Nashville Area Virtual Assistant Celebrates Inaugural International Virtual Assistants Day May 19, 2006
Released on = May 13, 2006, 9:07 am
Press Release Author = Theresa Koslofsky/ Alliance for Virtual Businesses
Industry = Small Business
Press Release Summary = May 19th has been named the first ever International Virtual Assistant Day. There will also be a convention that will be free to the public nationwide where people can learn more about this new industry.
Press Release Body = Goodlettsville, TN - Ten years ago if any one had told Sumner County resident, Theresa Koslofsky, that the nascent industry that she has been working so hard to promote would finally receive its own day or recognition, she probably would not have believed it. Koslofsky is a virtual assistant, and she along with more than 5,000 other virtual professionals working worldwide will celebrate the first International Virtual Assistants Day (IVAD) on May 19, 2006. Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognized authority of special days, weeks and months. IVAD will appear in the 2007 edition and will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The inaugural celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 18 - 20, 2006. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free IVAD logo and creed on their websites. "This day of observance not only allows us to celebrate individual accomplishments, but also affords us the chance to pat the backs of our colleagues as well," says Koslofsky, whose company specializes in data processing and transcription, research and marketing assistance, and calendar and database management. Koslofsky, a former Registered Nurse, is currently studying to obtain her Bachelor's Degree as a Paralegal. She originally conceived the idea for her business in September, 2004, and opened the doors of her new company, Essential Assistance, Inc. earlier this year. She started a new career in order to provide small and home based companies a more cost effective alternative to hiring a full time employee. She also wanted more time to spend at home with her family. Virtual Assistants or VAs are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use the latest technology to deliver professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business back-office and/or personal support services to busy professionals. Clients only pay for the time actually spent working on projects and often retain a fixed amount of hours per month for service. Typical services could include everything from general secretarial and word processing services to desktop publishing, website creation and marketing. Projects are often handled over the phone, by fax, e-mail and even instant messaging. Most attractive is the fact that VAs are also responsible for their own taxes, training, healthcare, insurance - overhead costs that make hiring an employee expensive. Since 1996 more than 5,000 professionals around the world have become VAs. More than 90 percent of them are highly-skilled working mothers who choose to start their own businesses in order to achieve a better work/life balance. According to a study conducted by Brenner Books in conjunction with A4VB in 2004, the United States accounts for the largest number of VAs followed by Canada, Australia and Great Britain. "This will be a very special day for everyone involved in the VA industry because it will allow us to bring together all VA organizations and their memberships under one umbrella," says Alliance for Virtual Businesses founder Sharon Williams. "VAs are making important contributions to the growth and stability of small businesses everywhere, and the establishment of IVAD simply acknowledges all of those virtual professionals who work so hard to honor our creed: Dedication, Experience, Expertise and Determination to Succeed (DEEDS)." About Essential Assistance, Inc. Launched earlier this year, Koslofsky's company provides most of the same services that an in house administrative assistant provides at a fraction of the cost. She provides basic consultations at no cost so that business owners have the chance to fully detail their projects and feel comfortable with the idea of a virtual assistant. Visit the company website at http://home.comcast.net/~tkoslofsky. About Alliance for Virtual Businesses Established in June 2003, the Alliance for Virtual BusinessesT is volunteer-directed organization, whose primary mission is to promote the growth of free enterprise between virtual assistants, entrepreneurs, small businesses, corporations, associations and other business entities. At the web site client-related case studies, industry-related demographics, and a wealth of other types of information are available to facilitate learning about our industry. Visit the website at www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com
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