How I Became a Successful Female Small Business Owner

By Jennie Lyon / March 6, 2015

Whether it is to spend more time with family, to make a better living, or simply follow a passion or skill set, so many women these days are making the move into independent business ownership. As exciting as the decision to work for yourself is, it can be daunting when you realize how much work, dedication, and patience are required for success. You may have well-meaning friends or peers who have attempted to encourage you by saying that it can take months—or years—for your business to get off the ground or that starting out is hard for everyone. Meanwhile, you…

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Which is Right for Your Business: Consultant or Contractor?

By Jennie Lyon / November 28, 2014

There comes a time when every small business owner realizes that she needs expert input and if you’ve reached that point in your business you have probably asked yourself whether it is time to hire a consultant. The terms “consultant” and “contractor” are sometimes combined these days with so many entrepreneurs offering independent services to businesses. If you realize you need outside help but the sometimes vague distinction between contractors and consultants has you scratching your head, this brief overview of the differences can help. [Tweet “If you need specialized expertise for a temporary project hire a consultant.”] ConsultantIf you…

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9 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Save You Time and Money This Week!

By Jennie Lyon / November 12, 2014

If you are like most small business owners, you want to focus the majority of your time on building your business. Yet, you may be finding that you are spending an exorbitant amount of time on tasks you shouldn’t. Even if you find that you are getting sucked into these tasks and they are taking away from you really building your business – it’s time to get a team in place. The first team member that I would suggest that you hire is a virtual assistant. Read on for a quick rundown of 9 ways our team can save you…

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Starting a Business? Partner with a Virtual Assistant and Strengthen your Foundation

By Jennie Lyon / August 8, 2014

Starting a business in any industry, time period, or global climate can be a serious roller coaster. So many changes will be made in policies, procedures, staffing needs, marketing, and so on that you are going to feel overwhelmed most of the time without someone there to help you out. It’s always great to feel confident and proud enough that you can start your business by yourself, but with all the stress and endless preparation that comes with it, why wouldn’t you want an anchor to keep you focused and organized? Hiring a virtual assistant from the get-go is the…

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5 Online Tools a Virtual Assistant Should Be Using to Manage Your Business

By Jennie Lyon / August 1, 2014

It’s fairly simple to start working with a virtual assistant. I start by having an in-depth consultation with my prospective clients to give me an idea of the areas they need assistance with. This initial consultation also gives me enough time to decide if I think working with the client would be a good fit for both parties. Once the contracts have been signed and we are ready to start working together, there are several systems that I use to keep my client and their projects organized. I’ve outlined some of these systems, all of which are essential for a job well done.…

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11 Ways a Website Virtual Assistant Can Manage Your Website

By Jennie Lyon / July 25, 2014

As a busy small business owner or self-employed entrepreneur, managing your website and blog can seem like too much to deal with. You need a website virtual assistant! Why? Although you have all of these amazing ideas and the best of intentions for sharing them with your community, doing so keeps falling to the bottom of your to-do list each week.  Between finding the time to write your blog post, post it with an amazing photo, and schedule your week’s social media, it can all seem overwhelming. On top of that, there’s putting your blog posts into a newsletter to go out to your…

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How to Hire the Right Virtual Assistant for Your Business

By Jennie Lyon / May 30, 2014

If you are looking for a virtual assistant to help you manage your business, you need to know how to hire a virtual assistant without wasting a lot of time or energy. You can find virtual assistants on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for starters. Anyone who considers themselves a virtual assistant should have a website so a Google search is another great way to get started. Also, asking other business owners for recommendations can be THE best way to find a great virtual assistant. Once you have compiled your list of virtual assistants to interview, I highly recommend only interviewing…

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7 Tips for a Successful Virtual Assistant Relationship

By Jennie Lyon / May 17, 2014

If you are ready to find more time, be more productive and build a fantastic team that will support you and your business,  hiring a virtual assistant is one of the best investments you can make. You can’t do it all, don’t get stuck in the misconception that to be successful as a business owner you have to do all of the work yourself. Once you join forces with the perfect virtual assistant for your business, it’s important to consider the ways that you and the virtual assistant can make the most out of your relationship to keep everything running…

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What is a Virtual Assistant and Why Do I Need One?

By Jennie Lyon / April 18, 2014

What is a Virtual Assistant? A VA is an online assistant that works remotely. A VA provides business owners with an assortment of services to help keep their business running smoothly. You can hire a VA to work on a specific project or you can partner on an ongoing basis. Why Do I Need One? The most important reason for needing a VA is to ensure that everything on your to-do list is getting done each week. If your business is disorganized, and your to-do list just grows each day – it’s time to get a team in place to…

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