MI: Valerie, you
have been my primary Virtual Assistant now for
over four years, a time when most people never
even heard of VAs. What was your previous
background and how did that prepare you for
being a VA?
VK: Like you said, I
became a Virtual Assistant when very few people
knew what a VA was. I started my own business,
Navigator Services, after a client approached me
to do database management and systems
implementation for him. Five years later, I'm
still a VA and love the variety of work I do. My
background is in public relations and working
for local, state and federal government
representatives. Therefore, I have a lot of
experience in writing, editing, organizing and
managing details and people. I have found that
these strengths and experiences help me no
matter what field my client is in.
MI: Many of my
audiences around the world have heard me refer
to you as my "#1" which means I depend
on you to get things done without bothering me
with the details on how you accomplish them.
Share with the readers some of the high-level
things you do for me and why having someone in
this position is so important for every
businessperson.
VK: Every
businessperson, particularly those with an
entrepreneurial spirit, needs someone to help
keep them on track. Businesspeople are
consistently focused on generating new business.
However, they need someone 'behind the scenes'
implementing their ideas and creating systems and
structures that work. Without that person,
burnout is inevitable. In our organization, I
filter and respond to your e-mail while you're
on the road and during your intense writing
periods. I post, research and hire the Virtual
Assistants and Virtual Consultants we use to
complete our projects. I manage the drip e-mail
marketing campaigns and help to oversee the
day-to-day operations of the company. I do what
I do best 'behind the scenes' so that you can do
what you do best.
MI: What would
you say are your major strengths and skills as a
VA and how they might best apply to helping
REALTORS®?
VK: One of my
greatest strengths is my ability to handle a lot
of details at once and follow through with each
one. I am highly organized and detail-oriented,
but I also have a creative side that helps me to
think 'outside the box' when problem
solving. REALTORS® exhibit their strengths
while out listing and selling…I will bring an
organizational strength to their business which
may not already exist.
MI: In helping
me arrange my many speaking sessions over the
years, particularly the 3-Day Advanced Workshop,
you have had the opportunity to come in direct
contact with many REALTORS®. How would you
profile the ideal REALTOR® to work for as a
VA?
VK: The best
clients, REALTORS® or not, are those who are
excited about what they are doing, overwhelmed,
and willing to learn to use the many tools
available through e-mail and the Internet. If
they are not passionate about what they're
doing, it can limit their ability to create a
wonderful business. If they are overwhelmed, I
can help them manage their business so that it
can become what they want it to be. If they're
willing to learn new ways to do business, then
we can do great things together.
MI: What three
conditions do you insist upon before you would
consider helping a REALTOR® with their
business?
VK: He/she must be
ready to make a change. So many of us say that
we want to change and yet do nothing. We are
essentially paralyzed until we are really ready
to take action and move forward. I can help
he/she move forward. He/she must know how to use
e-mail and have basic Internet skills. He/she
must be willing to give up some control and
trust me to make competent decisions.
MI: Many real
estate sales people can be a bit
"scattered." How would you help keep
them focused and on track? (like you have
certainly done for me over the years!)
VK: I've found that
in the last 15 years, I've
primarily worked with highly intelligent and
"scattered" people. I love being the
solution to their problems by learning about
their unique business and putting systems and
structures in place to help organize and manage
them. This includes bringing in the right people
to do the right jobs.
MI: Last
Question: Given that you have been in the
industry longer than most VAs, where do you see
the Virtual Assistant industry heading over the
next 3 - 5 years?
VK: Virtual
Assistance is really on the verge of exploding
as more and more industries recognize the value
virtual assistants and virtual consultants bring
to the workplace. I think we will also see a
higher quality of work as more businesses
realize that they can hire experts for
individual projects at a fraction of the cost of
a traditional "assistant." While there
is definitely a benefit to having a "jack
of all trades" or project manager type of person as a VA,
there is also real value in leaving the more
specialized projects to a Virtual
Consultant.
MI: Valerie,
thank you for sharing your hard won insights as
a true veteran of the VA industry, and most of
all for being such an awesome "#1" for
me all these years!
VK: And thank you
for leading the way and educating people about
the value of virtual assistance. You've provided
a means for many of us to have the lifestyle we
want by working virtually!
You can learn more about Valerie and her VA
services by visiting her Website at http://www.navigatorservices.net,
contacting her via e-mail at mailto:valerie@navigatorservices.net
or by phone at 805-968-8229. Always
remember to do a thorough due-diligence before
hiring any kind of assistant. This interview is
part of an ongoing series of VA profiles designed
to help you find that perfect VA that will launch
you to the top quicker and with less effort than
you ever thought possible!
