Every day I see women trying to find a solution to working and earning money around their kids and families – and they are usually encouraged into party planning endeavors. This is great! I am glad that the party planning industry is growing and giving these women fantastic opportunities, but to me they are not really ‘work from home’ businesses as you have to go and present at a party in someone’s homes.

However if you are looking for a true work at home experience, have you considered being a Virtual Assistant (or VA)? As long as you have the Internet, computer and some administration skills (which lots of women do as they often came from an office environment, before having bubs) you can easily establish yourself as a Virtual Assistant

A Virtual Assistant is someone who works independently for their client as a “contractor” completing various administration and secretarial tasks, usually from their own home office.

Here is an example of how this might work: You sign up a client to manage his diary (as he does a lot of travelling for work). Every time a meeting is booked interstate, you can:

• Book the flights
• Book the accommodation
• Book the hire car
• Add the details to his electronic diary
• Email his bookkeeper the tax invoices
• Send him the reservation details

All completed online!

The flexibility of working as a Virtual Assistant is fantastic. Depending on the services you offer, you can work days, nights and or weekends around your children and other family commitments.

Types of services that you can offer if you have skills in include:

• Transcription
• Word Processing
• Data Entry
• Online Customer Service
• Managing Clients Facebook and Twitter accounts
• Diary Management
• Marketing Support (such as printing and posting out letters and flyers).

This is just a small example of what you can offer. Play to your strengths and what you enjoy doing, and consider whether working as a Virtual Assistant will work for you and your family.  You will probably ending up earning some money each week working in your PJs!

Donna Tsitsis| Mentor, Trainer, Speaker
Email: members@thevabuddy.com.au
Phone: 1300 451 944 ~ Fax: 03 8648 6882