What are the top 3 books you read that helped you build your VA business. Was it an e-book, a book on web design, a book on owning your own business, or a book on marketing, etc? I am looking to do some reading and am debating between reading marketing/business books or learning/refining a skill. I thought this would be a fun way to get everyone's input.

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Kellie Stotsky
The Essential Virtual Assistant
www.theessentialva.com

Great question, Kellie!

That's a tough one, because there are so many good books out there.

I think as far as general getting-started books go, Virtual Assistant - The Series by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker was overall most helpful, but The 2-Second Commute by Christine Durst and Michael Haaren was a very close second. Both of these are printed books that have been great resources for their own reasons.

For marketing info, I learned a lot from The Virtual Assistant's Guide to Marketing by Michelle Jamison and The Virtual Assistant's Guide to Landing 12 Clients in 12 Months (an e-book) by our very own Doreen Patrick. All of the above have been reviewed on this site, so feel free to check out the reviews for more info on why they're so great!

I'm also right in the middle of Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port, and so far it's been an amazing resource! It's really helped me define my business. Be watching for a full review later this month.

So there you go, my top five business books. I couldn't choose only three because each of these offers their own unique input and information. I'm also a book junkie, so if it were up to me, I'd tell you to read as many books as possible, but unfortunately that doesn't always fit into start-up budgets. Believe me, I understand that!

I'm excited to see others' top business reads. Maybe I'll get some ideas for new books to add to my own library! Thanks again for bringing this topic up, Kellie!

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Tammi Metzler ~ The Write Associate
Free call: "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention!"

My all-time top business read was Get Client's Now! by C.J. Hayden. I read it got part way through the program and had to stop because I was getting too many calls from potential clients. In fact, I need to do it again but keep having things come up that makes me not want to focus on it. Plus, this time I really want to do it with a buddy to have the added accountability.

One book I absolutely loved (and have had to replace because I shared the first copy too many times and couldn't remember the last person I gave it to) was Entrepreneurial Freedom by Jeannine Clontz and Lauren Hidden. It's kind of basic about starting your business, but I've used it with a ton of people that I've helped get their businesses started.

Another book that I read and absolutely loved (though I didn't keep because I new I wouldn't go back to) was Nice Girls Do Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results by Elinor Stutz. I heard her speak at a conference and ended up spending a lot of time talking with her afterwards. I read her book cover to cover very quickly and picked up a lot of tips. It's written more toward women in sales of a product but still very good.

The first two are still on my bookshelf and will remain there. One other book that has been highly recommended to me is Getting Things Done by David Allen. I just struggled through the first chapter and have had a hard time picking it up again. I know I need to but something better always shows up.

That's just from my regular bookshelf. I have some ebooks that I love too but, personally, I prefer regular books. Most of the time I download an ebook to read later and never get back to it. Although, I do have some ebooks I could recommend.

I love to read. I've seriously been thinking about renting a cabin on one of the nearby lakes and bringing just business books and my laptop with NO internet so I could write, read, process things, and implement some of what I learn.

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Lanel Taylor, CVA ~ Virtual Bookkeeper
Taylored Office Solutions
Custom fit solutions for all your office needs.

I don't have three books yet, but the books that I have being consuming myself with simultaneously have been The 2-Second Commute (my boss almost caught me reading this one) and Virtual Assistant the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA. These books have opened my eyes to the practical side of being a VA business owner.

Tammi - So glad you're going to review Michael Port's book. I heard an interview with him and two others (did you catch it too?) and it was fabulous. Haven't read the book tho - can't wait to hear what you think of it.

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com

I ordered 2 of the recommended books. I can't wait until they come. They don't ship until Thursday. I know how I'll be spending my weekend.

Dionne

Originally Posted by DionneS

I ordered 2 of the recommended books. I can't wait until they come. They don't ship until Thursday. I know how I'll be spending my weekend.

So, inquiring (nosy) minds want to know...which ones???

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Lanel Taylor, CVA ~ Virtual Bookkeeper
Taylored Office Solutions
Custom fit solutions for all your office needs.

I ordered Virtual Assistant-The Series & The 2 Second Commute. I can't wait! I love learning new ideas.

Well, I know which books I will be checking out in the future! I love these types of questions Kellie.

I have always wanted to start my own business, since I was a teenager actually, so I have been reading books about business since I was about 18. I even took a few online courses on running your own business. The course books were extremely instrumental to me.

The book that led me to Virtual Assistance and inspired me to follow my dream was Virtual Assistant - The Series, Become a Highly Sought After VA by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker.

I have since purchased several business books -- The E-Code by Jo Vitale and Jo Han Mok. It is all about using email and the internet to grow and market your business. I haven't really read it yet though.

The third book I just purchased and did read was, Self-Employed Tax Solutions by June Walker. It is a very easy to read and understandable book about managing your taxes as a self-employed individual. It made a lot of things very clear to me.

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Darlene Victoria Gonzalez
The Voice & Vision Behind Your Business

This topic is very helpful. I have selected a few of these books to look for and purchase. I think it is great that this forum provides so much help for those of us just getting started.