Your Name:
Tracy Lynn
Name of Business:
VirtualAlliance2You.com
Type of business: Virtual Assistance
What does your business do? Document management, forms
creation/conversion, writing technical, general, executive, PowerPoint
presentations, desktop publishing
Why did you start the biz and when did your business open? May, 2006.
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. My father was a small
business owner and passed it on to me. I yearned for freedom freedom from the
corporate leash that strangles so many and stifles creativity and individuality.
I want to set a good example for my family. Being successful as a Virtual
Assistant is the best place for me to start.
How many people in your company?
What's your office location like? My office occupies a small room in the apartment we rent in Buffalo. We just relocated and I downsized quite a bit from my home in Florida. I like it though because it is my space. I have my desk (on which sits my brand new Dell) and a matching bookcase, and my Toshiba laptop on a table in the corner. I don’t have room right now for a filing cabine,t so I have the filing crates which work so well for me. We are in a transition at this apartment so I know that I will soon be moving to a home and I will then have a full office; my light at the end of the tunnel, I suppose.
What's the toughest part of running your biz?
I currently work a part-time job. I believe this is a very tough part to running my business. I want to devote myself in a full-time capacity to my business, but alas, as a new solopreneur I need to be bringing in some kind of steady income. Fortunately for me, I do only have to be at my job 25 hours a week. I guess what makes it tough is that by the time I get home, take my son to basketball practice, make dinner, get him ready for the next day, and spend some time with my fiancé, I am exhausted. I still work hard to spend time on forums, or reading articles and blogs, checking out Online BizU, and maintaining my office.
What's the most fun part?
When I get a query from my website and schedule a phone consultation, I get so excited. And then, when my potential client becomes a client, it is so fulfilling. It’s exciting to have someone you’ve never met place their trust in you and your abilities. I love to meet new people, even if it’s only in an online capacity. I also get psyched when I get to chat with other VAs and attend teleconferences, webinars and other informational sessions like these. It is so good for the self-confidence to have such a great support community like those in the Virtual Assistant industry.
Anything you would have done differently?
When my father passed away last July just after giving me my first small-business loan and telling me how excited he was that I was going to work for myself I was devastated. I became the PR for the estate and had to spend a year getting my father’s affairs in order. Unfortunately, I felt I had to make the decision to put my business on the backburner until I was done or at least almost done with the estate affairs. I did minimal tasks to keep the business going but was unable to really put an effort out there that would secure an ample client/contact base. I would not advise this to anyone now. I look back and realize that I should have been focusing even more on my business in the light of this tragedy. My father is my example and he worked so hard his whole life in the face of much adversity like divorce and losing his only son who was just 26 years old. As I hold to this thought now, I know I will not let adversity hold me back. I have overcome many obstacles in my life and I will never let myself and my success suffer when faced with barriers.
Explain what's next on the horizon for you and your business?
I would like to have 4 clients by the beginning of 2008. I also plan to be a
full-time VA by the start of the New Year doesn’t give me much time, but I am
working hard at getting my face out there and learning as much as I can about
marketing and networking. I plan to start an extensive article marketing
campaign after the New Year as well; one reason I joined
Online BizU Donna has such a command
of this field that I know I will gain much from being a member.
What advice do you have for others?
Never give up! I have spoken with several VAs in the last month that are
discouraged by the economic climate our nation is facing. It is hard to keep
going when the money just isn’t there. One of the best remedies for this
mindset, I have found, is to join as many forums and groups as I can and to try
and network with as many small-business owners as I can. The support offers
tremendous positive energy and can really help to recharge my thinking when I
get frustrated and worried.
How do you use OnlineBizU.com to help with your biz or sanity? I was
fortunate to have to the opportunity to attend the IVAA online summit this past
month. I attended some great information sessions, but one of the most
beneficial to me was Donna Gunter’s Article Marketing session. I jumped in at
about half way and missed some great material, but in the short time I was able
to listen, I learned so much and knew that
Online BizU would offer great resources and information. I knew I had to
join to get in on the action. I am new to the group, but I have already been
perusing the article index and checking out the forum. I posted my introduction
and am looking forward to meeting some great people here. I have found another
remedy to the negative energy that can creep up and smack me in the back of the
head when I know that money is tight and I should be working a “normal”
full-time job YUCK!!!! Thanks Online BizU
for offering such a great community forum.
Personal Info:
School
Most recently I finished the JumpStart program at VAtraining.com. I learned a great deal about the business side to my business which was extremely beneficial to me. I attended school at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Florida. I have a Desktop Design Certificate and a Liberal Arts AA. I loved my classes and am always looking for new educational outlets.
Prior jobs or business?
I’ve worked in Airport Retail Concessions, Managed Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Publishing/Printing, Commercial Leasing, and many other jobs in a temporary status.
Favorite food? I don’t have just one favorite food I love my
fiancé's chili, chicken soup and hummus to start. I also LOVE ice cream!
What are your pets' names?
We have a cat named Biscuit. She was found under a shed in a snowstorm in Michigan. My father and son brought her back from their trip.
Do any of these pets help with your biz?
My cat sits on my lap and purrs which really makes me happy
when I’m sitting there exhausted at my computer.
What person or event in your life led you to go into business for yourself?
My father was the catalyst for me. He was, and still is, a source of strength
for me when I revisit my decisions to become a Virtual Assistant. I revisit this
decision periodically as it is important to revitalize my thought-process in
regards to being a small-business owner. I find if I get discouraged or question
my rationale, I look to my father who worked hard for 30 years as a
tree-trimmer, landscaper in Florida. If he could toil in the HOT summer sun for
30 years, this will be a breeze - no matter what!
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