Practically Perfect PA

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

'As every assistant will know a lot of time, effort and money goes into organising business travel. I’ve often be told that hiring a private plane for my Executives can save me and my boss a lot of time and hassle but I often wonder if it is worth the money. After all isn’t flying on a private jet the epitome of luxury? After looking at the different options for charting a private plane here are just some of the benefits.

Travel 206

Travel Phones AT&T Management 206

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

'The Forbes article Survey Says Americans are Losing Their Appetite for McDonald's, Taco Bell and Burger King covers a study showing that consumers - and especially Millennials - are choosing fast casual restaurants over fast food places. Key quote: Most Millennials surveyed (89%) seek out fast, casual food they deem healthier, tastier and “more customized” than fast food, and they’re willing to pay more for it, the survey revealed.

Social Media 206

Social Media 2012 Restaurants 206

Office Organization Success

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

'What is a launch campaign? It’s a step-by-step, repeatable process, that you can implement whenever you want to launch a brand-new product or program, or re-launch a current product or previous program. It’s much harder to sell something simply by sticking it out there and hoping people will buy it; when you have a launch system in place you will make more sales.

Purchasing 196

Purchasing 2014 Promotion Email 196

The Small Business Blog

SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

'Over the last couple of months I have been running a series of workshops on emotional intelligence and from them I am now running a further series of six workshops going deeper into different aspects of EI. One of the interesting learnings for me has been the realisation that EI is one of those things… Read the full article here: Do you really “get” emotional intelligence?

Assertiveness 188

Assertiveness Learning 188

Speaker: Chester Santos

Forgetfulness is costing you time, money, and a ton of missed opportunities. In the age of automation, it’s easy to underestimate the power of a well-trained human mind. But memory isn’t just a parlor trick, it's a strategic edge. Human memory is one of the most underrated business skills. Whether you’re managing people, leading sessions, or having high-stakes conversations, remembering names, details, and concepts can be transformative in building trust, absorbing knowledge, and driving perform

Skills

Virtual Moxie

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

'This month, I talked with the delightful Gayle Bu, who''s been in business as a VA for more than a decade! I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed talking together! Meet Gayle Bu. .

Interviewing 175

Interviewing 175

Productivity Bits

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

'A company should always secure the productivity of their business. Because a loss in productivity can be a major problem. In order to achieve an efficient workplace for your company, you should build the morale and productivity of your employees. You must also minimize complaints and disruptions so everyone can focus and concentrate on doing their work effectively.

Environment 164

Environment 164

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

'Back in 2006 we reported that craft brewers - also known as microbrewers - had captured almost 6% of U.S. beer sales, up from effectively 0% a decade or so earlier.   We revisited the industry in 2010 and found craft brewers 2009 revenue share of the U.S. beer market had grown to about 7%. Since 1% of the U.S beer market is worth about $1 billion (Americans drink a lot of beer), this was strong growth - especially given the country was in the midst of the Great Recession.

2013 193

2013 2009 2006 2010 193

Office Organization Success

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

'I get a lot of questions from business owners around whether they should get a merchant account or just stick with Paypal. I actually prefer the flexibility of a merchant account as my primary payment processor because it not only allows a client/customer to pay by credit card (without having to go through Paypal’s process to do that) but it also offers you more options in terms of recurring billing features (think membership programs ) and taking client’s credit card payments over

Credit Card 160

Credit Card Budget Phones 160

The Small Business Blog

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

'There’s a new breed of start-up – they’re younger, more optimistic and ready to innovate. This year’s DNA of an Entrepreneur Report – which explores the challenges of small business owners, along with what makes them tick – reveals that the recession has had a big impact on the way start-ups operate, leading to a… Read the full article here: Generation Recession: a small business evolution on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

UPS 187

UPS 187

Tips From T. Marie

SEPTEMBER 19, 2014

'A lot of people sing the praises of trading in a traditional office space for a cloud based office. The two big benefits that are usually pointed out are cost savings and accessing needed files, etc. from multiple devices. I’m here to tell you that while both are huge benefits of a cloud or virtual office, there is another, equally as beneficial reason to move to the cloud.

Credit Card 146

Credit Card Stress Filing Travel 146

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.

Finance

Virtual Moxie

SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

'I''m just back from nine days with the AssistU VAs. Throughout my time with them, I overheard conversations and was involved in others that were about growth, working smart, having high standards, learning plans, profitability.but it wasn''t until I sat down this afternoon to work through some email that''s come in in my absence that I heard about burnout--and that wasn''t from an AssistU VA, but it made me want to write about it anyway because if one person is dealing with it, many are.

AT&T 142

AT&T Email Learning UPS 142

Practically Perfect PA

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

'As assistants most of us will interact with our organisation’s Executive team on a daily if not hourly basis. Your manager may well be part of the Executive team. If that is the case you will have even more phone calls, meetings and general engagement with other Directors and top-level members of staff. It can be a little scary dealing with the people that run your organisation, especially if they are prickly characters or highly demanding.

Gossip 168

Gossip ASAP Etiquette AT&T 168

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

'It's nice every so often to get back to basics.  Openview's article David vs. Goliath: Your Startup's Guide to Giant-Killing does just that by describing 6 advantages small businesses have relative to bigger competitors. These are: You're closer to your customers. You can turn on a dime. You can tightly focus on a niche market.

180

180

Office Organization Success

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

'With the Labor Day weekend upon us, I shall be enjoying a nice, long weekend. We have lots of jobs to do around the house, and we’ll also enjoy our last weekend at the pool before it closes. I always love learning new software and programs, and this week I’ve been taking some training from the guys at Premium Web Cart on how to use their system.

Training 152

Training Expenses Learning 152

Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP

The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.

Finance

The Small Business Blog

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

'“A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.” – Mary Kay Ash, US entrepreneur An unfortunate truth of entrepreneurship that many people will not tell you is that often the best idea for a product or service is not the one that ultimately wins out and… Read the full article here: Enthusiasm – Business Quote of the Week on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

167

167

Step It Up VA Coaching

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

'Here’s a question for you. When was the last time you hired a service provider, say an attorney or a mechanic and you were able to set their schedule for them? Or had them drop everything and come running every time you called? My guess is—probably never. When you deal with other businesses, you abide by their policies, their normal hours of operation, and you respect that, right?

Credit Card 138

Credit Card Policies Phones Management 138

Virtual Moxie

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

'We must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. For me , that''s the most powerful part of the quotation. As a VA, there''s a whole big wide workd out there waiting to know you and to thrill about what you can do. But none of that will have any value if you don''t first cultivate yourself, and set your heart right. The reason?

Skills 141

Skills 141

Practically Perfect PA

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

'Everyone who works in and around London knows the ExCeL London Exhibition and Conference center. It is a bit of an institution and like most places that seem to be have been around forever most people will associate it with just one thing. In the case of ExCeL it is huge exhibitions and conventions – like the Boat Show, the Wedding Fair and Comic Con.

Suppliers 163

Suppliers Restaurants Equipment AT&T 163

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

Confidence

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

'I was shopping recently in Walnut Creek, an affluent east bay suburb of San Francisco. An upscale shopping destination, Walnut Creek has the usual array of high end stores and boutiques. But what caught my eye were two stores that don't actually sell things. Instead, they are meant to be places where potential customers can learn about and experience products and services.

Clothes 177

Clothes Goals Learning UPS 177

Office Organization Success

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

'My recent free teleclass on 4 Key Systems made me realize just how much technology there is to understand and how it can really help you automate your online business, especially when it comes to automating your marketing. On the training I just touched on four key areas, but really there’s so much more. In today’s article I want to share with you some of the areas where automation can really help you grow your business.

Gifts 144

Gifts Purchasing Email Phones 144

The Small Business Blog

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

'Many small businesses will handle their personnel administration processes, such as attendance tracking, contracts management, appraisals in a make-do and highly distributed system of Excel files, word files, document scans etc… This is not usually a conscious decision; it’s more likely that it has evolved that way through necessity as a result of the time… Read the full article here: Should You Be Using a HR Software System in Your Business?

Filing 159

Filing Management 159

Clutter Coach

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

'by Originally posted 2009-10-15 17:28:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Urgent sounds important, but it's really not. It may be important to someone else, but your involvement is often just a waste of time. Tasks that are urgent require you to act quickly and that means you don't spend time thinking about whether you should do them. They're also often the result of poor planning (or no planning) and bad time management.

2009 116

2009 AT&T Phones Promotion 116

Speaker: Frank Taliano

Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.

2025

Virtual Moxie

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

'I remember a few years ago, I was watching D get his ears candled. Shahnaz, our wonderful esthetician, mentioned that I could do it, and I thought, "Hmmm, sure looks simple enough." But as I sat there and watched, I had this thought: Emulating is one thing, knowing is another. I certainly could do it. But I''d be emulating what I saw Shahnaz do. The gentle back massage, the pressure applied along the underside of the cheek-bone… all easy enough to do.

Training 141

Training Expenses Confidence Skills 141

Practically Perfect PA

SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

'It’s that time of year again: the first robins and reindeers are infiltrating the shop displays and all over the country bosses are delegating the task of organising their company’s Christmas ‘do’ to their thinly-stretched assistants. While planning your own party can be a lot of fun, the job of corporate event organising carries some hefty responsibilities.

Restaurants 162

Restaurants Budget Travel Management 162

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

'For the first time since the government started keeping these stats, more than half of adult Americans are single.  There are about 125 million single Americans, which is just a bit over half of all Americans aged 16 and older.   Bloomberg's Is Everyone Single? nicely covers this shift, including providing the chart below. It shows the steady climb from 37% of adult Americans being single in 1976 to 50.2% today.   The percentage of "never marrieds" has also risen f

2012 174

2012 UPS 174

Office Organization Success

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

'My recent free teleclass on 4 Key Systems made me realize just how much technology there is to understand and how it can really help you automate your online business, especially when it comes to automating your marketing. On the training I just touched on four key areas, but really there’s so much more. In today’s article I want to share with you some of the areas where automation can really help you grow your business.

Gifts 143

Gifts Purchasing Email Phones 143

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Payroll

The Small Business Blog

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

'“I believe that you have to understand the economics of a business before you have a strategy, and you have to understand your strategy before you have a structure. If you get these in the wrong order, you will probably fail.” – Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computers It is surprising how often a business… Read the full article here: Strategy – Business Quote of the Week on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

158

158

Clutter Coach

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

'by Originally posted 2007-10-24 10:30:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Two big reasons I love email: I can send a quick reply or request or, more likely, a whole slew of them. Not that I have anything against conversations, but sometimes I really need to get through a list of to do’s and email is the quickest way to dispatch them. I can send email on my own schedule.

2007 109

2007 Phones Email Promotion 109

Virtual Moxie

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

'I''ve recently met several VAs who, used to having to ask permission before taking action in the corporate world, have carried that behavior over into their VA practices. Stop it. Just stop. It''s unattractive in the extreme, and isn''t likely to add one positive thing to your business. Think—then, you were an employee. Perhaps you didn''t see that you didn''t have to be a bootlicker, and you did what you believed you needed to do.

Google 141

Google Confidence Collaborate Learning 141

Practically Perfect PA

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

'I have moved around quite a bit – job wise and city wise – over the years so I have a lot of experience working with recruitment agents. In fact a recruitment agent has found me all of my previous jobs and on the whole my experiences have been mixed. I’ve worked with some fantastic agents that really do want to place you in the best role and I’ve met agents that have barely glanced over my CV before recommending me for highly unsuitable roles.

Agencies 160

Agencies Interviewing Salary Skills 160

Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC

Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult

Skills