SVA Forum

[Jools]

Hello, I found your site last week, and have just had my account activated (thanks so much Caroline :) ) so I am very much looking forward to posting.

Waiting for the activation has been great, as I have had lots of time to read about how you are all getting on as VA's and some of the advice I have been reading, I already know is going to be invaluable.

A little about me, Im Jools, I am based in Surrey and worked in Sales Admin, Cust Services and as a PA for over 13 years before having my children, I started out as a good old office junior back in the days when floppy disks were larger than 7 inch singles!

My eldest started senior school last year and I thought I would go back to an office environment, but with her holidays being completely different to my younger daughter's, I would need to find a pretty understanding boss who likes to give 12 weeks just for the summer I am sure I am like so many of you here, in that I have alot of time available during the day and in the evening, and even when the children are home, its possible for me to work, its just this need to be home based for the majority of the time.

As such, I have been looking into the VA world for a while now, gathering information, trying to see any pitfalls, and setting up a web name (my website is developing as we speak, which I am finding exciting and fun to do)

Sorry for going on a little bit, but I am very excited to be here

[Peter]

Welcome to the forum Jools, nice to meet you.

What are these 7 inch single thingys?
_________________
Peter

Assisted Virtually
www.assistedvirtually.co.uk

"Your business means everything to us"

[Jools]

ask your mum lol

Thanks so much for my first reply, its great to be here.

[caroline]

Hi Jools

Welcome to SVA - it does take a little while to get everyone activated as we get A LOT of spam entries and it's sometimes difficult to fish out the genuine applications! Bear with us, I try and have a session once a week to clear everything out.

I remember the floppy (and they were floppy!) disks. I had a BBC Micro and - amazingly - it could type in different colours and do sums! I was a bit of a technical geek in those days - my how things have changed!!!

LOL!
C.
_________________
To support SVA please donate to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[Sally@Stonetext]

Welcome to SVA. Look forward to getting all your questions.

Sadly I do remember 7 inch discs and plenty of other things that many of you are far too young to know about!!
_________________
Sally
Stonetext Online Admin Services www.stonetext.co.uk
Spida Web & Graphic Design www.spidawebdesign.co.uk

Please help to support SVA by donating to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[Jools]

Well, I am more than happy to blast you back to your pasts for a while lol! Floppies, then 5 inch then the 3.5 inch (at the time we thought they were so compact and diddy!!!), things have come on pretty considerably when you think back

Thanks for the warm welcome, its really appreciated.

[planitpurple]

Hi Jools, welcome to the forum and good luck with your new venture. Look forward to seeing your website when it's ready.
Yvette
_________________
Yvette Segal
Plan-It Purple Virtual Assistance
http://www.planitpurple.co.uk

[ASAP Admin]

Hi Jools, welcome to the SVA gang. Whats your business name?
_________________
Lyndsey Gilchrist
ASAP Admin
Call Team

[OfficeStuff]

Oh yes! I remember 7" singles (aka EPs), the 5/5" floppies which were really floppy and then the buzz when 3.5" floppies were introduced. All this has happened since 1985 folks, when computers were very bulky things and had black screens with fluorescent green writing, and the word processing programme was "Wordstar". When Displaywriter 4 came out, it was the bees knees, and the IBM Quietwriter was a miracle.

And that is how old I am!!!


Welcome to SVA, simply the best VA association there is.
_________________
Carole Meyrick
Office Stuff
Perfectly Practical Office Support

[skva]

Hi Jools, where in Surrey are you? I'm in Surbiton. Welcome to the forums.

I remember learning to type on a manual typewriter at about age 14 then, when it came time to do my exam, the tutor said I could use one of the "new-fangled" electronics if I wanted. I declined and said I'd rather use the manual.

It's amazing what a massive jump there was in technology from that time (1983) onwards - and yes, I remember floppies and DW4 and Wordperfect and being amazed when I saw a computer screen that didn't only have the green writing.
_________________
Sharon Kemp SK Virtual Assistant For monthly SVA training sessions please visit: http://tinyurl.com/39abrt Or to support SVA please donate to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[Platinum]

Hi Jools

I've become a VA for the same sort of reasons. My children!
My son spent a week in hospital last year and I had to take a week off work. My boss wasn't the most understanding person and between that and the summer holidays, I was not having fun.

Good luck in your new chosen career and I'm sure you'll learn lots from the forum, I know I have.

Helen
_________________
Helen Platten
www.platinumadministration.co.uk
www.lovehennahair.co.uk
www.thebeadinglady.co.uk

[admindoc]

Hi Jools

Welcome to SVA, hope to see you around the Boards :)
_________________
Angela Dawson
The Admin Doctor
t: 01670 618628 / 07855746777
http://www.theadmindoc.co.uk

For monthly SVA training sessions please visit: http://tinyurl.com/39abrt or to support SVA please donate to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[secretary4hire]

Oh my goodness what a memory jolt you guys have given me this morning! I also learned to type on a manual typewriter and my first job was a deeds typist in a bank. You weren't allowed mistakes or rubbing out(as it was deeds) so if you made one, even if it was the last line of a 4 page single sided foolscap, you had to rip it up and start again! When the electric typewriter came in (the one that was a mini-computer that allowed you to type a full line in a wee one-line screen on the typewriter then press return and it typed the full line) - THAT was amazing and revolutionary. But the discipline instilled doing this type of work made you very fast and accurate and if you couldn't cut it, you got the sack. The Law Department Deeds Section was THE best of the best and sometimes I think that the word processor was the downfall of an excellent typist. But it does balance up in other ways I suppose.

Oh the good old days (NOT!).

Marj
_________________
Marj Beattie
www.secretary4hire.co.uk

Email - enquiries@secretary4hire.co.uk
Tel: 0844 884 2818
Fax: 0870 838 6597
Mob: 07854 408142

[Jools]

ahhh thanks so much for the lovely replies, and glad to know I am not the only one who remembers the good old 80's lol!

My website address will be virtuallyyourassistant.co.uk.

I wanted to design the website myself, and promised myself that I wouldnt peek at even one other VA site until mine is finished as I believe its the only way to really write about just yourself and what services you can offer, without being influenced by anybody else!!! As such though, I know I will have left alot out to begin with but its all a learning curve and I am sure I will be rushed to hospital with a heart attack when and if I get my first enquiry

Thats why finding this forum has been an absolute Godsend, its just full of people who know exactly what its like to start up, and who are lovely enough to tell us all about it :)

[Jools]

[quote="Diamond Secretarial"]Hi Jools, welcome to the SVA gang. Whats your business name?[/quote]

Thanks so much Lyndsay,

My business name is virtuallyyourassistant :)