In a time lacking in truth and certainty and filled with anguish and despair, no woman should be shamefaced in attempting to give back to the world, through her work, a portion of its lost heart. — Louise A. Bogan

About Virtual Assistants and the Profession

In 2006, The Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce did a survey, asking members of the Virtual Assistance industry to weigh in on a number of topics. With 358 VAs weighing in, here are some of the more salient points from the survey results:

• Gender: Female (97.49%)
  
• Age: The majority are 40-49 years old
  
• Country: The top four are USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia
  
• Education level: Some college (37.7%); Four-year degree (26.8%)
  
• Form of business: Sole proprietor (78.35%); LLC (9.4%
  
• Those with a full practice: 32.4%
  
• Those with health insurance: On their own (31%); On a spouse's plan (41.6%)
  
• Working full time as VAs: 69.3%
  
• Base rate: $60+/hour (4%); $35-$39/hour ($17.9%); $30-$34/hour (15.7%)
  
• Works with a niche market: 72.9%
  
• Top three niches: Consultants and independent professionals; Coaches; Authors/Writers
  
• Has a website: 94.19%
  
• Has a business blog: 81.9%
  
• Is financially successful: 62.25%