Interview with Tahneesha Smith of A Virtual Blessing

This month I was interviewed by the Virtual Assistant Forums. Below is an excerpt from my interview.

Tahneesha Smith, professional Virtual Assistant and President of A Virtual Blessing Virtual Assistant Services, specializes in executive administrative support to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Smith established A Virtual Blessing in 2008 from the desire to utilize her administrative and organizational skills to help other businesses succeed.

Prior to helping small businesses achieve their goals; Smith pursued a few of her own goals. In 2003 she earned her Bachelors degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Business. She has also held administrative roles as a staff assistant for county government, civil law legal secretary and presentation specialist for a military school. Smith served four years in the United States Air Force receiving numerous awards including, Airman of the Year and Airman of the Quarter. Tahneesha states that he most important and rewarding accomplishment is being a devoted Christian wife and mother of two.

You can connect with Tahneesha through her company website and blog, on Twitter, Facebook, and right here at Virtual Assistant Forums.

How long have you been a virtual assistant and what drew you to the industry?

I have been a Virtual Assistant for a little over a year now. Having been a SAHM for several years, I was drawn to industry because of the desire to keep my administrative skills current, learn new skills, flexibility to work from home and care for my family.

How do you define success?

I define success as actually “doing” it. For years I dreamed about working from home. I researched different work from home options from telecommuting, Virtual Assistant companies to legal researcher. It took a while before I realized that I could actually be successful working for myself.

When did you realize you were ‘a successful virtual assistant’?
I realized a few months into my first year of business after contracting with my first client. I felt I had stopped dreaming and started doing!

What are the top five tools or resources you use on a regular basis in running your own business?

1. Google Apps: I really love Google Apps – so I feel the need to expound. I like gmail, calendar, documents, alerts and ESPECIALLY its reader. These are all very useful free tools.

2. My Hours

3. Quickbooks

4. Social Networking via VAF, Twitter, Smaller Indiana and the CBNA

5. Other Virtual Assistants (never underestimate the resourcefulness of another VA)

What’s your number one source for new clients?

My number one client source has been through social networking via Twitter and local forums. Sometimes, I receive inquires for services that I do not provide and refer to other trusted VAs.

Has your ideal client profile changed at all since you first started your business?

When I first started I didn’t even have an ideal client and wanted to work with anyone that wanted to work with me. I also spent countless hours bidding on projects on Odesk. I realized this was not a good use of my time and focused more on marketing my own business. After working with a mentor; I was better able to identify that ideal client.

Do you network locally?

I started local networking a few months ago and have not contracted any clients from it; however, it has increased my visibility in the community.

How do you feel about social networking for business – do you implement it and if so, has it been a successful addition to your marketing efforts?

I really enjoy social networking more now than when I started. I try to schedule time to do so Monday through Friday. It has proven beneficial in my business. I have not only obtained new clients but have built relationships with other Virtual Assistants. Social networking definitely opens the door to the world from your laptop.

You can read the entire interview here.