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Ann
Clubb of Silent Partners Virtual Assistance is featured in the following
articles.
HOMEBusiness Journal - February 2003
"Virtually
Indispensable"
by David Ware
(HOMEBusinesss Journal, February 2003)
Ann Clubb found a way to combine years of experience as a corporate executive
assistant with her passion to own a successful home-based business - she
became a Virtual Assistant. "For years, I worked at the highest levels
of executive support in one of the largest international corporations
in the world. The challenges of the job required every ounce of my energy,
but not necessarily every ounce of my creative energy."
In 1999,
Clubb broke from the corporate world and launched Silent partners Virtual
Assistance Group, a home-based venture that specializes in providing graphic
design, desktop publishing, web-site design, and other common office support
services to individuals and small businesses. "After awhile, I needed
to get back to doing something that I could be proud of as my own instead
of being just a valuable, but invisible, member of the team,"' she
says.
Working from her
Flower Mound, Texas home, Clubb began using her strong background in graphic
design and desktop publishing to complete side jobs for various clients.
When her granddaughter was born, Clubb saw an opportunity. "Once
I saw her, there was no question in my mind that I would give up all of
my corporate benefits and headaches to stay home and take care of her."
The freedom of her own home business works great for her and her granddaughter
both. "I work all hours of the day or night rather than the standard
8 - 5 office schedule."
Clubb's work habits
and styles also work for her clients. Unlike some VA's, who take on the
role of advisor and cheerleader with their clients, Ann specializes in
completing specific projects in a designated period of time. "If
I am designing a logo for someone, when that is completed, usually the
client relationship is also completed." She is currently working
with four clients, all of whom have projects that will keep her busy for
different amounts of time.
For the most part,
Clubb's projects take on the characteristics of what an office assistant
might see in the corporate world. However, they sometimes lead to fascinating
learning experiences. One particular project posed an interesting question
- how to get a goat from Texas to El Salvador, on a commercial airliner.
"Not only was I working with the El Salvadoran embassy and the Agriculture
department, but l was working with a major commercial airline company
and found out that, depending on the type of animal, there were very specific
regulations on the container that could be Used. After all, you can't
just package it up and send it UPS!"
In the end, the
Minister of Agriculture for El Salvador refused permission for the goat
to enter the country due to strict quarantine regulations. "However,"
Clubb says, "it proved that no matter how strange or difficult the
challenge, I was able to some up with a solution for it." Perhaps
the toughest part of Clubb's Job is convincing potential clients that
Virtual Assisting really does work. "The hardest thing for most people
to get past is the idea that the VA is not in their office." But
because people are so used to using E-Mail & fax machines, they soon
realize it's not different. "People cannot visualize how you can
support them without being physically present, but when it is explained
or demonstrated, they are amazed."
According to Clubb,
trust is also a huge part of the equation. In an effort to solidify client
trust in her, Clubb joined several organizations that work towards improving
the VA community. "I belong to the International Virtual Assistants
Association and adhere to their Code of Ethics. I am also an IVAA Certified
Virtual Assistant, so I feel that both of these should give a potential
client a better feeling for what they can expect from me as a VA."
With advances in
technology and telecommunication, the future of Virtual Assisting appears
to be promising, and Clubb is ready. "I feel that the VA industry
will become more widely known and more of a mainstream profession."
She says, "Soon, the question won't be 'What is a VA', but instead
'Who is your VA?' At least, that is my goal."
ComputerEdge Magazine -
December 14,
2001
"How
May I (Virtually) Assist You?"
By David Ware
(ComputerEdge Magazine, Dec. 14, 2001)
It's 9 p.m. on
a Sunday evening,and you still haven't completed a very important business
presentation that is due first thing in the morning. Meanwhile,
billing for several recently completed projects has fallen behind, your
books are screaming to be balanced and, on top of it all, you still need
to make travel arrangements for Tuesday morning. Sounds like it's
time for a Virtual Assistant. A Virtual Assistant (VA) provides a wide
range of administrative and office support services to individuals, small
businesses and corporations alike. From general services, such as word
processing, database construction and Internet research, to specialized
functions like accounting, technical presentations and marketing campaigns,
they can do everything an in-house employee would do—only over the
Internet, and via fax and phone.
Introducing
the Virtual Assistant
In most cases, VAs are professionals in their fields, with years of formal
work experience to back them, and you, up. Ann Clubb
was an executive assistant to the vice president of an international telecommunications
corporation before setting out on her own. "I have a friend who told
me about virtual assisting, and it sounded exactly like what I had been
wanting to do for a long time," said Clubb. For the past two years,
Clubb has provided services like word processing, presentations, Internet
research, scanning, faxing and more to folks around the country. "For
some clients," she says, "I also offer ‘help desk' services
on software and hardware issues." While her most requested services
are in the arena of graphic design, Clubb also handles more interesting
and complicated projects. "A client needed me to do some Internet
research that required me to visit and read through hundreds of Web site
pages, plus verify and record links to all the sources." She also
handles bizarre assignments, such as the time she was asked to figure
out how to get a goat to El Salvador on a commercial airline.
A Service
for Small Business
Those who use VAs are almost as diverse as the services offered. Most
of Clubb's clients are individuals. "That is not to say they are
not small business owners in their own right,"Clubb explained. "Most
small businesses are the perfect clients for a VA because they generally
are on a tight budget, and don't have the space or resources for full-time
office staff." Individuals and small businesses find that there are
many advantages to using a VA, not the least of which is cost-effectiveness.
Perhaps the biggest advantage is the absence of extra overhead. VAs don't
need additional office space or equipment. Employee benefits and employment
taxes are also eliminated. Because the services are performed over the
Internet, and by fax and phone, distance nearly becomes a non-issue. According
to Clubb,"Since a VA does not have to be in the same area, clients
don't have to limit their choices to what is available locally."
Clients also benefit by not needing to pay local prices for the services,
which are higher in some areas. And the client pays only for time spent
on the project, instead of paying for a full week of work—when an
in-house employee may not be busy the entire 40 hours. Prices for VA services
vary, mostly depending on the project. Be prepared to spend about $15
per hour for tasks like word processing, and up to$50 per hour for more
specialized services. According to a recent survey conducted by a leading
online VA organization, the average cost for most services is $35 per
hour.
A Growing
Profession
Finally, most VAs have already been trained and come equipped with an
arsenal of various office equipment and software to meet your needs in
a timely manner. From WordPerfect and Microsoft Word to specialized software
like Adobe PageMaker and Corel Draw, VAs are prepared for virtually any
project you need professionally completed. What to look for in a VA, according
to Clubb, is very basic. "It is important to look for honesty, dependability
and the ability to do the job. However, it is equally important that the
client and the VA have a rapport—and a clear understanding of each
other's expectations." In an effort to build trust between clients
and its members, the International Virtual Assistants Association(IVAA)
has developed a code of ethics, by which member VAs are bound. The IVAA
also offers Virtual Assistant certification courses, which give members
the chance to hone their skills and provide a little more confidence to
the potential client. Clubb's advice for anyone thinking about using the
services of a VA is to check out the directories of a reputable organization,
such as the IVAA, and then look at the Web sites of VAs in which you may
be interested. "Send an e-mail to several VAs, and let them know
what you need,"she advises. "A reputable VA will be happy to
discuss your options with you or, if they cannot help you, refer you to
someone who can."
Ready to
Find a VA?
If you're ready to find a VA, start with AssistU (www.assistu.com), an
online training center for VAs, and a referral center for folks who need
assistance. Ann Clubb's web site (www.silentpartners-va.com)
can answer many of your questions about choosing and using the services
of a VA. Finally, the IVAA (www.ivaa.org)
offers a VA database that can be searched by a number of specialties,
certifications and even geography. Regardless of the work load or project
size, chances are a Virtual Assitant can help organize your life and let
you get back to important things—even if you find yourself needing
to transport a farm animal to a foreign country.
 IVAA
Press Release - November, 1999
"Certified
Virtual Assistant Status Awarded"
Ann Clubb, Owner
of Silent Partners Virtual Assistance Group,
has been awarded IVAA Certified Virtual Assistant™ (CVA) status by
the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA).
IVAA, the educational and credentialing association for the virtual assisting
industry, awards the Certified Virtual Assistant™ designation to
virtual assistants passing an examination that measures their core competencies
in ethics, Internet skills, writing skills, and general office skills.
Ms. Clubb, one of a growing number of international virtual assistants,
is among the first virtual assistants to achieve IVAA CVA status.
"VAs who earn the Certified Virtual Assistant™ award have demonstrated
a high degree of professionalism and expertise in the areas that form
the foundation of a sound VA practice," explains Chris Durst, Acting
President of IVAA. "When a small-business owner hires a virtual assistant
with the IVAA CVA status, they can be confident that the VA has great
core skills."
Silent Partners Virtual Assistance Group
specializes in providing virtual office support for small-business owners
around the globe. For more information, contact Ann Clubb via e-mail at
info@silentpartners-va.com,
or fax/voice mail at 1-877-570-6703.
Additional
articles about the virtual assistant profession can be found at the following
links:
 
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