether or not you’re any good at them. But even if you ARE perfectly capable at completing those tasks, is doing them really a wise use of your time? (Just because you CAN do something, doesn’t necessarily mean you SHOULD.) [...]

A recent article, Get Organized by Hiring a Virtual Assistant, published by Dunn and Bradstreet, showcases how working with a professional virtual assistant can help bring organization, focus, and stability to a growing business. While the article does a good job of explaining the overall concept of working with a VA and even points out the advantages of working with an independent contractor as opposed to an employee, citing “there is no need to pay for health [...]

In our Tools for Business Owners Who Work With Virtual Assistants series we have discussed several tools that can be used to easily communicate with your virtual assistant. Using an online fax service not only serves as a convenient way to stay connected and a quick way to transfer information; it has eliminated the need for another piece of equipment – the old school fax machine. Listed below are some of the most popular and [...]

This is the third installment in the Top 5 Things You Wanted to Know About a Virtual Assistant series. If you have followed our series; you should understand the definition of a virtual assistant and if she qualifies as your employee. This post will address the benefits of working with a VA. Whether you are a start-up business or established firm with a sudden increase in clients; a virtual assistant can help. In either scenario, (and many [...]

This is the second post in our series that reveals the Top 5 Things You Wanted to Know About a Virtual Assistant. Our last post explained the definition of a virtual assistant. This post will answer the question: Is a Virtual Assistant My Employee? The short answer is absolutely not. A virtual assistant is not your employee. A virtual assistant, also known as a VA, is an independent contractor that provides business support to clients [...]

It can be overwhelming being the boss, secretary, web marketer, and customer service rep. Honestly, there is not enough time in a day to complete the work of four, effectively. Yet as an entrepreneur, we are determined to achieve the impossible- all to save a buck. This can cost you the business you’re trying so desperately to hold onto.I know it’s hard to relinquish control to someone you hardly know. Besides the obvious question of [...]

Technology allows virtual assistants to successfully collaborate remotely with business owners located worldwide using many resources that have been mentioned in our Tools for Business Owners Who Work With Virtual Assistants series. Screen sharing is another great method to easily communicate with your VA. Screen sharing allows you to share your desktop in real-time with others. This is ideal for an online meeting, training, demo or web conferencing. Below is a list of popular tools used for [...]