Book Review: How To Be A Virtual Assistant

This short e-book by Celina Lucas of Office Alchemy, really is a great starting point for anyone thinking of becoming a VA.

Celins opens with a very honest review of the pros and cons:

“The hardest part is finding people who will pay you to so some work for them.”

She shares her own experiences of setting up as a VA and then moved on to how potential VAs can decide what services to offer and explore niche markets.

Talking about business models and writing a business plan, the essential equipment and how you’re actually going to afford to launch your business (including if you want to do it while still being an employee so you can maintain an income), are all covered, taking you through all the important bits you need to remember (and are easy to forget).

A great section on marketing and PR follows (the thing many VAs struggle with at the beginning). Celina covers all the bases, again in a no-nonsense style.

The last section of the book covers how to manage a VA business. The basics are covered, but as office systems are very much a personal thing, there doesn’t need to be too much detail.

There’s a lot of information on coping with working alone and maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

All in all, I think this e-book is an excellent starting point for anyone considering becoming a VA, it covers all the essential areas to think about and does encourage you to ask the right questions and think about whether the hard work this business requires is really something you want to commit to.