Columbia, SC (1888PressRelease)
May 08, 2008 - For most professionals Friday, May 16, 2008 will be an ordinary workday – but not for Sherra Scott, a virtual assistant who lives and works from her home office in Elgin. She along with approximately 2 dozen other colleagues in South Carolina will be celebrating the third annual International Virtual Assistants Day (IVAD).
Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognized authority of special days, weeks and months. International VA Day will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 15 – 17, 2008. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free IVAD logo and creed on their websites.
“This day of observance not only allows us to celebrate individual accomplishments, but also affords us the chance to pat the backs of our colleagues as well,” says Scott, whose company specializes in secretarial, desktop publishing and bookkeeping support for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Scott, a former office manager, originally conceived the idea for her business in 2007. She started a new career in order to pursue her desire to be her own boss and be available to her children.
Virtual Assistants or VAs are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use the latest technology to deliver professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business back-office and/or personal support services to busy professionals. Clients only pay for the time actually spent working on projects and often retain a fixed amount of hours per month for service.
Typical services could include everything from general secretarial and word processing services to desktop publishing, website creation and marketing. Projects are often handled over the phone, by fax, e-mail and even instant messaging. Most attractive is the fact that VAs are also responsible for their own space, equipment, taxes, training, healthcare, insurance - overhead costs that make hiring an employee expensive.
Since 1996 more than 5,000 professionals around the world have become VAs. More than 90 percent of them are highly-skilled working mothers who choose to start their own businesses in order to achieve a better work/life balance. According to a study conducted by Brenner Books in conjunction with A4VB in 2004, the United States accounts for the largest number of VAs followed by Canada, Australia and Great Britain.
“This will be a very special day for everyone involved in the VA industry because it will allow us to bring together all VA organizations and their memberships under one umbrella,” says Alliance for Virtual Businesses founder Sharon Williams. “VAs are making important contributions to the growth and stability of small businesses everywhere, and the establishment of International VA Day simply acknowledges all of those virtual professionals who work so hard to honor our creed: Dedication, Experience, Expertise and Determination to Succeed (DEEDS).”
About Quality Practice Management Solutions
Launched in 2007, Quality Practice Management Solutions specializes in secretarial, bookkeeping & desktop publishing support for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Visit the website at www.QualityVA.com.
About Alliance for Virtual Businesses
Established in June 2003 the Alliance for Virtual Businesses™ is a volunteer-directed organization, whose primary mission is to promote the growth of free enterprise between virtual assistants, entrepreneurs, small businesses, corporations, associations and other business entities. At the web site client-related case studies, industry-related demographics, and a wealth of other types of information are available to facilitate learning about our industry. Visit the website at www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com.
About Online International Virtual Assistants Convention
The OIVAC is an online, interactive, "live" yet virtual environment convention of Virtual Assistants, traveling Pathways to Successful VA Practices. Visit the website at www.oivac.com.
