Hello everyone,

I registered on here a while back, but today is my first post.

What a year it's been! I'd been thinking about starting a VA business (part time at first) for a good few months already, and also done quite a bit of research and planning. At times I felt totally overwhelmed. In January I returned to work after being on December break only to be called in and told my division is closing, my team retrenched. I was told they don't know what to do with me, but they eventually decided not to retrench me as I'm 3 months pregnant. The 2 weeks of not knowing was absolute torture, but perhaps that was the push I needed to get the ball rolling on this idea. You just can't be certain about job security these days. With 10+ years experience, I figure I could put in the same effort I have for others over the years, but to my own benefit.

I'm currently working on putting a website together, it's a free offering for small businesses here - however I should probably buy the local domain, it is after all, important to be professional. I'd like to build it up slowly, and eventually quit my job. But before I dream on, I need to figure out my 'speciality', after jotting them down my services do seem a bit general - more to think about.

My question is, how do you know you've reached a point where you've done enough research and planning? What were some of your milestones in the beginning? Getting that first client, the first repeat client, setting up your website? How long did it take to hook that first client?

Look forward to chatting with you all.

Tarryn

I started part-time while working a full-time job (which I still have for a little bit more, although it will probably close around April). I set up my business with the State, post office box, contracts in order, bank accounts, accounting set-up, got my website up-and-running and just jumped in, figuring it out as I went. VAF was only a month old so we were all pretty much learning at the same time!

I recommend the site www.choosewhat.com for a comprehensive setting up your business checklist. For me, the milestones were the things I did above (state, bank, etc.). I started out with a client so getting my next one was HUGE for me! My next major milestone will be going out as a full-time VA (which, as I said, will probably be in approx. April when my 9-5 closes down). Goddess will be 5 in July so I'm pretty well established.

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Lily Chambers, The Virtual Office Goddess, LLC
Author "How to Do Your Own Small Business Bookkeeping"

Hi and welcome aboard!

You will find lots of support and resources on here.

As far as that *first* client, I'm still trying to land mine, however I officially launched on 1st Jan, after putting off getting my website out there for a couple of months before that! I decided I could carry on tweaking it and making it as good as I could, but all the time I was messing with it, it was not online so therefore nobody knew I was out there!

So I just jumped in and published it at the start of this year. It's not great, and I still keep changing things, but at least the net knows I am out there now.

In terms of when I'd done enough research? I don't think there ever is *enough*. Things are changing at such a speed that I am still researching things even now...

That's not to say rush into it - I had been on small business events, and done tons of research throughout the whole of last year before I took the plunge

Good luck and remember everyone here is friendly so if you need any help just post on here.

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Tracy
Eternal VA

Thank you for the warm welcome
I really appreciate the insight. It's such a relief and a great help to know I can chat on here. I'm sure I'll be doing lots of reading up on previous posts, and hopefully eventually also start contributing nicely to this forum!

Lily, good luck with your full time venture, maybe it be a huge success!
And Tracy, I hope that first client pops up pretty soon for you!

Hello Aspire,
It is good to see someone in a foreign country like my self.
I have also just started and did my research and from my experience,
you know yourself if you done your research and you know when is the right
time to start. I am currently negotiating providing trial services for a potential client,
Decide your specialty and interest and focus on that.

Regards

Hi Tarryn, welcome to the forums It's great to have you here!

I was working virtually with clients for a while before I even knew there was such a thing as a VA, so I don't know that I see a 'right time' to launch given that I accidentally put the proverbial cart before the horse and ended up doing just fine with my business. I think if you wait for a time when you 'feel' ready you're going to be waiting a long, long time. Starting a business is hard work but it draws immense rewards. Understandably, it can also be a little scary to put yourself out there financially and personally. That risk is also very much worth working through.

Virtual Assistant Forums offers a great place to network with other VAs - those who are dealing with the same startup phase you are in, as well-established service providers with tons of experience (and everyone in between). Once you get more invested in the community here I think you'll realize that there isn't really a set formula for readiness or a specific threshold you reach where you know you've 'made it' and more of a 'go for it!' kind of philosophy that relies on the old adage 'There's no time like the present...'

Looking forward to hearing more about your business goals.
See you on the boards!

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Welcome Aspire!

1) NEVER stop researching, learning, tweeking and NETWORKING. You have certainly found a great place in VAF to do ALL that.
2) Jump right in and get some business cards and start networking. You can do this while you are earning a living in a "real" job as some may put it. If jobs are a little tight - or you don't want to commit - I always loved to utilize temporary staffing agencies (the ones that do not cost) -- you can gain new skills, training many times, references, and another place to network. Make sure to keep a list of all your expenses for "your" business as you go. It's OK to do a little at a time -- just DO.

Personally I think getting a domain is a good idea - so that you can get name you want and coordinate other things as you go. I actually would have that so I could put it on my business cards.

3) at EVERY question along the way -- present it here at VAF - you will get a variety of informative answers/comments upon which to base YOUR decisions.

Good Luck! -- Deb

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Deb's Professional Services
http://www.debsprofessionalservices.com

In reading my above statement - I was not very clear... re the temp agencies -- hire on as you, not to promote your business.

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Deb's Professional Services
http://www.debsprofessionalservices.com

Hi Tarryn

Welcome from another SAFFA!

I researched and worked on my business plan for about 4 months before handing in my resignation... where I gave 3 months notice. I felt that the 3 months gave me time to get everything in order, but also was a deadline, I had to officially launch my business then. During my notice period I started networking, building my own website and hunting for my first client. Luckily I was able to start doing some work for my business part time before my full time job came to an end and things just picked up from there.

I also started off as a generalist, but after a few months found myself doing a lot of internet marketing & websites, etc, and loving it, so I decided to specialise in this area. I am constantly researching and learning... it's great!

With regards to your domain, I strongly recommend that you purchase your own domain. It definitely makes you look more professional and less of a fly-by-night which I find important here in SA.

Good luck with your business plans and I look forward to hearing how things go.

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Ann du Plessis
www.virtuallythere.co.za