The Virtual Wire

Sharing a load’a knowledge

Yes typical British slang, which is usually used when people are talking about money, i.e. “I’ve got a load’a dosh” translates into “I’ve got a lot of money.” I know I am being silly, but I just felt like it today.  

This title signifies how I feel this month, especially after the sort of year I have had. In 2009 I invested in a fair amount of training, some still to be completed, and so I started 2010 feeling completely full to the brim with knowledge and now my task is to disseminate this to my clients. 

Continuing in the theme I started last week, looking at my client experience, I also realised that part of this which straddles both strategy and implementation for my business is to work out how I would cohesively share my knowledge as my bank of experience grows. 

Part of this will be solved through my monthly newsletter, and simply the work that I do, but more from a client experience I also realised that I need to improve or establish my business processes so that my clients can truly benefit from all what I have know and how I can help them grow their businesses. It is quite pointless for my client to ask me about a marketing funnel, without me having some sort of process that might help them create or review their own marketing funnel – do you get my drift? 

So I intend to create or develop some questionnaires for my business around some of the more common and basic business building activities like: 

1. Building a website - I use a form which I purchased from VACOC - it doesn't appear to be there now but contact Danielle Keister and maybe she provide it for you.
2. Delving into and developing a social networking strategy 
3. Bio, keyword and business description exercise 

This is just a few that came to mind. Just ways for me to share my “load’a knowledge.” Want to share how you express your knowledge?

Are you transparent?

Life is a funny old game!  It is so interesting how one experience can shed light on another totally unrelated issue.  I am talking about transparency!!

My blog post is coming to you 3 days late because one of my student boarders had a succession of very violent fits on Friday.  It was a totally horrendous and frantic experience which I won’t go into detail that brought to light one thing – he is epileptic.  The thing is his epilepsy was not indicated anywhere on his admission papers, either with his school or with me as his UK host parent.  In addition to this, this student has decided not to tell his parents so far of these recent episodes because he is scared of being “sent back home.” 

But this has flagged up a lot of issues because of his lack of transparency, and more importantly we have begun not to trust him, and believe what he says.  As he is only 16 I am taking the stance that his inexperience in life makes him think that it is a good idea to hide things, but I am trying to explain to him that not being transparent can have a far-reaching negative effect than he cannot comprehend at this point.

This actually made me think a lot about my business and the transparency that some people like or dislike.  Especially in the use of social networks, and marketing in general.  Some people tend to draw a much larger gap between their personal and business lives than others.  But more and more and more as prospects, clients and colleagues we are demanding and expecting an increasing level of transparency between the business and the person. 

Take advantage of this down time

I am a firm believer in staying on top of trends and learning new skills for my virtual assistance business. I know that a lot of virtual assistants are struggling right now to keep (and get new) clients. My practice is actually thriving right now. There are people calling me that I would never have ever thought would be connecting with me. They see the value in paying more to get more and part of my value is that I have a vast knowledge of online marketing. I am really seen as an expert in that area. I keep up my expert status by working with some fabulous clients that are pushing the envelope and staying on top of trends in their chosen market as well. The VAs that are having trouble keeping their practices filled are possibly not keeping up on their skills (just guessing). If you continue to offer the same services all the time to the same clients—they aren’t growing and you aren’t growing. Growth is essential to a thriving business (your business and your client’s business). So during this downtime, think about taking a class or mentoring with another VA that offers a service that you would like to learn. Take advantage of this extra time on your hands and learn a new skill. There are plenty of classes out there (AssistU has some great grad classes and that is a good place to start). Some of these classes are even free and you get to know some great instructors.

Last week Stacy blogged on Virtual Moxie about “low associative borders” and I was blown away. I truly believe that is one of the other reasons why my practice is thriving (even though I charge a lot more and people gladly pay it).  It is because I have very “low associative borders.” I can see what they are trying to do and see the big picture, see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and then the technology to do what they want. So in addition to having some great technical skills, I also have great big picture skills. Now all clients may not need that type of assistance. Some might just want admin tasks taken care of, and a lower priced VA is perfect for that. But if you want to truly partner with your clients (and charge more), you really need to stay current with education and really look at Stacy’s post on “low associative borders.” I forwarded Stacy’s post to several of my clients because I really think it illustrates the different between a regular VA and an AssistU VA. We really partner with and think about the big picture for our clients.

Again, education is the key to really growing your VA business. And if you don’t have “low associative borders” right now, just the awareness that some people do have that can be empowering for you. Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Do what you are best at and thrive!

Looking for a good teacher?

The question:  Where can my perfect teacher be found?  The answer:  My life.  

The lessons we learn (okay, the opportunities to learn) confront us each and every moment of each and every day. This is not new news, although, I find it can be quite easily overlooked.

Several weeks ago my Daily OM reminded me of this critical theme (it's a really wonderful piece).  Here's an excerpt:

"The good news is that the greatest teacher you could ever want is always with you—that is your life.

The people and situations we encounter every day have much to teach us when we are open to receiving their wisdom."

What an incredible learning experience I'm having these days (said with a hint of sarcasm)!  Opportunities abound!  Some welcomed, and some not so much.  Good thing I'm delighted to be a life-long learner. :)  Seriously, I do commit to actively learning, continually becoming and remainining awake, and, hopefully, gathering bits of wisdom along the way. Perhaps, I can avoid repeated themes, although, there's no guarantee.

Certainly, in business and in my every-day activity, it simply makes good sense to me to embrace this perfect teacher.

Happy learning!

The power of a group…

I am currently in year-long mastermind program with an amazing mentor. Every time we have a live meeting, our monthly group call or my private coaching call with her, I am reminded of the power of a group. At our recent live mastermind meeting, I stated that I could have done all these amazing, new things for my business without the mastermind but I wouldn’t have upleveled it the way I am doing. I would have just gotten enough done to launch my new biz (and it would have taken me a lot longer than it did), but I wouldn’t have done it in such a “big” way and really went for it! I think that is because of the accountability of a group (of course the coaching can’t hurt, as well as my daily buddy calls). I love that I can bounce ideas off of other small business owners who can tell just by how I talk about things whether it is my passion and life purpose. If they don’t see my enthusiasm, they call me on it and I look internally at what the issue is. That has really helped me hone in on my natural talents and what I want to do in conjunction with my virtual assistance practice (and my soul purpose).

I wonder how your business is doing right now with the so-called economic downturn.  I know my business is thriving and my money mindset is huge (and the money keeps rolling in, in unexpected ways).  Think about having a coach (Stacy is fabulous) or joining a mastermind to get you the accountability you need to grow your VA business to new levels. Stacy just had her retreat after the Community Recognition Awards in Minneapolis and I am pretty sure that those lucky people that were part of that group will increase their income in the next 12 months (way more than if they had stayed where they were and not participated).  Have you ever wished you could take your business to the next level but afraid to do it alone?  Then do some coaching or join a mastermind group to move things along.

I also want to talk about my daily buddy calls as well, which can be a good first step for some people. At the first mastermind live event, we were asked to pick someone from the group to have as a daily buddy. I picked someone that I really connected with and we do indeed talk daily for a quick 15 minutes. We go over our daily plans to move our businesses along with our action plans.  If I didn’t have that little reminder every day, building my business would fall by the wayside.

What are you doing to build your business? Think about joining a coaching group, start private coaching or fork out some big bucks and do a mastermind (those freebie masterminds with other solopreneurs in your local area don’t count—you don’t have any skin in the game). Then in 12 months, let me know where you are. I really want to know.

Be aware, and then say "yes"

I learned something very important from my AssistU mentor: the simple credo behind saying "yes". It is a great philosophy, so long as you can either do 'it', or get 'it' done :)  D always stands behind her promises, and over-delivers: I admire her no end for that. But I'm not so sure about myself sometimes...

Case in point: as the summer wound down, and as I truly looked forward to the Fall, things began to gather momentum (but not in the way I wanted). First, my teaching contracts for two colleges rolled in. Great. My VA practice was also beginning to get busy. But really, I had wanted things to pick up in August while I still had time to familiarize myself with new things (for new or existing clients).

Regardless of what I wanted, life dealt me out what it wanted. Natch. Life is almost always about more than just "you".

So some elements began to coalesce in a good way in early September, but then exploded a little later on. Problem was--and I'm happy to report it's mostly past tense now--at that point I was full bore with my teaching duties. I had said "yes" to two exciting and interesting (short-term) contracts in August, without knowing or being able to predict when exactly they'd kick into full gear. Short take: they're here, now, along with some other client work, and all of my teaching duties. While I'm very happy and appreciate the work I have, I wish I had some sway on the timing issue!

Had I thought things through more soberly, allowing for the unexpected, I might have said "no" to one of the contracts.

All that aside, the interesting and beautifully simple thing about saying "yes" is that at some point in your life and career, well, you know you can do it. You have left the "yes, but", "maybe", "I'd like to...", and many other excuses or scenarios behind you.

Just make sure, unlike me recently, that your "yes" carries foresight and awareness with it!

Revisiting the basics

In an earlier post of mine (find it here), I shared an important list that I continue to review on occasion.  The list contains the basic reasons I am a business owner today.

Remembering (and continually acknowledging) the primary reasons I launched my own VA practice in 2005 and continue its operation today has become an important exercise for me.  I have tweaked the list of reasons, but for the most part, the sentiment conveyed has not changed all that much.

I imagine many of you have composed similar lists or developed some type of mission statement. I find the list helps me remain focused on the essential elements -- the basic building blocks -- and reminds me of my purpose as a professional business owner. Revisiting the list is a good practice for me. It serves as a good evaluation tool, and assists in keeping me on track and motivated, as well.

Here's what my list looks like today (not in any specific order) ...

I’m a small business owner because:

• I want to enjoy a greater amount of freedom in my life and work.
• I need to be interacting with smart, entrepreneurial-minded folks.
• I need to enjoy my work and reach a level of fulfillment that is satisfying to me.
• I need/want an income.
• I enjoy engaging in problem-solving, and finding creative, alternative solutions.
• I want to use my entire knowledgebase – acquired through years of experience - to make a strong, positive difference.
• I want/need flexibility in my daily work routine.
• I need to be actively engaged in helping others professionally and personally.

Numbers: 20/20

The title of this post doesn't refer to a year--if it did, it would be about the philosophical topic do jour, 2012--but rather about the hindsight we are, all of us, all too familiar with. If not for 20/20, what would we have to gripe about, learn from, or wax nostalgic about?

On this Fall Sunday, I applied a little 20/20 of my own. As I traveled the familiar route to and from the Running Room I'm currently coaching at, and took in some of the neighbourhoods I grew up in, a few of the restaurants I'd been to, and streets and landmarks I've become very familiar with, my thoughts turned to a younger version of myself who had traveled the very same route in years gone by.

I put today's lens on how Rob-then thought as he walked, or drove, or transited over the same routes.

I was amazed at how unfocused, short-sighted, and naive he was at times. His employment and employers were many, but that wasn't all Rob's fault or doing. As much as he'd always been a techno nerd (still is), his then ideas about working virtually had more to with being able to type or word process at home than with the many things he would go on to do as a virtual assistant. At the time, he thought that every new piece of technology was pushing the limit, while in truth at every technology 'leap' we lose more and more people to it. (These are people who prefer to hide behind technology, while preaching about it as if it were a valid communications channel). Rob-then tried to remain loyal to employers, and of course to his friends, but like many of his contemporaries, went through the school of hard knocks and ended up on the sharp end of the reciprocity stick.

The trip home was almost done.

The last bus I boarded this morning rounded the corner; I could see our buildings looming on the horizon. That got present-day Rob's attention, and I/he snapped back to this moment's time-frame. In the 20/20 of this very moment, I saw how I treasured some things for never changing, how I had come to embrace the parts of technology that could only ever be the tools that they were, and how, while not wishing for days gone by, I would continue to look just around the next corner, to see what was coming up.

What I own

I was reading through a newsletter that E has subscribed to for a long time, and one of the interesting points made was about unnecessary apologies. What are they? They are you, apologizing for something you didn't do, have no control over (e.g., the weather), or do not own. This got me to thinking about what it is that I do 'own'.

For the vast majority of the time--maybe always--I am responsible for my actions. So I own my actions. I even own them when I make them in haste. And I own them when I actually do think them through.

A year ago I had a client in my virtual assistance practice who I felt was a terrible communicator. As I thought about this, I decided I owned part of that communications issue. Because of that, instead of telling him what I thought of him (and I wanted to!), I took the diplomatic road. We parted ways. So I didn't end up having to own regret in that case. Years ago, when I was working as an executive assistant for the president of an insurance brokerage firm, I felt my boss wasn't giving me due respect or understanding. Instead of blowing up, or continuing to stew and feel bad about it, I invited him to lunch on my dime. I was amazed at how well things went when we talked it out. In that case, I was fortunate, because I ended up owning part of a positive solution.

Trying to be aware as I can, I know that I don't know everything I own, should own, or should not own. I know I'm responsible for what comes out of my mouth. And what comes out of my mouth isn't always positive, uplifting, or particularly helpful at times.

When my mom died last fall, in one of several trips to the bank (thank goodness one of my sisters was there to buffer things a bit), I got hugely peeved at one of the managers. She quoted me--chapter and verse--the bank's rules on freezing bank accounts of the deceased, and on controlling what assets (little or great) were there. I blew up at her, asking her if she had ever been through this; i.e., in my/our position. I went on to own that remark, and the way it must have made her feel. It doesn't matter, either, that I was to be vindicated later in finding out several people had issues with her. (I was later told that particular person lacked an "emotion chip"). So I had to own a situation that didn't particularly help anyone, let alone me or my sister.

So take stock of what you own, or don't, and keep it real. Your words spoken aloud really do land somewhere; every time.

Numbers: 22

In the original Twilight Zone television series there was a second-season episode called Twenty Two. The main character, Liz Powell, was having a recurring nightmare. In a hospital for nervous anxiety, Liz’ nightmare involved being compelled to walk down a hallway, take the elevator to the basement level, and unwillingly walk toward Room 22. Room 22 was the hospital morgue.

‘Where’s he going with this?’ is a question that might be coming up right about now! No worries, this isn’t going to be a morbid post, nor even a negative one. This post is about dealing with adversity, overcoming it, and experiencing life’s triumphs long before one's personal Twenty Two.

Our downtrodden character Liz was overworked. Perhaps it was her agent Barney, or perhaps she’d decided that’s what she had to do. Because she couldn’t perform anymore (her profession, questionable in some eyes, was a “stripper-dancer”), she was unemployed and left to her own devices. After all, there was always another warm body to do what Liz had done. Evidently even her agent had left her in the useless and used-up category. Liz experienced disappointment at every corner.

Many [most?] virtual assistants and large numbers of other individuals who now own their own companies or practices came from Corporate America (or Corporate [fill in the country name]). While some have largely positive things to say about their experiences, quite a few felt they were simply “another warm body” who could and would be replaced if they no longer got it, no long conformed, or no longer fulfilled the role someone else wanted them to fulfill: a sad thing. I know I got to feel like that.

At the end of her story, Liz confronted her demons and her life was saved: literally. We can but speculate that she would have gone on to take control of her life, and make the contributions that she wanted to make, and done so for herself.