SVA Forum

cyd · Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject: Hello I'm new

Hello everyone. I'm new. I'm still in the process of working out what equipment I need and how to use it. I have the basics, I think, and am now looking into secure file sharing. I was a solicitor, became a sculptor, and now plan to become a Virtual Assistant who sculpts in her free time. So I will initially target the legal market, although I also have contacts in the creative industries so might find work in that area too. My strengths at the moment are transcription and copywriting. My challenge at the moment is that I don't know how to do much else, and so I have a lot to learn.
Very Happy

dawnjlane · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:30 am Post subject:

Hi Cyd

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of useful information in the various threads, so take some time to read through it and don't forget to ask any questions - everyone is very helpful and there is usually someone able to answer a question.

Dawn
_________________
Dawn Lane VAcertified MAMS MInstAM
Your Office Online - www.your-office-online.co.uk
Virtual Business in a Box Ltd - www.virtualbusinessinabox.co.uk
dawn@your-office-online.co.uk
dawn@virtualbusinessinabox.co.uk

cyd · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:36 am Post subject: Thanks

Thanks Dawn. Very Happy

Above Parr · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

Hi Cyd

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you'll find it useful...

Do what you do well and you can pick the rest up as you go along. You're targetting a market you know so you already understand what's most important to them - you'll be fine :)

Have you had a look at Huddle for doc sharing - I know our local Business Link use it and it's about £10 a month I think. I use google docs as it's good enough for what I need (and free)...
_________________
Sara Parr
Above Parr PA Services - Virtually Everything Done For You
www.aboveparr.co.uk

cyd

Many thanks Above Parr. Huddle sounds perfect! As a result of research on this forum I looked into Smartsheet and Dropbox, but somehow the emphasis of Smartsheet didn't seem right for my purposes, while I loved the simplicity of Dropbox but couldn't find any mention of security + it seems to be in its trial stages. Huddle sounds good for my purposes because of its emphasis on security and because it recommends itself to solicitors etc. If anyone else has any suggestios for very secure file sharing that would be very simple for clients to use, please let me know.

Thank you for your encouragement too, Above Parr. I feel very aware of my lack of knowledge, so your encouragement helps a lot.

Is anyone willing to give me a little bit of training by sending me work which I would do at no charge? I would be happy to transcribe some long audiofiles to make it worth your time. Perhaps some work doesn't have confidential information in it? I will be strong on the transcription and my rough edges will probably take the form of ignorance of professional VA customs. For example, if a client had obviously made a mistake in a dictation, eg if the client said "must not be paid within seven days" when s/he obviously meant "must be paid within seven days", I would guess that I should perhaps type "must be paid within seven days" and point this out to the client in a note somewhere, but what note where?

Also, doing some free work would help me to polish up my speeds, and give me confidence that my systems work. So if anyone is willing, please let me know and I will try to do the work perfectly for you without making any demands on your time at all. I have Microsoft Vista, Express Scribe with footpedal and earpiece, and Express Scribe, and wireless Broadband, all working nicely.

I forgot to say that I'm based in Hastings, East Sussex.

Above Parr · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject:

We all knew nothing about something once upon a time - some of us still admit it occasionally, but only when among friends! Wink

I'm sure you'll find lots of help on here but if there's anything I can do, just ask...
_________________
Sara Parr
Above Parr PA Services - Virtually Everything Done For You
www.aboveparr.co.uk

paulinec · Joined: 03 Feb 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Fife, Scotland

Hi Cyd

Good Luck with everything. Hope all goes well for you in your change of career. Sorry to go "off topic" but I love sculpture so am completely envious of your talents! I dragged my husband to Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh last week which is not really his thing, and I don't think he will be back again soon after seeing an art "installation" which was a bunch of urine injected bananas sitting on a window ledge. Mmmm.
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Pauline
Office Outsource
"....the perfect fit for your business"

www.officeoutsourceuk.co.uk

nilea7 · Star Poster Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 204 Location: Devon

Hi Cyd,

Welcome to the club.
_________________
Lea Wray
Virtual-OMS

www.virtual-oms.co.uk

cyd · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Hi and thank you all.

ash_218 · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:08 pm Post subject:

Welcome and good luck with your venture! as a newbie VA I wish you all the best!!

Laughing

Regards

Ashley Allen

Allen VA Services Ltd
p: 07735545591
e: ashleyallen@allenvaservices.co.uk
http://www.allenvaservices.co.uk

OrganisedPA · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 38 Location: Esher, Surrey

Hi Cyd

Welcome to the SVA forum and very best of luck with your new ventures in the VA and sculpting world.

This site is so useful and I'm sure it'll help to answer many of the start-up questions which you may have.

Kind regards

Rona

The Organised PA
www.theorganisedpa.com

sara - Office Bird · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:44 am Post subject:

Hi Cyd,

Welcome to the forum.

Good luck with the business.

Sara
_________________
Sara
Office Bird
Your Perfect Business Partner

www.officebird.co.uk