3/2008 Interview with Kate Kerans of Kerans Virtual Assistance - Virtual Assistant Forums

Tess · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008

Kate V. Kerans is a paralegal specializing in real estate conveyancing and CEO of Kerans Virtual Assistance. She possesses over 15 years of administrative experience, with at least a decade of that spent exclusively in the legal profession.

Kate's training includes: the Computer & Office Skills Program at the Aboriginal Career & Employment Centre, the Provincial Paralegal Course at the Alberta Justice College, the Legal Assistant Program through Red Deer College, numerous courses with the Legal Education Society of Alberta as well as 2 years spent at Mount Royal College completing university transfer requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Program.

Kate chatted with us about her practice thus far and filled us in on her biggest goal for the coming year:

If you have any questions or comments for Kate, feel free to reply directly to this thread!

How long have you been a professional Virtual Assistant and how many hours a week do you devote to your practice?

I have been a professional VA since the fall of 2006 and I currently devote 25 to 50+ hours a week to my practice. If I am not actively working on client files, I am researching new projects or perusing the forums.

How often do you work over the weekend?

I try to avoid doing work over the weekend, but I tend to devote all the hours needed, regardless of the day of the week. I hope when I become more established to have more balance in my work vs. life, but for now, it’s the state of being that I am in.

I do have regular horse activities on weekends that I won’t miss them for anything, which definitely helps with my sanity levels!

What is your niche or specialty?

I have become known for my exceptional research skills, which I love to do in addition to writing and editing. I am a voracious reader and I really enjoy proofreading and editing. Weird, I know, but I think its fun!

How did you find and contract your first client?

I answered an RFP from a VA forum and landed my first and second clients.

How important has networking within the VA community been to the development of your practice?

I think it is really important to network within the VA community. There are VAs out there that have exceedingly successful practices and I am always looking for new things to learn. I don’t believe that you can ever get too much training or you should ever stop acquiring new skills, so I am constantly working on self-improvement and looking to others who do the same. It has also been a lot of fun to give some guidance to new VAs. It acts as a measuring stick in showing how far you’ve come and also allows you to share in that newfound excitement that comes with being an entrepreneur.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I am usually up at 6 or 7am as it gives me an opportunity for some uninterrupted work time. My son wakes up around 8-9 am and I spend the next few hours tending to him and household chores. We have some playtime and I try hard to focus my attention on him. We usually have lunch around noon and he goes down for a nap afterwards. His naps last anywhere from 2-4 hours and I work while he sleeps. After his nap, I get supper started and my hubby comes home around 7 pm. My son goes to bed around 8-9 pm and I try to get a few more hours of work done. I try to center my schedule around his as it tends to make everyone happier!

What do you enjoy most about owning and operating your VA practice?

The freedom to choose my own schedule and the ability to spend as much time as I can with my son. That’s really invaluable, getting to watch him grow while still earning an income and I love the excitement that goes along with running your own business, it is great!

What is your most important business policy?

The most important policy I have set in place would be to always be on the lookout for my client’s best interests. Even if by doing so, that takes me out of the equation. My goal is to help businesses grow and prosper and if someone else is a better fit for that client, then that’s what needs to be done and I never hesitate in making that suggestion.

Have you ever changed a policy to appease a frustrated client?

I had a client that was unhappy with several tasks I had done for him. I apologized profusely and asked where I had gone wrong and what could I do to make it better. I made it clear to him that I would not charge for any job he felt I hadn’t performed up to standard. He immediately calmed down and refused my offer to retract my billing and admitted that perhaps part of the problem had been that his instructions hadn’t been as clear as they could have been. I agreed that I should have asked more questions.

It taught me to work hard at keeping the lines of communication open and always ask as many questions as I need to in order to do the best job I am capable of. Sometimes, the instructions we receive are not always the clearest.

What inspires you most and keeps you working to grow your VA practice?

Being able to offer new services. I think it is really important to not become stagnant and to keep expanding your base of knowledge. The Internet is such a great way to expand your know-how and the Virtual Assistant industry is in such a growth stage, I think it is important to keep abreast of that.

Is there a favorite industry book you'd recommend?

Hmmmm…tough choice! I bought Diana Ennen’s Virtual Assistant- The Series: Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA and spent time reading The Two-Second Commute by Christine Durst and Michael Haaren as well as Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited. I should also add that I have become a huge fan of Angela Smith, author of the e-book Online Networking for the Newbie. As far as I am concerned, it is a must-read for new VA’s and established ones; it really is a great resource.

Which tools did you find most useful in 2007?

My Palm-based Treo 755 is what I use the most. I love it! It enables me to stay in touch with clients via phone and email and still be out and about and getting things done. It holds all my contacts, passwords and calendar; I would be entirely lost without it!

Biggest goal for 2008?

My biggest goal for 2008 is to get a more consistent client base. I tend to either be overwhelmed or not have enough work and it would be great to have more stability. I also have to keep reminding myself to ask for help when I need it and not shy away from subcontracting. I am looking forward to the day when I can get my own Virtual Assistant!

kathiemt · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008

Great to read about your journey in the industry - well done, and in such a short time too. This will give so many other new VAs much hope in their endeavour to succeed as well.

You mentioned Michael Gerber's book. I had the good fortune of meeting Michael in 1995 I think it was, when he was in Australia. In fact I spent a whole day in his company and met his wife and kids. We were doing filming for a pilot TV show on home based businesses - it was a show ahead of its time and didn't end up going to air. I was the interviewer so got to ask Michael lots and lots of questions as my own business was quite new at that stage. He has great info in his book and I highly recommend it.

VBP · #3 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008

Hi Kate!

Great interview! You are a great example of what perseverance and dedication can do for a business! It's also inspiring for other VAs to know that even with having a family, you can have the flexibility to be able to devote your resources to where they are needed most at a particular time!

ciboney · #4 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008

Great interview!

virtual writing · #5 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008

Kate, I really liked your 'most important business policy' and the story about the frustrated customer. You sound like a fine strong lady. Kudos!

Kerans VA · #6 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008

Thank you everyone for the compliments, they are very nice to read.

Kathie, that is so cool you had an opportunity to meet Michael. He must have been an interesting person to interview and it sounds like you had a great opportunity to pick his brains. His book really makes you look at owning your own business in a whole different light, I found it a fascinating read.

Doreen, thanks for the kind words. There are days (just like many other Mom's and VA's out there) when I wonder if I have lost my mind and think how much simpler life was when I had a job. And then I remember how miserable I was and how much I hated having a boss and I perk up and think, yup, I can do this! I backed my car into a parked minivan about a month ago

after dropping my son at the dayhome and prior to racing off to school and those exact thoughts went through my mind.

Mary, the one thing that amazed me most about the frustrated customer was that I totally didn't see it coming. Not at all. I thought I was doing a great job, no idea that they were unhappy in the least. If nothing else, it also made me a better VA because I am much more apt to spend time ensuring my clients are happy.

Carlana, you have an amazing work ethic, I liked your interview!

tildavirtual · #7 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008

Well done Kate and I think your interview shows the difference between virtual assistants (people who think a PC and internet connection is all they need) and Virtual Assistants (professional business owners). You should be very proud of your accomplishments!

Modern Marketing Support · #8 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008

Great interview Kate! I enjoyed reading it.

VictoriaEv · #9 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008

Thanks, Kate for sharing your "True VA Story"

My son suggested the Palm Treo 755 so it was good to see another recommendation for it. I've used a Palm for years and have hesitated to integrate a phone and PDA together but I believe the time has done to take the leap.

Agnes · #10 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008

Great interview Kate! I'm encouraged that we can spend quality time with our loved ones and also be productive.

Wishing you continued success.