SVA Forum

amber_missy

Hi all!

My name is Tracey, I was just made redundant from a 5-year 6-month position last week (24 Nov 2011) and I'm now ploughing full-steam ahead into setting up my own VA business!

I'm planning to steal our "hobby room" (aka. "junk room"!) for my office, which involves a serious blitz on the place to tidy/remove most of the stuff in it, and I have already got my company name sorted in my head (although the website's not quite ready yet)! I'm really looking forward to everything about it (even the terrifying prospects of networking and finding that first elusive client!), but as you've all been in this position, I'll shut up about that now!

So - who is the non-VA me?
I'm living in Leeds with my partner, after moving "down south" from Consett (near Newcastle/Durham), to live with him. We have 4 lovely cats and might be on our way to acquiring a 5th (though I'm hoping my parents will fall in love with her so my partner doesn't have to say "no" to me!).

I enjoy a slightly odd hobby called Live Role Playing, which is a bit of a cross between reenactment (silly costumes) and improvisation (you have a character to play with no pre-written lines!) while camping in the middle of a huge field! It's great fun (and very escapist!), although this is only a handful of weekends a year.

I'm a bit of a "tree-hugging hippy" - I love all animals (including birds, insects and fish), nature, and I try to be as "green" as I can with everything I do - from saving energy and recycling to hopefully converting the garage to vegetable beds next year so I can grow my own veggies! :)

I dream of living "The Good Life" while working from home and I'm trying to convince my other half to let me have chickens for eggs too! That's still a big "no" at the minute! :P

I also enjoy playing World of Warcraft, so I WILL be investing in a second computer for the office, just so I don't have any games on it that I can be distracted by. :P

I'm on linked in if you'd like to connect: [url="http://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyadixon"]www.linkedin.com/in/traceyadixon[/url]
And on Twitter (though I'm still learning about this!) [url="https://twitter.com/#!/TraceyADixon"]@TraceyADixon[/url]
Though I'm sure I'll get all this info into my signature once I've got my website up and running!

Anyway, it's 10.20 on a Saturday morning and I've not had my first cup of tea yet, I need to tidy the house as my parents are visiting tomorrow and I still need to work on the layout/design, etc., of the website! :)

Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend!
~Tracey x

amber_missy · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:23 am Post subject:

Hmm - the links haven't worked and it doesn't have an "edit" option... The "click" URL option didn't work, so I'm wondering if it's a Google-Chrome problem. Sorry! :(

Penbus · Joined: 09 Sep 2010 Posts: 40

Welcome to the forums Tracey, and enjoy the ride ni your new career.

We have a couple of things in common. I also am a member of a little reenactment group doing historical role play.

I am also a World of Warcraft player. :) Seems to be millions of subs but n one ever admits to it. lol.

Hope you enjoy your time here, there's tons of information.

Paul

caroline · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:28 pm Post subject:

I'm going to nominate this post for how introductions should be done!! Gives us a real idea of what you are all about Tracey - thank you!
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amber_missy · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:06 pm Post subject:

@ Penbus
Thank you for the welcome! I admit to my geeky-ness quite happily, it's part of who I am! I remember we had to do a powerpoint page for "who we are" at work once and no-one had a template to work from, so I had pics of my cats, my main character from wow, me and my partner... and everyone else had a photo of them (which was on the company website anyway!) and a bunch of text about what they do in their job! At first people laughed (with me I think?) but then they kind of realised that they already knew what everyone did in their jobs - they DO work together! They actually didn't learn very much other than I'm a crazy cat lady who plays online games! :P

@ Caroline
I hope you realise that, despite being sat at home by myself, I actually blushed at that! Thank you! :)
I just wish I'd got the links to work! (For some reason I can't edit my posts?) My OCD is cringing whenever I see it! :P

Laura1 · Star Poster Joined: 19 May 2011 Posts: 131

Welcome, Tracey! Best of luck with your new business. You have some interesting hobbies, makes me want to start something new!
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Laura :)
virtual receptionist | virtual assistant see more

amber_missy · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:31 pm Post subject:

Amber Cat Admin is now registered with Companies House! I'm quite excited!!!

Although I've already had my first junk-mail through the post, so it's not all good!

@ Laura - thank you for the good luck wishes - I think I'll need every scrap of luck going! :)
As for hobbies, I always recommend trying something new (although you're unlikely to ever catch me trying sky-diving!), but even if you don't get on with it, you can at least say you've tried it. I'm REALLY bad at knitting, but keep trying it! :P

AslanVA · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:47 pm Post subject: Hi Tracey!

Hi Tracey, welcome to the SVA!

I have a bit in common with you too. I'm a lifelong cat lover as well, I like to rescue scrawny nervous cats and transform them into happy, purring, spoiled rotten, glossy coated, affectionate creatures!

And I have also only recently set up my business as a VA - well I say I have set up but I feel that I'm still "setting up" and nowhere near there yet! Partly because my time is restricted because I still have a part-time job for 3 days a week (luckily, as it's just about keeping the wolf from the door) - but slow and steady does it and I will get there in the end.

And...my first text enquiries on my new business phone turned out to be a hoax from someone who eventually asked would I take a kiss as payment (wierdo) - it was quite unnerving but it has helped me to harden my shell slightly. I quickly realised that the price of being my own boss is the loss of the the "shelter" that an employer provides - we are obviously more likely to get junk mail, spam, hoax calls etc - it will all be worth it in the end though, so don't worry about the junk mail. It's just fodder for the compost heap!

Best of luck!

Lisa.
_________________
Lisa Nolan
t/a Aslan Virtual Admin
www.virtualadmin.ie

caroline · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:56 pm Post subject:

If anyone can sort out slightly neurotic and highly strung burmese cats with massive attention craving behaviour, am more than happy to send one to you... LOL!

Lisa - did you really???? That's insane!
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AslanVA · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:42 pm Post subject:

Hi Caroline,

I'm sorry to have to tell you that in my experience MOST cats display those traits to varying degrees, so you might just have to give in and administer the cuddles as and when your cat demands!

My guess is that's usually when you are sitting at your computer? If I ignore my cat for too long she starts slowly pushing pens over the edge of the desk and walking back and forth in front of the screen. It's easier to devote a few minutes to some head scratching and then she will go off happy and find a bed to sleep on or a windowsill to birdwatch from. No-one ever mentions that in time-management tips but it works for me!

Very relieved to see your reaction to my hoax caller - so it's not a regular occurrence then? I saved the number in case it happens again.

All the best,
Lisa.
_________________
Lisa Nolan
t/a Aslan Virtual Admin
www.virtualadmin.ie

amber_missy · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:42 pm Post subject:

@ Lisa - Eeep! That's all I have to say to your hoax caller! That's very freaky! :(

But also, yey for happy purry cats! :)
I'm noticing that mine are a lot happier since I've not been at work every day - Izzy (who was my partner's cat before we moved in together, who drew blood every day for about 2 months after "the other woman" (me) moved in!) has now started coming and demanding cuddles! Very Happy

@ Caroline - I have to agree with Lisa - all cats are a bit neurotic, but they're all worth the effort. I used to volunteer at a cat rescue (until it closed), and they all had their own personality and quirks, but they were all lovely.

One of ours (we have 4), Qwerty, tends to try to jump up onto the desk and if I don't pay her attention, she ends up trying to chase things off my desk, but if I plonk her on my knee and pet her for a bit she soon settles, then she's movable onto the beanbag next to me! :P I did get some lovely photos when I was trying to stop myself giggling at her the other day - one of her sat on my (personal) filing (she'll not be allowed on real work!), one chasing invisible things on top of it, and one as she scooted a pen off the desk (action-shot!). I might have to invest in more beanbags for the office. :)

Junkmail-update:
I've only had 2 bits of junk-mail, but as we've had a broken boiler for about a fortnight now (no hot water(!) and the heating ranging from not working at all, to luke-warm), any junk-mail is currently (temporarily) welcome as we have a solid-fuel stove in the front room that I've been camped next to! :S

amber_missy · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:59 pm Post subject:

I've just started the process of ordering a logo from http://www.logonerds.com/

Discount code: b10off gives $10 off!

I'll let you know how it goes! :)

AslanVA · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject:

Their portfolio is cool - they do really good logos. Good luck and enjoy the design process!
Lisa.
_________________
Lisa Nolan
t/a Aslan Virtual Admin
www.virtualadmin.ie

caroline · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:22 pm Post subject:

To be fair, she's been much better since we switched the heating on - she'll go sleep in her bed underneath the radiator rather than insisting on sitting on my shoulder!
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amber_missy · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:35 pm Post subject: Website feedback?

OK - Over the last few weeks, I've mainly been working on the content for my website... It's all a bit scary and exciting at the same time, but I think it's ready for the public to see it and any feedback would be amazing and appreciated like you can only imagine!!!

http://www.ambercatadmin.com

I hope it's not too cheeky to ask, but if you're bored, have a free moment or are just a bit nosey ;), please feel free to have a nose around, play with it, try to break it (though don't try TOO hard ;) and if you have any comments / suggestions / FAQs you think should be up there, please do let me know?

As noted on the bottom of the site, the WordPress theme is by Helen at intelligentVA and in conjunction with Sharp End Training, so if there's anything theme-related that's not right, please let me know too and I'll ping them to let them know...?

I also got my business cards yesterday (https://twitter.com/#!/TraceyADixon/status/158920669269200897/photo/1), and I'm delighted with them. Very Happy