Autumn Newsletter
Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Katie-VA Newsletter ??
Where the blinking heck has 2023 gone! ?I’m sure a lot of you will be feeling/saying the same, and no I haven’t even started thinking about Christmas.
Business is good;?I continue to be busy with client work and of course Up Close &?Virtual, more details on that below. ?Autumn is my favourite time of year, I know that’s not a popular opinion, but I genuinely love the change, the beautiful autumn colours, cold, crisp?days (although they’ve been a little thin on the ground!) the excitement and anticipation of Christmas! ?For me, it coincides with Q3 of my financial year, where I can review my revenue against targets, I’ve set myself and give myself a pat on the back or a kick up the backside, depending on how the numbers stack up! ?I would highly recommend you doing the same in your Q3, it’s not too late to make any adjustments to your plans and goals.?
I’ve prattled on about it enough for you all to know how incredibly proud I am on our beautiful and inspiring daughter who is now a fully fledged registered nurse and has a badge to prove it, I thought I’d share a photo of us at her graduation back in September.
Celebrating the Rise of the Virtual Assistant Industry
As a Virtual Assistant, I’ve witnessed first-hand how the industry has grown and developed over the years.? I’ve adapted, learned and evolved with to support my clients and their businesses as they have changed and operated as well. More than just facilitating tasks, VAs have become an integral part of modern productivity and our relevance and significance is more evident than ever before.? This is why celebrating our contributions to the business world and supporting each other within the industry is so important.
A Modern Solution to Age-Old Problems
Virtual Assistants have transformed how we approach administrative tasks, business operations, and even personal day-to-day responsibilities. Gone are the days when remote work was a novelty. Today, it's a necessity. And VAs lead this charge, ensuring smooth operations, efficient time management, and proficient task handling.
The Growing Relevance
The VA industry has become more than just a convenient service. It's a testament to how technology and human skills can merge to create a dynamic and effective solution to various challenges.
Recognising Excellence: Awards and Events
Every industry grows and matures when its players are recognised for their excellence and commitment. The inception of awards for the VA industry is a reflection of its growth and its indispensability in the modern corporate ecosystem. Such recognitions not only boost morale but also set benchmarks for quality, pushing VAs to offer nothing but the best to their clients.?
There’s no better feeling than watching your peers, mentees and podcast guests get recognised for their achievements. ?Previous podcast guests Jenny Lovell and Susan Wright (who is also a past colleague) were both shortlisted as finalists for VA of the Year (solo). ?I was absolutely delighted to see my wonderful mentee Fiona Pedley listed as a finalist for VA of the Year (solo).
At the UKVA Awards held as part of the UKVA conference on 13 October 2023, my recent podcast guest Holly Copsey won VA of the year with a large team.?
Amy Russell also won Outstanding VA of the Year and she’ll be featured on an upcoming episode of the podcast in December so stay tuned for that!
Thanks to Amanda Johnson of VACT Ltd, who continues to champion the VA industry with these awards, the annual conference and for everything else she does for our community.
Building Connections: Networking Events
I’m so honoured to be a part of the VA industry and it makes me so proud to see how incredibly supportive we are to each other; whether you’re a brand new VA or have years of experience under your belt.
No industry can thrive in isolation and as we all work remotely, it’s especially important for VAs to get together. Networking events dedicated to the VA industry provide platforms for like-minded professionals to connect, share ideas, and even collaborate. These gatherings also offer learning opportunities, insights into the latest industry trends, and the potential to forge beneficial business relationships.? ??
Here’s where to sign up and follow some of the VA conferences/meet ups held around the UK:
As we celebrate the successes and strides of the VA industry, we recognise the wonderful and supportive community of VAs who have worked so hard to build up their businesses, challenge the idea that working from home is unsustainable and have proved themselves to be invaluable to clients, organisations and businesses over the years.?
I’m so proud of how far we have all come and excited for the future.
Check out the well deserved winners of the UKVA Awards here.
Some days everything just goes to plan whereas other days I feel like the proverbial swan; graceful on the outside but my legs going at 1,000,000 miles an hour underneath the water!
When you're a Virtual Assistant, life is never as simple as it may sound.? Take today for example, my days always start with an 8 AM sweep of all client inboxes, review of calendars and updating any action points or to do lists, thankfully nothing unexpected or requiring any last-minute changes or urgent amendments!
Being as it's a Tuesday my routine is such that I spend the morning with a long-standing Private Household client, someone who I have had the pleasure of working for for nearly ten years! A farmer, who has a brilliant grass-fed organic beef business, so my time was spent working on the farm accounts, helping our new farm manager with some cost analysis and settle into their role, liaising with utility companies, providing metre readings etc to ensure invoicing was correct and trying to get the electric gates working after a cable had been cut through by a rather careless building contractor!
Home for a quick bite of lunch and second sweep of client inboxes to ensure timely follow up and responses to queries. ?The afternoon I spent focusing on a client where my role is more operational, which I truly adore as it plays to all my strengths and has allowed me to get to know the business and the employees really well. ?A considerable focus for this role is sales and marketing support so I spent time data mining for various email campaigns, meeting with a supplier who plans and monitors our Pay Per Click activity, interspersed with the usual answering your various e-mail inquiries, booking meetings, finalising the Christmas party plan, liaising with our IT department to provide hardware for a new joiner later in the month…
I always finish my day with a final sweep of inboxes and calendars, highlight any changes for the following day and update any to do lists. ?
Today was also Podcast recording day, so at 5pm I jumped on a zoom with the very lovely Sam Hogwood, to record another episode of Up Close & Virtual.? We chatted away for about 45 minutes and the episode will air in December.
I left my desk at about 6.30pm having ensured the recording had worked and sent over to my amazing VA Jo to do the hard work of editing it into the format required for publication.?
I love my job, no two days or minutes are ever the same.? I’m never bored, always challenged and engaged in my work and feel truly blessed to have the business that I do. ?Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always roses round the door and some days are incredibly challenging where nothing goes to plan and I’m firefighting from morning to evening, but that too is all part of being a VA and I wouldn't change it for the world.?
领英推荐
?? Elevate Your Virtual Assistant Brand on LinkedIn with Sharon Murray’s new programme!
If you are a Virtual Assistant looking to promote your brand on LinkedIn, LinkedIn Brand Boost for VAs is here to give you a clearer understanding of your brand, equip you with skills to create engaging content and optimise your profile to ensure you create a network of valuable connections.
Ready to stand out in the virtual world? ?Learn more about this fabulous new 4 week programme here.
Thank you to all of you who have listened, liked and supported the podcast so far.?We've reached Season 2 of Up Close & Virtual and we kicked off with some really fabulous guests:?
Lucy Everett - The Holistic Business Coach
Chela Hardy - Ask Chela
Joanne Manville - Joanne Manville Virtual Assistance
Bee Higgins - Bloom with Bee
Holly Copsey - Virtually Priceless
Hana?Gray - The Office Management Group
Please do let me know any topics or discussions you would like me to have.? If you would like to be a guest please do get in touch!?You can listen on Spotify or Apple Music
Whether you're just starting out on your VA journey or you're a seasoned pro, the Katie-VA blog is tailored to inspire, educate, and elevate your skills.
Dive deep into the world of virtual assistance, explore tried-and-true methods, and discover innovative strategies to excel in this thriving industry.
From the nuts and bolts of setting up your VA business from scratch to mastering the art of landing clients, we've got you covered with topics such as:
? Starting Your VA Business from Ground Zero
? Strategies to Land Your First (or Next!) Client
? The Art of Effective Onboarding
? Mastering Discovery Calls...and so much more!
?? Curious about how a Virtual Assistant can amplify your business?Small business owners and individuals, this is for YOU too! Learn how partnering with a VA can transform your operations, boost productivity, and free up your time.
Read the blog here.
Thanks so much for reading!
Katie x