Just a quick note that they have finally cottoned on that they weren’t charging nearly enough for the huge amount of info and help they provide so the course is going up in price on 12th Jan. Soooo get in there now before the price goes up.
[button link=”http://rockingvas.com/?affcode=64514_uqnxqvk0″ type=”big” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Yes I want to be my own boss[/button]
The world of the internet is a mind-boggling place. It’s full of wonder, more information than humanly possible to ingest and it brings possibilities to our fingertips. Literally.
If I could have one wish, I would wish the internet was as advanced as it is now but ten years ago. It would have made being a working single parent so much easier. I would probably have not had to skimp or scrape like I have had to the last 15 years. I would have been able to work around the children. I would have been able to work for myself and might even be in the position to have enough work to have had taken on staff.
Sounds great but doing what ? Virtual Assistant (VA) work. VA’s are in high demand. As more and more people turn to the internet to earn a living, they in turn ned help with various things. Virtually. As in they are in their office space and you are in yours ….miles away. There are hundreds of variations on that so don’t assume you have to be hundreds of miles away or that it has to be done all via the internet. It’s your rules. A chance to work the hours that fits with you. A chance to get somewhere.
I am so excited that there is something finally for single parents to realistically achieve and hopefully stop being one of the government statistics, so I talked to Sadie ( of Slap Dash Mom ) and Christine ( of Mom2Mom Inspired ) who together have created Rockin Virtual Assistants. They have a course on how to set yourself up as a VA. But that’s not all they cover. They teach you about productivity, sales, client management basics, and a whole heap more. I am doing their course and I am so excited what the future will now bring. Oh and the best bit about the whole course is they have a Facebook group that all the people from the course can join. So whenever you’re stuck or just need some advice they are there to help you .
Is being a VA suitable for a SAHM or even a single parent?
I think being a Virtual Assistant is suitable for anyone who has the drive to make some money! I say this because I was a single mom when I started my VA business. I was broke, desperate, exhausted, and many other emotions I thankfully haven’t had to feel in a long time. I had two kids, ages 3 and 1, and one on the way. I knew I had to do something. I could barely afford rent let alone day care for three kids!
Anyway, I don’t think being a VA is dependent on marital status or even work status. If you have the drive to do better, make more, and don’t mind working hard to get there, you’ll make a great Virtual Assistant as long as you have the right tools to get started.
I know you need a reliable computer and broadband but what else is essential when starting out?
I started out with a computer, internet, and a printer/fax combo. I did a lot of administrative work that required printing and scanning and such. What I really wish I had was a mentor or a coach to help walk me through the process. It took me years to figure out how to make decent money and sometimes I feel like those were years wasted, you know?
If you’re starting out RIGHT now, soak up all the free information you can find. Set up a separate email and sign up for every free course, email newsletter, webinar, etc that has to do with what you want to do in your space. Learn from those who are successful.
I would also say the important stuff is confidence, the willingness to learn, and finding either a mentor or a training program (free or paid, doesn’t matter) that will help you along in the process. You need something that’s going to take you to the next level right away instead of it taking years.
Does having office skills of any sort a benefit or a necessity?
Having office skills is a huge benefit as a Virtual Assistant but more important than office skills would be spelling and grammar skills. Most of my clients are bloggers, and most of what I offer involves content creation of some sort (even when I’m working as a social media manager). If I constantly made grammatical or spelling errors, I’d be out of a job really fast.
So don’t feel like you HAVE to have office skills, and if your spelling isn’t perfect remember there are tools out there to help with that kind of thing. Take a leap of faith, regardless of what types of jobs you’ve had success with before.
What’s the minimum hours you would need spare each week to earn a decent amount as a VA?
This is a loaded question because to me, $1,000 a month is a “decent amount” when it comes to working from home. To others, $200 might be a decent amount and still others might not be satisfied until they make $5,000 a month. My advice is to set your income goals and work backwards from there. If you want to make $5,000 a month, you’re going to put a lot of hours in especially at first. If you’re okay making $1,000 a month to start, you can get away with working part time.
The thing I’ve seen most VAs struggle with as far as getting started is just figuring out where to land legitimate clients. There are so many scams out there.
Are there any negatives with being a VA?
The negatives for me are just ME – I’m a workaholic. I love to work and I’d work 16 hours a day if I could. However, I have a family I need to spend time with, right? So I think the biggest drawback for me is just that there’s no 9-5 “off” switch. I don’t work 9-5 and come home and kick my shoes off for the evening. I’m online off and on throughout the day and night, and sometimes that means late night and quick dinners. I’m okay with that, but if you want a set schedule you might not be looking at the right industry.
What are some of the positives with being a VA?
Everything about being a Virtual Assistant is positive to me!
The flexibility, the room for growth, the unlimited income potential… those are all my favorites.
I absolutely love my career as a VA and honestly if you do something and do NOT love it, stop doing it and find something you do love. Life is too short to waste on crap you don’t enjoy doing. It’s also too short for missed opportunities. Take them when they present themselves.
If you would like to find out more on their course, pop along to Rockin’ Virtual Assistants and be sure to say hi in the Facebook group when you join up.
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