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
 The niche in a nutshell:
A VA is a home-based independent contractor (self-employed) who handles
business support needs from a distance via email, fax, telephone, etc.
VAs, like many of their clients, are the CEOs of their own companies.
Often, they become the long-term "growth partners" of their clients,
providing administrative support, bookkeeping, scheduling and client
contact, or other more-specialized support such as Web site maintenance
and market research.
Top 5 Services Provided in this
Niche
- General Administrative
Support
- Desktop Publishing
- Real Estate Support Services
- Editing &
Proofreading
- Calendaring & Travel
Arrangements
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Top 5 Hiring Markets
- Real Estate Professionals
- Freelance Writers
- Professional Speakers
- Small to medium size
businesses
- Consultants
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Pay Range for this Niche
VAs generally charge by the hour, at rates ranging from $20-55 (US),
depending on the expertise required. As with salaries, the lower end of
the range would apply to basic word processing and similar
administrative tasks, the higher end for more specialized services such
as Web site design or legal "secretarial" assistance. Fees would be
higher of course for legal research, public relations work, or
corporate consulting.
$20
- $55 per hour (US)
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Recommended Skillsets
Persons considering this type of work should posses the following
skills:
- Multi-tasking and
prioritization skills;
- Experience and true
proficiency in service areas you will be offering;
- Great customer service
skills;
- Understanding of business
practices and ethics;
- Solid working knowledge of
the Internet, computer usage, and software.
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Niche Overview:
This is a
topic
that’s dear to our hearts, as Chris
is credited with having founded the Virtual Assistance industry in
1995. (Click here for the History
of the
Virtual Assistant industry.) We’ve
also played a leading role in building the industry since then,
launching in
1999 the International
Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA,
transferred to its
members shortly afterward as intended at its founding) and virtual
careers
training company Staffcentrix; publishing the first mainstream book for
Virtual
Assistants, The
2-Second Commute; and
developing
Virtual Assistant / Virtual Professional training
programs
for the US Armed Forces and Department of State that are available now
at over
100 military bases, consulates and embassies worldwide.
Today,
there are tens
of thousands of “VAs” working from
their homes around the globe. Search engines also tell the story: Five
years
ago, a search for “virtual assistant” produced less
than 100 hits.
Today, the
phrase nets over 1 million returns.
At
12 years, the
industry is still young, but it’s growing
in reach and depth – and improving the lives of individuals
and
families globally
– with each passing day.
Answers to
the Top 5
Questions about Virtual Assistance
As
you might imagine,
we encountered a lot of questions (not
to mention entrenched skepticism) as we worked to bring the VA industry
from
Chris’s basement to the rest of the world. And while people
now are
much more
familiar with the trend, we still field some questions more often than
others.
We’ll take a moment here to cover the five that
we’re asked most often
by prospective
VAs, prospective VA clients, and the media:
1. How do
I become a VA?
In
a nutshell, there
are three ways to become a VA:
- Hang out a
shingle
(e.g., your Website) and start
passing out business cards today;
- enroll in
some
courses in marketable skills –
administrative skills, commercial Website design, bookkeeping, etc.
–
at your
local community college, and “go live” after that;
or
- take
Virtual
Assistant training either online or in a
physical classroom and, if your underlying or core expertise is
market-ready, launch
when you’re done.
The first
option can
work if you know the Net pretty well and
you’ve got solid, in-demand skills – in addition to
those mentioned
above, real
estate-related expertise is also much in demand – and you (or
a
partner) are
prepared to do the necessary marketing.
The
second option –
taking skills-related courses – might
suit if your skills are rusty (or you want to acquire new ones) or
you’ve been
out of the workforce for awhile and just want to get back into the flow
of
things. On the downside, this option will require more funds in the
checking
account, and necessitate that cashflow be postponed, too, while you get
your
skills in place.
Choice
number three –
specific VA training – will usually
focus on how to launch and grow a virtual services business, rather
than teach
you the underlying skills that you would be offering to your clients.
The cost
can range from zero (if you’re an active-duty military
spouse, see our
site)
for a list of bases where free training is available) to thousands of
dollars. Some
community colleges offer VA certificate programs – Google and
mousework
will
unearth them – which, when combined with a good course or two
in a
marketable
skill, can make a cost-effective solution.
Regardless
of which
path you take, be sure to do your own independent
reading and research both before and while you are in business. There
are a
number of books in print and e-versions now devoted to Virtual
Assistance, and for
a modest investment you can reap valuable benefits, not the least of
which is how
to grow and
sustain the
business and harness
it to your family’s goals to
make it a “win” for everyone under your roof. (If
you shop for books
online,
like most people do, look for books whose “reader
reviews” speak to
these
qualities.)
2. What services
are VAs offering?
While
many of the earlier VAs concentrated
on administrative support, the spread of the industry has broadened the
skillset spectrum as well. Here is just a sampling of the services that
VAs
internationally
are offering now:
Academic
Writing, Accounting
Services, Audiovisual
Production,Business Coaching, Business Plan
Writing,Business
Writing, Calendaring/Appt.
Scheduling, Collection Services, Competitive Research, Concierge
Services, Database Management, Desktop Publishing,
Editing/Proofreading, Event Planning, File Conversion, Fundraising,
General
Transcription, Government
Procurement Expertise, Grant Proposals, Graphic
Design/Scanning, Growth Advisory
Services, HR
Expertise, Insurance Broker
Support, Internet
Research, Interpreting, Import-Export
Support, Intranet
Development/Mgmt., Legal Secretarial, Legal Transcription, Technical
Writing/Editing, Translating Services, Voice Services, Voicemail for
Clients, Website
Design, Word
Processing
3. What
kind of businesses hire VAs?
At
present, VAs are
typically used by smaller businesses (less
than 10 employees, as a rule of thumb) and independent professionals.
Examples
include insurance agencies, Realtors, financial advisors, professional
speakers
and trainers, consultants, freelance writers, accountants, smaller law
firms
and solo practitioners, and many more.
Why
the tendency
toward smaller rather than larger
businesses? Because smaller entities are typically more flexible and
innovative
than the larger, older firms – particularly when it comes to
outsourcing and
staffing.
4. Why do
businesses hire VAs?
Small
business owners
often adopt a DIY (do it yourself)
approach to doing business that may work well when the business is
young, but
becomes counterproductive when the business grows and non-core,
office-support
workflow rises. Then, the successful business or independent
professional
begins to get “clogged up” by the operational
side-effects of success,
and has
less and less time to devote to the revenue-producing activities that
are the raison
d’etre of
the firm.
VAs
offer an
attractive solution, for three key reasons: (1)
as independent contractors rather than employees, they cost much less;
(2) they
require no “brick-and-mortar” investment or
support; and (3) they are
paid only
for time on task or project, rather than “time in the
cube.”
Back to
"Types of
Jobs" List
- measure
your entrepreneurial aptitude,
- evaluate
your fit for a VA career,
- take an
inventory of your values,
- pinpoint
your interests, and
- map out
your skills and abilities.
Self-evaluations
and
preparation should also include a focus
on the family, to dispel work-at-home myths and help your spouse or
significant
other better understand the reality of sharing their home with a
business. To
illustrate, we’ll excerpt below portions of “Spouse
with a Mouse,” the
section
of our book which addresses these themes. (We can also testify directly
as to
their importance, for “Spouse with a Mouse” is one
of the most popular
segments
of our Armed Forces’ Military Spouse Virtual Assistant
training
program, on which
the book is based.)
Here,
then, are some
of the questions, themes and issues you
should bear in mind as you explore whether the VA path might be right
for you. (The
following excerpts and adaptations from The
2-Second Commute are copyright
Staffcentrix, LLC, and are used with
permission.)
From the
“Entrepreneurial Self-Assessment”
- Are
you
reasonably confident that you can succeed? What is your confidence
based upon?
- Ask
yourself how you really feel about risk. Are you willing to take
calculated but substantial chances?
- If you
launch a business, will you have the support of your family and others
close to you? To what degree?
From
the “VA
Readiness Self-Assessment”
- Do
you
take pride in your work?
- Can you
communicate warmth and concerned interest effectively via phone and
e-mail?
- Do you
have a solid track record of establishing and achieving goals?
- Are you
a thinker, a doer – or a mixture of both?
From
“Spouse With A
Mouse”
Having
a “Family
Values Statement” (FVS) can make the
difference between surviving fate and navigating
the future.
An
FVS that truly
reflects the values of its writers (and
the needs of their children) should function as a
“blueprint” to guide
the
family’s principal activities toward their collective Vision,
or shared
dream.
The statement should be a brief, well-thought-out
“proclamation” of the
principles and goals of the family.
Sample
FVS:
“To
create a life of balance in which family is given the time is deserves;
work is
given the time it requires; children are given the opportunities they
merit,
the wings to fly and the roots to stay steady; our bodies are given
health for
longevity and joyfulness; and love is given without
limitation.”
From
“Your ‘Values
Inventory’”
While
it’s often
overlooked in traditional business
planning, being satisfied with your business often means understanding -- and
making business decisions that are consistent with
-- your
values. By
identifying your values and projecting them into the business,
you’ll
be more
likely to create a business that will satisfy your needs on many levels.
When
we begin the
process of identifying our values, we may
often confuse them with goals. To help clarify, a goal is something to
be achieved, an end result. A value is the vehicle that takes you to
that goal. For
example, “getting
rich” or “retiring to a sailboat” is a
goal, while “high income,”
“physical
challenges” or “adventure” are core
values. (And it’s worth noting here
that,
ultimately, if we have lived by them, our core values also determine
our
legacy, our “life’s work.”)
From
“Your ‘Interests
Inventory’”
“Interests”
-- areas that grab your attention and stir your
enthusiasm -- are
usually closely related to your values, and often spark or support
skill
development. Because interests are usually embedded in the activities
we find
the most enjoyable or fulfilling, they’re often easy to
identify.
Think
about the
recurring themes in your life -- ways
you’ve spent your free time, things you daydream about, the
kinds of
books you
like to read, pastimes or hobbies you’ve returned to
regularly,
consistent
choices, etc. Such themes usually indicate a strong interest. Now
imagine
building a business that you’re hoping will last for a long
time, but
that doesn’t include any of your
interests.
Sound enticing? Or deathly boring? The importance of
considering your
interests when you’re planning your VA practice should not be
underestimated!
From
the “Skills and
Abilities” Inventory
Now
that you have a
better idea of your values and
interests, it’s time to turn to your abilities and skills.
Virtual
Assistants
who have a firm grasp of these, and who can describe them succinctly to
prospective clients, are much more likely to have a satisfying,
enjoyable, and
sustainable practice.
Developing
a list of
your abilities and skills can help you
clarify your strengths, boost your confidence, spark your strategic
thinking,
and arrive at a service menu that’s a good fit for you.
| Recommended Reading
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Tools of the Trade
- A computer with Internet
access (high-speed is best, if possible);
- A telephone with voicemail
or an answering machine;
- A fax machine or
computer-based fax capability (or CallWave
fax-to-email);
- Basic software
applications needed to complete the services you will be
offering;
- Business cards (free from VistaPrint).
See our "Freebies
& Cheapies" page for budget-trimming tools and
resources. |
Organizations &
Associations
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Resource Links
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 About
Christine Durst and
Michael Haaren
Christine
Durst is
credited with
having founded the Virtual
Assistance industry from her home in rural Connecticut in 1995. Chris
and Michael
Haaren -- a
former Wall
Street lawyer who grew up
in a log cabin in rural Virginia -- have been leaders together in the
virtual-careers / anti-Rat Race movement since 1999, when they
partnered to form Staffcentrix, LLC.
Through
Staffcentrix,
Chris and Mike developed groundbreaking
virtual-careers training programs, which are now available at over 100
US embassies, consulates and military bases worldwide. In 2004, they
began to publish a weekly lifestyle bulletin -- the "Rat Race
Rebellion" -- full of screened, work-at-home jobs, and tips and
resources to help readers deal with the Rat Race, and find a more
family-friendly lifestyle.
The
Rat Race
Rebellion bulletin -- which is still published and
distributed to professional
career
advisors
-- rapidly grew in
content and popularity, as the Rat Race itself continued to affect more
and more aspects of contemporary life. Chris and Mike felt that people
needed more than a bulletin -- indeed, in their opinion, they needed a refuge,
if only a virtual one -- and this site was born.
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