Since I am now have year one of my official launch under my belt I decided to share with you a reflection on how I got here.  This is part one since I have broken it down by what I have achieved, what questions I asked (or should have asked) and what information I found.
So here goes.  When starting a business it is vital that you have a plan.  For most small businesses, an abbreviated plan can work best for you but you need a plan nonetheless.  As part of your plan, here is what you need to consider right out of the gate.

BUSINESS NAME: Choosing a name for most is a daunting task so how did I begin.  I did a search of Virtual Assistants and seen what others were doing.  Now if I would have really paid attention I would have noticed the site Virtual Assistants Forum because there is a whole section on starting a VA business and selecting a name.  Here are a few things you need to consider:

1. What is your brand and what do you want your name to imply taking into consideration your brand? My brand was virtual office assistance but I wanted local folks to know that I can help them too, hence the “My Office Assistant” name instead of My Virtual Office Assistant.
2. Are there others out there with similar names and brands? You don’t want to get confused with other similar brands/companies so check out your competition.  There are a lot of “non-companies” references when I searched my office assistant but I did not think it would throw too many prospects off, so I kept my name.
3. Is your domain name available? Now this was something I looked at but did not put too much thought into.  Had I, I may have gone a different route since I chose myofficeassist.org and sometimes it throws people off since my business name is My Office Assistant.  I have tried to remedy this with SEO work and getting my name and site out there but I still need to work on that.
4. Where do you want to be in one year? Choose a name that will reflect growth of your business.  You may start off small with one or two products/services but end up adding on as you continue to grow.  If you plan on offering typing services now but graphic design later, it would not make sense to call yourself “ABC Typing” instead of “ABC Document Services”.  This was one piece of advice I took to heart and am thankful that I did listen.
5. Which type of business entity will you choose (LLC, sole proprietor, DBA, S-Corp, etc.)? Most small business are either sole proprietors or LLC because they are easy to set up and the least expensive as well.   It is imperative that you check local laws before making anything official.  Check with your state and county offices to see how to register your business and type since some are as easy as filling out paperwork and paying a registration fee while other involve advertising your name in local and print media.  And keep in mind that if you are using a factious name you need to research all governing laws as to such.  The SBA has some great resources on this topic.
6. Check social media and related sites. And reserve those names so others cannot take your business name from you.  Think of all the avenues you are going to take for networking and marketing and save the accounts even though this may be a long range plan for you.  You have one chance to choose your name so protect it as best possible.

Don’t forget to run your name by trusted friends and colleagues because what you may find is wonderful, may be a mouthful or convey the wrong message.  I found choosing a name was easy but others find it a more difficult task by either over or under thinking the process.

Good luck in step one of your process.
All the best,

Lee Drozak, My Office Assistant

I am in a blogging group at Virtual Assistant Forum and this month’s challenge was to write a blog about your best business practices. I reflect on this continually and here are my top ten:

1. Be yourself: You are you, deal with it. When you try to be someone or something you are not, it shows big time and this will turn more people off then attract them. Everyone may not like you but at least they know you are real. Also, being professional does not mean you cannot be personable but keep in mind you are a business owner and should be perceived as such.
2. Be honest with your abilities: I have seen many business owners who will stretch their abilities to gain clients. Not every client expects you to be everything to everybody. I have had clients ask me to work on a task or program I am not familiar with and I straight out tell them that I am not confident in my skills but would be willing to learn. Your clients would rather hear this then you to say you can do something and waste time trying to backdoor the task.
3. Own up to your mistakes: We are all human and make mistakes. So when you do, own up to it since it takes less time to say “I dropped the ball on this one” then to spend time covering and fixing the mistake.
4. Set your ethical standard: Set your ethical standard and stick to it. I have a strict ethical policy and would never dream of deviating from it once. Confidentiality and privacy are the most important business practice that I have. This not only protects your clients but your business as well.
5. Keep your records up-to-date and actually look at them: Keeping yourself financial organized will help you in the success of your business. You need to know if you are making money and if not why. This will also help you to indentify where you need to focus on your business and where you need to cut or cut back.
6. Sharpen your skills: I love to learn and sometimes take on the challenge of learning new skills to keep me on task. With technology changing daily, you need to keep up to date to be on track. Read blogs and resource materials, take a class or work with a program you are not an “expert” in. You don’t need to become a full time student, but at least be top of your skill set.
7. Acknowledge client correspondence: Most of my correspondence some from email and messaging. When I get correspondence from a client, I always respond even if it is with a got it. They are paying me to do a job and they need to know I am on top of it. I always take phone calls as well. I know some business owners who just don’t want to be bothered with a live conversation. I not only encourage this but welcome when one of my clients call for a quick answer, to explain a detail or just get an update.
8. Market, market, market: I devote a set amount of time marketing each week. Even if you are comfortable with your client base and where your business is you never know when this will change. I have picked up some great clients and expanded my business just by keeping up with my marketing and not actually running a full blown campaign. Keeping up a visible presence is key and it can be as simple as joining a forum, social networking or attending an event just to keep you sharp and in the public eye.
9. Mentor those around you: You do not have to give away all your secrets but at least be helpful and courteous. I belong to several networking groups and am often asked for advice on a solution. I always will help if I can because you never know when that one simple question can turn into a full blown client. And don’t forget about those in your own industry. The best part about being a VA is the support networks that are out there with my colleagues. Always remember, you get what you give.
10. Take the time you need for yourself: If you try to run your business 24 hours a day you are going to burn out. I expanded my business because we moved to a rural area and for me to find a “JOB” using my skills I would have to travel. I wanted the flexibility to be there for my family when need be. Often times we are so busy making our business as successful as the competition that we forget the real reason we entered the game in the first place.

Most of my practice as just plain old good common business sense but are forgotten as you start your business, grow your business or sustain what you have. These are the basics for me and while I am forever reviewing where I am and where I need to be, these ten items will never change.

All the best,
Lee Drozak – My Office Assistant