When did you start your business?
October 2008

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
I began MLC Business Solutions because I enjoy working in the administrative field and I have always wanted to own my own business. I knew becoming a Virtual Assistant would allow me to provide an innovative way of assisting organizations in the administrative field. It was exciting – and still exciting today – to know that I can help businesses expand on their success.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
Get involved in all the social networking sites that you can. It pays to get your name and face out there. There are also many virtual assistant sites to link with including: FindVirtual.com, VAnetworking.com, and Virtual Assistants Forums; just to name a few. You can learn a great deal just by joining in on the forums and talking with other Virtual Assistants.

What resources have helped you in your business?
The first book that I purchased that helped me extremely was Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker. It helped me a great deal when I started my Virtual Assistant business and helps me today regarding certain topics in the virtual assistant industry. It’s a great book and one that I would recommend to anyone who wishes to start their own virtual assistant business.

Share something about yourself such as a hobby.
I enjoy learning new computer programs and reading books that will help me expand my Virtual Assistant business. Outside of my business, two of my favorite hobbies that I really enjoy are singing and dancing.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
Be persistent, yet patient in your business. Persistence will take you a long way. While patience will help to keep you focused.

Michelle's Contact Information:
Michelle Colvin,  MLC Business Solutions
Website: http://www.MLCBusinessSolutions.com
Blog: http://www.mlcbusinesssolutions.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MLCBusiness
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MLCBusinessSolutions
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mlcbusinesssolutions

When did you start your business?
I started my business in 2005 in Phoenix, AZ.

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
My choice to leave corporate and become a VA came when I found out I was going to be a mother. Not only did I want to be a full-time mother but I wanted to continue to provide clients with administrative support. I really love helping others and felt that it would really benefit clients if they could work more closely with their assistants as apposed to going through a middleman so to speak.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
Be sure to know where your niche is and invest in the VA communities that offer support and information classes such as starting a VA service or marketing your services. I would really recommend that everyone have some money saved up before going into this full-time. Sometimes there are fees for classes that could help, VA Networking sites that offer numerous resources, advice, job opportunities, etc.

What resources have helped you in your business?
Becoming part of the groups on Yahoo and LinkedIn. People can share so many ideas and offer support that can assist anyone in a number of ways such as growing your business, targeting the right individuals, offering support, etc.

Share something about yourself.
Right now my hobby is my daughter it seems, but I love to travel and read as well.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
I would just like to add that I am a bit different than most VAs in that I'm not trying to contract with as many clients as I can. I only wish to work long-term with just a handful of clients. I'm trying to create a 40 hour week so to speak. My goal is to work with clients one on one and be able to provide consistent, dependable and long-term support. I want to be able to provide for my daughter by providing my clients with excellent administrative support.

Simone's Contact Information:
Simone M. Pohl, Executive Virtual Services (EVS)
Website - http://executivevirtualservices.net
Twitter - http://twitter.com/EVServices4U
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/executivevirtualservices

When did you start your business?
Oct 2008

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
When I started thinking about an online-based business I stumbled upon social media for businesses. It then became my passion, and along with the strong heartfelt desire to help people, I felt that becoming a virtual assistant was a great fit for me. With everything that social media encompasses, it became apparent that managing social media would be time consuming. Therefore, if I was going to offer social media services to the fullest, then I needed to focus my training on social media. Makes sense, right? Does that mean I can’t type a word document, of course I can. However, it simply means that I’m not going to stay on top of each and every version of MS Office or QuickBooks, especially since it is not my niche. What is does mean is that I will stay on top of what the social networks are doing and how they are changing our marketing and the way we run and manage our businesses so that I can help you stay on top of everything social media.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
The best advice I would give any aspiring VA is to make a niche out of what you love doing and stick with it.

What resources have helped you in your business?
IVAA, VA Networking and Beryl Powell of Operate it Right

Share something about yourself such as a hobby.
I love to read, I have a backlog of about 4 business books right now, plus one fun book that I am working on. I also have 2 cats, 1 bird and now 1 dog on top of my two boys at home.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
Always make sure to have a balance between work, family and fun. It is so tempting for me to work all day and all night and if I do that I know burn out is coming.

Dawn's Contact Information:
Dawn Pigoni, Be Social Worldwide
Website: http://besocialworldwide.com
Blog: http://besocialworldwide.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dawntrenee
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SocialMediaMarketingVirtualAssistant
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dawntrenee

Sharon is another virtual assistant in Canada that I connected with first on LinkedIn.

When did you start your business?
I actually registered my business name in December 2009. I spent the next few months working on my website, doing research via online forums, getting business cards, designing letterhead and putting client info together. During that time I was still working part-time as an Office Manager. I actually left my job and launched my business full-time in June.

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
I chose to be a VA primarily because of the flexibility of working from home (I have two young children). I was growing very tired of having to stay at the office until 5 p.m., even though I had no work to do, when I should have been home with a sick child. This way, I can supplement my husband's income, do what I enjoy, yet still be a mom.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
I would tell any new VA –do your homework! Research – there are a lot of experience VA's out there who have been so helpful and generous with their knowledge. Also, take some business or marketing courses or seminars – they can be invaluable.

What resources have helped you in your business?
I have used online forums, particularly virtualassistantforums.com and VANetworking.com, quite extensively. Connecting with other V's, sharing ideas, learning from others. I have also joined our local Chamber of Commerce, and found it to be a great way to connect and network with local businesses. I have purchased a few books that are specifically written by and for Virtual Assistants, including Sue Canfield's The Commonsense Virtual Assistant and Elayne Whitfield-Parr's How to Build a Successful Virtual Assistant Business.

Share something about yourself such as a hobby.
Someday, when I have more spare time (hah!), I'd love to get back into some of my hobbies, including scrapbooking, and introduce my kids to the joys of canoeing. Meanwhile, I try to keep fit by walking my dog and bicycling.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
Since I decided to launch my own business, my self-esteem has increased and I feel more confident in my abilities and skills. I never thought I'd be able to stand up in front of a roomful of strangers and talk about myself!

Sharon's Contact Information:
Website: www.ExecutiveOnlineSolutions.com
LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/executiveonlinesolutions

When did you start your business?
January 2010

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
I knew I was good at Administration, but not quite sure how I could still be involved and find a better work/life balance for myself and my family. I stumbled upon Virtual Assistant Forums on Google one night, and discovered the VA world. I haven’t looked back since.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
Research, research, research. Ask a lot of questions and take a lot of notes. There are many people out there in today’s world that we could learn from if only we opened our eyes and ears to them. Also, other VAs should not be viewed as competition; we can network and help each other.

What resources have helped you in your business?
Google is my best research friend, I love it! Subscribing to Forums has also been a big part of my resource library. I also use social media like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with people and ask questions and help answer any problems.

Share something about yourself.
I love to go camping with my family. There is nothing better than just turning off the computer for a weekend and packing the camping equipment.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
Becoming a VA has truly helped not only my self esteem but also my lifestyle. I love my job which in turns flows down to me personally being a lot more content. I get a kick from helping people with their businesses.

Brigette's Contact Information:
Brigette Garland, Bridgeland Administration Services
Website: http://www.bridgelandadmin.com.au
Blog: http://bridgelandadmin.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BridgelandAdmi
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bridgeland-Administration-Services/291398060080
LinkedIn: http://au.linkedin.com/in/brigettegarland