Virtual Assistant Forums | Work at Home Resources

Communicate

Posted 04-26-2011 at 09:17 AM by Off~Site Secretary

By: Melissa Rahko, Your Off~Site Secretary

“Why is that man sitting there?”

The elderly gentleman had entered the pediatric dentist office wearing a red coat and winter hat, each emblazoned with a white “W”. The staff knew him. “Hi, Dave,” the receptionist had said. “I hope next time you are wearing your baseball cap!”

He struck up a conversation with a dad waiting for his little girl. The dad happily discussed the Minnesota Twins with him. Dave was friendly, affable, and obviously at ease in the waiting room of a pediatric dentist. He seemed familiar to me, but I did not know him. I was the stranger there, having driven to this specialist from my own community.

After my daughter...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Business Philosophy

Comments 3 Off~Site Secretary is offline

What is Your Entrepreneur "Type"?

Posted 02-22-2011 at 08:56 AM by Off~Site Secretary
Updated 02-22-2011 at 09:04 AM by Off~Site Secretary (Reveals (3) Different Types; Not (4) ;))

By: Melissa Rahko; Off~Site Secretary

Why did you start your Virtual Assistant business and what type of business owner have you become?

An interesting Entrepreneur Test is available online. The test's goal is to help you to understand your strengths and to capitalize on them. If you know what best "drives you" you can use those qualities to drive your business.

It was fun for me to learn my "type". There are no "wrong" answers to the questions and the results are thought-provoking.

After answering the question, make a note of the type that you revealed and then download the .pdf file. The .pdf file lists the strengths for all (3) types, so you need to zero in...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Business Philosophy

Comments 8 Off~Site Secretary is offline

The VAF Pool Party

Posted 12-28-2010 at 09:16 AM by Off~Site Secretary

My daughter finished up two semesters of swimming classes this summer and was eager to show me her new skills at a hotel swimming pool. As she displayed her new talents, she was unaware of a little girl watching her from the hot tub.

The little girl moved from the hot tub to the top step of the pool to get a closer look. Becoming braver, the little one moved onto the second step and began to call to my daughter. Still oblivious to the little girl, my daughter continued to swim in the deep end of the pool while basking in mom’s “full attention”.

After she showed me her new skills and gathered my “atta girl comments”, I told her the little girl was trying to tell her something. She smiled and swam closer to...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Motivate and Encourage

Comments 5 Off~Site Secretary is offline

Now That's a Niche!

Posted 10-26-2010 at 08:52 AM by Off~Site Secretary

The importance of having a niche specialty or marketing to a specialty niche can be a daunting concept. There is an interesting blog post regarding niche marketing entitled Unbelievable Stories of Niche Market Success.

When you offer a valuable solution to a client's problem you become invaluable. "People that don’t have the time, effort or care to do these activities are your market," is how the article states it. It is a simple concept that is challenging to develop.

In trying to develop my own niche specialty area, I have let a few ideas rattle around in my brain. I think I am starting to see a glimmer of vision building. So off to think some more

~ Melissa

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Business Philosophy

Comments 1 Off~Site Secretary is offline

How High is Your Virtual Balance Beam?

Posted 09-23-2010 at 08:37 AM by Off~Site Secretary

The balance beam is a very plain looking gymnastic apparatus. It’s a 16-foot long (500 cm) chunk of leather-wrapped wood elevated to 4.10 feet (125 cm) with a mere 4 inches (10 cm) of width. When a skilled gymnast takes control of this piece of equipment and combines her own skill and imagination into a routine of jumps, leaps, turns and a final artistic dismount, it is as if the gymnast infuses life and energy into the beam and into anyone who witnesses the routine.

As business owners, we have a virtual balance beam. We can take control of it and execute a routine to give a boost of energy to our clients. There is a long list of virtual assistant skills that each of us has chosen from to build our own business routines. Some...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Uncategorized

Comments 2 Off~Site Secretary is offline

What is Woven into Your Business?

Posted 08-17-2010 at 07:25 PM by Off~Site Secretary

This past summer, my mom gave me a gift. “You need to have a rag rug from the museum. It is part of your heritage,” she said. She highly values the traditions, customs, and practices inherited from her ancestors.

Some lovely ladies are keeping this almost forgotten tradition alive. They cut strips of fabric from used clothing or bedding and weave this weft into sturdy, durable and beautiful floor coverings and placemats.

What a metaphor for my new business! My previous work history has been a hodge-podge mix of interesting experiences. How could I masterfully extract all of these experiences and weave them into Off~Site Secretary? As I reflected on my work history, I mentally cut out pieces of the past...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Business Philosophy

Comments 4 Off~Site Secretary is offline

The Day I Lost My Special Powers

Posted 07-26-2010 at 10:39 PM by Off~Site Secretary

Almost always, I have special powers. Recently, my husband called me and said a large black cloud dropped an invisible kryptonite blanket on our house. He did not use those exact words, but I understood the gravity of the situation. My powers would be rendered useless.

I knew that I would not be able to wave my black rectangular wand to cause pictures to magically appear or to wave my white rectangular wand to make cool air magically blow into the room. Oh, I have lost powers before. I once had a special power that made many pains disappear with a simple kiss.

I paused to consider Off~Site Secretary’s Contingency Plan. If I had any pressing deadlines or business concerns to attend to, we would be able to...

Off~Site Secretary

Contributing Member

Posted in Uncategorized

Comments 6 Off~Site Secretary is offline