What Are You Doing To Give Your Virtual Assistant Business Immortality?

December 11, 2007 · Filed Under Articles, Revolutionary Thinking, Virtual Assistants · Comment 

I was so excited when Heather and Becki asked for people to join in helping out at the REV blog. I can honestly say that I owe the success of my business to two things:

  • A lot of really hard work on my behalf
  • The support and information I have received from my REV membership

A number of my successes have come from the encouragement I have received from the REV members to “go out on a limb” and try things that are outside of my comfort zone. If someone had told me before I joined the REV that I would be an author and a Success Partner with CVAN I would have probably laughed in their face, but it all happened.

When I post on the REV blog, I will be providing you, the VA, with lots of tidbits and information on how to have a thriving VA Business. The first in my series of articles is one that I have already written, but from here on out, I am hoping to have fresh content which you will read first on the REV blog!!

So here is the article:

If something disastrous were to happen to you tomorrow, what plans do you have in place to make sure your Virtual Assistant business continues to operate? The motto “Be Prepared” may be used by the Boy Scouts, but it is just as important in our daily lives as it is in our businesses. Should a disaster occur, by creating contingency plans for your business, you eliminate the worry and stress caused by trying to come up with a solution in the thick of the situation.

Before a Virtual Assistant can truly figure out how they would handle an obstacle thrown in their path, it is important to take a step back and think about what possible disasters could occur. This is a very unsettling task for many Virtual Assistants, but for those who have taken the time to map out how an emergency would be handled; the success rate of overcoming that emergency relatively unscathed is much higher. The biggest hurdle for most in writing contingency plans is determining which areas are most important. Perhaps rather than trying to look at the whole picture and trying to think about every conceivable “what if”, the best way to handle this almost impossible task may be to break it down into 4 main considerations – political, economical, sociological and technological.

Consideration #1 – Political Considerations

Political considerations include such things as legislation and how these changes might affect your VA business as well as the businesses of your target market. For example, what impact would there be on your business if tomorrow your municipality decided that you could no longer run your business from home? If you decide that you want to hire employees, what employment laws are applicable? By determining the impact each possible change might have in your business you can take precautions to plan for these changes.

Consideration #2 – Economical Considerations

The economy plays a large role in business. Will a recession negatively impact your Virtual Assistant business or do you think that it will encourage other business owners to utilize Virtual Assistants more as they downsize their workforce?

Consideration #3 – Sociological Considerations

Today’s marketplace is affected just as much by our political and economic culture as it is by fads. As society ages, people are becoming more technologically savvy, what impact will this have on your Virtual Assistant business.

Consideration #4 – Technological Considerations

Staying on the “cutting edge” in today’s society can sometimes be a tricky proposition. This is perhaps the biggest consideration that Virtual Assistants must be aware of and plan for. As technology advances, it will be important to remain on the “cutting edge”, not only through purchasing up to date software, but also through on-going training. Staying on top of those changes and advancements will play a huge factor in whether your business will thrive or not.

As most Virtual Assistants have started their business to allow themselves the opportunity to be there for their families, perhaps the ultimate contingency plan will include a plan to ensure if our family needs us we can drop everything to be there for them. By establishing a Procedure Manual for your business now, you will position your business to allow others to “take over” during absences to allow us to truly be there for our families. It will be then that you will have created the ultimate contingency plan. All other obstacles can be faced head on with the knowledge you have worked diligently towards creating your own thriving business.

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