That’s where having an honest, experienced advisor with a track record of success becomes crucial.  My customized, confidential startup consulting sessions provide just that- all tailored to your specific questions and direction.  As a successful business owner of 2 virtual companies, I can tell you that I attribute much of my own success to investing in private coaching and consulting year after year.

This is a special week (not just for Uncle Sam!).  For this week only, I am opening up 5 private consulting slots to 5 new VAs who are serious about launching their own VA business the *right* way!   Learn more about these invaluable sessions here: http://virtualfabulosity.com/va-business-coaching-and-consulting/

To kick things off, I’d also like to invite you to a free preview call this Wednesday, April 13th at 12noon EST.  On the call, you will hear success stories from a few VAs I have personally worked with, you can get to know me a bit more, and ask a few of your burning questions about the industry.

You can rsvp for the preview call here: http://emilymorgan.eventbrite.com/
*Even if you can’t make the live call, still register and send your questions in advance and we’ll try to answer them on the call AND send you a complimentary audio recording of the call!

Learn more about the consulting sessions and check out our new affordable, easy-pay monthly options designed to get you the support you need, all at a price you can afford!  All new 3mo+ engagement sessions also include access to your own private workspace via our premier online project management system, Basecamp.  You can use it as your own personal launch pad!

Below is all of the info I promised!  Hope to hear from each of you soon, and contact me for promo-priced info on my products- ebook and start-up consulting through the end of the month.  Please feel free to poke around the site- it’s filled with lots of great industry resources and a shop for super cute office supplies and lifestyle items!

My Ebook- VA Training Camp- Startup Survival Guide

My VA Startup Consulting: http://virtualfabulosity.com/fab-va/services/

Delaware Valley VA Association – this is our local group of VAs.  We are meeting @ Maggiano’s in King of Prussia on March 19.  You can find reg info here: http://dvvaa2lunch.eventbrite.com/?ref=ecal

International VA Association – this is the International Group which I presented on tonight.

Coworking- Our monthly Entourage events- you can learn more and register here (video from one of our events on the side): http://entrepreneursentourage.com/2011/02/eecoworking-presentation-to-ivaalive/

Media: All media files can be found here: http://virtualfabulosity.com/about-2/media/

Resources: All the great tools we use to run our businesses: http://virtualfabulosity.com/about-2/resources-2/

I’d love to connect with you in social media as well- you can find me via the social media icons on the site.  Let’s connect!

View the slides: Take Your Skills Virtual!

Don’t forget to check out the services offered through both of my companies!  Delegate can be an extra set of skilled hands to help complete a project @ your company, and Entourage can help on-demand with social media campaigns, internet marketing, web design, copy, graphic design and more!  Please keep us in mind as a resource in the future!

Great meeting you all and best of luck to you!!

Emily

It all started when I was pregnant with my son Nathan.  I was looking for work and wound up having a game-changing conversation with a coach named Jacquie Lesser… at the time I remember telling people that I def had a girl crush on her.. at least from a business standpoint!  We’ve never met in person. 

She introduced me to a local woman who was looking for someone to come to her house and help her with misc business tasks.  It was in my conversation with this woman that she mentioned that she had a “Virtual Assistant.”  Given the fact that I was pregnant and had years and years of exec support assistance, my curiosity was definitely piqued!  I remember racing out of there to rush home and learn as much as I could about the industry.

To pay the bills, I took a job working nearby as a Project Manager for a Clinical Research Company.  It was still on my mind and I was still researching it throughout my pregnancy.  After my son was born I knew that it was now or never to start my business.  I continued working at the company in a flexible way that allowed me to be home with my son a few days and still bring in some income.

While working there, I began building my business.  I brought on my old employer @ the University of Penn.  I brought on a few new clients, who I would manage at night after work.  By manage- let me explain: a virtual assistant does the same thing as an in-office assistant, so we schedule meetings, and manage projects and do research… the only difference is that we work (mostly) from our homes, virtually.

We typically work with clients who are solopreneurs (ie, they also work for themselves).  In most cases they don’t have office space or budgets, or even the need for someone to help them full-time.  We make a great team because we’re able to support these busy business owners in the most ideal of ways.  We’re highly skilled at what we do, we are also business owners and we cover all of our own software, technology, training and expenses.  They pay one flat hourly rate to work with us- no overhead, no employment taxes, unemployment, social security.. you get the picture.  They get to focus on building their business and rely on us to provide them with a professional front and execute the details on their behalf.   My clients say that their income increases dramatically as we start working together, because they don’t have to worry about all the back and forth minutia.  I have a small, exclusive team of VAs that are absolutely amazing to work with, and manage their own clients through my business.  My company niches as “Boutique Executive Support”- we like to work super-successful entrepreneurs who need a stellar Executive Assistant.  There are many niches out there for Virtual Assistants, and this one fits for us!

That’s where my company’s name, Delegate comes from.  Delegation is crucial to the success of any entrepreneur.  So Delegate continued to grow impressively, and I began to get a drive to do great things with it.  About a year in, the company I was working for decided to re-locate.  After securing another client, I submitted my resignation letter and off I went… and guess what- they came with me!  Because I knew the business, I was able to support the exec team virtually from my own home!  They, along with the Univ of Penn are still with me today as clients.

Nathan James

At this point, my husband was also laid-off from work, so the onus was on me to make things happen while he looked for work.  For a good 2 years I worked 80 hours a week consistently, doing all the billable client work and then building the business at night; typically I worked until 3am.  It was exhausting and exhilirating.  I was working from home and my husband was managing the house and our son.  I was featured in the NY Times, NBC News and Martha Stewart (dream!!) Radio.  I hired multiple unemployed friends over the years to help me with all the work and planning.

One of those people was my now business partner Cheryl.  Cheryl worked as a Publisher for a local magazine which sold and she was looking for work.  We were introduced through a mutual friend, and we did great work together.  Delegate continued to grow and I became more deeply involved in the indusrty and was filled with ideas for expand on what we were already doing.

It was from these growing pains, that my second business, Entrepreneur’s Entourage was born.  Cheryl and I joke that I “proposed” to her!  It’s true though because I literally took her out for coffee and shared the idea with her and asked her to be part of the adventure.  We launched Entourage in May of 2009.  We captured the whole start-up process on our vlog (video blog) in a series we called “Watch Us Launch.”  It was super-fun, exciting and oh-so relevant to our audience.

Entourage was created to solve a problem faced by all entrepreneurs.  They reach the point of delegation and they are at a loss because at that point they don’t have the time to source a web designer, a copywriter, a bookkeeper a social media expert and graphic designer… and they certainly don’t have time to manage all of those moving parts.  And most importantly, they don’t have budgets to hire expensive firms with highly salaried employees, let alone get all of these firms to talk to eachother to present a cohesive brand.

Cheryl and Emily

This is precisely what we provide.  We bring together teams of experts (all freelancers/ solopreneurs), customized to exactly what the client needs.  We have one dedicated Project Manager that oversees all of this.  This ensures that the client has one person accountable to them at all times that is in the loop with their marketing, branding and business goals.  Because we have literally no overhead, we are amazingly affordable, and the entrepreneur only has to talk with one person each day.

Because we love entrepreneurs and believe in promoting the community here in Philadelphia Cheryl and I host “coworking” events each month.

Coworking

Coworking is just a chance for entrepreneurs to get together and work and share ideas, problems, network and make new connections in a totally casual environment.  It’s like going to work at your fave coffee shop, but getting together with all of the other people that are working there to make authentic connections.  These are some of our favorite days.  We meet new clients here, new team members for Entourage and always learn something new.

Our days are filled with client work, client calls, invoicing, blogging, entrep events, presentations and lots and lots of coffee!  I, myself rarely work from home anymore.  You can find me in Philly a few times each week, at local South Jersey coffee shops or at Cheryl’s house doing strategy meetings for Entourage.

Last year I also launched a site, “Virtual Fabulosity” designed to be a resource for all of us virtual business owners to connect, access resources and tools, trainings, shop (!) for cute office supplies and products and promote the idea of being fabulous in life and business.  There’s never a dull moment, and Cheryl and I are already brainstorming two new projects that we want to implement when we find the time!  All relevant to what we already do, but with a more “passion project” perspective.

I can truly say that I love what I do, I’ve never felt more free in my life.  I get to have a flexible schedule, on my own terms, spend time with my family and run my business from my laptop and blackberry.  It’s invigorating and inspiring and on top of it, I am part of an incredibly committed and involved virtual/entrepreneurial community, where the sky is the limit.

Take your business and your list to the next level!  I’m excited to announce that I am hosting a second list building challenge for all interested, committed entreps looking to partner with a like-minded group!  Learn more:

Work on my own list? Who has time for that?? As business owners we all unfortunately have a bad habit of putting our own business tasks at the bottom of our to-do list! I’m guilty of it for sure in many (umm maybe all!?) areas of my business! I literally have to schedule in time on my calendar, and work extra hard the day before to have any substantial time to dedicate to my own business growth. Alas, it needs to be done, and I always want to make what I am doing fun, challenging and productive. If this sounds like you, let me suggest that you join me and others for a 30 day List Building Challenge!

Being virtual, we all know that having a strong subscriber list is a key to success- for networking, connections, clients, leads and more. There are a million techniques out there that can be implemented, most of them you probably even know about, but just never get around to doing. Why not do it with a group for extra feedback, ideas and for some good old general interaction w other peers! Hey, at minimum you can make a few new friends from our group!

Here’s the plan:

• Commit to the 30 day challenge (literally schedule it on your cal people!)- 30 mins a day max
• Group-think over the 30 day calendar that I have created to start from (note you must email me directly emily at delegate solutions dot com to join the group). Everyone will be expected to help promote others in the group, and share ideas and suggestions for techniques they have tried, learned about or want to try out.
• Enter your current list numbers and report on growth at the end of each week (really this just means entering your new numbers on our google sheet)
• Optional: Blog about it! I will be blogging about the challenge each week sharing updates and successes, we can back-link to eachother
• The only rule is that if you agree to participate, you agree to keep our 30 day challenge map private- as it is proprietary info, and we don’t want to give that away!

That’s it! We are starting soon, so if you are interested in participating please email asap, all are welcome!

If you just want to see our updates, we’ll be using hashtag #30DayList so you can keep up w us and our progress.

E

This week we are pleased to bring you our last feature of the Summer:

The Super- Fab Adelaide Lancaster,

Co-Founder of In Good Company Workplaces, NYC!

Adelaide Lancaster, co-founder, is a successful entrepreneur who excels at making business ideas a reality and helping businesses grow to their potential. Adelaide is both a strategic thinker and a master implementer. She has spent her professional career dedicated to helping women find work that is meaningful and rewarding. Adelaide was recently featured in the book Upstarts!, as one of 60 Gen-Y entrepreneurs who are rocking the world of business.

Adelaide was co-founder and Principal Partner of Berkman Fives a consulting firm that helped women professionals with career development and advancement and women entrepreneurs with business growth and efficiency.

Adelaide earned a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology and a M.A. in Organizational Psychology, both from Columbia University. She also earned her B.A. degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Educational Studies, from Colgate University. Adelaide also is a contributor to The Huffington Post.

• What were you doing in life prior to starting your business?

My graduate training is actually in counseling psychology. I thought I wanted to be a therapist but I was awful! It was a great lesson in the difference between being really interested in learning about a subject and actually doing the work. The truth was that I was a bit too introverted for all-day, everyday patient contact and I was also a bit too impatient! I like helping my current clients move forward by mapping out action steps and learning best practices.

• What do you love most / least about being a business owner?

Hands down – I LOVE the autonomy and creativity– getting to determine how to spend my time and resources and its incredibly motivating to chart your own path.

My least favorite thing is definitely all the unglamorous tasks that come along with it and the round the clock responsibility – even if you are an excellent delegator and have an excellent team (we do) you are still ultimately responsible and the one that has to handle things that need handling.

• What is your fave business book or author and why?

Easy! Small Giants by Bo Burlingham. Reading this book is what made me want to work with small businesses and ultimately what made me want to become an entrepreneur! He profiles all these “hidden gem” small businesses who all chose at some point to be “great instead of big”. I am inspired and motivated by the integrity of these businesses.

• What business lesson did you have to learn the hard way? To this point, is there a mistake you see new entreps consistently making that you would caution them to avoid?

I am usually quick to action and have a heightened sense of urgency. Sometimes this can cause me to rush to fix or solve a problem before I know enough about it – even whether it is truly a problem or just a complaint. You can invest a lot of time, energy, and money into things that really don’t need fixing. On the other hand, when something does need fixing it is critical to take responsibility, appropriate manage expectations, and work diligently to get it resolved!

• What has been your proudest moment to date with your business success?

I feel really proud anytime that we get great feedback about our community and space. Although sometimes that pride feels a little misplaced since so much of our business is actually about the women who are part of the community. Often we can’t take credit – many good ideas come from our members and our organization’s personality is very reflective of them.

I think the thing I was most proud of that felt more specific to me was getting a book deal with my partner Amy. We worked hard and have waited a long time to pitch the “right book” – a project we were really excited about and believed in.

• What are some of your biggest struggles/ challenges a business owner?

Im about to become a mom…like on July 20^th, so Im imagining that it will take me sometime to sort out the challenges associated with having kids and running your own business. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by LOTS of talented women who have all come up with creative solutions that make it work for them. I have a lot to learn.

• What new projects are you currently working on that you are comfortable sharing?

We just opened a full-time space in our building, which complements our shared space offerings quite nicely! We now provide dedicated desks and full-time private offices in addition to our co-working solutions. We are thrilled about it. We have had to exercise a lot of patience in waiting for the right growth opportunity and then it took a tremendous amount of hustle to make it all come together in a very short time window!

We also just launched a brand-spanking new website, which we are quite pumped about. Our blog is more integrated and we feel as though we are able to share more about what is going on within our community through the layout!

• If you could be doing anything else with your time career-wise, what would you be doing?

I love interior home design and wanted when I was little to be an architect. I also love to write, which I’m actually getting to do more of these days!

• If you could hang out with any entrepreneur for the day, who would that be?

We are writing a book on women entrepreneurs and in the process have interviewed 100 women entrepreneurs. Many of them have been at the top of my list to meet for a while, so I feel like I have actually gotten to do this! It was particularly rewarding to meet with Melanie Notkin of Savvy Auntie, Sara Holoubek of Luminary Labs, Allison Hemming of The Hired Guns, Jen Mankins of Bird, Trisha Anderson of Frontier Soups, and Selima Salaun of Selima Optique.

• Do you have a new product or service you want to share or highlight?

We recently expanded to a new floor and launched services that include private offices and dedicated desks. It is a wonderful way to have a premium office experience in the company of fantastic women entrepreneurs! Picture can be found here: http://ingoodcompany.com/office-space/

Fun ?s

• Fave biz tool?

It changes all the time, but right now I really love how Bit.ly helps you track your shared links!

• Favorite indulgence?

Fresh flowers, ice cream, my bulldog Josephine, pigs – there are tons of pig statues and pictures in my house, oh and tote bags…but I’ve been cut off by my husband.

• Fave thing to do when you are NOT working ?

I don’t watch traditional TV but I get really into different shows and devour them by the season. I also love my magazines (until many went out of business), love to read and organize – Im a big tidier.

For more info on Adelaide and her great work,

visit her online @: http://ingoodcompany.com/home/

Follow her on Twitter: @ingoodcmpny

Follow all our Super Fab Female Entreps:

@ManishaThakor, @MaggieMistal, @ErinBlaskie, @SteffiFreedman, @ingoodcmpny

This week we are pleased to bring you:

The Super- Fab Steffi Freedman, Owner Corps Pilates, Philly

and a special treat for Fabulosity readers!

With over 10 years of professional experience in the fitness industry, Steffi bring a unique depth of knowledge to Corps Pilates. Her interest in movement began at a young age and evolved over time from a personal passion to a full-time career.

She has worked with a myriad of clients from triathletes to self-proclaimed couch potatoes and takes special care to work with everyone on an individual level according to their goals. In addition to owning and operating Corps Pilates, she was most recently the Philadelphia Market Director for Ladies Who Launch until it closed in April 2010. She had an extraordinary time facilitating workshops and events for women entrepreneurs in the city of Philadelphia.

• What were you doing in life prior to starting your business?

While fitness and wellness were always a special interest of mine, it didn’t seem like something I could do full time.  I majored in Broadcast Journalism at Penn State, then moved to NYC where I worked in marketing and advertising at Gourmet Magazine, Bates Manhattan, and Clear Channel.  All the while I was teaching fitness classes at places throughout the city and found that was my favorite part of my day.   When I moved home, the two paths merged.  While acting as the marketing coordinator at Summit Sports Training Center in Bryn Mawr, I met Carol Beringer who introduced me to Pilates.  After a few months, she asked me to help her open her own studio, Pilates and More, in Wayne, PA.  It was there that I realized I was bitten by the e-bug.

• What do you love most / least about being a business owner?

I love the flexibility owning my own business allows me to have.  Because I work mostly by appointment rather than teaching regular group classes, there isn’t that rigidity to my schedule that one has when working at an office.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes starting at 7 am and ending at 7 pm – even though you get a few hours in between isn’t ideal either, but at least it’s on my own terms.  When it comes to completing the administrative duties of owning Corps Pilates.  I find I work smarter, not harder to do the books, write the newsletter, etc. when I do it at convenient times.

What I like least about being a business owner is helped by what I like best.  As the sole service provider, taking a vacation or maternity leave requires advance planning to cover myself financially.  Luckily, I have the flexibility to know in advance when that will be.

• What is your fave business book or author and why?

I love Karen Salmansohn’s book Ballsy. Her books – and this one in particular – is a tell-it-like-it-is approach to business and life.  I also refer back to the E-Myth by Michael Gerber every once-in-a-while.  It was given to me by someone who trusted me with helping to open her own business.  It talks about playing to your strengths and surrounding yourself with people whose talents are different than yours to complete the big picture.  Unfortunately, as a true sole proprietor, I am wearing all of the hats, but I outsource as much as I can with a great accountant and regularly connecting with people in my field to problem solve.

• What business lesson did you have to learn the hard way? To this point, is there a mistake you see new entreps consistently making that you would caution them to avoid?

I’ve learned many things, but one that sticks out in my mind with both Corps Pilates and Ladies Who Launch is my false assumption that relationships would lead to patronage giving me an automatic customer base.  I know many people who verbally expressed interest in my endeavors, and while they were sincere, I blindly thought that meant they’d take action – by taking a Pilates lesson, attending an event or signing up for a workshop.   It takes more than relying on acquaintances’ interest.  You never know what’s really going on with people’s lives, their schedules, their financial situation, so I’ve learned to assume less, and be grateful for their interest – passive or active.  You never know where it will lead.

• What has been your proudest moment to date with your business success?

My guerilla marketing efforts which have led me to guest appearances on local TV and one week of teaching in Italy have been definite highlights.  However, I’m even more proud that my first client ever – from when I was teaching in someone’s townhouse basement – is still with me.

• What are some of your biggest struggles/ challenges a business owner?

I struggle with maintaining marketing momentum to keep my business fresh, but it helps to remember it’s not a sprint.  It’s a marathon.

• What new projects are you currently working on that you are comfortable sharing?

I am developing a new podcast called “Take 5”, which promotes stretching at your desk throughout the day.  It goes hand-in-hand with my efforts to teach my Big Picture Wellness R&R (Retrain & Retain) workshop and Pilates mat classes in the corporate environment.

• If you could be doing anything else with your time career-wise, what would you be doing?

As the former director of Ladies Who Launch Philadelphia, I really enjoyed connecting people and helping individuals develop ideas gaining clarity on their direction.  I suppose that’s a natural lead-in to coaching.

• If you could hang out with any entrepreneur for the day, who would that be?

I know it’s cliche, but I’d like to hang out with Oprah.  Maybe do some Pilates ; ).

• Do you have a new product or service that you would like to share with our readers?

I have a 20 – minute workout, “Pilates in Your Pocket”, which is available on iAmplify.com and now you can check out the first episode of “Take 5” for free on VirtualFabulosity.com!

**SPECIAL FREE EPISODE FOR FABULOSITY READERS***

Check out Steffi’s first episode of “Take 5″ designed just for all of us work-at-homers!  This series is designed for those of us who never leave our desks to take 5 mins and do some pilates stretches!  We will be selling the full series here on Virtual Fabulosity, but are offering this freebie to take it for a test drive.  Don’t miss this great offer!

Fun ?s

• Fave biz tool?

I claimed I’d never get one, but I did. My Blackberry is my favorite biz tool.  I don’t have to stay at my desk to conduct most ancillary business, can read “the paper” at random times, etc.

• Favorite indulgence?

Bodywork – massage, acupuncture, reiki, you name it.

• Fave thing to do when you are NOT working ?

Simply hanging with my husband, which could mean anything from checking out a new restaurant to laying on the couch watching multiple reruns of The Office!

For more info on Steffi and her great work,

visit her online @: http://www.corpspilatesphilly.com

Follow her on Twitter: @SteffiFreedman

Up Next Week: Adelaide Lancaster, Co-Founder of In Good Company Workplaces, NYC!

Adelaide Lancaster, co-founder, is a successful entrepreneur who excels at making business ideas a reality and helping businesses grow to their potential.  Adelaide is both a strategic thinker and a master implementer.  She has spent her professional career dedicated to helping women find work that is meaningful and rewarding. Adelaide was recently featured in the book Upstarts!, as one of 60 Gen-Y entrepreneurs who are rocking the world of business.

Adelaide was co-founder and Principal Partner of Berkman Fives a consulting firm that helped women professionals with career development and advancement and women entrepreneurs with business growth and efficiency.

Adelaide earned a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology and a M.A. in Organizational Psychology, both from Columbia University. She also earned her B.A. degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Educational Studies, from Colgate University. Adelaide also is a contributor to The Huffington Post.