The document discusses the rise of virtual assistants (VAs) as entrepreneurs. It provides background on VAs, including their demographics, skills, services offered, and typical business models. A key point is that VAs allow clients to access skilled professionals remotely on a contract basis. The document also outlines the development of VA certificate programs at community colleges to help train more VAs and discusses the opportunities these programs provide for entrepreneurship education.

1. The New Entrepreneurs:
Virtual Assistants
Rose Marie Kuceyeski, Ph.D.
Owens Community College
NBEA, April 8, 2009

2. “Change is the law of life. And
those who look only to the past or
the present are certain to miss the
future.”
John F. Kennedy

3. My Role
• Share the scope of the new entrepreneurs
focusing on the virtual assistants—who
1 they are and where they are.
• Achieve an understanding of the extent of
virtual assistant programs at the post-
secondary level and how they provide a
2 unique opportunity for growth.
• Explore ways a VA program may be
developed and its practical uses.
3

4. “One who organizes, manages, and
assumes the risks of a business or
enterprise.”

6. VAs Defined
• Provide administrative, creative and/or technical
services
• Utilize advanced technological modes of
communication and data delivery
• Assist clients in his/her area of expertise from
his/her own office on a contractual basis

8. Evolution of VAs
1995
33,559
Virtual VA assoc. 5,000 members
2007 Comprehensive Study of the Virtual
Services Industry, Brenner.

9. Who Are They?
• Work-at-home moms • Downsized executives
• Displaced workers • Baby boomers
nearing retirement
• People with
disabilities • People in rural
locations
• Military Spouse VAs

10. Survey of virtual services industry
supplied the following information
(2007):
• 55.6% of Virtual Professionals in US are women
• 99.1% women (primarily admin support, data entry,
wp)
• Larges concentration in US, India, and Canada
• 81 percent are located in the U.S., (California 4,063;
Texas, 2,608; Florida, 2,507; New York, 2,303.)
• 1,550 provided educational level, over half have
bachelor’s degree or higher
2007 Comprehensive Study of the Virtual
Services Industry, Brenner.

11. Core Competencies for Emerging
VAs
Professional Skills
Personal Skills
People Skills
Education
Office Standards
http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com

12. Industries Served

13. Services Offered
Virtual assistant (VA) admin
services (42%)
Graphic design (41%)
Web services
Software services

14. Top Programs - US VPs
MS Office 57.4%
PPT 51.1%
Photoshop 45.0%
HTML 43.6%
Word 40.8%
Excel 39.7%
Dreamweaver 38.7%

15. Top Programs - US VA Admin
Word 92.6%
Excel 86.8%
MS Outlook 76.0%
MS Office 74.4%
PowerPoint 70.2%

16. Billing
Rates
$16.87/hr.
$$51.96/hr.

17. Revenue Based on Gender
Gender Revenue Average $/Hour Range Average
Range Revenue $/Hour
Females $10,234- $33,649 $8-$65 $32.26
$233,262
Males $10,000- $32,144 $12-$100 $48.82
$271,320
2007 Comprehensive Study of the Virtual
Services Industry, Brenner.

18. VA Benefits
Being Your Own Boss

19. Client Benefits
• Only pay for the time the VA works either by task or
project
• No continuing education assistance for employees
• No extra office space, furniture, computers, software,
telephone, printers, etc. that normal employee staff
requires
• No overtime pay when projects must be completed by
a specific deadline
• No unemployment insurance, sick leave, vacation pay,
health or dental insurance

20. Entrepreneurship in Business
Education
• Broaden the scope of entrepreneurship courses
to include virtual professionals
• Include how to become a virtual professional
and conduct business in cyberspace
• Address how to successfully partner with a
virtual assistant

21. Opportunities for Business
Education
• “Employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is
expected to increase about 9 percent, which is about as fast
as average for all occupations, between 2006 and 2016.”
• Presents challenges to the administrative/office support
programs
• Almost half (49 percent) of the nation’s businesses are
operated from home, and more than 6-in-10 owners used
their own money to start the business, according to new
U.S. Census Bureau reports on characteristics of businesses
and business owners.

22. Administrative Virtual Assistant
(AVA)
• Conducted research on the Internet and through e-mail
questionnaires to virtual assistants
• Reviewed courses in the School of Business and
Information Systems to determine which courses
addressed the necessary skills
• Reviewed the curriculum and provided input from VAs
• Reflected a true partnership of the School of Business
and Information Systems
• Developed Spring 2005

23. Certificate Program
Course Name Semester
Credit Hours
Introduction to Small Business 3
The Legal Environment of Business 3
Introduction to E-Business 3
Internet for Business 1
Troubleshooting Applications 3
Integrated Office Communications 3
Virtual Assistant Coaching Seminar 2
OAD/IST Electives 6
Total Semester Hours 24

24. Institutions
• Sacramento City College, CA
• Red Deer, Canada
• Riverside Community
• Palomar College, CA
College, CA
• Portland Community • Raymond Walters (UC), OH
College, OR • Stark State College, OH
• Springfield Technical • Santa Rosa Junior College,
CA
Community College, MA
• Southwestern Community
• Sierra Community College,
College, NC
CA
• Manchester Community
• American River College, CA College, CT
• Wake Technical Community
College, NC

25. Virtual Assistant Coaching
Seminar
This online course will emphasize understanding
the virtual assistant concept, business planning,
establishing a web presence, specialty services,
operating the business, and other topics as
needed. The goal of this class is to create a
workable virtual assistant business and
marketing plan.

26. Course Objectives
• Have a thorough understanding of the virtual assistant
business. The student will also have a completed business plan
and marketing plan that establishes mission, goals, and
objectives;
• Demonstrate competency in writing business goals and
determining a sustainable competitive advantage;
• Be prepared for the job market by becoming aware of the
many facets of operating a small business;
• Demonstrate personal, professional, and ethical growth by
integrating the core business components that have been learned
during your college experience into a real business plan
presentation.

27. Text Used
Virtual Assistant – The Series, Become a Highly
Successful, Sought After VA, by Diana Ennen and
Kelly Poelker, Third Edition Revised. Another
8 Hour Publishing, ISBN 0-9742790-5-6

28. Assignments
• Marketing Plan
PowerPoint Presentation
• Virtual Assistant
Interview
• Individual Business Plan
Components
• Discussion Board
Participation
• Final Project: Business
Plan

29. Virtual Professionals
• Mortgage professionals (Close-more-loans.com)
• Consultants (marketing, computer, Tech Problem
Solver)
• Insurance agents
• Programmers
• Graphic artists
• Realtors (www.WebMLS.net)
• Accountants (Virtual Growth, Inc.)
• Human Resources (Employease.com)

30. “There will come a time when big
opportunities will be presented to you,
and you’ve got to be in a position to
take advantage of them.”
Sam Walton

31. 60 Seconds of Cool
Curriculum/Marketing Ideas

32. References
• References for The New Entrepreneurs: Virtual Assistants
• A New Frontier: The advent of the virtual assistant (2005). Retrieved
February 16, 2005 from www. womentoday magazine.com
• Brice, Stacy. (2002, April). New way of work takes hold. Office Pro, 63(3),
Retrieved February 15, 2005, from Business Source Premier.
• Brenner, Robert. (2007). A comprehensive study of the virtual services industry. CA:
Brenner Information Group.
• Finkelstein, Brad. (2005 February-March). Virtual assistant a reality. Broker
Magazine. 7(1). Retrieved February 15, 2005, from Business Source Premier.
• Gregory, Kip. (2003, August). 21st century prospecting. On Wall Street. p. 61.
Retrieved February 15, 2005, from www.onwallstreet.com
• International Virtual Assistant Association. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from
http://www.ivaa.org.

33. References Cont.
• Marks, Susan J. (1999, December). Virtual assistants fill staff gaps. Microtimes
Magazine. 201. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from
http://www.thevirtuallink.com/pdf/microtimes.pdf
• Moncel, Carolyn (2004, July 6). Starting a virtual assistant business.
Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from
http://www.ivaa.org/press/wall-st-journal-12-14-04.htm
• Nasaw, Daniel. (2004, December 14). Cost-cutting, tech advances spur call for
“home-sourcing.” Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from
http://www.ivaa.org/press/wall-st-journal-12-14-04.htm
• Today Show. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from
http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&brand=msnbc&vid=fda5aec6-5250-
43c2-936f-dfac1ec2033d
• US Census Bureau News. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from
http://www.census.gov/Press-
Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/007537.html

34. References Cont.
• Williams, Sharon. Alliance for Virtual Businesses. Retrieved February 16, 2005,
fromhttp://www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com/survey.html
• Zieger, Anne. (1998, September). The many virtues of virtual services. Business
Week’s Enterprise. Retrieved February 16, 2005, from
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/news/columns/98-
37/e3595059.htm
• Additional Websites
• www.guru.com
• www.elance.com
• http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com/resources/page_3.html
• http://www.crtechnologyinc.com/