Reaching for the Stars: A woman's guide to becoming a Stellar Virtual Assistant (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780646992655)

In Reaching for the Stars, VA advocate and mentor Rosie Shilo reveals the steps, tips and tricks used by Australia's most successful Virtual Assistants. Featuring dozens of VA stories and insights from her own VA journey, you'll learn how to do things right from the start and fast-track your way to running a stellar VA business.

This book supports VAs through all stages of their business.

On the one hand, you may have recently decided that it's time you became your own boss. You're sick of the rat-race, reporting to a boss and being a small cog in someone else's grand scheme.

Many new VAs are full-time mums, determined to get back into the swing of things, but on your terms. This could be daunting too as you may have been out of the 'game' for a few years and not sure if your skills are up to scratch.

On the other hand, you may already be a VA. You've been going for a few years, but there are a couple of things that are stopping you or slowing you down from reaching your absolute goals. You need to regroup.

In this book, we'll look at some of the hurdles that VAs often face as they're setting up, and after they've set up the basics of their business.

We'll explore the basic setup processes and work through to higher level business blocks. By the end of this book, you'll know how to set up your business, work out your ideal client, ensure your structures are strong and be working smarter, not harder.

If you've been in business a few years already, you may find that some of the areas we explore in this book, you've already worked through. However, we hope that you find each area gives you at least one 'takeaway' that you can consider for your business and utilise to succeed further and meet your goals.

My name is Rosie Shilo, and I'm the owner of Virtually Yours, a highly respected Virtual Assistance and Training Network in Australia, established in 2004.

I've supported thousands of Virtual Assistants through the start-up phase of their business and cheered them on as their businesses grew and succeeded. I've supported those who faced moments of uncertainty, those who questioned themselves, those who faced issues within their businesses, and those who wanted someone to listen to a new idea or project. And I've learnt so much along the way.

I've been asked the same questions again and again, and that's what has inspired this book. Tapping into the minds of those who've gone before you can be very useful. You'll learn theories that work, along with hearing the stories of VAs just like you.

Being a Virtual Assistant makes you a business owner. You are no longer an employee. This means an entirely new mindset, new levels of responsibility, probably new tools and resources, and most importantly, unlimited opportunities.

Being virtual means facing unique hurdles. You'll be online most of the time and technology will be your friend and your foe. Social media is commonly used a lot, and this can be an arena that boosts your confidence and then pulls you down - sometimes in the same day.

As a business owner, you'll be told by others that your dream is one thing (6 or 7 figure business) when perhaps in reality, it's another; that you're failing if you're not doing what they tell you to do; that you're a fraud or not good enough. Knowing what your dreams are and staying true to those will be vital.

We will explore these further and arm you with the tools to avoid falling into self-sabotage.