{Michelle D@le}
Travelling and Working Online in the Virtual Assistant Industry, very enthusiastically shaping businesses of all sizes into lucrative, paperless enterprises.
About Michelle- Work With Michelle
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About Michelle
- Also Known As Virtual Miss Friday
She's a Digital Nomad.
I am Michelle, I was born in England in 1981, and I am the Virtual Assistant behind VirtualMissFriday.com and now VirtualAssistant-Live.com. I developed my thriving VA Business while travelling and living in a variety of different countries, and I am still regularly on the move.
VMF Ltd is now a multi 6 figure IBC. It began in 2005 when I left the UK to begin my travels in Egypt and experience life abroad, and since then I have taken it — from just me, to a multi-VA practise, upgrading myself to a highly effective online business manager. I live a life which suits me, as a mobile entrepreneur and digital nomad. Since leaving the UK, I have travelled extensively and successfully created a life as a location independent entrepreneur. I have no intentions of going home to live in England. Over the years and through the wealth of experience I’ve gained, I am now ready to give some of this experience, insight and knowledge back to other Entrepreneurs, Virtual Assistants, Digital Nomads, Work-At-Home Parents and quite honestly, anybody who’s looking to quit their job, find real financial freedom, and become totally independent.
She's a CEO, Virtual Assistant & Online Business Consultant and Manager.
I have a passion for both travel and career, which made Virtual Assistance the ideal solution for me as an online entrepreneur. Having worked alongside enterprising directors and independent business owners, while enjoying a successful career in senior and executive roles, exceeding targets by designing and mastering effective methods of office support, I now assist businesses of all sizes into making the transition from "offline to online," using unique and diverse methods of online business management. I now work as a consultant and business manager, having developed my own team of highly-skilled VA’s to provide a virtual service which is turning businesses all over the world into lucrative, paperless enterprises.She's Human.
I am a Wife and a Mum to 2 beautiful children. I love to cook, listen to music, purchase anything that Apple.com have made - Yes, I am a certified "i" addict, and I read my horoscopes daily on Cainer.com. I am an ordinary person, living an extraordinary life, just making the most of it.- MichelleDale.me
- MichelleOnFacebook.me
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Work With Michelle
Work with Michelle as a Client.
Online Business Consultancy
and Virtual Assistant Services
www.VirtualMissFriday.com
Creator of "Thought Organisation"
Predictive Virtual Support Services.
Coming Soon!
Fortnightly Video Newsletter
www.FridaysFortnightly.comWork with Michelle as a Colleague.
Matter-Of-Fact Advice and Resources
for Travellers In The Online World (Blog)
www.VirtualAssistant-Live.com
The Complete System For Becoming
A Successful Online Service Provider
www.TheVARoadmap.com
Supporting Online Service Providers
Who Want To Go Places In e-Business
www.TheVAPassport.com
Build Your Online Service Business
Step-By-Step On An Insanely Tight Shoestring Budget
www.TheVAShoestring.com
Create A 6 Figure VA Industry Business
From Virtually Anywhere In The World
www.TheVAApprentice.com
An Exclusive Directory Of The Worlds
Most Elite Online Service Providers
www.TheVABlackBook.com
Is Your e-Service Business Ready?
Digital Mentorship That Creates Rockstars
www.TheVARockstar.com
The "Virtually Anywhere" service business newsletter for Online Consultants, Business Managers, Virtual Assistants and Digital Nomads.
www.eTravelWeekly.comMore Projects.
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As Seen In
- e-Travel, Media, Interviews
Business Backpacker with Brooke Ferguson
Michelle Dale Shares How to Hire a VA, Start a VA Business, and Become a Digital Nomad
Nu Nomad
How To Become a VA and Travel The World
Blog World
25 Brilliant Bloggers Talk About Virtual Assistants
Outsourcing Live with Tyrone Shum
From Being A Virtual Assistant To Owning A Sucessful Multi-VA Business With Michelle Dale
Virtual Business Lifestyle with Chris Ducker
Can’t Manage the 4-Hour Work Week..? Why Not Try The 4 Year Vacation!
Digital Nomad Academy with Cody McKibben
Successful Location-Independent Expert
Little Pink Book
Workers with Wanderlust – Little Pink Book Interviews Michelle Dale
4HWW Success Stories
Creating your 4HWW business and living a nomadic lifestyle Interview with Michelle Dale
Leaving Work Behind with Tom Ewer
No. 74 in The 100 Blogs You Need In Your Life
Carol Roth – Tough Love For Business
No. 61 in Entrepreneurs – The biggest challenges facing Solopreneurs
IVAA Online Summit 2011 – VA Adventures
Build a Successful Virtual Business Without Boundaries
Virtual Staff Finder
Top Virtual Assistant Websites That Every Entrepreneur Should Visit Everyday!
Executive Action
The Virtual Assistant Productivity Boost Interview with Michelle Dale
Virtual Assistant Moms
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Posts
- May 18, 12
Today I am celebrating my 31st birthday, and I am taking this gift giving occasion to offer all my wonderful supportive clients, members, readers, fans, followers and e-friends 31% OFF selected products and services within my business. You can check out the video top right, and I added the out takes at the end, maybe you can relate to those if you have ever tried doing videos. I am calling this promotion…
The 31% Event.
So today we officially begin my online birthday promotion, lasting through until the 25th of May 2012.
I guarantee I have included something for everyone! The rules are simple, as follows:
- These offers must be redeemed between the 18th of May and 25th May 2012. They close at midnight GMT (London UK time) on the 25th May 2012.
- If you are purchasing services (mainly for clients) which will be invoiced you must quote the discount code “EPARTY31″ to receive the discount.
- Purchases of hours must be redeemed within 6 months from the date of the invoice.
- 31% Discount is only available on selected products quoted on this page and on my company services page.
So let me take you through the offers for this online birthday event! I have been really excited about this all week
31% Off The VA Passport Total Access.
Our growing community of members can take full advantage of the facilities available to online service providers in The VA Passport. Hundreds of ready to use online business learning and development resources, plus access to monthly PLR Article packs, unique video training from Virtual Miss Friday, plus promotion and publicity for your business with our syndicate facilities.Total Access give you complete access to The VA Passport forever – no further payments required.
31% Off The VA Apprentice Programme.
This is our flagship business programme for creating an online services company came out of beta testing this time last year, and we ave successfully created and developed a range of unique companies with the virtual assistant and service industry.If you would like to have all the hassle taken out of developing your own company, with complete technical and creative support, and the back-up from a successful entrepreneur in the exact field you are looking to excel in, then this offer is for you.
Full access to the complete business programme and multiple bonuses and support tutorials.
Online Store Products
We have a range of PLR Articles aimed specifically at clients of online services providers and those in the online services industry. The articles can be used to create info products or free giveaways for your clients. You can even rework the content to create blog posts and newsletters.
Click Here To Visit Our PLR Store.
Normal Price Per Pack $11.00 – 31% Off $7.59
In additional to the PLR store we have 3 additional products, these show you how to attract clients to your business, how to start providing consulting services, and how to conduct effective phone consultations – with a real live call recording.
Click Here To Visit Our Store.
Here Is The Discount Code You’ll Need To Enter Into The Shopping Cart On Checkout.
“EPARTY31″
All products are digital download, an invoice for your purchase will arrive within 24 hours from the time of your purchase, simple click the links within the invoice to download the product.
If you happen to be a potential client, then I have a LOAD of fabulous offers for you off of my services in Virtual Miss Friday. If you would like to take a look at those, please visit our dedicated page at http://www.virtualmissfriday.co.uk/31 – I’m offering 31% off services such as social media, article marketing, administration, website development and design.
Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement from the comments, emails and messages I get daily. Without you, there would be no purpose to me producing content to help support my colleagues, and I’m truly thankful there you’re here.
Today I’ll hang out with my family, and then enjoy a meal out with my husband in the evening in a little restaurant by the sea here in Crete. Have a fabulous weekend whatever you have planned!
- May 15, 12
Pinterest is the ‘new kid on the block’ of social media, but it’s also, in my opinion, one of the most fun, making it extremely popular. People can easily get lost in Pinterest switching from boards, and people they follow, repinning, sharing and liking images that resonate with them. But the thing about Pinterest, is that it’s not really apparent how it could work for a business where there are no products.
Source: Uploaded by user via Michelle on Pinterest
Let’s look at a cafe for example, you could take photos of your yummy drinks and snacks and cakes, even share the recipes and upload these to Pinterest. If you sell hair accessories, you could get someone to model them, take photos, watermark them with your website URL or brand and that could encourage people to purchase the accessories online. Basically if you have the possibility of taking a physical photo of your product you have a great opportunity with Pinterest to use it as a viral marketing tool.
But what about if you don’t have a product which you can take a photo of? It seems like all is lost with Pinterest, but not necessarily…
I suggest what you do is create some graphics, or images, of things like quotes from your blog posts or tips or quick tips for clients, (they’ll be completely unique instead of the same old rehashed Albert Einstein quotes) and then watermark them with your website URL, make them look cool, and of course if you are taking a quote from your blog, then be sure to put your name and website in it as well, and get those up on Pinterest — here is the very important thing!! Making sure you add the text version to the description, and also of course your full URL, or the source of the quote e.g. your blog post link. If you don’t include these in the description, what’s the point?
Quotes and other inspirational, highly useful information go viral, and before you know it, your image could have stretched to the far corners of Pinterest.
How to do it.
- Find a good graphics tool. I use Photoshop.
- Create a template image where you can easily switch out information to make more images.
- Create a few graphics of your tips or quotes.
- Create a board on Pinterest e.g. “online business tips.”
- Upload your images to the board.
- Add a description and full URL e.g. http://www.virtualassistant-live.com
- And what the heck, click the Twitter button and share it on Twitter while you’re there
You could also consider embedding those images into your blog posts and adding a ‘pin’ button, so folks can pin your graphics right from your site.
Source: youtube.com via Michelle on Pinterest
Have a play around and try it out. You can expand into things like screenshots of useful tweets, or if you aren’t good at creating graphics, tweet or Facebook your quote or tip and take a screen image of it being sure to include the bit that shows your identity. You can also add videos to Pinterest, using a service like Animoto to create up to 30 second videos for free.
Once you get your thinking cap on I’m sure you could come up with loads of Bright ideas!
How are you using Pinterest? Comments below please, thank you!
- May 11, 12
I spend a good deal of time constantly trying to improve the experience my clients have when working with me. It’s important for me to try and make their overall experience not just good, I want it to be really great. By doing this, I would like to think that my clients understand that I genuinely do care about making life online for them as easy as possible, and also of course, securing their long term business through constant improvement wherever possible.
If you are wondering how you can add more value to your rates and packages, or just to your online service business in general, I have found the best way to do this is through offering client ‘perks,’ basically things they get in addition to the core service, when they purchase that service through you.
These ‘perks’ can come in a variety of forms. In order for me to consider adding a perk to a client service, I generally look for things where I can make an initial one time investment or pay a low monthly subscription that would be absorbed into the cost of my service, or where I could pass on relevant, useful information that I normally check anyway for my own business. You can get really creative with what you offer, and also target things to specific niche markets.
Here are some ideas on how you can include perks into your service for your clients.
#1 – Offer A Free Password Management Service.
As you can see from the video top right, this week in my business newsletter I am introducing a service to clients where we will manage their passwords for them at no cost (for the passwords we use when working with them, for example social media accounts or website logins). The way I see it we need to data entry these passwords in anyway, so why not have the client set up a free account and we can then do the additional step of sharing the password with them, and they have an instant password storage facility.
If you would like to see how I set this up with clients, the video tutorial and my templates which I use are going to be in the this month’s VISA TRIP, released on the 15th of May in The VA Passport.
#2 – Get A Developer Licence.
Consider purchasing a developer licence to a really cool online tool, for example, if you provide social media services, you could invest a couple of hundred dollars into an awesome social media toolbar, which clients would normally need to purchase, and then offer free installation and set up of that toolbar to any clients who utilise your social media services.
Whenever you come across a great widget, plugin or software as a service, see if they have a partnership programme or developer licence, and then you can make an initial investment to add that additional value to new or existing clients, ongoing.
#3 – Provide A Secure Private Online Client Area.
Okay okay, I know I prattle on about this often, but it really does make a big difference to the client’s experience. Offer clients a secure area free of charge, where you’ll store files, keep records, discuss things, just cutting out that whole thing for them of doing everything via email. Keep your clients organised online – this is the way of working and the office set up of the future. Client areas are essentially multi-purpose project management spaces – check out this post for some great ideas.
#4 – A Convenient Appointment Scheduling System.
If you’re a really ‘busy bee’ like me, you may find that manually managing a calendar can become a bit tedious, especially with multiple clients across multiple timezones, and also the fact that my timezone changes periodically with my lifestyle, I have come to rely on my online calendar system for appointments. When people want to secure a time to chat with me the easiest and most convenient way for them to do this is through my online appointment system in Setster. I have a little video showing them how to schedule a call, but at the same time how they can switch the calendar to their own timezone, eliminating any possibility of missed calls, odd timezones etc… Whenever I attempt to arrange anything manually it can often end in there being a hour difference, especially during the summertime ‘odd’ hour. This way, the hassle of ‘where are you, what time is that’ is completely removed, and clients can book at a time that suits them, in their timezone, wherever they happen to be.
#5 – Easy To Use Client Guides.
Take a bit of time out of your day and spend that time putting together a “Client Guide” — this will not only help clients, it will save you time too over the long run. Keep adding to it when you introduce a new service. I have mine set up in my client area for all clients to access when they need it. In my client guide is a library of different ‘docs’ like pages in the area, they are categorised into:
- FAQ’s
- How To’s
- Delegation Templates
- Questionnaires
It teaches the client how to do common things like how to share files with us, how to share passwords online with us, how to request assistance etc… I also have delegation templates for different services, giving clients guidance as to exactly what information or details we need to carry out a specific service. I also answer common questions, like how they can get a service expedited or how they can update their billing information, and finally questionnaires, this is when we need to gather information to provide a more bespoke service, like a website development or SEO project.
#6 – Short Video Tutorials.
If you provide a particular service to a client, it’s really nice to be able to provide them with some direction afterwards as to what they need to do if they also need to be involved with whatever system you have put in place. For example, a CRM system which they may want to also dip into and use, or a content management system where they may want to learn how to post blog posts for example.
Short video tutorials keep this process simple, and can be an additional perk, because not only are you providing the service, you are providing a certain degree of ‘aftercare,’ which is great for ensuring long term, loyal clients.
I created a post on how I set up a WordPress Training Centre for my clients, you can read that HERE.
#7 – Sharing Your Findings.
When we work online we tend to sign up for things out of interest, and even if they are for our personal use they could still be valuable to the client. By sharing information, you are saving the client time, and also potentially improving their business. Let’s say for example you sign up for HARO (Help a reporter out) and you receive their daily email for all of the media channels looking for stories to cover in magazines, newspapers, radio shows and even television. You can glance through yourself and see if anything comes up for you, but you also may see a great opportunity for your client. This is good because you can kind of cross sell a service. If your client is a Health Coach, and you see that there is a radio talk show looking to interview health coaches who specialise in Avocado recipes for example, and your client happens to specialise in Avocado recipes, why not contact your client to inform them of what you have found, and then suggest that you (as a service) draft the pitch for the media outlet and post the response for them?
So as you can see you have a variety of ideas here to get you started, this really just touches on the possibilities which are available to you for making your client’s experience better than they even could have imagined. It may mean you need to charge a little extra for the service overall or in your hourly rate, but I believe it’s really worth it, and a little extra can go a very, very long way…
What do you think? If you have any other ideas or you found this post useful, hit me up with a comment below, okay? Thanks!
- May 08, 12
I am having an amazing time in Crete, the sun is always shining, the birds are always singing, and the people are simply wonderful. I have also taken the plunge on this move and have hired a Greek child-minder for 3 days a week to help the kids learn the language, and so I can focus on some areas of the business I want to develop quickly. I am still pursuing my Greek learning, and it’s really accelerated since we have been here, I try to learn new words everyday and I also chat with the neighbours pretty much daily too.
I think it’s important to emphasise that location independence isn’t just about a love for travel, because if you love travel, you don’t of course need to be a location independent. It’s about a love for life, and that love for life will drive you to incredible levels of achievement without even being consciously aware that you are doing it.
Imagine, going anywhere you choose, and literally taking your work with you around the world, but not only that, doing it as a family… I can’t begin to tell you how I feel when I see my kids enjoying themselves, and the beauty of it is, I get to share all this with them, watching them as they grow up, instead of stuck in some boring office job where I see them for 5 minutes when I get home before they go to bed. I know that works for some people, but it’s just not for me.
Location independence is like being on a drug, once you get on that plane, and you fly away from all the things that have been holding you back in life, you never want to go back, and you get a taste for that feeling of being away from it all, being away from the society you were expected to live in all your life, even if you felt that it wasn’t quite right for you. Had I not tried this kind of life, I know for a fact that I would have felt totally trapped, and dissatisfied forever and, never really knowing the reason why…
I am very happy, I have an online business I love, a beautiful family, and a lifestyle that is of my own choosing, I now have what no amount of money could ever buy — I have a feeling of total peace and contentment within my life. I know it’s not so easy to pick up and go, but really all it is is a decision, and an action – nothing more than that. I am often asked about what life is like and specifically how our kids adapt to the moving, but fortunately the kids transition well with us, I guess because they were born pretty much on the road, and this is the only life they have ever known.
Remember, it’s a decision, and an action. I left the UK before I started my business, it was a risk, and at one point I was down to basically living off rice, but with hard work, and determination, it paid off. Don’t give up, and the memories of any struggle you had when starting out will eventually be looked back upon fondly, with a wonderful sense of achievement, and you’ll know, if you can get through those tough times starting out, you can get through anything!
Let me know what you think of this kind of lifestyle in the comments, okay?
- May 04, 12
The virtual service industry in general is like an aeroplane, carrying a variety of different passengers, let’s call them clients. In order for the plane to fill its seats, it offers various different classes to its passengers and the passengers pay in accordance with what they can afford, or what they are simply willing to pay for the journey (or in our case, the service).
The industry also has a variety of different options for the client to choose from, varying in price depending on what VA you hire (or airline you travel with, or class of seat you want to purchase). The likes of us who want to travel freely and often, and don’t have a great deal of money to spend will tend to stick to the budget airlines, low cost flights etc… This is of course fine, all they literally want to do is get from A to B, and they don’t care much for the service on the flight in between, as long as they get a seat and have their basic needs catered for – and of course turn up alive at the other end. Nothing wrong with that.
On the other hand, there are passengers who do have the money to spend that little bit extra and get a 1st class seat on the plane. They care about the overall experience, and what happens from A to B, they want to pay for the additional perks they get along the way that make their experience more pleasant, a comfier chair, or a bed, better air con, champagne, a 5 course dinner, very attentive service, closer toilets… Whatever – overall they want more features and benefits than the people travelling in economy.
How do your clients travel?
Personally, I like my clients to travel first class, in fact, I invest a lot into providing the attention to details, and I don’t want to offer anything less. My business (or hypothetically speaking ‘airline’) caters for the people who are not paying economy class. The reason I do this is because when I was striving to bring the cost of my service down, I was unable to do that without the overall level of it coming down as well – from 1st class to economy seats, and then that would have just left me feeling crappy, and unhappy with myself. Who wants that, right? When I think about being less of a professional in my field and compromising on my ‘baby’ – that is of course my business – I just don’t want to do it, and would really rather the client went off to purchase an economy ticket elsewhere.
What airline are you operating and what passengers are you catering for? The fact is we most certainly need both types of airline and we need both types of ticket, economy and 1st class, they are essential for everybody in the world to be able to travel, and I feel everyone should be able to travel.
The point is there will always be people booking economy class, flying cheap, and there will always be those opting for 1st class – and sometimes, they’ll do both, depending on the situation. Whatever you do – economy or 1st class, do what feels right for you. Both RyanAir and Emirates do a good deal of business, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about – as long as you do business the way you want to.
I may have totally lost you with this post, can you tell I love travel! Let me know what you think in the comments, okay?
- May 01, 12
Last month a very interesting thing happened in my VA Business, which meant that as of today, I technically have no clients as a Virtual Assistant… I said farewell to my last client yesterday. I’ll explain in this post.
I started my company officially back in 2007, and one of my very first clients was a very intelligent and enterprising individual. He had an online business, and his business had grown to a point where he had one regular VA working with him, but he wanted additional support as his business was continuing to grow, and he was clearly a man with a plan to expand and grow dramatically.
I was very happy, and also eager to work with him, as it was great ongoing regular work, which I knew I would enjoy, and after a phone consultation, I was hired. I have serviced this client, as a virtual assistant doing billable time ever since 2007. Now, over the years, my business has evolved, and I began shortly after taking on this contract with this client, breaking away from the billable time myself, to a group of individuals, a.k.a. my awesome team at Virtual Miss Friday, and I have managed to do that completely, taking on a purely online business consulting and project management role within my VA services company, concentrating on business development and learning new skills and techniques to provide a rather special, unique service to my clients, but throughout this time, and due to the nature of the work I was doing, I have always remained a Virtual Assistant to this particular individual, and have always done everything for the client personally, no matter what has been required.
Last month I received an email explaining that, whilst he has always been extremely happy with my services over the years, he has come to a turning point in his business where virtual staff are just not going to be appropriate for his business plans. His company had grown to such a vast extent, that he was moving completely away from the virtual world and was now moving into offices in April, and hiring employees (yep, traditional style employees) to replace his virtual team – I was in contact with another VA who worked with him who also got a similar email. We were given about a month’s notice that our contracts were ending, and that month was up yesterday.
Fortunately, I have a very active company and client base, and despite the client ceasing to use my service, my company will of course still exist, this is just a really big milestone for me, as I am now running a company where I am completely detached from processing the administrative work. It actually feels good, and will allow me now to focus 100% on my goals, my consulting clients and business development, not to mention make way for new clients. It’s not so much an end of an era, but the beginning of a new one.
What I can pass on to you from my experience…
#1 – You are not indispensable.
No matter how magnificent you are, you are not indispensable if the client’s circumstances change. I was working with this particular client since 2007, 5 years… And despite him really being grateful for my service over the years, it simply no longer featured in his plans for his business.
#2 – It’s not all about economy.
We would naturally assume that a client would discontinue our services if they were no longer able to afford them due to the economy and if business for them was on a downer – but in fact, it can also go the opposite way. If a client is doing so well that they need offices and employees, they could also cease to need your services.
#3 – Don’t get too comfortable.
I mentioned being very lucky, in that if a client ceased to use my services immediately, I would be okay, but this may not always be the case for everyone. Consider your own situation, are you getting comfortable with your client-base because of the length of time you have worked with a client, or the constant awesome praise you are getting for your services? What if the client was to shut up shop, or grew to a point where they needed an on-site support team (even if they have a completely 100% online business – which my client had)? Just be aware than even though things appear to be going well, we don’t have crystal balls for this type of thing.
It’s actually a very positive transition for me, opening up additional time for pursuing other things, including of course, a new client! I hope that this post will show you that even the best of us have unexpected ‘ups and downs’ in business.
Please leave a comment below, and let me know what your thoughts are on this post, okay? Thank you!
- Apr 27, 12
Well, despite the Internet issues and the move to Crete, I have managed (along with the amazing, dedicated support of my team) to get the first issue of Paperless Entrepreneur Magazine completed, and published online.
There were loads of hiccups, last minutes “OMG’s” and late nights. There was even a moment where I wanted to throw in the towel, but my stubborn streak kept me going. For those of you looking to create a magazine of worth, my advice is to strongly consider what you’re getting yourself into, it’s harder than I first anticipated it would be, but the learning experience has been incredible. I hope that with the next issue (yes there will be a next time), I’ll be able to start perfecting my way of processing the project more effectively.
I have done a quick video to introduce you to the Magazine top right, and for today’s post, I thought it might be a good idea to document my first ever “editor’s letter” from the first magazine I have ever put together.
But before that.
I really, really hope that you find this magazine useful, and I am positive your clients will too – the thing is, if they saw you in it as a contributor of an article, I think they would be even more impressed – social proof is everything online these days . If you want to be a part of the next issue, I would love to welcome you into the Paperless Entrepreneur Magazine fold. As you can see, it’s a really good looking magazine, I produce it all in-house at Virtual Miss Friday, and I’m hoping to get a wide coverage with it, which could mean potentially great exposure for you too. I invested a lot into this publication, it’s not going to go un-promoted. To become a contributor, you simply need to join The VA Passport for full details.
So, enjoy! Please share it, tweet it, embed it into your website, Facebook it, link to it, or link to the primary URL “www.PaperlessEntrepreneur.com” – do whatever you want to do with it to distribute it amongst your audience and clients. It’s filled with highly-targeted unique content aimed an entrepreneurs looking to move their business online – perfect!
Thank you SO much for all the support you show VA-live. Please take a look (and let me know what you think of this magazine) in the comments at the end of the post, okay?
Again, thank you.
Michelle.
Editor’s Letter.
Issue #1 Paperless Entrepreneur.
“Paperless Entrepreneur” is my contribution to the Online Business World, based on my sheer love for it. Specifically, in this magazine, I am speaking to anyone looking to create a completely mobile lifestyle and business. I’m sitting here right now writing this from an apartment in Italy, overlooking the rolling hills of the Italian countryside… Why? Well, when my husband and I were sitting outside a small villa in Spain one night with a glass of Rioja, we said, “It’s time to move on”… “Where shall we go next?”… “Let’s try Italy”… and here I am.
This is a completely obtainable lifestyle when you have a paperless online business.
So – Wow… Where do I begin?
I am Michelle Dale – I was born in England in 1981, and I stayed there for the first 23 years of my life. If you’re interested in learning more about my endeavours and my travels, you can visit www.MichelleDale.me. I am what you call ‘Nomadic’ – I haven’t had a place to call home since 2005, I have been living country to country, working online as a ‘Digital Nomad’ and I have discovered that this life is one which is fairly sought after, and I can of course understand why…
As I mentioned before, I’m sitting here writing this Editor’s Letter from Italy, where I have been since August 2011. The next editor’s letter for this magazine, I’ll be writing from Crete. I go wherever I want to live, and that’s only the beginning of my story…
But let’s get back to business.
In 2005, with only a laptop and an Internet connection, in Egypt, I began creating my online services business, “Virtual Miss Friday.” With the Internet and an 11 inch screen, I learnt how to set up, run, and market a business entirely online. No paper, means no ties, and a degree of freedom which is difficult to convey.
Dedication to progress.
It’s now 2012, and here we are, the first edition of the first magazine I have ever published in my 30 years on this planet. There have been several ups and downs to this project, some concerns, some worries about whether this would be a silly investment of time and money, or a positive way of making a difference to the lives of entrepreneurs who want to live the kind of life I have been embracing since 2005.
I mean, why would I want to embark into a project which would drain my resources, in every sense of the word for, in a word, nothing – if it didn’t happen to “work?” We all ask ourselves this question as business owners — that’s why some of us will always hold ourselves back, and listen to other people who are telling us we must be a bit mad to live our dreams. Do you want to know what the conclusion always was, for me, throughout my own entrepreneurial journey — it’s the same conclusion I have always come to in everything I do in my life — and in my business.
If I don’t try, I’ll never know if this is something I am capable of. And if I never know, I will never discover how far it could have been taken, the possibilities are there, but the outcome has not yet been realised… So there you have it, how could I ever back down on myself, and the idea that Paperless Entrepreneur could be a resounding success? I can’t.
Never back down on yourself, on something you believe in. Money can always be made, but time gone by can never be relived.
And So It Begins…
So here we are with my first edition, and I AM SO EXCITED!!! With the wonderful contributions from the amazing individuals in my online service provider members site, “The VA Passport,” and some awesome online entrepreneurs and digital nomads, we all have the possibility of coming together and doing something really amazing, which will help people on a global scale, from all walks of life.
I also of course have the possibility of failing miserably, nobody liking the Magazine and then I am left falling flat on my face, which is also fine too.
Why? Because at the end of the day, at least I can say I tried.
And this is what you’ll see a lot of from me, encouragement to fulfil your dreams, exceed your goals, reach for the stars, and occasionally, a boost to pick yourself up after you’ve taken a fall. You just have to TRY! Business is not that easy, becoming paperless is not that easy, travelling the world with a family is not that easy – but reading this magazine will be, and the more you read from this magazine, or from any of my sites, or content I produce, the more potential you’ll have to take the leap of faith into a new life!
Somebody always has to make the journey first, they pave the way, learn the danger spots, find the twists and turns, stumble and then learn how to overcome the challenges before they get to the other side. When it comes to online business as a service, I am one of these people.
If you have the desire to become a paperless, mobile entrepreneur, then I have the “energy and the will” to try and help you make that happen. So as we embark on the first issue of this magazine, I ask you to please provide me with as much feedback as you can, as many comments as you can, and help me improve wherever I can – to bring you not just what you want, but what you truly need.
Please share this magazine with anyone and everyone you can.
How to Share:
- You can share this link through social media: http://www.PaperlessEntrepreneur.com
- You can use the share options from within the magazine.
- You can invite friends and colleagues to our LinkedIn Group.
- You can embed this Magazine on your website or blog.
- You can add this Magazine to your blogroll: http://www.PaperlessEntrepreneur.com
How to Provide Feedback:
- You can join the LinkedIn Group and post.
- You can email: info@virtualassistant-live.com
- You can leave a comment on my Facebook Wall: MichelleOnFacebook.me
- You can Tweet me on: MichelleOnTwitter.me or my company on: @VMFLtd
- You can leave a comment on the Blog Post. http://www.VirtualAssistant-Live.com/PEM
Please make the most of this magazine wherever you can. I made it for you…
Thank you so much for your support — goodbye paper, hello freedom!
- Apr 24, 12
In this post I’m going to go through with you a solid plan on how you can stay current and up-to-date with the latest trends in online business when you’re restricted by both time and money. It’s kind of a Two-For-One post, because I am giving quite a bit of context at the start in the first half to help you understand why you need to really think carefully about your knowledge intake to focus on what really matters. Then the plan comes in the second half at the end.
Part 1 – The story that prompted this post.
This is not a post about social media, it’s about productivity, but I think it would help if I gave you a little background info. In February 2012, I attended the Small Business Summit from Social Media Examiner. I have always admired how they have been at the forefront of social media and I have to say I tend to ebb towards their blog when I’m looking for advice to help a client or for my own business, more so than Mashable now.
After studying all the summit material, seminars, videos, transcripts etc, the attendee can take an exam at the end to test their knowledge, it’s a test with around 70 questions. Fortunately I was able to pass this exam and obtain a certificate (the first academic style exam I have ever taken since I was 16!) So, I’m feeling pretty chuffed with myself.
The Certificate
They are holding another one in May, and if you are able to attend, I would highly recommend it. What I learnt is going to be a tremendous help to both my business and for servicing my clients, and I have already taken in a new client this month from waving my new certificate around (virtually of course) who is familiar with Social Media Examiner and their credibility. They have a special discount until April 25th, where you can save 34%, click here to check it out.
Something the summit confirmed to me, unrelated to social media, is to maintain a focus in a particular area of my business and have a plan. The summit did not cover multitudes of social media accounts, in fact, it focussed primarily on just 4 – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google +. This is a huge thing, because it tells you that those are the sites that matter, and if you are looking to start specialising in social media marketing, those are the ones that should hold your attention. I offer services to clients only on the sites where I know I can achieve results – these are Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, I am also now working on experimental marketing techniques and strategies with YouTube, Google + and Pinterest. All the other many and varied sites are not on my ‘to do’ list.
Why? Good question. Because at the end of the day, I am an online business consultant, I don’t just focus on social media, so for me to stay ahead of my game, I have various other areas of online business that need my attention, and because of this, I have to place my research and learning into manageable portions, therefore placing restrictions on my range of skills within a certain area. Yes folks, I don’t know everything nor do I claim to.
Prepare Yourself For Implementing The Plan That Follows.
So that’s a bit of background for you as to how much knowledge you really need to think about taking in when you want to stay ahead – don’t try and keep up with everything and become overwhelmed, keep your knowledge sources restricted to a certain degree. For example, on the subject of social media, if you’re a social media marketing consultant or assistant and that is all you focus on then you should have the time and the inclination to expand your horizons in social media and experiment and learn more techniques of marketing. If you also offer services such as administration, or website design and development, or graphic design, then you may find that you’re spreading yourself too thin, trying to keep up with the ever changing trends within all of these departments.
If you can attend a highly-focussed summit like the one I went to, then I assure you it saves a LOT of time, you get extremely valuable, undiluted knowledge from credible experts, and it’s well worth the investment, it’s not something everyone can afford to do though, so here is a plan you can use for keeping current and up-to-date within your services business, especially when you’re restricted by time and money.
Part 2 – A FREE plan you can implement now!
Follow these steps for a superb way to keep on top of your business online for FREE.
Step 1 – Know What You Must Watch Out For.
I segment my business into departments and within those departments, I list things which are changeable, for example, I offer administrative services, and work in a select number of systems, I list those systems and make sure I am always up-to-speed with the latest versions. I offer WordPress services, so I have a list of all my WordPress sites for clients and also myself and run updates when the latest version comes out, I update plugins regularly, and make sure I keep the technical side of things running smoothly and continuously functioning.
You need to know, and list or categorise every system, service or software you use, and then make sure than you are regularly monitoring the progress of those systems and services. I’ll show you how…
Step 2 – RSS Subscribe.
Get yourself a really good, robust RSS reader. Google Reader is fine, it’s free, or you could use an iPad or Mac App. Whatever you choose, make sure you can stream multiple feeds into it, and then be able to clearly label or organise them into the different departments of your business like I demonstrated above. e.g. Social Media, Website Development, Administration, Graphic Design etc…
You then need to go to all the sites which you work within, or need knowledge on, and subscribe to their RSS feeds to get the latest updates delivered to you automatically.
Step 3 – Newsletter Subscribe.
Then, create a separate email address segmented away from your normal email. If you use Google Apps you could make this an alias, such a news@yourdomain.com, then create a specific label for it in your Google Apps and filter all the email into that label, make sure you opt to skip the Inbox, you don’t want these updates coming into your main email stream as it’s going to be very distracting. If you are less disciplined and tend to check all your mail, create a free Gmail account so you can login separately.
Once you have your email account, subscribe to the newsletters for all the important sites (or you could subscribe to the RSS if they have one going to email if you prefer).
Step 4 – Expert Subscribe.
Once you get all the ‘functionality’ subscribed to, keeping you up-to-date on the things happening there, you then need to subscribe to the real experts in the different areas of your business, for example, do you do social media marketing? Find the TOP experts in that field, such as Social Media Examiner and subscribe to the RSS and newsletter. Do you do copywriting? Subscribe to the top copywriting sites such as CopyBlogger. Do you provide services online? Subscribe to me and take whatever you can from the people out there doing all the hard work to stay at the forefront of their niche. One of the primary reasons I created this blog and also The VA Passport was so I could offer useful valuable content and information from my own business (that is in practise and works) which I know people really need in their online service businesses and could save them heaps of time.
If you’re using Google mail you’ll want to separate the experts out from the system updates, e.g. don’t mix your Subscription to the Freshbooks.com, or the LinkedIn blog with Mashable.com for example, keep ‘functionality’ and ‘experts’ separate using filters and labels. It will help you focus and separate the two.
Step 5 – Schedule And Plan.
Then, set yourself a plan, either daily or weekly, (I do twice weekly), to check your feeds and email. Depending on your time available you may want to break it down, and check RSS feeds on a Tuesday and your newsletters on a Friday… Whatever you choose to do, keep it consistent, and restrict it to looking at everything since the last time you checked in one time, I usually need about an hour a week to check up on everything.
When you incorporate a new system or service into your business, or if a client asks you to help them with a new system, make sure you add that into your subscriptions so it becomes a part of your schedule.
Step 6 – Manage The Randomness.
I suspect if you’re anything like me you’ll still do social media maintenance on a daily basis and will come across great articles or random bits of information which you think would be useful for you to know, but you may not want to subscribe to the feed. What I do with these bits of information, articles, images, blog posts etc… is I clip these to a system I use called Yojimbo which is an App I purchased from the Mac store, but before I switched to Yojimbo, I used Evernote, which works in a very similar way, and could easily be used for the random snippets of info you come across.
Conclusion.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the amount of noise throughout your week from updates, but still stay on top of everything that really matters.
The most important thing you can do, and going back to my story above regarding spreading yourself too thin, is make sure that the information your are subscribing to is either “Essential” e.g. if you use Freshbooks, you should be subscribing to their updates because you actually use the system, or “Quality” – when I say experts in a field, I mean really good quality, credible sites, producing excellent relevant or specific content for you to learn from regularly.
I hope this helps with your productivity and staying up-do-date.
Please leave a comment below, and let me know what your thoughts are on this post, okay? Thank you!
- Apr 20, 12
Life is a funny thing, we get so consumed by our work, and especially as online business entrepreneurs, the amount of time working can consume more hours in our day than say our children, or family time, or even personal time where your brain is engaged with things other than deadlines, emails and where the next client is coming from.
http://www.gettingshirty.com
When I work, I can be super-fast and super-productive given the right circumstances, for example, I am well rested, no distractions, and in comfortable surroundings. But when I start to lose my groove, I can become like a butterfly flapping around in a closed jar looking for the exit, it’s like going back and forth over and over in multiple directions all leading the same way – nowhere. Do you know what I mean?
I can sit at my computer for an hour and clear multiple tasks off my plate, but at some point, maybe after many hours of working, or simply feeling exhausted, I can start flitting around my computer screen, opening windows, files, websites, but never really achieving anything, then I start drifting from one task to the next not really finishing anything. This usually happens quite late at night. Sometimes I get frustrated with myself because I’m not accomplishing what I hoped and I’m behaving like a complete pleb. During these times it’s always best to stop if you can so you don’t crack up, or waste your time unproductively sat at your computer, but occasionally, I won’t have that luxury due to the amount of stuff on my plate I need to work through.
Keep Calm And Turn It Off And On Again.
One thing I find really helps me is to close all the windows, applications and files on my computer, and do a quick tidy up of my iMac desktop, then shut down my computer. I make a drink, come back and turn it on again. It’s like wiping the slate clean, resetting my brain and starting from scratch, on the first task, then the second etc…
When you have to push yourself, and you are feeling like you’re working like a butterfly trapped in a jar, try simply turning your computer off and on again, it has a significant impact on me when I do it, like I am just starting with a clear, clutter free mind and workspace, as opposed to having been sitting there for hours not really achieving much of anything, being about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
I hope this helps, if you have any tips for pulling yourself out of ‘wandering’ mode when you’re sat at your computer, please share them in a comment!
- Apr 17, 12
On Sunday, I had so much planned to catch up on and do; I have projects I need to finish and personal deadlines I wanted to meet, but on Saturday morning we were invited to a party of sorts, it was the Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday here on Crete and the neighbours were having a gathering next door to celebrate with a feast. They have been fasting for many weeks, no meat or dairy, and then at the end they have a rather meaty shindig – how could we possibly say no to this?
So, I decided to give myself a break, and go to the party. I am SO glad we went, it was awesome!
We Had Spit Roast Pork
The people on Crete are different from any type of people I have ever met in the world, they are friendly, outgoing, happy, welcoming and very kind – certainly not what you would expect from a country supposedly in crisis. One of the locals did point out to me that Crete is not in Greece, Crete is Crete We brought them bread and Ouzo, ate their food, drank their wine, mingled with their family, our kids played with their kids, and they didn’t know us from Adam.
In the village where we are staying, it’s fairly rural, I like rural, my business is such a busy place, that when I switch off the computer, I also switch of the busy ‘fast pace’ of my online life, it’s like living in 2 worlds at the same time, and also having the best of both worlds. We got asked by several people at the party how it was possible for us to live here for a year or more without work, basically how we could work from anywhere in the world; when my husband and I tell people we work on the Internet doing online business, I just hope they don’t think we sell porn – seriously, in most places I have visited, the people think the Internet is for checking email, chatting on IM or looking at porn – Ahem… anyway. People smiled and nodded politely.
We Had Smoked Lamb
The feast was amazing, all the family was together cooking, talking, drinking – above all laughing… the old men were peeling beans they had grown in the garden, and I also believe the meat was supplied, courtesy of the sheep flock, also at the end of the garden! What a life… A pig and sheep were roasting on a spit, there was a fire built on the ground where legs of lamb were being cooked on skewers, this was real outdoor ‘living off the land’ at its finest.
When we came to eat, the family and friends that gathered were fine with me doing a bit of filming, although I felt reluctant as it was a family gathering, you can see the snippets of the day in the video top right.
Chef Calved The Meat On A Tree Trunk Covered In Salt
All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and I ate the best ‘freshest’ lamb I have ever tasted. Sometimes you just have to say ‘sod it’ and take the day off, you never know where you might go, and what could happen. We left shortly before the Greek Karaoke began lol
What was your weekend like?
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Michelle Dale
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Tweets
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- http://t.co/i5DugKZR Announces The Incredible "31% Event," For Global Entrepreneurs From 18th May - 25th May 2012 http://t.co/5o5OeP2a
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- @shhsecretary Hey Shauna, thanks so much for the RT, hope you're well!
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- I uploaded a @YouTube video http://t.co/vK18e4LT Whoop Whoop! It's The 31% Off Birthday Parteeeeeeeeeeeeeee ;
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Wall
- Party tonight in Crete :)
- It's my birthday today, yay! To celebrate I have decided to gift you a gift which I'm calling the 31% Event. Check it out at http://www.virtualmissfriday.co.uk/31 - the party starts today and lasts for a whole week ;)
- Does anyone still call the speaking clock?
- See how much influence a mother can have on her child... I wish I was that profound!
- On the blog today! A very Pinteresting post :D
- This weeks newsletter for my awesome colleagues :-)
- Be mindful of the link between present action and desired future outcome. Ask yourself: if I repeat today’s actions 365 times, will I be where I want to be in a year? - Roz Savage, author
- Not sure about you, but whenever I think Infographic now, I think Pinterest!
- Just downloaded Google Drive - could this be a replacement for Dropbox I wonder?..
- If you're lucky enough to be different, don't ever change...
- Today on the blog, real air punching things you can do for your clients. Have a great weekend peeps :)
- Latest issue of my client newsletter is now up :-)
- How to turn a bad situation into a potential client. It's so lame when people have on their Twitter auto DM - "Go and buy my book now at [Link]" - simply reply - If you want to sell more books, you should hire an expert in social media marketing this DM needs some serious work - email me on blah@blah.com for assistance. LOL!
- The Office Of The Future!
- Thought I would share this because it's really motivating. I recently joined a gym and discovered my personal trainer (who owns the gym) used to be a computer geek and weighed in at 130 kilos - one day he made a decision to start exercising and getting fit - he lost 50 kilos in 50 weeks and now makes a living from helping people do the same. Is that awesome or what...
- Today on the blog... Travelling isn't a bug, it's like a drug...
- #10 Is Being A Magnificent Service Provider Enough? http://qoo.ly/3uqe
- You are what you choose to be...
- This weekend I played with my kids in the pool, laid in the sunshine, ate things I really shouldn't eat at the neighbours barbeque, drank too much, had my hair cut, danced and collapsed in front of my fave TV programme on Sunday night with my husband, knowing I would be working on my biz on Monday which I love, this produced one thought in my head - Life Couldn't Get Any Better Than This...
- On the blog today! How are your clients travelling?
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Info
- SummaryMichelle has a passion for both travel and career, which made Virtual Assistance the ideal solution for this online entrepreneur. Having worked alongside enterprising directors and independent business owners, while enjoying a successful career in senior and executive roles, exceeding targets by designing and mastering effective methods of office support, she now assists businesses of all sizes into making the transition from "offline to online," using unique and diverse methods of online business management.Specialties: Michelle now works as a manager and online business consultant, having developed her own team of highly-skilled VA’s to provide a virtual service which is turning businesses all over the world into lucrative, paperless enterprises.Experience
- Nov 2007 - PresentCEO / VMF Ltd (Virtual Miss Friday)This company provides products and services for online business owners across the globe. Founder and CEO Michelle Dale (www.MichelleDale.me) travels the world working online in the Virtual Assistant Industry as a digital nomad, very enthusiastically shaping businesses of all sizes into lucrative, paperless enterprises.
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