Particularly Virtual

There is an intense and supportive network at VAnetworking.com for virtual assistants of all aspects of the virtual industry.

The network makes up a group of ‘friends’ who are acquainted both in person and virtually. The network has accomplished a caring relationship between and among members who will step up to help one another with questions.

During the Christmas season, there are virtual drawings every day for prizes which are awarded to members who participate in the free forum. The activity around this virtual event results in some very real gifts which have been donated by the membership or business partners of VAnetworking.com.

Frequently after seminars the attendees have an opportunity to ’stay in the seminar headquarters’ to visit and get better acquainted. Some of the seminar sessions are purposely lighthearted with both audio and text participation.

There are areas of the forum for sharing personal interest items, funny and sad with other members.

In general, while the network is indeed a serious business support service, there is an intent to promote camaraderie and humor. Getting acquainted with different facets of various members has led to joint ventures and partnerships.

At Particularly Virtual and on @BarJD Virtual Professionals we enjoy some wonderful relationships with other members of the VAnetworking.com network.

There are benefits for members at the paid level of VAnetworking.com known as Vainsiders Club and for members who have a free membership which far outweigh the ‘investment’ of the members at every level.

Frequently, newer members who may also be newer in the virtual industry will select the free membership. That is probably a wise move for someone who is developing a business and/or someone who is ’shopping’ networks and organizations. At VAnetworking.com, there is no penalty to stay at the free membership as long as needed. Some very expert virtual assistants never change their status from the free level.

The benefits to the free members include seminars which help with many aspects of the virtual business. There are time management seminars, self-esteem topics, client relations topics and many others. The members have to simply attend at the seminar area on the VAnetworking.com website.

Additionally, there is a forum where questions can be posed and e-books or reports available for download, plus a blog that addresses the virtual business world from the perspective of clients as well as virtual professionals.

If you are a long time virtual professional, a rank beginner or simply researching the potential of using your skills virtually, you will find a great deal of valuable information and connection at VAnetworking.com

At Particularly Virtual and @ Bar JD Virtual Professionals, we support the network at VAnetworking.com as much as possible and recommend the group.

There are many networking benefits offered by being a paid member of VAInsiders at VAnetworking.com.

A particularly bright jewel is the ProActive VA seminars which feature guests and moderators teaching Vas while other Vas also share their experience and expertise. Sometimes the information presented will stimulate that “Aha” moment; sometimes you will be reminded of something valuable that you knew about but aren’t using. Fine, glowing gems of information that help you really boost your business toward being the Most professional the Most Hired, just the Most everything.

If you are a member of Vainsiders and not using the seminars, try to arrange your schedule so you can attend. You can access transcripts later, but there is something valuable about being in the moment.

If you are not a member, becoming one is a decision you have to make about your business. (Check out the web page for Vainsiders because there are some monthly rate options that may be useful to you.) These ProActive VA seminars are exclusive to Vainsider members. You are not alone in making choices that mean you don’t do everything. I have made some choices like that myself. I dropped one this week because while it is delivering what it promised, that information hasn’t been useful to me.

There are many organizations out there for Vas, some large and some small. I’ve belonged to some and looked at others. Some offer profound networking and information, some are a little fluffy, but I’ve not seen any that are a total waste. I’ve just found that the greatest value on both the free side and the paid side lies at Vanetworking.com. Thank goodness for the free side at VAnetworking.com It will keep you infused with some information, some seminars and plenty of enthusiasm and networking connection as you build your business or get your plans arranged to achieve membership.

At Particularly Virtual or @Bar JD Virtual Professionals, we have known the value of VAnetworking.com since 2005.

Yesterday (November 11) we worked in the yard. There was a nice break in the virtual professional tasks that let me help shred and shred and shred leaves. They have carpeted our yard. This was the third time we had tackled the task this fall; by far the largest, yet we haven’t even begun to tap the leaf supply. We have declared that the rest of the leaves will be blown down into the swale where the wild things live.

Photo of the LeafStacker

I left off thinking about the video I had been working on for Bar JD and of my network at VAnetworking.com where other virtual assistants were working hard on supportive tasks for clients. I just raked leaves onto a tarp with Richard so we could carry them to the Big Leaf Pile for the final shredding. Then, I used a handy broom to sweep them from the Big Leaf Pile toward him so they could be scooped into the shredder.

The day was just nice bright; not hot. Mid-sixties so a sweatshirt felt good, but not too heavy. The leaves were wonderfully crunchy and fluffy. The dog and the kittens all had a great time in both the shredded leaves and in the whole product before the leaves were shredded.

Working virtually means you get to be your own boss. That doesn’t mean you can always drop everything to go play in the leaves all day. An LEAF day has to come at a time when the client tasks are accomplished or there is a break in the assignments. But, being your own boss AND virtual does mean that you have the privilege of getting up very early to work on a project, then being able to slip a LEAF time into the day. Or being able to arrange the chores so you can enjoy the garden, care for family, feed the animals, and get in a morning walk while still being able to meet clients’ needs. Because the flexibility works so well for the virtual professional, some often suspect we are sitting on the couch, watching soap operas and munching bonbons. Essentially doing nothing. That is absolutely a myth. Virtual professionals and their clients know what an outrageous myth the bonbon story is. In the end, the only ones I have to impress are my clients who know their work is delivered the way they like it BECAUSE I am “at their side”. They either do not mind or do not care that the work was accomplished at unusual office hours…BECAUSE, then, I am not “under their feet.”