This month, we're talking to Lee Drozak of My Office Assistant. Lee has been in business as a professional Virtual Assistant for nearly three years and specializes in Office Management, Bookkeeping and Author Assistance. Here's what Lee has to say about herself:
I believe I was born to be an entrepreneur. For as long as I can remember, I had to work for everything that I wanted; because my parents wanted my siblings and I to know that without hard work there is no reward. This is something that I instill in my own children and am so proud when they find a way to get what they want.
I have been married for over 20 years to the love of my life and my greatest supporter with two awesome children. People are often surprised to know that I have a daughter in college and I am surprised that my son is now 16 and driving. Yikes! In late 2008 we moved from the city to a rural area where we have 20+ acres and a much slower life. It was after this move that I took my business from part time to full time and do not regret one minute.
I started My Office Assistant so that I could be in control of my own destiny. I wanted to have the time with my children and not miss any of their activities. I can honestly say that I think I have been in every gym and/or football field in Pennsylvania. I also do a lot of travelling with my husband and we go away every weekend from April to October in our R.V. The best part is that when schedules permit, we pick up and go and my office goes with me.
I do not have a Blackberry or IPhone because I do not want to be that connected. I have learned that owning your own business allows you to do just that, so once a week I completely disconnect to spend time on myself and with my family.
Which of your services are most in demand and what about that type of task do you enjoy most?
Office organization and management is the most in-demand service I offer. Most of my clients are solo entrepreneurs who are growing their businesses despite the economy. I enjoy the project management aspect while helping them to achieve their goals.
Congratulations on growing your business to this size! When growing your business, what was the biggest challenge for you and how did you overcome this?
My biggest challenge was finding my perfect target market. Since I am a “one stop shop” it was hard to hone in since I had no defined niche. I took the time to refine my marketing plan once I got a clear direction of where I wanted My Office Assistant to go. With the help of some great
PR and marketing friends, I sucked up all the knowledge that they could provide to me and applied it to achieve the path I am now taking.
What type of activity least motivates you, and how do you overcome this?
Saying no is what I least look forward to. However I found out early on that you cannot be everything to everyone. I now have processes in place to direct those clients cannot help by referring them to another virtual assistant, or helping them find another direction to take.
What resources are your favorite and why?
My all-time favourite resource is a networking group that I work with. Not only are the members great resources for my business but they area also a good sounding board. Whether it is talking through a challenge or testing out a new presentation, I know I can count on my group. And of course, VAF [Virtual Assistant Forums] is top of my list. I appreciate the camaraderie among the members and the support that everyone has for each other.
While you were going through the development stage of your business did you identify your niche?
Since I have no defined niche it was at the end of my first year that I knew I needed to define my target market to make great use of all my skills and the services that I offer. For those VAs who are do-it-all businesses, you need to find a specific market for your business. Be detailed and know that you can have more than one but it is best to concentrate on one target at a time to make the most of your marketing plan.
Can you please share with us a success story you have experienced as a result of your partnership with a client?
I have such fantastic clients, but one in particular is a coach who has helped me move to the next level that I want to achieve. She came to me as a disorganized mess, which is funny for a coach. She is now my biggest supporter. She is a true partner with me, sharing all the resources that she has at her disposal to not only make her business fabulous, but mine as well. We are now talking about strategic alliances since our businesses complement each other and she is also sending referrals.
It’s the New Year – what resolutions have you made and why are they important to the growth of your business?
I don’t do resolutions. I think it sets you up for failure. My goals for 2010 are to continue to grow and add to my team as well as work on setting my boundaries. On a personal level, I want to continue to keep myself physically fit and start running 5Ks and possibly 10Ks again. I also want to get my house finished so that my family can enjoy our down time without looking at the next big project.
Can you please tell us about the single best marketing activity you have undertaken for your business?
My best marketing activity is presenting on topics like organization in your business and social media marketing for the small entrepreneur. I have had many successes in my speaking presentations and am now working on a webinar. I have also been asked to be a presenter on a networking cruise that I will be part of in September.
What is your best time management tip?
My best time management tip is to schedule your time. I learned this while working as a supervisor for a title company since there were so many deadlines to meet on top of taking the company from several divisions to a centralized company. I schedule out my whole day and find it has helped my production. One thing to remember is to schedule breaks, lunch and down time for running errands and such.
What do you look for in an ideal client partnership?
What I look for in my ideal client is great communication. I make sure that I have a one to one phone consultation with all my clients to get a feel for how we converse. This is especially important for my author clients because in order to help them sell their book(s), I need to understand their passions and what brought them to where they are today.
Have you worked with other VAs? If so, what did you find most rewarding about that process?
I have worked with a few other VAs and find the most rewarding part is the conversation. Being a home-based business it is great to have other like-minded colleagues to share with. Whether it is to work through a business stumbling block or just talking out an issue it is great to know that I can turn to someone who shares my experiences.
1/2010 Interview with Lee Drozak of My Office Assistant
and I've even gotten to chat with you on the phone but this interview gave me some new insight into who you are and how you operate as a VA. What a dynamic business-woman you are!
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