HOME
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The
2-Second Commute
Based on the
highly-successful Virtual Assistant training programs Chris Durst and
Michael Haaren developed
for the US Armed Forces and the US Department of State, The 2-Second Commute:
Join the Exploding Ranks of Freelance Virtual Assistants brings
you the knowledge without
the classroom!
Training program
participants have billed over $30
MILLION since our training programs started in 2002. Now YOU can learn from Chris & Mike,
too, and start your own successful VA business!
2-SECOND
COMMUTE
CHAPTERS
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1
Why
Become a Virtual
Assistant?
- personal & professional reasons to
explore this
industry
Chapter 2
Exploring
Virtual
Assistance
- virtual assistance defined
- industry demographics
- services, fees, and trends
- why businesses work with VAs
- international outlook
Chapter 3
Reality
Checks &
Self-Assessments
- exploring important considerations -
motives,
lifestyle,
family, children, etc.
- entrepreneurial self-assessment
- VA readiness self-assessment
- Spouse With a Mouse™ - from our
Department of State
and US
Armed Forces training programs, a special section to help your
"significant other" understand what it will be like to have a business
in the house.
Developing
a "Service
Menu" That You Can Live and Grow With
- inventory your values, interests, and
skills to
determine
your most marketable skills
Chapter 5
Estimating
Costs and
Setting Fees
- projecting your costs, picking your
"salary", setting
your hour, and our special formula for calculating a reasonable
baseline fee
- comprehensive fee survey (see what other
VAs are
charging)
- getting paid -contracts, credit cards,
invoices,
retainers, etc.
Chapter 6
Setting
Up Your
Business and Your Office
- naming and registering your business
- forms of business ownership
- permits and licenses
- insurance
- home office setup
Chapter 7
Building
a Healthy
Foundation for Your Business
- defining your ideal client, interviewing
clients,
partnering with clients
- the art of virtual communications
- SWOT analysis - discovering your
Strengths,
Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats
- the benefits of "niche marketing" -
identifying your
target
market
Chapter 8
Let
the Marketing
Begin!
- image is everything
- talking about what you "do"
- marketing and email
- your Web site - your "global billboard"
- press releases
- harvesting the local "business crop"
- leveraging the media
- guest lecturing
- our 5 favorite marketing techniques
- the Strategic Marketing Plan - your
blueprint for
building
a successful business through effective marketing
Chapter 9
Pulling
It All
Together and
Keeping It There
- a collection of tips, tool, techniques,
and pointers
for
making your business a success
Chapter 10
The
VA Toolbox:
Resources and Information
- VA trade groups, email lists,
certifications and
training
programs
- specialized resources for homeschoolers,
"trailing
spouses", work at home parents, and people with disabilities
- resources and other information for the
"frugal VA"
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Work from home as a
Transcripionist
 The niche in a nutshell:
A transcriptionist is
a qualified individual (through education or training) who types
verbatim (word for word) what’s been recorded onto a cassette tape or
digital file. A special tape player (called a dictaphone or
transcriber), equipped with a foot pedal and headset, is used to listen
to the recordings. A .wav pedal and related software are used to
transcribe digitally recorded dictation.
Top 5 Services Provided in this Niche
- Transcription of Law Enforcement
Investigations
- Transcription of Legal Documents
- Transcription of Medical Reports
- Transcription of Technical
Documents
- Transcription of General
Correspondence, Meeting Minutes, etc.
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Top 5 Hiring Markets
- National Transcription Companies
- Law Firms & Court
Reporters
- Law Enforcement Agencies
- Hospitals & Medical Practices
- Additional markets and links to
online applications can be found in my book, Start Your Own Transcription Business
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Pay Range for this Niche
Pay for independent transcriptionists
depend on several factors, including the area of the country you
“practice” in, your skills and background and whether or not you’re
operating under a contract. On average, medical transcriptionists
make slightly more than those in other specialties and require
considerably more training than their sister transcriptionists. Start
Your Own Transcription Business
shares a detailed method for figuring your ideal per line and/or per
page rates
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Recommended Skillsets
- Fast, accurate typist.
- Excellent time management and
organizational skills.
- Ability to stay focused and meet
short deadlines.
- Proficient in terminology required
of your chosen specialty.
- Above average skills in grammar
and punctuation.
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Niche
Overview
Having your own
transcription business provides the flexibility that allows for family
and fun time on YOUR schedule, while providing a steady income.
Depending on your skill and the number of hours you devote to your
business, you have the potential of earning a very good annual income
($30K-70K), or supplementing your current income. When I first
started in “the business” my initial goal was to earn enough “mad
money” to pay my monthly SUV note and to fund a nice week-long vacation
for my family. I quickly met and exceeded that goal through
determination, dedication and hard work. You can easily do the
same.
The market for home-based/independent transcriptionists is huge,
especially since the emergence of the Internet. Although the market is
vast, competition is as well so thorough
training, excellent qualifications and proper marketing techniques are
essential to your success. Clients range from national companies
and local health and legal professionals to graduate students and
individuals in your neighborhood seeking a qualified translation of
their recorded information.
Ideally a transcriptionist should possess a very good typing speed and
a knack for terminology, excellent proofreading skills, work well with
no supervision and ability to keep your cool under pressure. There are
other qualities that are essential, such as a good business sense,
proper equipment and techniques, organizational skills as well as a
never-give-up attitude. Depending on your specialty, advanced
training in terminology may be required.
A transcriptionist can specialize in various areas, including but not
limited to: entertainment, general, law enforcement, legal,
medical, medicolegal, technical, etc. Below are a few of the
projects you may be expected to complete when specializing in the
aforementioned areas:
- Entertainment – transcript of
interviews, recordings, manuscripts, etc.
- General – committee meeting
minutes, general correspondence, etc.
- Law Enforcement – criminal
investigations, internal affairs investigations, pre-sentence and
pre-parole investigations, narcotics and other covert investigations,
clemencies, affidavits and warrants, violation reports, etc.
- Legal – various pleadings, private
investigation reports, insurance investigation reports, depositions,
hearings, etc.
- Medical – initial case notes,
psychological evaluations, counseling summaries, sEMG feedback reports,
radiology reports, oncology reports, OB-GYN reports, etc.
- Medicolegal – radiology reports,
toxicology reports, histology reports, autopsy reports, etc.
- Technical – minutes of intense
focus groups, transcription of statistical reports, etc.
There are many online
and residential training programs that
provide an excellent insight into the field of transcription. I have personally reviewed and recommend the
training programs offered through CareerStep
and the Virtual
Learning Center for those interested in advanced training in the
medical
specialty; for those interested in legal and/or law enforcement
transcription,
I recommend the Fast Track LT Course. My
book, Start Your
Own Transcription Business,
includes detailed check-off sheets and questions for effectively
evaluating and
comparing training programs.
As with any business, there are downsides to operating your
own transcription business: the
possibility
of carpal
tunnel syndrome, eye fatigue,
(sometimes) frequent delay in receiving payment from companies you’re
contracted or subcontracted with, no employer-supported health
insurance, no
paid leave and often lonely (no coworkers to chat with).
Overall the advantages far outweigh the
disadvantages!
Recommended Reading
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Tools of the Trade
- .wav pedal and software
- micro/mini cassette
dictaphone/transcriber
- Standard cassette
dictaphone/transcriber
- four-track dictaphone/transcriber
(optional)
- headphones that filter outside
noise (optional)
- amplifier attachment for
headphones (optional)
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Organizations & Associations
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Resource Links
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About Sandra K. Shirah, CLA, CMT -
Transcription
Ms. Shirah holds
degrees in Office Administration, Paralegal Studies and Criminal
Justice. She's a Certified Legal Assistant, Notary Public, an
"approved" four-track transcriptionist (U.S. Federal Court
System). She has “moonlighted” as an independent transcriptionist
since 1989 and in 1994 established her own company, DepoScribe, Inc.
In 2002, in response to an overwhelming number of how-to questions, Ms.
Shirah wrote a short ebooklet to address them all. Four years and three
editions later the 24-page ebooklet has grown to a 170+ page book of
proven tips and techniques for the budding transcription business
owner. Start Your Own Transcription Business won the distinction
of EPPIE Finalist for Best Non-Fiction in 2005. It’s currently in its
3rd printing, newly updated for 2007. To order the book or enroll
in one of Ms. Shirah’s online courses, please visit http://www.kaliannah.com.
Ms. Shirah now concentrates on furthering her writing career and is
contemplating the eventual completion of her Juris Doctor.
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