FAQ

What was your background before becoming a virtual assistant?

I have 20+ years of administrative assistant/office managerial experience—7 years were in my own businesses with the previous 13 in Corporate America.  I worked for my husband’s rental property business, Joe F. Corbett Enterprises, and had my own arts and craft business, Beads, Buttons & Books. 

Why did you give up real estate?

After 15 years in the business (only 5 for me), my husband was ready to get out and do something different.  We waited until the market became a seller’s market and sold out.  You can definitely make money in real estate, but I never really developed a passion for it.  It was just a way to make money.  

Why didn’t want to become a full-time artist?

I enjoyed crafting as a hobby, especially the handmade greeting cards with my own poems, prose, and humor on them.  I also did sketching, stamping, and stenciling which gave a nice handmade look to the cards. 

The jewelry was also fun, but I began to realize that my true passion was behind the scenes.  The copywriting, the advertising, and all of the other creativity that goes on behind the scenes was my true passion. 

Since 1998 my jewelry has been televised and auctioned on WVPT to raise money for public television.   This is why I named my company Gemstone Business Solutions to remind myself of all the beautiful gemstones I used to make my jewelry.  I continue to sell to one store, Shenandoah General Store, a craft store just outside of Harrisonburg, Virginia. 

Why did you become a virtual assistant?

I actually had set out to be a freelance copywriter.  After all, I didn’t even know what a virtual assistant was.  Little did I know that clients—many in the arts— needed my administrative skills as much as they needed my copywriting.  Because artists actually have to make their own products then sell and market them, there is a real need in the art world for virtual assistance.

I started offering them “packages deals” with everything included (writing, desktop publishing, editing, and typing), and my business began booming.  Clients were also willing to pay for consulting and coaching when they found out about my previous artistic and entrepreneurial ventures.

How will the client benefit from having worked with you?

The client will see another former and current business owner who really understands the needs their needs.  Because I’ve “been there and done that,” I am sincere in wanting to help their business grow. 

As a small business or sole proprietorship, it is difficult to find the help you need.  Sometimes in desperation small businesses will turn to sales professionals for help.  Sometimes this “help” ends up costing them way too much money for technology they cannot afford and really do not need.  I hate to see this happen.  Not that there aren’t honest sales people out there.

There are so many virtual assistant practices popping up all over, how is yours different?

Well, all of the practices are different in their own way.  What makes my VA practice unique is that I have actually owned two small businesses before becoming a virtual assistant.  I know first-hand the struggle of both the small business owner.   

Do you accept referrals? 

I certainly do.  I love them.  I accept them.  I give them. 

What payments do you accept?

I accept checks and PayPal payments. 

Who is your target market?

You’d think I’d be a REVA or Real Estate Virtual Assistant, but I decided “no.”  Go with the passion.  While I consider creativity coaches, professional artists, and show promoters to be my target market, I keep an open mind.  There are so many small businesses who DO need more creativity and innovation.  In my opinion it is the one thing businesses need more of today—creativity. 

Are you a sole proprietor, a partnership or LLC?

I am a sole proprietor or solo-preneur as we are sometimes called.  Occasionally I will say “we” instead of “I” when referring to my business.  I say “we” to refer to the larger virtual assistant community which prides itself on functioning like a community.  We serve one another, the community, the industry, and one another’s business and clients when necessary. 

What is the greatest asset that you bring to your virtual assistant practice?

I would have to say that it is my creativity.  Clients and others always remark on my creativity and sense of humor. 

What are your “normal” business hours?

I used to be in the arts!  What is normal?

No, I’m kidding.  I try to be in my home office from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST from Monday through Friday.  Many times I can and do work earlier or later, but I try to make it a point to be in the office with these standard office hours.

Do you ever use subcontractors or other freelancers?

Yes, I do use what you would call “subcontractors” or “freelancers” which are usually other virtual assistants or IT professionals.  For confidentiality reasons, I will never bring in another virtual assistant or specialist without the written approval of the client.  Sometimes with the workload I have to use outside help.

Do your clients sign a contract?

Yes, they do.  I have different formats that I use, but the most common is a consulting agreement which I have modified for virtual assistance.  I have never had any problems using a contract.   

It is really for the individual client’s protection as well as mine.  When you enjoy what you do as much as I do, it is easy to get geared up and forget to include something.  For me the contract acts like a check list.  That way, I can’t blame old age for forgetting to include something.

Can you give a brief overview of your equipment and software?

Oh, you had to see my laundry list.  Okay.   Here goes. 

I have a Dell 1704FPT with matching monitor, mouse, and keyboard.  My operating system for this computer is Microsoft Windows XP with McAfee for the anti-virus control.  My ISP is Comcast with High Speed Internet.  I can also access Internet Explorer and Windows Internet Explorer through a temporary default program or typing the full URL into AOL.  I also use Firefox for an alternate browser. 

My software is Microsoft Office which includes: Windows 2003, Excel 2003, Microsoft Office Publisher 2003, Microsoft Access 2003, and Microsoft PowerPoint 2003.  I have Corel Paintshop Pro and an all-in-one (AIO) Dell Printer 922 with scanning capabilities.  I also have a free standing Brother fax machine and a several digital cameras. 

What services do you feel are your specialty?

Our expertise is copywriting and business writing.  However, good writing cannot exist without equally good proofreading and editing.  Then accurate typing and document formatting also enter into the picture.  Sometimes graphics must also be added to the text.

All of these elements must work together to make your documents and manuscripts a complete “masterpiece.”  We like offering the complete package.

What services don’t you offer?

Accounting, bookkeeping, and taxes are not my expertise or even close to it.  I  am not comfortable offering it to my clients, because I don’t even do these for my own business.  When a client requests bookkeeping or accounting, I refer them to talented individuals who perform these skills. 

There is not a shredder big enough in the world to hold my accounting mistakes.

I also do limited web design, but have a colleague that partners with me that does a great deal more. 

What would you say is the main reason why small businesses fail?

I think it is a combination of three reasons masquerading as one reason.  The reasons are ineffective marketing, poor time management, and too much overhead or debt.  This is especially true in the arts, because the artists must also budget for costly art supplies.

How would you help a client coming to your virtual assistant practice with these three challenges?

I would have them delegate the administrative tasks to me.  This would automatically free up a large portion of their time to use towards growing their business and capitalizing on their creativity. 

Then we could also look at marketing and other elements of the bigger picture.  Artists have unique marketing challenges, because their business is tactile.  Their clients want to feel, touch or smell the products.  This is why web sites are such a challenge, but I do know several solutions.  One solution is to incorporate strong copywriting into the web copy to paint a very vivid word picture.  

I would also give them ideas on getting their marketing and office costs down.  This would include a low-cost marketing plan as well as one which could be updated.  I would do an assessment of their current office equipment and software needs.  If the client is going to work with me, he or she really won’t need much equipment, because I have my own equipment to manage his or her business.

Where do you see your business 10 years from now?

While none of us knows the future, I would like to be conducting more teleseminars and writing more books for the small business community and for the creative industry.  Virtual assistance has been the perfect industry for me.  It helped me put a label on what I do, but not put a limit on where I can go with my business and its technology. 

I still have so much love and appreciation for the arts and its professionals, I am honored to be able to serve them in this capacity.

© Gemstone Business Solutions 2006-2009.  All rights reserved.

Questions?  Email me.