How to Add to Your Income

Is your wallet feeling a little lighter? Do you need to add to your income? It seems like everything is increasing in price these days except wages, creating an income gap for many households.

While we do not have direct control over the raises we are seeing from our bosses, or the economy for that matter, we do have some control as to how to increase the amount of money we are bringing in. For many people, the answer is adding an extra stream of income. Let’s look at some ideas on how to bring in extra income, where to find these opportunities, and how to figure out what’s best for you!

Check your current income or wages

Before we look at exploring other streams of income, it is important to double-check your current situation. Self-employed? Consider increasing your rates or prices. You want to stay competitive and in line with others, but it is important to be properly compensated for your goods and services.

Ask yourself—Are your rates too low? Have you built up your experience and expertise but kept your rates and prices the same? Do some market research. Be sure to check other similar companies or service providers and compare. You do not want to increase prices without merit. It is also important to know your worth though!

Employed by a company? Do your research, and check if you are being properly compensated for your work. If there is a disparity between your salary, the work you are doing, and what others are getting paid in similar positions, have a thoughtful conversation with your boss or the human resources department.

Bring in examples of the contributions you are making to the company and the impacts you have made (financial or otherwise). Do not expect to get a raise right there on the spot, but there is nothing wrong with having a conversation. You will convey that you are goal-oriented. My favorite question to ask is how to get there. For example, ask the question, “What do I need to do to see a ___ increase within the next _____(6 months, year, 3 years, etc)?”

Ideas to supplement income

Once you have established that your rates, prices, or salary are in line, it may be time to explore ways to add another stream of income. More than ever before, we are seeing people start side businesses. As people see success in these side gigs they often become their full-time business!

Interested in starting your own business, are looking for some additional income, or just want to explore what other options are out there? Let us take a quick look at some ideas on ways to bring in some additional income.

Find a part-time job. Look at the time you have available and see what type of part-time job might work for you. This could be remote work or in person.
Freelancing is a great way to use the skills you already have to make a side income. Ideas for freelancing include design, branding, photography, coding/programming, writing, marketing, and accounting.
Explore social selling opportunities. Also known as, direct sales. While this can be considered a love-it-or-hate-it category, it is a flexible way to bring in additional income. There are a lot of options out there and they are always hiring!
Find companies that offer home-based work opportunities in flexible time frames or hours if needed. More and more companies are offering work-from-home options.
Become a virtual assistant! If this sounds like an option you might be interested in, check out our FREE email course that will have your virtual assistant business started in 5 days!

Did this list get your wheels turning?

Where to find opportunities

Now that we have identified some areas of opportunity, the next question that may come to mind is where to find these opportunities. Here are two suggestions to help you get started.

Good old-fashioned networking is always my first recommendation. As someone who has found most of my jobs and career opportunities through people I have known and networked with, I highly recommend reaching out to people. Let your network know what you are looking for, and spread the word!

Check remote job boards, such as Upw ork, The Mom Project, and LinkedIn. In most cases, you can filter your search by what you are looking for, helping you to hone in on the right opportunity for you. For an inside look at Upwork, read our Freelance Site: Upwork review.

How to know what is best for you

Once you start out on this path, you might find a lot of options and job posts. A few things you want to consider to help you narrow down your focus are to think about what your passions are and what opportunities will give you the best ROI, or the best compensation for time spent.

In addition to income, you also want to consider other goals in looking for additional work. Do you want to build your resume? Are you trying to explore an industry further to know if you want to make a switch? Is a better work-life balance part of the equation? These should be additional factors in your search.

Are you starting to see all of the opportunities that are out there for you now? My biggest recommendation is to just get started. Start the search, have conversations, and be open to opportunities. You may be surprised at what you find. Action is the best step when you are feeling fear or helplessness, so jump right in and get started!

05/15/202305/16/2023

Pros and cons of working from home: Is it right for you?

Have you considered working from home? At first glance, the idea of working from home sounds very attractive. While it has many advantages, there are also some challenges of working remotely.

Let’s take a closer look at both the pros and cons of remote work. Then I will provide some tips that helped me adjust to telecommuting. By discussing this all, I hope it can help you decide what is right for you!

Benefits of Working From Home

When the thought of working from home goes through your head, do some immediate benefits come to mind? I think we can all agree that rushing out the door and sitting in rush hour traffic is not our idea of fun. Perhaps there are other benefits you have not even thought of yet though. Let’s explore some remote work benefits!

No commute – Since I already mentioned this one above, I will start here. Not only is this a more relaxing way to start your day, but it is also a cost savings! Just think—no gas, less wear and tear on your car, no train or bus pass, and/or no parking pass, to name just a few.
Flexibility – If you are working independently at home or have a company that allows for a flexible schedule, this can be a huge benefit. You can set your own hours, schedule personal appointments, and even attend activities throughout the day, such as meeting up with friends for lunch, your kids’ recitals/sports games, or whatever else you might be missing out on now!
Location-Independent – When you work remotely, you have the option to work from anywhere and be a digital nomad! Is your family planning a vacation that falls on a day you have required meetings scheduled? When you work from home and meetings are online meetings anyway, you can still head out on vacation AND make those meetings. Work from the beach, work from a local coffee shop, or your favorite park!
Comfort of your own space – When you have a digital workspace, you can pick what that space looks and feels like. You can decide if you want to listen to music that day or not, what music you want to listen to, and even how loud you want it playing. Your home office can be any color and any set-up YOU want, allowing you to pick colors and items that make you happy!
Work-life balance – Working from home often helps people establish a better work-life balance. You can eat better (and often healthier) meals, you can work on small, personal tasks throughout the day, and you do not waste time commuting, which for some adds hours back into their days they did not have before.

What other benefits can you think of that working from home would bring you?

Cons of Working from Home

As I type this article from my home office, I can hear my neighbor outside using a metal grinder. Earlier this morning there was a truck outside my house flushing the fire hydrants. Unpredictable distractions are definitely a con to having a remote workspace and something you will need to learn to block out or work around if you decide working from home is right for you.

What else might have you second-guessing telecommuting?

Isolation – Isolation and loneliness are some of the top concerns I hear when people find out I work from home. “Do you get lonely,” they ask. “Oh, I could never do that. I would get so bored being alone at home all day!”
Technology dependence – When your day consists of video conferencing, online project management, apps or website services, and other online resources, you become dependent on technology. If your power or internet services go out, you may find yourself scrambling to get back online and stay on task.

Separation of work and home – One con that is often overlooked is the fact that your office resides in your home, often creating an overlap of your work and personal space. Some find it hard to turn it off or leave your work problems “at work.”

Friends and family respecting your work hours – Since I do work from home and can have flexible hours, I find that some people think I am available on a whim. When they know I can create my own schedule, they believe I can make time for whatever it is they are asking me to do. As a people pleaser, I had a hard time saying no for a long time, and I found that all of my “yeses” added up to a lot of time being spent on things OTHER than the tasks that helped pay my bills.
Home office costs – I know not all of us have a separate room to designate as a home office, so the “cost” we are talking about can vary. No matter the size or location though, there are added costs to working from home that you may not have considered, such as office setup, connectivity, IT support, maintenance, and supplies. Make sure you take these into consideration when you are looking at your own pros and cons.

Tips to Help the Adjustment

I found that I had a certain adjustment period I had to go through when I moved from working in an office to working from home. As someone who has been down this road before, I want to share some remote work best practices to help. I have narrowed this down to my top three tips.

1. Set office hours (& stick to them) – By scheduling strict office hours for yourself, you are setting expectations with both your clients and family and friends as to when you are available. It will also help you stay on task and be productive. Setting a consistent schedule and holding yourself to it will also help you separate work and home. Work hours are work hours, and when that time is up you can leave your workspace (and leave work at work)!
2. Stay productive and manage your time – Speaking of productivity, this is one I struggled with the most. I found Carrie’s article on Time Management Strategies for Virtual Assistants super helpful!
3. Schedule social interaction – To avoid loneliness, make sure to work in social interaction throughout your day. Whether it is a video conference with co-workers or clients, a lunch meeting, a coffee meet-up, or a walk with your neighbor, block time in your day to be social with others!

Is working from home right for you?

To work from home or not to work from home…that is the question! As someone who has personally chosen to work from home, I may be a little skewed on this one! It truly is a personal choice.

One thing I did not list in the pros and cons list is the topic of productivity and distractions. I touched on both above, but these factors can play a role on both sides of the pros and cons list. For some people, working from home is more productive. They have fewer distractions from co-workers, fewer meetings, and can focus better within their own space. For others though, working from home makes it harder to be productive with distractions at home, family interruptions, or chores such as the pile of laundry staring at you.

You know yourself the best—which side do you fall on? Can you stay motivated without a boss or coworkers nearby? Do you crave flexibility and independence in your schedule? Hopefully our pros and cons list and tips for adjusting have given you better insight to help you decide if working from home is right for you!

If you are leaning towards working from home, make sure to check out our free resources for some additional tips!

05/06/202205/06/2022

Using Zelle Payment App

While I was trying to figure out what to name this post, I was doing some searching and I came across this story about a woman who was scammed using Zelle. Long story short, she got her money back. But nobody wants to be scammed!

My story using Zelle doesn’t have anything to do with being scammed, but my gosh! I mean, it can happen to anyone, anytime!

What is Zelle?

Zelle is an online payment app that is connected directly to your bank account. Hundreds of banks and credit unions offer Zelle through their banking apps. Don’t worry, if your bank doesn’t have Zelle yet, you can still get the Zelle app from the App Store or Google Play. You no longer have to use the same bank to transfer money between friends and family.

How to use Zelle

Signup is quick and easy through your banking app or online banking website.

You’ll choose to use either your phone number or email address. When you want someone to pay you using Zelle, you give them the phone number or email that you used so that it will go to the correct account.

You can only have one bank account per phone number or email address. So for example, I have my email address tied to one account at bank ABC. And my phone number is tied to another account at bank XYZ. Different accounts, different banks.

Here’s what happened to me using Zelle

I have a client who rents out several Airbnb units. On occasion, for whatever reason, we’ll do bookings “offline”. My client’s preferred payment options include Zelle, Venmo, and wire transfers. Zelle is definitely becoming a more popular selection for our guests as people realize it’s tied to their bank and almost anyone can use it.

We have a new guest who needs to make a payment. In communicating with him, he decided to send a $1 payment to ME to make sure it went through. Well, no sir, “it’s not going to me,” but rather to the owner. “This is her email address: xxxxxxx@gmail.com.”

The entire day goes by and I finally hear back from him. He sends a screenshot of it going to the owner – by her phone number!🤦‍♀️

If you know anything about Zelle, you might know where this is going… Or do you?? Well, you might because I explained this above:

With Zelle, you have the option to enroll with either your phone number or your email address.

I actually just learned this recently! I pay and accept money kinda frequently, yet I just learned this!

So imagine the ordinary Joe who rarely sends money (and probably never receives it) there’s no way he knows that it actually does make a difference if you send it to a phone number versus an email address.

How I use Zelle for my virtual assistant business

I have received payments from clients through Zelle. It was important that I tell my client where I wanted the payment to go. She doesn’t normally pay me that way, and in hindsight, I should have sent her a Zelle request from the bank account where I wanted the money to go. If we need to do that again, I would send a request rather than tell her my phone number or email address. It just reduces the risk of error.

Curious how you could be a virtual assistant? Take a look at this FREE 5-day email course. Seriously, anyone can do it!

I’ve also used Zelle for personal transactions. I send Zelle requests to my ex-husband so he can pay for things for our kids. And just yesterday I bought myself a gift from a direct sales friend. It’s definitely convenient for exchanging money between people without using credit cards.

Is there a solution?

I don’t know if there’s a fool-proof solution to the issue I ran into with my client and our guest.

If it was my bank account, I could send him a request for the payment so that it comes to the correct bank. But since this is for my client, I don’t have access to her account in order to send the request.

I could use something like LastPass to gain access to her account without having the password. But I would still have access to her bank account, which might feel risky to my client. I wouldn’t want to allow access to someone else.

I’ll be thinking about this and I’ll let you know what I figure out!

Have you used Zelle? What’s your favorite app for sending and receiving money?

04/21/202204/21/2022

WhatsApp Business messaging app small business review

I do content creation for a client and one of the topics I worked on recently was WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business. I learned a lot of interesting things about the app and played around with it for quite some time. So I thought I would write up my own review.

While I was working on the articles, I kept thinking about how I could use this for my virtual assistant business or a direct sales business. Other small businesses kept coming to mind with how they could use it.

What is WhatsApp?

First of all, what is WhatsApp? It’s an instant messaging app. And it’s FREE. Worldwide, it’s actually more popular than any other messaging app. Yep, more than twice as popular as Facebook Messenger. Pow!

WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business

Standard WhatsApp is the personal account you might have, whereas WhatsApp Business has features that would help small businesses have better communications with their customers.

When I first started playing around with WhatsApp, I simply installed the regular WhatsApp app. I used my phone number. As it turns out, I was able to receive a message from someone in another country (another work thing). I gave them my phone number and received their text via WhatsApp. So just in that instance, I totally can see why, worldwide, it’s the most popular instant messaging app.

Then while I was working on this latest project, I installed WhatsApp Business. It has a whole slew of features that are awesome for a business.

WhatsApp Business with one or two phone numbers

It’s important to note that you can use WhatsApp Business with your personal phone number. But you can only have one WhatsApp account. So if you want to have a separate account for personal use, you would need to use a different phone number for WhatsApp Business.

As I mentioned, I used my personal phone number for the WhatsApp account. When I installed WhatsApp Business, I decided to get a free Google Voice number and use that for the business account. It’s so cool!

Using my phone number and the Google Voice number, I had two separate WhatsApp accounts. Then I decided to un-link the Google number and merge my WhatsApp accounts. When you do this, you essentially lose some stuff, unless you back it up. So I recommend thinking that through before you spend time setting things up on WhatsApp Business.

WhatsApp Business features

There are a lot of features. I am only focusing on the features that I think would be especially beneficial to a small business. Here goes!

Catalog – that’s right, you can add a catalog of your products or services. They allow you to add up to 500 items.
Greeting message – this is an automatic message that you can set up to send to new customers who weren’t already on your contact list.
Away message – this is an auto-reply you can set up for times when you’re not available, such as vacation, or illness. But you can use this anytime. If you’re a solopreneur, you probably spend a lot of your time creating your product or providing your service. You can’t always respond immediately, but you can have automatic responses set up so that people always receive a prompt response from you.
Quick replies – these are messages you create that help you quickly respond to an FAQ. If people always ask the same question, you can save yourself a lot of time, and reduce errors, by setting up quick replies.
Labels – labels allow you to organize your customers and messages. Adding labels to customer messages also allows you to send targeted promos to specific customers.
Status – much like a status update on social media, when you update your status, all of your contacts will see that. This could be a powerful tool for someone who provides a service. For example, a personal trainer, massage therapist, or beautician; say you have a cancellation. You can update your status so that you might fill that time slot on short notice.
Starred messages – you can “star” any message that you want. Then you can filter to look at the starred messages. This could be used as a to-do list of sorts.
New broadcast – you can send a broadcast to anyone in your contact list that has your number also in their contact list. This is another awesome sales tool for contacting a large group.
Convenient – you can log into WhatsApp from up to 4 different devices. So you can work from your desktop, phone, or tablet.
WhatsApp API – as your business grows, they have resources that some larger businesses need.

WhatsApp Business is like a mini CRM. You can organize your clients and messages in a variety of different ways. Labels can help push customers through a sales funnel. I think it’s an incredibly useful messaging app.

Tell me, are you already using WhatsApp Business? You can download WhatsApp here. But before you go, have you looked at my templates?

08/03/2021

Is it OK to use a freelancer website?

When you decide you want to get started freelancing, you suddenly find there are sources online just for freelancers! It can become overwhelming with all of the options.

So I’m going to answer the question: is it OK to use a freelancer website?

Yes.

But please keep reading because, TLDR: you can get started on a freelancer site, but don’t hang out there forever!

In this article, I’m specifically going to talk about Upwork. I’ll even give you my experience with it!

About Upwork

Back in 2018, I wrote a review of Upwork for Full Time Job From Home. Even then, I already had experience getting jobs through the platform.

Upwork is a place where people (AKA businesses or entrepreneurs) can post jobs that they need to outsource. And you (the freelancer) can bid on the jobs that you think you’re qualified for. Pretty simple.

How to be successful on Upwork

From my experience, the way you will find the most success on Upwork is to fill out your profile. Make sure it’s 100% complete. This will help you stand out against the competition.

Back when I was a bigger user ( I haven’t had to log in for quite some time, but I’ll get into that in a bit) I was able to take tests to help demonstrate my abilities. The tests could be focused on English grammar, etc.

I looked around and only found 1 test for myself at this time. I found it under the heading Find Work. It’s called an Upwork Readiness Test which I am able to take.

“The Upwork Readiness Test has 10 questions. It covers the best practices and safety tips that top freelancers use to build successful businesses on Upwork.” It continues on to say that each question has a 2-minute time limit. And they give you links to study up!

My Upwork Readiness Test Score

Oops! I scored a 3.5 out of 5… and failed! 😳😥

Definitely read up using the links they provide! I wanted to speed through the test to see what it was about. Thankfully, it says you can retake it at any time. Phew!

When do I use Upwork?

I’ve been a virtual assistant for over 5 years. I have clients and I have other lead sources for jobs. (You have to check out the Horkey Handbook mini-course!) But once in a while, I like to see what kind of jobs people are posting on Upwork.

Clients come and go. In the past, as clients have left, I have logged into Upwork and started bidding on new jobs immediately.

I think that’s the beauty of a freelancing site like Upwork. If you feel like you need more money – get online and bid on some jobs!

How Upwork works

When you sign up (for free) you receive what they call connect credits. The connect credits allow you to connect with the owner of potential jobs. You get a certain number of connect credits per month, so there’s no reason to hoard them. When they run out, you can buy more.

DON’T BUY THEM!

Just bid on jobs that you want. And when the month rolls over you can get more credits.

Why I say don’t hang out there

I say don’t hang out there because you’ll be competing against some people who will low-ball the jobs to get them. On the other hand, not all jobs want the cheapest labor! Some people need a certain skill that they don’t have and they’re willing to pay more for someone to do a better-than-good job.

Also, Upwork takes a portion of your earnings. Twenty percent, to be exact. So if you bid $40, they’ll take 20% which is $8, and you’ll receive the balance, or $32.

The nice thing is, you can play with the number to get it where you want it. I adjusted the field for the amount I’ll receive after fees, to make sure I’m getting my rate, and it adjusted the hourly rate I will propose to the client so that I can receive my rate after the fees are taken out.

Interestingly, I was able to submit a proposal even though I just failed the readiness test! 🤷‍♀️

My experience with Upwork

I have gotten at least 2 good jobs through Upwork plus other small jobs. One of them I’m still working with! After our contract ended, she contacted me to work on a different project for her and I’m still working with her!

Another client I’m still in contact with and we’re actually connected on Facebook! Needless to say, I’ve had a pretty good experience with it. But as I said, I put the time in, completed my profile, and took the tests they offered.

What to do next

If you haven’t started your virtual assistant business yet, there are a couple of ways to get started.

If you’ve got $19 burning a hole in your pocket, you can take a mini-course from Horkey Handbook and find out if being a VA is something you really want to do.
If you want to dive right in (this is you if you already KNOW you want to be a VA) you can enroll in Horkey Handbook’s FullyBookedVA system. It’s basically full access to all of their courses for as long as you want to stay enrolled.
Or, you can take my FREE eCourse! You’ll receive 5 emails that will walk you through starting your VA business and you can literally start your business this week!

So is it OK to use a freelancer website? Have you tried Upwork? Are you ready to start your VA business? What questions do you have? I’m here to help!

11/22/202005/20/2021

Should I start freelancing during the pandemic?

So you’re thinking about freelancing? In the midst of a pandemic, I’m not surprised! There are many reasons that people turn to freelancing. But should you start freelancing during the pandemic? The short answer (TLDR): yes!

Now I’ll explain.

But first, what is freelancing?

What is freelancing?

Freelancing is a non-traditional means of making money. It is non-traditional in the sense that it is not the typical means of employment. Freelancers are independent contractors. They are responsible for their own income reporting and taxes.

Why do people want to freelance?

So why would someone want to freelance? When you’re a freelancer, you’re your own boss. Who wouldn’t like that? Some people don’t work well without a boss telling them what to do. But if you’re a self-starter and don’t need someone micro-managing you, telling you when and how to do your job, then freelancing could be for you!

Freelancers set their own hours. They work from their own home office (or kitchen table). They can take time off as needed and don’t usually have to let anyone know about it.

Freelancers, like myself, are home and available to get the kids online for eLearning. I make sure my 4-year-old is paying attention to his teacher. When he’s done, I hop back online to work for my clients.

If you’re not convinced yet, here are some other pretty interesting statistics that might perk up your ears. According to this article on Websitebuilder.org, 25% of freelancers can find work within 1 day if needed. And in 2019, freelancing contributed $1 trillion to the US economy. WOW!

Should I start freelancing during the pandemic?

Should you start freelancing now, during the pandemic? Sure! It’s a sad fact that you may have to try. But let me tell you why that’s OK.

According to Market Watch, more than 22 million people lost their jobs in the first half of the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic that emerged in the US in March of 2020. I’m sorry if you or someone close to you is one of those statistics.

But it’s time to look forward! So…

How do you break into freelancing?

I think one of the hardest things about losing your job or getting into freelancing is explaining why you’ve come to the decision to start freelancing.

If you’re used to working in an office, you don’t realize how mainstream freelancing is in some circles. But I can see how someone might not want to tell their friends and former co-workers that they are now freelancing. It just sounds strange. Or does it?

Change your mindset. Now.

Say this out loud and take ownership of it: I decided to start (fill in the blank with your job or skill) as an independent contractor instead of an employee because (fill in the blank with your key reason for working for yourself).

Here’s what I would say: I decided to start doing marketing consulting as an independent contractor so I can be home and available for my kids when they’re little.

Now, you may have lost your job because of the pandemic and if you’re comfortable saying that, then by all means say that! But if you’re feeling down about it, like you didn’t have a choice, put a spin on it.

Find the reasons that freelancing is an advantage for you and say that you made this decision just in time. Or it was serendipity that you can now be a freelancer instead of an employee.

Say, “I had been thinking about going out on my own for some time. Now it’s a blessing to be home with my kids while they’re eLearning.”

I’m going out on my own

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard someone say, I’m going out on my own.

Anyone who says that is a freelancer! They may not consider themself a freelancer, but it’s essentially the same thing! They are an independent contractor.

True, that person going out on their own may eventually incorporate their business. But the beginning of the process is very similar.

If you’re not comfortable with the term freelancer, you can say it this way.

Examples of jobs you can do freelance

Let’s look at what you can do. Freelancers take a skill that they have and offer it “on the side”. If you find yourself without a job, you can take something that you did for your employer and offer it on a contractual basis to someone else similar to your former employer.

The examples are going to be endless, but I’ll start a list.

Bookkeeper
Content creator
Secretary
Scheduler
Calendar management
Appointment setter
Customer service
Designer
Developer
Programmer

I think you get the idea. Horkey Handbook has published a very long list to give you some ideas of things you can do as a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant is basically a freelancer.

How do you start getting jobs?

When you get in the groove and get comfortable with your new role as a freelancer, you’ll see opportunities. You’ll be prepared to talk about it – what you could do to solve someone’s problem. Or better yet, what you can do to increase their revenue.

But what about now? There are several job boards for freelancers. One that I’ve used with success is called Upwork. I don’t use it regularly now, but I probably have looked at it in the last year just to see what people are looking for.

If I suddenly lost all of my clients, I would look there to see if anything caught my attention. According to that article on Websitebuilder.org, freelancers earn over a billion dollars yearly on Upwork.

What’s next?

Well, I guess it depends on if you’re out of a job or if you’re just thinking about your options.

If you’re out of work, I would get signed up with Upwork immediately and start making offers! The site is pretty self-explanatory. Fill out everything as completely as possible. And start pitching!

If you’re looking at options for stay at homework, or to replace your day job, check out this list of services you can provide. You can get it in exchange for your email address. It’s totally worth it!

08/21/202012/13/2020

Can you be a virtual assistant with kids?

Can you be a virtual assistant with kids at home? Absolutely! Even with small kiddos like mine! My kids are 6, 4, and less than 1 year. AND, we’ll be starting first grade and full-day pre-K next week from home! 🤣

I was choosing to keep the kids home this year. Thanks to Covid and the expectations to wear masks and social distance while in school, I just didn’t think that was realistic for our little ones. But after making my choice, our school district announced that we would ALL be e-Learning at least until mid-October.

Where did I learn to be a virtual assistant?

I guess I learned it over the years! My first job out of college was technical services – kind of like customer service but more technical in nature. I have taken several courses from Horkey Handbook, but what I really recommend is to get this list from them – it’s 150+ services you can offer as a VA. The list is free – just give your email in exchange for the list. Check it out and you’ll see that you already have services you could offer!

How do the kids affect my virtual assistant business?

I mean, it does affect my business a little bit. But it’s not going to be a huge burden. I am so blessed that I’m already working from home. And to top it off, I can set my own schedule. So my day will change a bit because of the e-Learning requirements, but honestly, I’m feeling pretty lucky!

What will our days look like?

The school day starts at 7:45 am and ends at 2:15 pm. Before I was pregnant with the baby, I would get up around 5:30 am when my husband leaves for work. I could get in a solid 2 hours of work before the kids even got up. It was awesome!

Now that we have the baby – who still doesn’t sleep through the night – I am sometimes up that early, but not consistently. But what I am hoping for is to get up early and get in even just 1 hour before the kids need to start school.

That one hour before school starts will be my bonus time! But I won’t bank on it. I will plan on starting my workday around 3 pm when the kids are done with school and I’m done feeding the baby. Because that still has to happen! 🍼

How do other virtual assistants fit their business into their day?

As many VA’s are getting started, many are still working full time while they slowly add clients to their roster. Many VA’s get up early and then work late at night after a full day of work and the family goes to bed.

Where will we all sit?

Sounds like a funny question, but I know you’re thinking it! I’ve been watching my friends post their school setups on Facebook for the past week. I don’t know if we have a good setup, but I’m giving it a shot!

We’re all going to sit at the kitchen table. Our kitchen and living room all blend into one space. I have a small office, but I’ve been at the kitchen table since the baby was born. I need to be right in the room with everyone so I can keep my eagle eye on the baby and the other kids!

We also have a playroom that I thought about setting up like a school, but decided against it since that would require a table or desks. Plus since they’re so young, they’ll need my help for almost the whole day, so I decided on the kitchen table.

Staying organized is key!

I’m adding a small cubbie shelving unit next to the table so I can keep our stuff off of the table while school is not in session!🤣 I got something to match the other shelving unit we already have in the living room. My husband makes fun of my shelves. I love my shelves!

I think being organized is a very big part of working from home and now schooling from home too! If you are organized, both physically and digitally, you will spend less time prepping and more time working.

One of the things that keeps me organized digitally is Trello. I’m a big fan. And Client Portal. In fact, I have a discount code you can use for Client Portal. Use CARRIESdiscount at checkout to get 10% off! You can see more about Client Portal in this article I wrote.

Summary

Yes, you can totally be a virtual assistant with kids at home!! Actually, I recommend it! Unlike another job that you have to work specific hours, you’ll be free to set your schedule and work the hours that are best for you and your family!

Thanks for checking out my blog and seeing what I have to say about being a virtual assistant! Join my email list to stay in the know about virtual assisting!

08/14/202012/13/2020

Can you work from home as a Virtual Assistant

Are you currently a stay at home mom? Well, you’re already in the right place! But joking aside… that’s basically what I am! In my article on my pet project mommy blog, I talked about my schedule in this short post.

But you’re here because you want to know: Can you work from home as a virtual assistant. The simple answer is yes. YES! Yes, you can!

Do you have to work from home to be a virtual assistant?

No, you can work from a coffee shop (if we were sitting in coffee shops these days, thanks COVID). I used to go to our local library to get some focused time.

It might depend on your reason for wanting to be a virtual assistant. I started out wanting to be a VA because I wanted to be home with my kids. So why would I leave the house to be a VA if I wanted to be at home?

Simple: I AM home with my kids. Sometimes, when my husband gets home from work, I need to put in some time, so I go somewhere quiet. But the point is that I AM HOME when my kids need me.

If my kids are sick, I’m home with them. If it’s a snow day, I’m home. Doctor’s appointments, no problem!

How do you start working as a virtual assistant?

Here’s how it might look:

You will meet a potential client online, possibly from an ad on LinkedIn. Or you’ll see an acquaintance post something on Facebook stating that they need help with something.
If you know how to do the thing they need help with, you reach out to them, electronically, through the same platform you heard of their need.
You’ll go back and forth with a discussion, possibly do a zoom meeting.
Together you will define your scope of services.
You write up the appropriate and necessary contract. (here are my contracts)
You’ll start working.

Is that simplified? Overly! But you should get the idea. You CAN work from home as a virtual assistant! Check out this list from Horkey Handbook. It’s 150+ services you can offer as a virtual assistant.

What do you need to be a virtual assistant?

There’s not much that you really need to be a VA. You’ll need a computer and internet access. Even a phone could be considered optional. Personally, I text with my clients for quick questions, but otherwise, everything is done by email. I do virtual “calls” as one of my tasks for a client and those “calls” are through the computer. So again, only my computer is needed.

You also need to have contracts with your clients. Any legit business person will want to have a contract and will understand that you want one too. I have a contract template as part of my Asset Pack.

Do I need to have a website to be a virtual assistant?

Do you need to have a website? Nope. I started one right away because I wanted to learn WordPress. But it’s not necessary to get started as a VA. A simple Facebook Page would suffice.

Do I need to take a course to be a virtual assistant?

IF you wanted to take a course to start your journey as a virtual assistant, this is the course I recommend – 30 Days or Less to VA Success, by Horkey Handbook. Is it necessary? Not at all!

Technically, I started as a virtual assistant before I even knew what it was! I was responding to emails for a friend. Then I saw an ad for the Horkey Handbook 30 Days or Less to VA Success course and I took the course to find out what else I could do as a VA and to walk me through setting up my business.

I mean, do I recommend it? Absolutely! But it’s NOT necessary. Find something on the 150+ list of VA services that you can do and just get started! When you start getting paid, you can set some money aside to use for development.

I hope this article helps you see that you CAN work from home as a virtual assistant! While you’re here, look around my website and remember to join my email list!

08/05/202012/13/2020

What does it take to be a virtual assistant

If you hadn’t thought about being a virtual assistant in the past, there’s a chance you’ve thought about that or another virtual job in the past few months. Covid-19 hit the US in March and according to this article published by Pew Research Center, unemployment rates have risen higher in three months than they did in the two years of the Great Depression.

Odds are, you’re looking for options that will allow you to work from home. And if you’re reading this, you wonder if you have what it takes to be a virtual assistant.

My guess is that you do! First I’m going to answer some common questions about Virtual Assisting. Then we’ll look at some of what it takes to be a VA.

How am I qualified to determine if you’ve got what it takes?

I’ve been a virtual assistant, or VA for short, for about 5 years now. I get confused about how long since I was working virtually before I called myself a VA. But I can estimate that it’s about one year less than my daughter’s age since I started after she was born.

I’ve taken several courses over the years to help me up my game as a VA. I love the courses from Horkey Handbook. This is actually the course that got me started. It’s just from experience, I have a pretty good idea of what it takes!

But it’s not up to me to “determine” if you’ve got what it takes. YOU need to make that determination. And really, a lot of it comes down to your belief in yourself, your skills, and your ability to learn and grow.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is an independent contractor who works independently for a small business owner. Usually, the business owner needs some sort of help with their business, but they don’t have the need for a full-time employee.

Sometimes, a Virtual Assistant knows how to do something that the small business owner doesn’t know how to do. So you would bring your expertise to the table. But not always, so don’t get hung up on knowing something special.

What do Virtual Assistants do?

VA’s do many different things for their clients. I have done the following things for clients.

Email management
Content creation
Website updates
Social media
CRM support
Customer service
Database creation

But what if you don’t know anything “special?” Don’t worry about it – you WILL learn new things as you go! I bet there are several things that you can do that you would never think of. Here’s a list of 150+ VA services you could offer.

What are the hours for a Virtual Assistant?

Your hours will vary depending on a lot of things. Your client may need work to be done at a specific time. For email management, it is common that you will log in twice a day to check emails. Maybe you will do this at a specific time, maybe not. It all depends on your client and the expectations that you set when you start working for them.

The nice thing about website updates and content creation is that you can usually do it at any time, day or night. So if you’re watching your kids during the day, maybe doing homeschooling or other “kid” activities, you can work in the evening and later after you put your kids to bed.

I talk about my schedule in this short post. I can tell you, one of my favorite things about being a VA is being in control of my schedule!

Do you have what it takes to be a Virtual Assistant?

What have you decided at this point? Do you think you have what it takes to be a VA?

I have a variety of resources I’d like to share with you. One is my Asset Pack. This is a pack of documents and such that you will need as you get started as a Virtual Assistant. This Asset Pack is starting off with 2 contracts. As I add more documents, you’ll get all the updates for free! You can check it out here!

I also have an application to be a VA – if you want to get started as a VA but don’t know where to begin, check out my application. I am always looking for the right people to work with!

Last, I’d love to hear if you think you have what it takes to be a VA!

09/26/201708/07/2020

5 Reasons VA’s Love Working From Home!

One perk of Virtual Assisting is to work from home! Read about other reasons VA’s love working from home!

I can tell you in one sentence why I love working from home: I love being home for my kiddos! But I want to go into some specifics, as to why VA’s love to work from home!

In case you are wondering, VA’s are virtual assistants. Virtual means that they are working in the “virtual” world. On-line. Assistant means they are assisting, or helping, someone with something, usually a small business owner or entrepreneur with business related tasks.

1. My “Home Office” isn’t always at home!

While I ultimately want to end up working from a beach, right now my goal is to be working from my home office so I can be more present while my kids are young. Virtual assisting allows me to be home for occasions, like the first day of preschool! (That happen to be today!) I was able to drop my daughter off at school and be first in line to pick her up afterwards. That was really great for both of us! I’m also free to take my kids to doctor appointments, play dates, and the library.

Thanks to the internet and Skype, I took my business on the road this summer when we went to visit my folks for a week. I set myself up at a small table in the kitchen and got to work!

2. Break time!

No, I’m not talking about the number of breaks I can take, or that no one is watching the clock while I take a break (although that’s true). I’m talking about what I do during my breaks. Instead of walking to the coffee machine or water fountain in an office, I’m walking into my kitchen to refill my coffee, and I might also do some dishes or start a load of laundry. My “break” time is productively filled with chores that I would normally have to do at night. After returning from a long day of work, who wants to do laundry and dishes?!

Sometimes break time is spent reading a book to my children, or helping my daughter with a puzzle, or “smashing” the Play-Doh so she can make more butterflies! I might make a run to the post office or bank, which in the old office days, that was hard to do! I remember actually having to take a half-day of vacation so that I could do errands such as the PO and bank! Crazy!

3. Who’s the Boss? I’m the Boss!

I am my own boss and that really is priceless. If I need to make more money for our family, I know what I need to do to get more work. I’m the only one telling myself that I need to work harder or work more. Although my husband does try to tell me that too, I still know that I’m the boss!

When I need more work, I can hop onto Upwork to look for a variety of freelance job postings. They charge you a fee, but only after you get paid (comes off the top before you actually receive payment, so it doesn’t feel like you’re paying). I also took a course an online course called 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success. That helped me with the ins and outs of the virtual assistant role and how to get started. Obviously you will pay for the course, but it’s a business expense, and it’s helpful to be able to say, “I took a course”. Plus there is a Facebook community for support and asking questions. (Sorry, I didn’t mean for this to be a sales pitch, but I highly recommend!)

4. Variety is the spice of life!

I love the variety that I encounter as a virtual assistant. I have learned about many different subjects from the different people I have worked with. At one point in my day, I am working on website updates for someone in the healthcare industry. Later in the day I may be working on an email campaign for a dance instructor. The variety is amazing! It heightens my level of interest in what I am doing for my clients, because I’m not working on the same things for hours on end.

5. Any time of day.

My mind seems to focus better later in the day. So it’s great that I can choose to work whenever is best for me. Sometimes you’ll have a client that needs work to be done during a certain time of day, but not always. Usually it’s work that just needs to be done and they don’t care how or when you do it, as long as it gives them the results they are looking for.

There you have it – 5 reasons VA’s love working from home! But I’m sure the reasons are endless!

Thanks for reading! See you next time!

I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.