I turn frazzled women into kick-ass Virtual Assistants so they can have flexible working lives that fit around their families (and shoe shopping).
π€ AI, Black Mirror, and doing the thing
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β It's Easter break for many schools here in the UK, and the long Bank Holiday weekend kicks off tomorrow. To encourage you to step away from social media and have fun in the real world, I'm freezing your VA Handbookers Facebook group from 8pm tonight until Tuesday morning. It's important to take time off, and this ensures my moderators and VA also have a decent break. Espresso AI Quick mention that I just launched Espresso AI - my new AI for Virtual Assistants newsletter last week. As AI is moving so fast, a monthly newsletter makes more sense than an AI course that would be out of date before I'd hit publish! I received this response within minutes of sending the launch email, and I've been delighted with the uptake so far. β β When I first started out in 2008, there were no Virtual Assistant trainers and hardly any information about being a VA. Now there's loads of it. You'd think this would be a good thing, but an overwhelming amount of information will confuse you, and a lack of focus means you'll blunder around or do nothing at all. I've learned that taking 20 steps in one direction is better than taking one step in 20 directions. So, if you find a group, a website, or a trainer that resonates with you, then stick with them. If that's not me, then I understand - you can unsubscribe right now, and I won't be offended. Because I want you to stop focusing on reading everything on the internet and start focusing on doing the thing. β βYou could actually βstart todayβ if you wanted to. π³ For Established VAs: As April is Stress Awareness Month, here are two post ideas to use on social media. 1) Task Triage Exercise Create an exercise to help your connections (who should be your ideal client and not 1000 other VAs, obvs) identify their most stressful tasks so they can decide which ones to outsource. Need some exercises? Here are four you can use. β 2) Client case study or testimonial Post a mini case study of how one of your clients reduced their stress levels after working with you. Provide specific examples of what changed and include a quote from the client if available. If you have a blog, then you should already have case studies you can link to. It's worth remembering that blog posts last for years and come up in search results, whereas social media posts do not. So, publish the good stuff on your website and then link to it. If you don't have time to create a case study, email your clients to ask if you have helped alleviate their stress levels. You can then use their quote in a post with stats about burnout and stress among business owners. π₯ Bonus Tip For Everyone: Create a WhatsApp notes hub In my recent 'Ten Questions With' interview with award-winning VA and agency owner Holly Copsey, she suggests setting up a WhatsApp group with just you in it. Genius idea. While walking Monty (my dog), I use voice-to-text to record my thoughts, ideas and key takeaways from podcasts, as well as forwarding handy links and screenshots I want to use later. β β I'm a huge Netflix binger, so I'm trying to pace myself with the new season. It didn't help that the first episode was so grim; I was left with my mouth open, staring at the screen (the Black Mirror) as if it were the closing credits of Game of Thrones. Have a lovely Easter weekend! β β PS: The annual SVA Survey is now out. Even though the VA industry is unregulated and there is no "official" VA society, the results are always useful. You also receive a free copy of the survey if you take part. β |
The VA Handbook
I turn frazzled women into kick-ass Virtual Assistants so they can have flexible working lives that fit around their families (and shoe shopping).
Good morning Reader, This will be your last Coffee Break newsletter until September, as I'm making the most of the August lull to take a rare three-week break. I'll still be sending out Espresso AI, but otherwise, Iβm sneaking off to chill out for a bit! This week's newsletter is a little different. Instead of my usual "three things for you" format, Iβm sharing some ideas on how to use the next six weeks to get ahead in your business. You may just want to relax with your kiddywinks, but quiet...
Quick heads-up that all of my legal contracts (including the DPA and website policies) are in the process of being updated to reference the new Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA), which recently came into force. The Act introduces significant changes to the UK's data protection framework, including amendments to the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). NOTES As usual, any previous buyers will be sent a link to access the...
Good morning Reader, I hope you're having a lovely week. Iβve just emerged from the fog of a horrendous stomach bug that wiped out three days of work and five pounds of body weight. To add to the fun, during a call, I mentioned that I still felt queasy, and my Mum thought it was the perfect time to tell me that my brother had come round the night before with chips and a kebab. Apparently, 'the smell really turned her stomach.' Thanks for that, Mum. π€’ And on that note, it's time to settle down...