You Do What?

Due to the economy in November of 2008, I had lost my job. At first I went through a grieving process of sorts...I went through all the emotions...financial fears, anger, relief...and then I came to the point where I had no desire to work any further for anyone else. I was tired of being micro-managed and where my thoughts, ideas and hard work were not appreciated. I wanted to be able to work a job where I could do the things I felt my gifts were strongest in; what I enjoyed doing, and not just what "the boss" wanted done. Finding that job was most challenging. Finding any job was very challenging. The more the recession took over in our country, the harder finding work became. I told myself I would NOT participate in a recession! One day a friend and I were chatting over lunch, and she said, "You should look into being a virtual assistant!" Not understanding fully what that was, I did some research, purchased a couple of books that taught me how to start my business and opened up ACO Virtual Services. Today when I tell others I am a virtual assistant they respond with a shy, descending, "O-o-oh!", which tells me they have no idea of what I do. I have spent the last year, and continue to do so, educating people on the finer points of a virtual assistant. Even when they have a good idea of what the profession is about, they still are a bit dumbfounded and hesitate because they are unsure of how it works. So, getting them to try the services is also part of the process. In all honesty, this is true of any business you start on your own. You need to spend time educating others on the services you offer, helping them to understand how you can assist them. Let them know what's in it for them. Once people begin trying your services and you have some happy clients, the amount of referrals that come through them are quite encouraging and help you continue to move forward. Of course your customers or clients won't convince everyone they tell, but when the refrerrals do come in, you know you're on your way to a successful business--you've got something that people need! Starting from scratch takes time. It's always good to spend sometime educating yourself to improve your skills and knowlege. Finding a mentor is quite helpful. Then there is the process of forming your business name, a business plan, educating others, finding your clients, and finding a niche'. In future posts I will touch on all of these things. If you are just at the beginning of starting your own business, or have questions and thoughts of your own, I welcome your comments to my post. Become a fan of ACO Virtual Services on Facebook!