Interview with Tess, Founder of Virtual Assistant Forums

Hi Tess,

I have just been in this forum for a month and have learn so much from it. I wanted to say thank you for all information you provide here and also to congratulate you. You are just another example of a successful entreprenour. Keep up the good work!! Good luck!!

Karla

Thanks so much for your note Karla! I truly appreciate your positive feedback and encouragement

Tess, this is a great interview! Thanks for the software links as well. It's great you are able to work with your husband. I work with my husband as well, although his is a catering business, I am able to help him a lot!

Tess,
Thank you so much for that wonderful interview. I have been a VA Forum "lurker" for a few months and have always followed you. You're an inspiration and I wish you nothing but success with your business and the VA forums. (On a personal note, would love to get to India someday- hear it's beautiful!)

Best regards,
Danielle

Tess,
I just want to say thank you. You are the prime example of someone paying it forward *PIF* and for that I am grateful.

I also like this quote from you:
What should any new VA know above anything else?

Believe in yourself *and* check your ideas at the door about what it is to run a business. Accept that it is a learning process and is going to present some challenges, this is *not* the kind of work so many people envision (''someone sitting around at home with an internet connection and nothing better to do”) it's SO much more than that and deserves to be taken seriously

This is so true...we must believe in ourselves and know how to deal with the hiccups and nay sayers.

Thank you,
Pamela

Tess, you are an amazing woman. I want to congratulate you on your accomplishments, and thank you for building this forum. It has become invaluable to many of us.

Thank you for the comments

I do love working with my husband - wouldn't change a thing although it was a struggle for us at times early on... you have to kind of work out a system, a way of being together and working together that feels equitable for each and also doesn't leave anyone feeling like the 'employee'. I tend to take control of things and so had to really learn to cede some of that control to Hamid. It's an ongoing learning experience for sure!

Tess,

Wow, what a great interview! Wow, and working from 6 different countries must be challenging at times, but you made it through! I enjoy reading everybody's different experiences with working as a VA, I feel like I learn new things and feel so inspired!

Holly

Wow! I am truly amazed with your interview. I applaud you Tess. You have opened the way for many like myself that desire to become virtual assistant in every sense of the word, but oftentimes fear of failing clouds the mind. As Lily E. Chambers expressed in her thread -- we feel safer in our 9-5 jobs, but like yourself, we want to explore and fulfill our dreams of maintaining our own businesses.

I commend you for the courage to take that walk of faith (blind) and land on something positive, which have no doubtedly grown to a successful business as well as a website that many can benefit from your bravery! Thank you for sharing~

Hi Tess,

What an inspiring interview! Isn't funny how life happens? You found yourself in a business where you were able to be with your husband (if not from a professional perspective initially, at least in the same country)

Congratulations on your accomplishment(s); yours is an inspiring story to us newbies.

Thanks Tess for the insight into how you got started. Sometimes I can overthink things and then I never get started. It takes one step at a time and it is a learning process. Thanks for the reminder.
Lisa

Such nice comments and encouragement, thank you very much for taking the time to read the interview

It really IS a process - this interview is proof of that itself. It's about two years old at this point and here I am in a completely different space. Even now, I am much more confident in my own abilities as a service provider, a business owner, etc.

Thanks everyone for being a part of the giant, ongoing conversation here at VAF!

A truly inspirational story! Your interview has gave me more confidence in starting my own VA adventure!

Tess,

Thank you for such a great interview - truly inspiring!! It has given me the inspiration to persevere in starting my VA business...

Great interview!!! It's so nice to hear of other success stories of life, family and career

Regards,
Kasey Lian
Virtual Assistant
www.virtualassistingusa.com