When did you start your business?
I started virtual assisting a few years ago after I was laid off from an office management job. I’d been working in offices for fifteen years so moving to the virtual world to offer my services made sense to me. It started off with small projects and gradually grew from there. After doing virtual assisting off and on for several few years, I decided to formalize my efforts with a business name. In addition, I wanted to provide a resource for new and existing business owners to have help creating and maintaining their websites. So often I see websites that are a discombobulated jumble of themes, broken links, and poor copy. Eagle Eye Web Services was born as a blend of virtual assistant, business consultant, and website consultant in an effort to address some of the issues new and existing business owners face.
When did you choose to become a virtual assistant?
I can’t say there was a definiing moment for me – it just grew from a combination of being sick to death of the corporate world and a need to put my skills to better use. I was sick of butting up against the income ceiling in the corporate world and after 15 years, I realized the only route for me to go was self-employment. I simply wasn’t getting anywhere in the traditional way.
What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
Read everything you can, join a solid network of VAs, and make sure you take a hard look at your rates. I spent far too much time not making money in my business because I wasn’t charging enough. Have confidence that your skills are needed and charge for them. But don’t go crazy with it either. Make sure you have a legitimate basis for your fees.
What resources have helped you in your business?
Linked in, VirtualAssistants.com, and surprisingly enough, fellow virtual assistants. I have a colleague of mine who suggested resources to me when I was first starting out, even though we were both virtual assistants. That is practically unheard of in the cut-throat corporate world. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to not have that pressure of competition. Also, I cannot emphasize the value of networking and building a name in your local community. Those referrals are some of the best opportunities for your business.
Share something about yourself.
I’m a single mother to a beautiful daughter named Liberty. She is the reason behind so much of what I do and has given me the courage, motivation, and strength to become self-employed.
Charity’s Contact Information:
Charity Van Vleet, Eagle Eye Web Services
Website: http://www.eagleeyewebservices.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cmvanvleet
collaborate with their accountant. Eventually they hired an in-house assistant and no longer needed my services. A few months later their accountant moved to another state.
