The spotlight was on moi! I was interviewed at the Virtual Assistant Forums, a great place where VAs meet, connect and share information.

Agnes Ikotun, owner of AI Virtual Solutions, combines her 13 years experience in administration, customer service, and information technology as a VA. With a degree in Management of Information Systems from Greenwich University in London, England, she is a Cisco Certified Network Associate, Network+ Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified Professional, an Expert Rating Certified Professional, and a National Association of Realtors certified Real Estate Professional Assistant. Agnes uses her many skills to support entrepreneurs and small business owners from her office in Connecticut.

Thank you, Agnes, for sharing with us your experiences as a VA!

You started up as a VA in July of ‘07. How did you come to the decision to do this?

I had been a stay-at-home mom to my 6 and 2 year old daughters and they were becoming more independent. I began to have more free time on my hands and I just felt the time was right to venture out into the working world again.

Thinking back to the first three months in business, what was it like? What were the hard parts, the easy parts, how far did you progress in that time?

The first three months, actually the first six months were spent working on the business, since I didn’t have any clients during this period. The easy part was putting the business together, creating my online presence and networking. The difficult part was waiting for the clients to come knocking on my doors.

What was the most difficult thing about launching your business, and how would you characterize your progress during the first year of operation?

It was pretty easy launching my business, the startup cost was extremely low and I found many great free resources to get me going…thanks to the people on Virtual Assistant Forums. I would say that my progress so far is interesting as no one week is the same as the last. I’m still learning how to meet my clients’ needs, build my business and balance work and life and not get overwhelmed.

You concentrate in “Administrative Support, Internet Marketing, Web Design, and Real Estate Support,” according to your website. That’s quite a large range of skills. Please comment on balancing that variety in your work.

I mostly do Internet Marketing, Web Design and Website Maintenance. But I also love when I get to do some administrative, research and other work in between for variety.

What was your previous experience in the traditional job world?

14 years ago, I started off working as a beauty consultant in an exclusive London departmental store. And in between, when I got bored, I temped as an Administrative Assistant. Then I moved into retail banking, providing front end customer services to account holders. My love for computers helped me change my major from Law to Information Systems, and then I shifted gears to the IT industry, where I worked as an IT Administrator supporting business users.

How does being a virtual assistant compare to life as an employee, in your experience?

As an employee, I always chose to do what I enjoyed and it’s the same working as a virtual assistant. I became a stay-at-home mom when we had our first child and I know the challenges many working moms face, even though I was lucky to escape all of that. The biggest bonus of being a VA is that I can manage my family and work on my terms. I don’t have to feel guilty taking time off work because my little one is ill or attend my 7 year old’s class party. Also I can work anywhere and at anytime.

You have many certifications. Please comment on the experience of obtaining these, and their usefulness in your business.

I felt that the quickest way to get into the IT industry without working experience was to get certified and what a great way to learn as well. I self-studied for my exams, using great books and simulations.

I didn’t have plans to go back into the IT industry when kids came into the picture and I was a little disappointed by that. I realized pretty early in my business that I would be using a lot of my IT skills and my clients see the added value that this brings.

What tasks in your business do you enjoy working on the most?

I enjoy doing web design/website maintenance and internet marketing the most.

Which tasks do you dislike the most?

I not too long ago realized that I don’t enjoy doing bookkeeping (for my business), so I’ve taken it off my list of services.

Please describe your office (equipment, furniture, shrines!) and the working atmosphere you prefer.

I have a comfortable home office, a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop, a faithful 7 year old Dell PC and 4-in-1 HP printer combo. I recently got a VOIP phone; it got ridiculous to continue doing business on my cell phone and having dropped calls.

I prefer when it’s quiet, when my kids are at school. I can get a lot more work done.

Your website says you work with “coaches, speakers, authors, and realtors.” Does that accurately describe your current clientele?

Yes, it does. I support this clientele because I admire what they do. But I also have clients from other industries.

What is your advice to other VAs regarding client relations?

Make each client feel that they are your only client. Communication is so important; always keep clients in the loop.

What marketing tools or tactics have worked best for you?

All of my marketing activities have gotten me results. Some of my tactics include posting ads on bulletin boards, mailing out postcards, email marketing, and joining on and offline groups. Even if some haven’t yet produced clients, I’ve definitely gotten exposure.

Having thrived during your first year in business, what goals are you contemplating for the future? What changes do you plan to make during your second year; and what do you want life to be like for you ten years from now?

I’m working on building a business that can accommodate many more clients. In my second year, I want to refine my business model for substantial growth. Ten years is long time away. The most important thing for me is I want my family and loved ones to be healthy and safe. And I also want to be pleasantly surprised by how far I’ve come.

When it comes to getting up in the morning, what really motivates you?

My family motivates me, knowing that they are really proud of me.

What are some of your extracurricular interests?

For now, I have very little time for extracurricular interests. I have one or two movie nights a week with my husband and I enjoy school runs plus taking my oldest to her after school activities and chatting with the other moms.

I do plan on joining my local swimming club in the next few weeks.

You keep a blog on your website. Please discuss the benefits and drawbacks you find in maintaining that page.

I wish I could write more frequently on my blog and I will, soon…lol. It’s a great sample of my “limited” writing skills. A number of potential clients have asked for writing samples and I’ve directed them to my blog. The only drawback is having a blog and not keeping it up to date, not good!

Having been associated with VirtualAssistantForums.com for a long time, what is its benefit to you at this stage of your business/life?

I get to meet other VAs with varying levels of experience and the forum helps me stay informed about what is happening in the VA industry. There’s the tendency to focus less on ones business as it grows. The discussions here help me to pay attention to my business.

I have also connected with some fabulous subcontractors here as well.

Here’s a sample testimonial from one of Agnes’ very happy clients:

“It has been a pleasure to utilize Agnes’s services over the past several years. Her work has always been carried out with excellence, in both attitude and performance detail. She possesses an incredibly high work ethic- a rare commodity in today’s marketplace, and she has been a highly valued resource to us in the accomplishment of our business goals.”

Lisa Mims, Author/Speaker
A Fulfilled Life

Wethersfield CT — September 19, 2008 – Agnes Ikotun, owner of AI Virtual Solutions LLC, has been awarded IVAA Ethics Check award status by the International Virtual Assistant Association (IVAA).

IVAA, the educational and credentialing association for the virtual assisting industry, awards the Ethics Check designation to virtual assistants passing an examination that assesses the virtual assistant’s business ethics competencies in key areas including billing issues, conflict of interest, privacy and confidentiality and the ability to perform the work.

The IVAA Ethics Check examination and Code of Ethics were designed to mitigate mistrust and serve to enable e-services internationally. They do so by bringing a single ethical benchmark to the diverse e-marketplace, setting a standard for cross-border business practices, helping ethical VAs set themselves apart from others, and helping prospective contractors to find e-service providers with a confirmed ethical foundation.

In accordance with IVAA Code of Ethics, Ms. Ikotun agrees to always exercise integrity, honesty and diligence in carrying out her professional duties and responsibilities. Safeguarding the interest of colleagues and clients and will not knowingly be a party to any illegal or unethical activity.

Ms. Ikotun believes that good business ethics should be a part of every business. Her key values are centered on excellence, integrity, and the desire to be an instrument in the success of her clients. Her motto is to treat everyone the way she also wants to be treated.

Agnes Ikotun specializes in providing virtual assistant services for coaches, speakers and authors around the globe.

For more information, contact:
Agnes Ikotun, Chief Virtual Assistant
AI Virtual Solutions, LLC
Phone: (860) 869-3525
E-Mail: info@aivirtualsolutions.com
Website: www.aivirtualsolutions.com

Happy 1st Birthday to
AI Virtual Solutions

Many small business owners ask if they should have a website, even if they are not planning to sell their product or service online. At AI Virtual Solutions, we say yes, you should. We believe that that a professional and efficiently crafted website is essential for any business.

In today’s market, your website is your business card. When people, who are getting more computer savvy by the second want to get information about a company, they go to the Internet. They want to be able to access this information at any time of the day or night. Your company also has the ability to share up-to-date information instantly and at the same time increase your market share as you are able to reach a wider and a more global audience.

The expectations of visitors has also changed over time, so a non-professional looking website is no longer acceptable. Your website is a seal on your business’s credibility, therefore the design and launch must be taken seriously.

What else can AI Virtual Solutions do for your company?

Assist you with your general administration which includes email, phone and fax management. Coordinate activities such as appointment setting, schedule management, travel arrangement and making reservation. Our desktop publishing services include designing brochures, newsletters, presentation slides and flyers for your marketing needs.

AI Virtual solutions also provides bookkeeping service and database management service for all your customer relationship management needs.

Contact us for a free consultation if you don’t already have a website or you are looking to upgrade your company website. Also, we are the company for you, if you are an independent consultant, sole proprietor or a work-at-home professional and you are concerned about the expenses involved in hiring a full or part time employee to handle the administrative, some creative or technical aspect of your business. At AI Virtual Solutions, you have the option to get you needs met at a per project, hourly or retainer basis where you only pay for the work done and the issue of down time is non-existent.

Please visit our website at www.aivirtualsolutions to learn more about our company and services. Our goal as a virtual assisting company is to provide a service that we would expect for ourselves and one that is also affordable.

AI Virtual Solutions is a company providing Virtual Assistant (VA) services to work-at-home professionals throughout North America and the world.

Making use of today’s technology, Virtual Assistants are providing innovative solutions to small businesses, home-based businesses and entrepreneurs worldwide. Virtual Assistance as a fairly new profession has seen a spectacular growth over the past few years. Virtual Assistants are the answer to businesses worldwide that are looking for administrative support but do not want or need in-house support.

AI Virtual Solutions offers a wide variety of professional and affordable administrative and design services. And by utilizing a Virtual Assistant, companies are able to focus on growing their businesses.

All work assignments are received via email and primary requests cover areas such as email management, contact management, bookkeeping, teleclass/webinar coordination, database management, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, e-zine/newsletters, business cards, postcards, logo, website design, real estate support and more.

Agnes Ikotun, owner/operator of AI Virtual Solutions, lives in Newington, Connecticut and specializes in providing support to coaches, speakers, authors and Realtors who live virtually anywhere. The distance, however, is never a problem since the growth of technology has paved the way for superior communication.