This document provides an overview of a virtual entrepreneurship class taught by Professor Lauri Smedley at Sacramento City College. It discusses Smedley's background running secretarial and online businesses, and why she started the VE class to help students explore career opportunities. The ideal VE student is described as unemployed, underemployed, or needing flexible work. Required skills and resources for virtual assistants are outlined, along with course topics, teaching suggestions, and VE resources. The class aims to open doors for students in the growing field of online entrepreneurship.
2. Lauri’s Background
Operated home-based secretarial services
business in 1990s
Worked for various individuals and companies
Taught part-time, attended college part-time, ran
business part-time, married with young kids
(now grown)
Community college professor for 15+ years
Started virtual distribution business and an
online novelty gift business in 2000s
3. Why I Started This Class @
SCC
Great need in our economy
Offer students hope and help
Originally started as virtual assistant class
Grew to virtual entrepreneurship class
4. Why Should You Teach
Virtual Entrepreneurship (VE)?
Help students explore options
pursue their passions
supplement their income
enhance their resumes
Open new doors of opportunity
Teach students about global business
Broaden your own horizons
5. The Ideal VE Student
Unemployed, Underemployed, Unemployable
Unfulfilled employees
Stay-at-home parents
People with disabilities
Those who “can’t” work for others
Self-starters and self-motivated
Problem solvers
6. Required Skills
Technical and soft skills required
Virtual entrepreneurship is NOT for
everyone…
varies based on one’s life circumstances and
level of commitment
Free self-assessments available at
http://professorsmedley.com/Skills_Assessment.html
7. Virtual Assistants (VAs)
AKA Personal Assistant or Professional
Assistant
All are virtual entrepreneurs
Typical duties include:
̶ report writing
̶ graphic design
̶ bookkeeping
̶ assisting authors
̶ tape transcription
̶ web page design
̶ consulting, etc.
8. The VA Community
Unusually close
Colleagues rather than competitors
Collaborators with seasoned VAs
Mentors for new VAs
Unified in the promotion of VA industry
Wants to spread the word that VAs are here
to stay
9. Some VA Resources
AssistU – has two certification designations
IAVA – support organization for VAs in the
UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and
the USA.
IVAA – non-profit VA organization
VA Certified – certification organization
Virtual Assistant Forums – collaborative VA
community
10. Certificate/Degree Programs
American River College, California
Black Hawk College, Illinois
Blue Ridge Community College, North
Carolina
Colby Community College, Kansas
College of DuPage, Illinois
11. Certificate/Degree Programs
Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio
El Centro College, Texas
Elgin Community College, Illinois
Harford Community College, Maryland
John A. Logan College, Illinois
Lord Fairfax Community College, Virginia
12. More Certificate/Degree Programs
Madison College, Wisconsin
Montgomery County Community
College, Pennsylvania
North Idaho College, Idaho
Portland Community College District, Oregon
Sacramento City College, California
13. More Certificate/Degree Programs
Sierra College, California
Southwestern Illinois College, Illinois
Springfield Technical Community College,
Massachusetts
Stark State College, Ohio
Triton College, Illinois
Vincennes University, Indiana
15. Suggested VA/VE Course Topics
(cont.)
Industry, competition, and market
Working online (Internet technologies)
Financial planning
Legal considerations
Maintaining Balance
Project: Business Plan
Final in-class presentation
16. Teaching Suggestions
Bring in industry professionals
Have business plan competitions
Invite business plan judges
Include website design contest
students vote
Design Facebook pages
Host an online radio show
VE lends itself well to an online format
17. Some VE Resources
Occupational Outlook Handbook
SBA
SCORE
Start-up Nation
Ultimate Business Plan Starter
Free software available
18. More VE Resources
Blog TalkRadio
Lauri’s Show
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/professor-smedley
ProfessorSmedley.com
Virtual Entrepreneurship (general Facebook
page)
Virtual Entrepreneurship for Students on
Facebook (student and faculty page)
20. VE Research Participants
Link to virtual entrepreneurs who participated
in research for Lauri’s book
http://ProfessorSmedley.com/Directory.html