Editor’s Note: This article is the 1st installment in a 3-part series on how to start a Virtual Assistant business from your home. Check back on Jan 18th for Part 2.
Have you ever thought about working from home?
Maybe one of these sounds like you…
“I am a Starbucks addict and often set up my virtual office in the back corner of my favorite coffee shop.”
“I’m a military spouse and I can take my work and clients anywhere in the world we get posted.”
“My diagnosis with MS forced me to leave corporate but opened the door to starting a thriving virtual business from home.”
So, who are these individuals and what do they have common?
These women are a part of a rapidly growing movement of virtual entrepreneurs, commonly known as Professional Virtual Assistants (or VAs), who are building super-profitable and rewarding businesses from home (or wherever they prefer to work).
The Virtual Assistant industry has been around for over a decade…
But it really didn’t start to gain momentum until a few years ago, shortly after the release of the #1 Best Selling book, The 4-Hour Work Week.
That’s when many Entrepreneurs had a collective “ah ha” moment…
And started to see the potential of what their businesses could become by simply delegating tasks and projects to a talented VA.
What’s a Professional Virtual Assistant (VA)?
“A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.” ~ VAnetworking.com
In the early days, VAs typically focused on administrative support tasks such as:
Document preparation, travel arrangements, desktop publishing, bookkeeping, scheduling appointments and other administrative tasks.
However, the VA industry has evolved significantly over the past couple years.
Many virtual assistants have shifted their focus away from purely general administration to many other cool niches such as:
- Social Media Marketing
- Virtual Events (Webinar and Teleseminar Support)
- Internet Marketing Support (Email, Search Engine Optimization)
- Content writing and editing
- Blog design and management
- Online business management
- Travel planning and coordination
- And the list goes on…
The Real Value of Becoming a Professional Virtual Assistant
Here are 5 key reasons why starting a virtual assistant business from home might be exactly what you’re looking for.
1. Fast Growing and High Demand Business Opportunity
The reality is that many small business entrepreneurs often do not have the budget to hire a full-time, in-house administrative person and pay an ongoing salary and benefits.
So, the Virtual Assistant option has quickly become the ideal avenue for getting pertinent, time-sensitive projects done.
Also, even medium and larger companies have started using Virtual Assistants to offload work demands and expand their capacity.
All likely reasons why a recent article from About.com listed Virtual Assistance as one the best business opportunities with the most profit potential here in 2013.
2. Super Flexible Work Life
The cool thing about running your own virtual assistant business from home (or from wherever you want) is that you can set your own schedule and work when you want and where you want.
Many VAs have a home office which enables them to raise their family and avoid those dreaded day care costs. Others love to work in coffee shops or anywhere they can get a nice WIFI connection.
In fact, one of the successful virtual assistants on our team loves to travel and recently told me that she and her husband were off for a two-week vacation in Hawaii.
I had assumed she would not be working, so I told her I would find coverage for a time-sensitive project.
She quickly responded, “No, my laptop is coming with me and I will get that project done in between my beach trips!”
We have also trained many Military Spouse VAs whose businesses literally don’t skip a beat when they are relocated to different parts of the world.
How cool is that?
3. Excellent Income Potential
If you were to work as an Administrative Assistant in a local office, you might expect to be paid somewhere between $10-$18/hour.
However, the successful Virtual Assistant in North America is paid on average between $25-$45/hour.
Plus, if you have worked in the corporate world, then you probably have a good idea of the costs involved with outfitting your business wardrobe and commuting daily to work.
So, you will inevitably save a ton of money working in a virtual environment. (Not to mention the potential tax benefits of a home business!)
I have run a virtual business from home for 10 years now and I’ve never grown tired of the 2-minute commute!
4. Work with Ideal Clients
The beauty of the virtual work world is that you can work with clients in locations all over the world. This naturally allows you to be selective in identifying the types of clients that would best suit you.
For example, one of our students at VAClassroom has specialized in working with online fitness coaches as she has a particular passion for fitness and can really speak their language.
5. Low Start-Up Costs
It is super affordable to start a virtual business.
Most Virtual Assistants simply need:
A laptop, a smart phone, an all-in-one fax/scanner/printer machine and a fast Internet connection. That’s it!
Fast-Track a Brand New Career from Home
Of course, in order to fast track the process and start building your business and client base quickly…
You might also consider checking out our Virtual Assistant Business Blueprint program which is taught by a 10 year veteran in the VA industry!
A bonus benefit of course is “Lifestyle Design.”
Because the fact is, as a Virtual Assistant (VA), you can design the life you want.
When you start a virtual business, you’ll have the freedom to set your own hours, work with ideal clients, spend lots of time with family and friends and really shape the kind of business and life you’ve always wanted.
To Learn More:
Would you like to learn more about whether the life of a Virtual Assistant is a good fit for you? The opportunities for Virtual Assistants in 2014 are endless and the timing could be perfect to make the “virtual leap” and start building your own virtual assistant business from home…
AND…for a limited time It’s All About Women subscribers can save $100!
About the Author:
In 2008, Craig Cannings (along with his wife Kelly) started the popular Virtual Assistant Training Center, VAClassroom.
Over the past five years, they have had the distinct privilege of training 1000s of women around the world on starting and building profitable virtual businesses in a variety of specializations.
Which of your talented girlfriends would love the freedom and satisfaction of a running a virtual assistant (VA) business from home?
Please help them earn a lucrative income with flexible hours by sharing this informative article with each of them, using the social media and email buttons below.
Thank you 
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