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Price vs Value

For some people, asking for money can be the hardest part of their business. There could be one or more reasons for that. It might be they are not confident in their ability. It might be they are a start-up or new as a VA and feel it's 'not right' to charge 'too...

How to Give Yourself a Free Fortnight Every Year

Does it always feel as if there are never enough hours in the day? Would you like a free fortnight every year? If you're working as a VA, self-employed, or running a business, there may be a lot on your plate. Especially if you're looking after children or caring for...

How’s your balance?

The term work-life balance is so overused these days it's almost a cliché. And it's a bit of a misnomer, anyway. Because it suggests that it's about achieving a level mix of life and work. As you probably know from experience, life's not like that. Or rarely. The norm...

Is this remotely interesting?

We all know that remote working is on the rise. In many countries, it has been something thrust onto companies because of lockdowns and other restrictions. Businesses have had to find ways to make remote working work - for bosses and employees alike. The figures speak...

Maintaining an Excel-lent Reputation

When was the last time you used Excel? I only ask because everyone knows technology is moving fast. New software and applications seem to emerge every month and aim to be the 'next best thing' for productivity or performance. Microsoft Excel has been around for more...

Collaborating on Documents in Microsoft Teams

One of the best things about Microsoft Teams is the ability to collaborate with your teammates and with external guests on documents. For documents, read Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, PowerPoint Presentations. There are different ways of collaborating. You can...

Do you want to create an Alias or a Shared Mailbox in Outlook?

In response to questions asked in an online community I am part of, I decided to create this post. The question posed – I need to have an alias or another email address, but I don't want to pay for a new license. Before I show you how to do this I must emphasise that...

Be the Enabler

The business world is filled with jargon - and I don't suppose that will change any time soon. But if you're up to date on the latest lingo, there are ways as a VA to create opportunities for yourself. One phrase that is more recent among the bigger players is 'sales...

Do you do this?

When a person or company is looking to hire, they are going to have questions in their mind. It's only natural. Those questions might be like this. What do I need to get sorted? What information do I need? What do I want to get clear on before I make a decision? Or...

How to 32x Your Skills

You might be hearing more about the phrase skills economy in the months ahead. The world of business - along with almost every aspect of our lives - has undergone an enforced change. And we're not totally sure how things will look and be in the near future. A skills...

Want to clean up conversations that clog up your Inbox? Try this

Have you got lots of emails in your Inbox clogging it up and making you feel overwelemed? When this happens the thought of trawling through to clean things up can be just too much. In this how to blog I share with you a tip that can help reduce the load somewhat....

The Story of Transformation

I shared in another blog about the trend of storytelling in business and what to consider for your own 'story'. But I skipped over one of the elements - and it's an important one. I'm talking about... The Story of Transformation Yes, of course, you want to be talking...

Microsoft Teams – so you want to hold a meeting, do you?

I have been asked recently, about creating meetings in Microsoft Teams including when managing someone else's calendar. When using Microsoft Teams in a large organisation you may be a member of one or more Teams, or you may be a member of one or more Channels in a...

What’s Your Story?

There is a trend towards the use of storytelling in business - and it's easy to see why. People love a good story. Consider your favourite book, film, play, opera, cartoon, comic or musical. They all tell you a memorable tale that has you gripped from beginning to...

Could you be a podcasting superhero?

The growth of podcasts and podcasting presents a number of opportunities for the smarter VA. The three most obvious ways to tap into the trend are these. Specialise as a podcasting VA Be a guest on relevant podcasts Create your own podcast Let's take a look at all...

It’s all Me, Me, Me (not)

This article is all about me. Well, that might not be so helpful. It's really about how you can work with me, to be exact. And that could be of assistance to you. If you've been reading my blogs or following me online, you will know that I have an academy online with...

Let’s Chat – Teams Chat de-mystified

In my previous post, I talked about Microsoft Teams, what it is and a couple of scenarios for use. Today I want to take a closer look at the Chat feature. Shelley - isn't Chat just instant messaging? Yes, it is and no it isn't – it is so much more than that in Teams....

The Power of Magination

I've been writing a series of blogs on topics beginning with 'M' (you may also have seen the video versions on LinkedIn). Today I'm going to talk about magination. Okay, it's actually imagination but we've been talking M's in this series, so it has to be 'magination'....

The 4 Biggest Mistakes Students Make With Online Courses

Online courses are increasingly popular, both in the B2B and B2C markets. That is not surprising given the global situation. What's perhaps a little bit more surprising is that students are not making the most of it. There are a number of mistakes they are making when...

Four BIG Misconceptions about Online Training

Online training is a big deal these days. It's how many trainers, speakers and coaches are having to deliver their knowledge, skills, and experience. That means, of course, that the topic has become subject to increased social media chatter. As with most things,...

7 Myths About Online Training

The world of learning and development has had to rapidly adapt to the changing global picture. Before the pandemic, a majority of training was probably delivered face to face in hotels, offices and dedicated centres. But not anymore. Lockdown measures and restrictions...

Have you heard about Microsoft Teams?

Chances are, if you have been working with Office 365 for a while or following the tech announcements you will have heard of Microsoft Teams. Many people are confused as to what Microsoft Teams actually is and what it can do for them. What is Microsoft Teams?...

Do You Know Your Profile?

What is your personality profile? There appears to be a global trend in people wanting to know more about themselves and how they 'tick'. It probably explains why personality profiling tools are all the rage these days. They are being promoted all over social media -...

Moving with The Times

Are you moving with the times? Recent events have shown us how quickly things can accelerate. You only have to watch, read or listen to the news to understand that. And one area where you are always going to see rapid change is in technology. For the forward-thinking...

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