Successful Entrepreneur Employs Leadership Traits to Start and Grow Business

Successful Entrepreneur Employs Leadership Traits to Start and Grow
Business - A Virtual Assistant Success Story

by: Randall Goruk



One of the great things about being an executive and leadership coach
is the opportunity to work with a variety of people who work in a
variety of different industries. I have been doing some work recently
with Kara Rosner, owner of Key Virtual Office Solutions – a Virtual
Assistant (VA) business based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

I asked Kara if she would mind sharing her experiences of starting up
her small business through an interview – she was in full agreement. I
thought sharing her experience will benefit many of my other clients
as well as those who intend to start up their own small business one
day.

Kara epitomizes the American entrepreneurial spirit and has
demonstrated the leadership traits to be successful in any new
enterprise … I hope that you find some benefit into her thoughts about
her business.

RG - What is your vision for your business?

Kara -My long-term goal is to build a small team of professional
virtual assistants and continue to provide top-notch business support
services to small business owners.

RG - Did you have a business plan before you started your business?

Kara -Yes. Writing my business plan helped me think about all aspects
of my business–from marketing tactics, to understanding my
competition, to assessing my financials. It is a valuable tool and
helped me formulate my overall business strategy.

RG - If you had to start over, what would you do differently?
Kara - I would use different marketing tactics now that I know what
works best for me. In the beginning I tried various forms of print
advertising such as direct mailers and newspaper ads, which did not
produce results. My best and most cost-effective forms of marketing
have come from personal networking, referrals and my internet
presence.
Additionally, I would have begun networking earlier in the process of
starting my business. Networking is extremely important in the launch
of any business and a great way to let people know what you do. I
found it to be very powerful in helping me establish my client base.
RG - What do you think it takes to be successful in your business?
Kara - I think there are several factors for success as a virtual
assistant. First and foremost is having a dynamic skill set that is
attractive to your target market, which in my case is the small
business owner/home-based business. Understand your talents and market
them accordingly.
Additionally, a keen sense of client service is vital for success.
Knowing your client's needs and consistently delivering timely and
accurate service is crucial. Since most VA-client relationships are
not face-to-face it is important to build trust and respect.
It is also very important to be knowledgeable about the marketplace
and open to continually learning new skills. Technological advancement
is rapid and it is essential to know what skills and services are in
demand by prospective clients. A willingness to learn and add to your
skill set is important for long-term success.
RG - What are the characteristics you possess that you feel will help
you be successful as a VA?
Kara -The traits that contribute to my success as a VA are my
creativity, resourcefulness, dedication, strong organizational skills,
and proactive nature. Honesty, integrity and a positive attitude are
also key characteristics that help me be successful.
RG - What challenges are you faced with today?
Kara -One of my biggest challenges is maintaining a good work/life
balance. Starting a new business can be an around-the-clock job. It's
important to take time to rest, recognize accomplishments, and
re-energize for the next day!
RG - What is your competition like?
Kara -Since virtual assistance is not bound by physical location my
competition is local, national, and international. However, I consider
my main competition to be US-based virtual assistants providing
right-hand business support services to small business owners. I think
what sets me apart is my strong technological skill set, previous
corporate management experience, top-quality work and superior client
service. There are many talented VA's all across the country, and
that's a good thing for the industry as a whole.
RG - What are your concerns for the future?
Kara -The VA industry is rapidly growing and the number of people
leaving traditional corporate jobs to become virtual assistants is
increasing. As the industry grows and competition increases I want to
continue to be able to distinguish myself as a top-notch, experienced,
and dedicated VA.
RG - Without naming names, can you provide a couple of client success stories?
Kara -I love providing solutions for my clients. One of my clients, an
extremely busy entrepreneur with a rapidly growing practice, has
little to no time to handle the day-to-day administrative tasks for
her business. I started working with her earlier this year, helping
organize her client database, managing vendors, developing
presentations and organizing financial data. Since then, she has been
able to focus more time on expanding her practice, and is now able to
spend more time with her clients. We continue to have a strong and
productive working relationship.
Another client of mine, also a busy entrepreneur, needed help with
various projects including updating his website on a monthly basis.
After getting to know his business I've been able to take on the
website updates each month, along with many other projects. This has
allowed him more time to focus on developing his business.
I hope this article has provided you with some insight into the
experience of starting a small business. For more information on
executive and leadership coaching, or to learn how a virtual assistant
could benefit your business please contact Randy Goruk or Kara Rosner.


About The Author

Randy Goruk is the President of The Randall Wade Group - a leadership
development company with a North American client base.

Mr. Goruk is a leadership coach, trainer, consultant, author and key
note speaker on leadership related topics. More can be learned at his
website: http://www.randallwade.com.