Virtual Assistant Blog

Client Case Study: The Military Spouse J.D. Network

1/27/2020

By Jenny Boyles

*Freedom Maker Client Case Studies are a new addition to the Freedom Makers blog. It is our goal to introduce you to some of our amazing clients and Freedom Makers to learn how they collaborate for success.

The Military Spouse J.D. Network (MSJDN) has been a Freedom Maker client for several years, utilizing two Freedom Makers to fulfill their mission. MSJDN is a bar association for military spouses in the legal profession. Founded in 2011, it supports over 1,200 military spouse attorneys by advocating for licensing accommodations for military spouse attorneys; educating the public about the challenges faced by career-minded military spouses and their families; encouraging the hiring of military spouses; and providing a network connecting military spouse attorneys with each other and their supporters.

MSJDN fulfills its mission through dedicated volunteers. Because it is run by a Board of volunteers, the administrative burden can be overwhelming. According to Libby Jamison, former MSJDN President, “When it became clear that the administrative tasks were becoming overwhelming, we sought out options for help, which is when we contacted Freedom Makers to find out more about virtual assistants.”

Lighten Your Load By Organizing It

1/21/2020

By Laura Renner and Jenny Boyles

Managing your workload sets you up for a better balance of energy. As a small business owner, your work bleeds into your life. Using organizational tools that work for you ensures you will keep your sanity. Here are some of our favorite suggestions to help you lighten your load and organize it!

Keep it Personal & Organized: Creating a Great Virtual Work Space

1/13/2020

By Jenny Boyles

One of the best ways to stay motivated at work if you work virtually is to maintain a peaceful, inviting work space. If you have an office and you are afraid to walk into it because there are piles of paperwork everywhere and you cannot see your desktop, that is not good! But even if your space is not a mess or disorganized, there are things you can do to make your remote work space a little more enticing and personalized.

The Art & Value of Time Blocking

1/6/2020

By Laura Renner

Part of the appeal for owning your own business is that you can set your own schedule, choose what you want to work on, and structure you day how you like.

Ideally.

However, sometimes it seems the tail wags the dog. Your day goes from one email to the next as you put one fire to the next. It is a constant battle between working on your business versus in your business (think sales versus delivering for existing clients). You wonder where the day went and what you accomplished, if anything.

There are many ways to take control of your schedule from limiting the number of clients you take on to building systems for efficient workflows to delegating more to your team. But I would like to talk about time blocking.

2019: The Freedom Maker Highlight Reel

12/23/2019

By Laura Renner

It is always important to take time to reflect and celebrate your team’s accomplishments. The end of the year is as good a time as any to do this. When you take time to think through what you have gone through, you can appreciate how far you have come. This appreciation gives you a boost to face your next challenges.

I am constantly amazed at what we come up with for improving at Freedom Makers. Every once in awhile, I will find myself thinking, “we are doing pretty well, not much needed for improvement.” The next thing I know, we are embarking on a major project or initiative!

Are You the Root of Your Business' Revolving Door?

12/16/2019

By Laura Renner

We know the number one reason people leave their jobs is due to their manager. In a small business, that is most likely you.

Team members come and go. Sometimes it has nothing to do with you. They need to move home or want to switch industries, etc. Other times your personalities did not click and that is okay too.

But if you find yourself going through a string of people, all with vague reasons for leaving, perhaps you should ask yourself if it is you. I do not think many people would tell you directly to your face that they are leaving because of you. So what can you do? Below are a few tips.

Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone: How to Make Inclusion Mean More than Just Checking a Box

12/9/2019

By Laura Renner

Diversity and inclusion are hot trends these days and they are certainly important. At the same time, when we hear diversity and inclusion, it is usually race or gender that comes to mind. Having a diverse--defined in numerous ways--team improves performance. While focusing on gender and race is important, there are more ways to be inclusive in your business. Preparing yourself to be open to anyone can really open up your hiring opportunities.

Negotiating Super Powers: How Women Can Support Each Other Further

12/2/2019

By Laura Renner

NPR’s TED Radio Hour is a show that shares highlights from different TED talks around a specific theme and then interviews the speakers.

About a year ago, I listened to an episode about Speaking Up and even now, I remember one speaker talking about how women can negotiate more effectively. It was not the whole theme of his speech, but rather one example of how and when to successfully speak up.

Essentially, Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, states that having psychological distance is key for women to succeed in negotiations for two reasons. One, people are more accepting of a woman speaking up on behalf of someone else (the mama bear effect) as opposed to herself. Two, it is easier to have the confidence to speak for someone else than for yourself.

Support & Shop Small

11/25/2019

By Jenny Boyles

As a small business owner, you know first hand the struggles every small business owner faces. Because of that it’s very important to support each other. Doing so not only promotes small business, but it also fosters community.

My Experience with the Global Good Fund Veteran Program

11/18/2019

By Laura Renner

Throughout 2019, I have been going through a leadership development program for veteran entrepreneurs. The program is offered by The Global Good Fund and the Veteran Program is sponsored by the Smithfield Foundation.

Smithfield hosted us for a retreat at their corporate headquarters. They were extremely generous with their time and access to senior leadership. I was blown away by how much time they spent with us and how open they were about their approaches to business.

To be safe, I will not share intimate details of the meetings here for confidentiality purposes. But I will share some lessons I took away.

<<Previous

Client Case Study: The Military Spouse J.D. Network

Lighten Your Load By Organizing It

Keep it Personal & Organized: Creating a Great Virtual Work Space

The Art & Value of Time Blocking

2019: The Freedom Maker Highlight Reel

Are You the Root of Your Business' Revolving Door?

Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone: How to Make Inclusion Mean More than Just Checking a Box

Negotiating Super Powers: How Women Can Support Each Other Further

Support & Shop Small

My Experience with the Global Good Fund Veteran Program

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