Posts Tagged ‘event’

Well… here it is Tuesday and I am all packed and ready to go to my first ever conference with fellow virtual assistants.

I am heading to Niagara Falls, Canada for the Forum on Virtual Assistance (FoVA) to learn and share and connect with many people in the VA industry.

I have been networking online for almost a year now at VAnetworking, CVAC and several other places. I have also been working with, or creating friendships with, other VAs that I met online.

Networking online can be scary for some people but I love it.  In fact, in my banking days, I had several jobs that had me connecting with others via telephone – and really it is the same principle, even if it was in the days before cell phones or email. I encountered these people daily in my job, but never face to face.  I met my husband from a  friend I worked with ‘virtually’ in 1988.  She and I finally met, a friendship was created that still exists today; and her fiancé introduced me to my husband. If I had never taken the time to meet her at the bank function for all the departments, my life would have been very different.

My favourite aspect of online or telephone networking is when the time comes that you finally have an opportunity to meet those people in person – face-to-face. I find this really solidifies any online or remote relationship and takes it to another level.

So, my bags are ready, the family is kicking off school early to drive me to the airport and I cannot wait to get there and meet all my ‘friends’.

Watch out FoVA here I come!

Technorati Tags: event, forum, networking, virtual assistant

FOVA (Forum on Virtual Assistance) is only 5 weeks away, and I CAN’T wait! I’m ready to learn and network and this conference is a perfect place to do both.

I think I am most anticipating all the people I know I will be meeting. Since last summer I have been very active with my online networking (primarily at VAnetworking, CVAC and VAClassroom) and I am going to meet several of these people face to face.  I love connecting a face with a name or a voice!

Generally you don’t attend any conference unless you have an interest in the topic and there are always many sessions available to learn new skills, ideas or trends and more.  The agenda that Barb Lang and her organizers have prepared is chock full of great topics and speakers from all over the world, and topics that will help us Virtual Assistants in our daily work. However, in my humble opinion, the biggest benefit you get from a conference is the networking aspect of it.

So many opportunities are available at conferences to meet and talk with new people, to match a face to a name, or connect with old friends. Being virtual, a large part of our daily work is done online and by phone, Instant Messenging chat or email. To be able to meet in person all the “usernames” I deal with on a regular basis, really adds another foundation block to our relationship.

I almost feel like I need to make a list of all the people I anticipate meeting in order to ensure that I don’t miss them as to me that would be a tragedy.

No matter what your line of work, and especially if you work from home, I urge you to find a conference in your industry and attend it every year.  You’ll return rejuvenated and having met many new contacts and with a brain full of new information relevant to your work.  ALL of this will help you excel in your job and your life.

Technorati Tags: conference, event, networking, seminars, Small business, virtual assistant

As I started on my journey this past spring to open my own VA business, I have found and joined several great online forums – the support, information and camaraderie I have found online has truly surprised and amazed me.  I would not have ever imagined that this type of networking would be so helpful and welcome each day as I work from home. I honestly find myself each morning looking forward to signing in and seeing what has happened overnight to some of the people I am getting to know through these groups. The information I am learning from them is altogether another huge surprise and benefit.

VAnetworking.com is one of these groups to which I belong.  It was started in 2003 by Tawnya Sutherland in British Columbia, Canada.

This Wednesday VAnetworking is celebrating their 5th Birthday in one gigantic bash for all Virtual Assistants worldwide! And if you are a Virtual Assistant or even just thinking about becoming one, there’s a lot to celebrate and a truckload of prizes to be won.

RSVP at http://www.vanetworking.com/birthday.html to receive your special invitation to attend this party that will be celebrated over the next 20 weeks.

If you are registering for the event as a first time visitor, make sure you browse about the site and see what else you can learn about there… not only is it a great spot for VAs, but people looking for VAs find it helpful as well!

See you at the Big Bash!

Technorati Tags: event, networking, virtual assistant