Hi

I'm an aspiring VA living in the Netherlands. I am English and an ex-pat having a PA/Secretarial background for over 20 years before moving abroad. I haven't been totally idle though since leaving the UK as I have taken up photography semi-professionally and was also the secretary of the local English ladies ex-pat club whilst living in Frankfurt. I really want to start my own VA business and to make it work, but I haven't the first idea of where to start. Hence joining this forum. I'm looking forward to "meeting" lots of you and to sharing ideas. Now I'll just search through the various threads and see what I can find!

Jo

Welcome Jo,

You'll find plenty of information in this forum and everyone is helpful and informative. What kind of photography do you do? When do you plan on starting your business? Good luck and see you in the forums.

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Stephanie Finkbeiner - Balanced Business Service
Helping you balance more than the books

Hi Jo,

You're doing the right thing. There are so many threads on so many topics, you'll find what you need. The photograghy will come in handy with your VA business as well. It's good to take your own pictures for newsletters, etc.

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Prins Cowin, CPS/CAP, Virtual Business Manager
www.KingBusinessManagement.com

Thanks Ladies. The photography I do at the moment is Portraits and Still Life. My love is really landscapes and underwater photography but there is no money in that! I plan to use it within my business to a certain extent. One job I have done for a couple of years is taking photos for a local business which sells jewellery and making up information posters for them advertising sales etc. I plan to start my VA business as soon as I have all the information available. To be honest, I'm a little scared at the actual business side of things. I'm sure many VA's/PA's/Secretaries will understand as we are normally the support side of things not the business side, but I will try to get to grips with it and then hopefully just jump in! Any information regarding setting up a business will be very gratefully received! I realise though that we're all in different countries so the rules will be different.

Hi Jo and welcome to the forum. I am sure you will find plenty of information on this forum and people are always very helpful. Personally I can´t give you any information because I am just starting myself and have no real experience. I am based in Madrid, Spain. At the moment I am overloaded with information which I have to put in some kind of order.

I wish you all the best in your new venture.

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Marta Vaquero
www.idelega.com

HI Joanna,
I have only just started on this forum myself. Am setting up my virtual secretary business whilst still working full time. I live in The Hague. Would be happy to meet up and help if you so wish.
I think this site is wonderful and I'm sure you'll find great information.
Hilde

Hi Jo - Welcome to the forum. It has been a wonderful resource for me with getting my VA business up and running. I'm almost there! You will find everyone on the site to be very welcome to share information.

Best of luck to you!

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Sandy
www.eliteadminforyou.com

Jo,
Welcome! I hope you find what you need here to have your business up and running very soon! I am doing the same thing.

Best of luck,
Amber

Hello and welcome to the forum! There is so much information here to help you through it and everyone's so very friendly. Good luck with your new venture!

Kind regards
Kerry

Hi Jo,
Welcome to VAF. As you can see I am in the UK, so greetings from Ol' Blighty. Your photography sounds great. I wish you all the best with your new venture.

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Claire Baber ~ Horizon Virtual Assistance

WOW - lots of lovely replies. At the moment I am looking at the business side of things with the aim to start up my own business. The question is should I start as a Sole Trader or as a Limited Business? How do you guys work this? Any advice gratefully received as usual!! I already have a name and am working on a logo. I know what services I can supply so its just a matter of finding a client and getting started............. sounds huge now but hopefully it will all work out.