I started this business journey as a virtual assistant.
As many solopreneurs do, I listed all of my skills before I launched my business and I lined up my services accordingly:
- I have been a full-charge bookkeeper several times in my corporate world career journey.
- I am well-versed (and extremely organized) in administrative work.
- I have managed my business social media for well over a dozen years.
- I manage several WordPress websites of my own, as well as five WordPress blogs.
Writing is key to my business, however, despite all of my other non-writing skills and experience.
My Writing History
I am an avid reader! I journaled throughout my youth. I’ve since self-published a handful of books, and I have enjoyed helping others with their proofreading and editing needs for book projects (before I began offering these services as a business). Most of my freelance writing work has involved blog or article writing. I truly enjoy this work! Writing is my gift…and it serves many unique purposes for me.
Switching from Task to Task
As a business owner, reflecting on Reliance Outsourcing’s journey for the past three years, I realize that I cannot “do all and be all” for everyone. For a handful of years, I was all over the place with my service offerings, and it became difficult for me to switch from task to task. For example, when a person switches from administrative work (i.e. data entry or a similar task) to proofreading and editing, it typically takes 30-60 minutes to get “into the mode.” Writing is no different. When we reset from social media to creative writing, for example, it takes time to adjust the brain to the next function…no matter what that task is, it simply takes more than a minute.
I am one person. Short of not sleeping or maintaining time to be with family, or to make time for myself, I cannot be the expert at everything. I cannot give my best to a wide variety of services. None of us are machines, and this is the reality a solopreneur must embrace from the beginning!
Virtual Assistant “Always Available”
As a virtual assistant, we are “always available,” meaning, we may be our client’s right-hand person. So, if our client needs to cancel a class, or correct a blog post, we’re pretty much there on the spot. I do not function well with interruptions to my writing. Of course, the way to resolve this is to set boundaries (contracts and agreements) to begin with, but, a general virtual assistant is typically available to their clients during their set working hours.
So, to do my very best work, which means quality—completion of the work in a manner that blesses the client by giving them what they need at the moment, I found that shifting gears between types of tasks is not efficient.
Why Freelance Writing
Today, I consider myself a freelance writer. This is my main service. I do offer writing-related services, such as proofreading and writing. What I offer, however, continues to sharpen my skills vs. pull me away from my purpose.
My Business “Why”
My “why” is to help other people and businesses grow through my gift of writing. My “why” is to make a difference in the world, one written word at a time.
Have you etched your way through several business-purposes, or “recreated” yourself in a business sense? I would love to hear your story in the comments below!
Reliance Outsourcing 