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At Your Service - Time Magazine, November 2003
By Michelle K. Massie

Hiring a V.A. can make a small company seem larger or help a self-employed person appear to have a staff. . . . "When a client's customers see that they have an assistant, it lends a certain legitimacy to their business in the minds of others."

In praise of virtual assistants - Backbone Magazine, October 2007
by Danny Bradbury

The work benefits are significant. Less than three weeks in with her, I'm doing just a few interviews each day, and for my upcoming features, I already have most of my research and interviews done at least a week before I need to submit the copy. I'm finding myself with way more time for background research, and more time to think about the interviews I'm doing, and the writing.

The personal benefits are even more important. Last Friday, I actually got to knock off early and spend the afternoon with the kids, having just sent Heather a bunch of interviews to arrange. . . .

The cost? Less than the revenue from a feature article each month. The benefits? Time, which as both a writer and a parent, is the most precious commodity for me. If I wanted to fill the time I'm saving with more work, I could sell more articles and make more dough, but I don't think I will. I'm hitting my financial targets, (with the cost of the service factored in), and for the first time in years, I'm relishing the ability to take some 'me' time and some more family time.

Do you need virtual assistance? - CNN, August 2003
by Nick Easen

With travel budgets slashed and overseas corporate tabs under scrutiny, virtual assistance is proving a cheaper alternative for traveling executives rather than utilizing emergency, bilingual administrative support available through local staffing agencies.

I Could Have Hired a VA - SmallBusinessComputing.com, November 2006
By Jennifer Schiff

"Virtual assistants relieve the business owner of doing those things that he or she a) doesn't want to do, b) is not very good at, and c) just doesn't have the time to do properly," says Goldberg. "So the small business owner can concentrate on the things that really make him or her excited about being a business owner, not spending three hours entering receipts every week."

By hiring a virtual assistant, small business owners have a reliable, cost-effective way to take care of those tasks they know need to get done but don't want or have the skills to do themselves. Moreover, a good virtual assistant will partner with you, share your passion and help you to achieve your goals. They can also be wonderful networking tools, putting their clients in touch with other VAs with different skill sets.

"The pluses of having a VA are that you have someone who's a part of your team, who's invested in your success and helping you to get things done," says Bailey, who credits her two VAs with helping her to expand her coaching business and to be successful. "I don't know of a downside."

Why Are You Doing Everything Yourself? - E-zine Queen, 2003
by Alexandria K. Brown

They try in vain to design their own Web sites and brochures, write their own sales copy, process their own orders, manage their own mailing list, personally respond to every customer call and e-mail, ship their own products, and more. Pretty soon they're running around like that proverbial headless chicken.

What eventually happens is their love for their work - the reason they started their own business in the first place - drowns in a flood of administrative trivia. Suddenly one morning they wake up feeling burnt out and without that positive, creative energy they used to have.

When this happened to me a few years ago, I was lucky to learn about virtual assistants (VAs). . . . Because VAs are independent themselves, they work on an as-needed basis from their own homes or offices, saving you the cost and hassle of hiring a regular office assistant. I now have two VAs - Liz, who lives in Boston, and June, who lives in Georgia. And I can't live without them! . . .

Keep in mind that having a VA will IMMENSELY free up your time to focus on the stuff that matters: marketing and growing your business, developing bold new product ideas and income streams, and servicing your larger clients. You'll think much bigger and will have much more creative energy.