Greer Jacob Holmes

:: Class #13 – July 23, 2009 ::

We experienced another instructor this week. Antoinette was fabulous. If all the VAs in Assistu are as awesome as Terry and Antoinette – what an organization!

When I first started the VTP, I was very nervous about releasing a potential client that was not a good fit. I did not have a problem with the conversation, my problem was with the repercussions of having no client – no income! Terry, my trainer, has encouraged us not to worry about the loss of the client, but to know that the right client will come along. This idea was also reinforced tonight by Antoinette. That was very reassuring.

Partnering with my clients and creating a successful relationship with them is very important to me. I also understand that part of my own success will be contingent upon my ability to allow the best possible clients into my business. I am now more comfortable that my business will grow at the pace it needs to.

I enjoyed our conversation about what “type” of marketing would appeal to each of us. My previous experiences in business has put in me in the “Brazen” category. Not the word I would use to describe myself or my technique, but cold calling is what it is.

I felt like my trainer, Terry, was pushing us out of the nest. Forcing us to fly at our own pace but encouraging us to critically look for other ways of marketing our businesses.

I am not excited about social marketing at all. It is a truly an acquired taste. If it were not for the VTP, I would use other ways of marketing. This entire process is about evolving personally and professionally, thank goodness, I am trusting the process.

I have eliminated a great deal of stress for myself this week. Creating my business plan has allowed me to become more comfortable with my business. Most of my angst was because I do not desire to create another job for myself.

This week’s class was interesting because we discussed the various ways we can market our businesses. I absolutely believe in creating a client experience. That is why our conversation about “standing for our client” made so much sense to me.

This week’s topic on Marketing by Attraction was a great conversation for me. My trainer, Terry, clearly explained how this approach will positively and negatively affect our practices. As she shared her experiences with us, I understood why my ideal client, my ideal work environment and other issues that involved my choices were so critical to my business. The VTP strikes again!

Reviewing the 28 Principles of Attraction caused me to reflect on where I am in life with my personal decisions, as well as my professional decisions. The VTP is causing me to look at the quality of my life as I create my business. This is not a bad thing, but it will make you look at issues, as they relate to you and your business, radically different.

I cannot believe we are in the tenth week of our training. I am doing my best not to get too stressed over my business plan, but it is such a critical part of our virtual assistance business. Conceptually, I am fine, but the challenge is to take the vision of my business out of my head and translate it in a fully functional way for others to understand.

This week we finished our group speeches. I rewrote my speech because I didn't feel as though I owned it. It was written to highlight the best of my business but it felt too wordy, too functional, too stiff. Plus, I knew it would be impossible to memorize. I changed a few words and scripted my message to sound more like me and not the VTM. I felt a little better about presenting it to my classmates and my trainer, Terry. It was well received, thank goodness!

I have been struggling with all kinds of obstacles lately. This is not a complaint, but, this week’s fieldwork did not help one bit. My list of tolerations started and became a runaway train. Editing the list so that my trainer, Terry, wouldn’t think I was a crazy woman was hard to do. Thank goodness the fieldwork requested that I start with something small. I will be baby stepping my way through some of what I have been tolerating and bulldozing my way through the rest.

My challenge this week will be for me to focus more on my desires and goals. If the Law of Attraction is half of what it is purported to be, I will be attracting a lot more confidence and serenity!

This week’s class was awesome! The buddy assignment fostered a great sense of camaraderie with our group. We were all on point with our suggestions for improving our efforts and our trainer, Terry, was absolutely invaluable with stories of her experiences in the real world. Next week we will complete our group presentations. Funny, this was the one area we all envisioned differently. We’ll see how that will turn out.

Some of the work I did for this week’s fieldwork will absolutely be used in my business plan and marketing materials. I am starting to see myself as a Virtual Assistant and with a little more research, I will be able to define my niche.

I have been talking to more people about my Virtual Assistant business this week and the feedback has been positive. The people who are familiar with the industry, were pleased to know of my involvement and have requested to be notified when I am ready to start my business. For other people who have never heard of the VA industry, it has been a great opportunity for me to inform them of what I have to offer small businesses and busy professionals. Practicing my speeches have really increased my confidence.

The VTP sometimes can seem to be overwhelming but I thank my classmates and my trainer, Terry, for their encouragement.

The fieldwork we have been assigned for the past few weeks has been unusually relevant for me. I have been struggling with my ideal life for a while and it appears that the assignments have given me the structure I need to move forward in the VTP and my life.

We had our first buddy assignment this week and what a great learning experience that was. Three of us were assigned to buddy on our elevator speeches, and we were extremely excited to work together. We utilized the Portal as our point of communication but at the most critical time, the Portal wasn’t available. Thank goodness my classmate, Lynne, had a grand revelation and we were able to utilize our email addresses.

After deciding that two sessions would serve to prepare us for our elevator speeches, we proceeded with our exercise. What an awesome opportunity to work with these two phenomenal women. This exercise allowed us to learn about each other in ways that our weekly calls and email communications have not been able to. Our interaction enabled me to feel so much more confident about my VA business. The exchange of information and insight has proven to be invaluable for me, as well as my classmates.

My trainer, Terry, promised us that no two elevator speeches would be the same. She was absolutely correct! Our elevator speeches contained three diverse points of view about our Virtual Assistant businesses, but each one was powerfully descriptive about our industry and our commitment to outstanding customer service.

I am still challenged by what my ideal client is. This concept is not so complex that I cannot apply it, but I am deeply questioning the basis of my criteria. I am so acclimated to accepting the demands placed in front of me and adapting myself to the environment, the thought if me having a choice has proven to be more daunting than I thought.

After our last call, I realized that my ideal client was the remedy for the environments I've worked in and that may not be my ideal. I can say, I am closer than I've been but, I am well aware that my ideal client is not my perfect client.

My trainer, Terry, still amazes me with her ability to draw out our preconceived notions and flush out the realities of our past professional lives. She presented the legal agreements for our businesses in a way that challenged us to include relationship into the equation. It is one thing to say you want the relationship factor in your business, then to actually base your business on relationship - wow! I knew that certain agreements can protect both parties but to be able to operate with trust and integrity without extreme legalese is very liberating. Although many of the concepts we talked about I read in our lessons, to have Terry ask questions and offer such powerful anecdotes made the opportunity to choose the format I would like to use more comfortable for me.

This is just my sixth week and I am starting to feel the impact of having the VTP transform my entire life. Not a bad thing at all!

This week's class was very interesting. Boundaries and standards, saying "no" so you can have your "yes". Unbelieveable. During our discussion, I realized I have been unduly cautious about defining my ideal client because I don't want to do something wrong and be without any clients. Ironically, how wrong can my ideal client be if I am clear about who and what I want. The reading asssignments for hearing from your heart and defining who I am really ease some of my anxieties.

Because of the VTP, I am rearranging quite a few of my commitments. As I change my calendar, I am seeing a trend developing of me deciding to do more of what I passionately choose to do rather than keeping tired obligations. At first, it felt absolutely selfish to ask if my board and social commitments were serving me but, I realized I opened up two positions for someone else to have an opporrtunity to live out their passion.

The topic of reserves was extremely insightful because I associate the concept of reserves with money but reserves are a complete collection of resources that you usually take for granted. I keep telling myself to stay focused on developing my business but these past few weeks, I have been creating my own ideal life.

This week's component was very familiar for me or so I thought. Years ago, I had another business but it was retail and seasonal. In theory, if you start one business, how hard is it to start another? It is hard to say, there is something about VTP training. I am learning so much about integrating so much of myself into this business, I just don't want to make a mistake. My trainer, Terry, made some great points about us running our businesses, not our businesses running us. Her statement about us having great standards making our lives crystal clear really resonated with me.

One of the articles about becoming authentic was great but becoming vulnerable in other business environments would have me eaten alive. I envisioned myself conducting business from another mindset and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. That little exercise helped when I called for business professional referrals from the Small Business Development Center at Elizabeth City State University.

I am also learning so much from my classmates as well. All of us are bringing so much insight into this process from our diverse backgrounds, I literally can't wait till our next training calls.

This class was somewhat overwhelming. I thought I would not have any problems with the business aspect of becoming a Virtual Assistant. It should be pretty much cut and dried. Not so!

As much as I believe that I am keeping an "open mind" about starting this business, my trainer, Terry, changed that theory. I have been looking to serve the industries and clients that I know. Terry asked us about the type of client we would like to work with. What? After so many years of working in environments where I had to adapt to the culture of the organization, this is a challenge.

This is a great opportunity for me to really explore my expectations for this training and to examine the experiences I bring to this profession. I’m glad that these questions are being asked now because I can integrate more of the things I love into the process.

This week was extremely challenging. I have been reading with one eye because I have conjunctivitis in my left eye and fighting a spring cold.

While reading one of the assignments, I was able to remember a few stress management tips to help me minimize some of my worries.

Terry, my trainer, had the best advice for naming my business. I was experiencing a slight conflict, because I know the image I would like to convey but to create a name to go with it was difficult. It took her a few minutes to help me overcome this issue.

Terry also gave us great practical advice for selecting our support teams. I love her insight! I am so grateful she is demystifying this process! I am very concerned about the questions I need to ask and she offered solutions for that, as well.

I am not as worried as I have been, but I feel more confident at the end of each class.

Week Two and I have submitted my first Call Prep.

Maintaining the balance of worry and hope is very challenging. There is so much to apply to my life. It is one thing to make decisions about your use of technology for your home and family but to make decisions regarding your business and its productivity, changes everything.

For me, AssistU’s methodology for a successful business can be absolutely utilized for my life. Terry shared with us a great formula for overcoming the struggles that may occur in our businesses and her insights into this profession are awesome. I cannot say enough about how reassuring she has been.

When the box arrived containing my AssistU orientation materials, I had to let it sit for a few minutes before I opened it. It distinctly reminded me of the day I received my wedding dress. Is this going to fit? Will I like it? After opening the box, I just knew all would be well.

The orientation call was a great introduction to my new family. Although I have participated in bridge calls before, this one felt radically different. It was focused on my vision and goals versus the vision and goals of the organizations I have worked for.

My instructor, Terry McRae, was awesome in welcoming us to the VTP. She made perfect sense of all the materials I received for orientation and the expectations of AssistU. Her advice is forthright and her insight of the profession is very reassuring.

The journey begins!