By Liz Dougherty

Just over a year ago my entire life changed in a way that I never thought possible.

I had reached a point in my professional career where I felt unfulfilled, unchallenged, and unmotivated. My corporate job began to feel like a real drag. I knew I needed to change directions but wasn't quite sure where to start. I began writing down some goals for myself, the first being to create the flexibility in my career and lifestyle that would allow me more time to spend with my family and to have some fun in life. I felt like I was just working my life away—going through the motions everyday, without really finding any joy in what I was doing.

I decided that I would try to find a job that allowed me the flexibility to work from home. The idea of owning my own business had always appealed to me as well. I began taking a little time each day to research new career opportunities..

The day I stumbled across a certain online article on the website of a local newspaper, was the day that my life and career took an amazing turn. The article introduced me to the Virtual Training Program run by Assist University.

Assist University (www.AssistU.com) offered a rigorous, 20 week training and certification program which prepares qualified professionals to work in the virtual world. Enrollees are able to participate from anywhere throughout the country because all classes and assignments are handled via teleclass and email.

I applied and was accepted into the program in October of 1999. The experience has changed my life. Entering the Virtual Training Program taught me so much more than I ever bargained for! Not only did it teach me all of the soft skills required to start and run a successful Virtual Assistance practice but it also included a sub-curriculum which taught me how to live the life I've always wanted to live.

I am pleased to say that after much commitment and hard work, I successfully completed the program, became certified and have since started my own Virtual Assistance practice. I find it quite rewarding and I am now enjoying a thriving practice. Currently I work with seven clients located throughout the country from New York to California. I communicate on a daily basis with my clients mostly via phone and email. Actually, I only have one client whom I have met in person. I recently began working with my own assistant, which has allowed my practice to continue to grow.

I have found that many people have not yet heard about Virtual Assistance, so please allow me to give you a brief background. Virtual Assistance is a relatively new profession that can best be described as the art of long-term partnering with a client in order to provide the highest quality support services without needing to be physically present in the client's office. Virtual Assistance works because of the immediacy and effectiveness of today's technology. Email, the Internet, real-time online messaging, fax, phone, and overnight delivery make it all possible.

As a Virtual Assistant (VA), I am a dedicated professional who genuinely and powerfully can impact a client's business and life. Remember, I am my own small business owner, so commitment and quality client care are key to the success of my practice. I climb into my clients' business and learn the best way to work with and support each client.

I partner with busy, successful professionals of all kinds: authors salespeople, consultants, coaches, executives, entrepreneurs, small business owners—anyone who wants to live a more balanced life with more free time to do the things that he/she really wants to do!

When a client is able to confidently delegate work, they gain space in their life for an abundance of other things, including growing their business, having more time for family and friends, responding to other opportunities, having a better balanced, higher quality life.

Clients pay only for the services they use...there is no down time. Most clients work directly from their own home offices, so partnering with a Virtual Assistant means they do not have to share their workspace, or provide equipment, training, furniture, benefits or any of the other associated costs that come with hiring an employee. Instead, clients work with a VA as their partner...a highly skilled, expertly trained partner who has a vested interest in their success. Because I am a business owner myself, my clients’ success is key to my own success.

The types of services that I offer my clients vary. Really, the only things that cannot be done are things that actually need to be touched in the client's office. So, the possibilities are endless. Specifically my practice currently includes: human resource administration with an emphasis on employee benefits, writing services (technical or creative), business/employee communications, proofreading and editing, research (online or traditional), word processing, spreadsheets, data entry, database management, message management, scheduling, bill paying, simple website design, newsletter distribution, bulk mailing, reminder services, event planning, special projects, and concierge services.

As a professional, I am continuously updating my skills through training and education. As a virtual assistant, I have a great support network and many resources, so if I am unable to get something done, rest assured I will know someone who can! I also make it a point to keep up with the latest technology and equip my home office for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

To say that I enjoy owning my own virtual assistance practice is definitely an understatement. I absolutely love what I do. My colleagues and clients are amazing, dynamic, truly inspirational people. The opportunities I have come across are simply unbelievable. Each day I work from a cozy home office that fuels me with creativity, serenity and a true sense of who I am. Each and every day I find that I learn something new, either about technology, about a client, about myself—always something that allows me to continue to grow. I have created a balance in my life that has brought me true satisfaction for now and hopefully for the future as well.

© Liz Dougherty. Used with permission.