What’s News? March 2022
First, I’d like to thank you for being on my list and a part of my world!
Allow me to reintroduce myself with my first official newsletter…and it’s a little long!
Hi! I’m Yvonne, Founder, Ops|TechVA / Consultant and Team of One at Yvonne Tate Virtual Service Provider.
I’ve been remiss in sharing how I got my start: what put me on the path to entrepreneurship, how I got to where I am, and what that means for you.
I enjoyed shopping for school supplies with my Mom…maybe the way some people would feel about clothes or shoe shopping. It’s safe to say she instilled a love for reading and writing, so naturally, I came to love pens, pencils and paper. She was also a stickler for legible handwriting, so I’m proud of my penmanship as well.
My official education regarding all things office began at Keystone Job Corps Center in Hazleton, PA where I received my GED. I learned how to use a mimeograph machine, an IBM card punch machine (both are obsolete now), Stenoscript ABC Shorthand, (rather than the more widely recognized Gregg or Pitman). I also learned how to use carbon paper, erasers with brushes on the end, and onion paper with an IBM Selectric II typewriter.
Yes…I am that old.
I remember how funny it was that I even learned to type (which at last check was still at least 80 wpm). If you’ve ever heard the expression ‘hunt and peck’, that was pretty much how it went as you would look for the keys (until you memorized the keyboard and the muscle memory kicked in) and hit them (which is why I prefer a large key and a firm touch). #TeamNoisyKeyboard all day! Over the years, it has literally become one of my most FAVORITE things to do.
Entrepreneurship first popped up on my radar because of the feeling I had after losing a job through no fault of my own. It was a neon sign that confirmed having all your eggs in one basket was not the move.
From that point on, I knew I needed options outside of the traditional, and it’s always been in the back of my mind to keep up my skill set and make sure I was able to do something marketable and that people would pay for.
Fun Fact: that extended into my favorite creative endeavor: crochet! I’m also creative; along with knitting, it’s another gold nugget from my Mom. 🙂
Because of my 40 years of office / admin experience, running the gamut of temping, temp-to-perm, full time and freelancing, I was able to pivot from an employee to an independent contractor, and then into my own business.
Another thing I’ve found that I enjoy is tech; still not quite sure how that happened, except it aligns with my love for learning new things like software platforms.
Learning what makes things tick, how they support other aspects of entrepreneurship and how to make the things that run your business behind the scenes work better for you is my jam…I live for this shyt!
At this writing, March 2022, I’ve spent these past two pandemic years investing in myself and my business by expanding my knowledge base and with specialized coaching so I can partner with and support clientele on a higher level, from solopreneurs to corporate clients.
If you’ve also made the #PandemicPivot, are planning your #CorporateCrossover into a side hustle, or starting to look down the road and plan for the next chapter of your life…I get it.
At this point (and if you’ve read this far, thanks!) you’re asking yourself why should I care, I have the perfect answer for you. Ready? Because I do.
I care that you have the support you need to build, grow and operate in your zone of genius.
I care that you don’t feel alone, knowing entrepreneurship can feel lonely for some, especially without a support system.
I care because we all need at least one person in our corner, someone who supports or understands what you’re trying to do or accomplish.
Many of us have been taught to ‘play it safe’ / not take risks, and even the most well-meaning people can cast doubt in their effort to ‘protect’ you.
When people can’t see your vision, they can’t share your vision. Your faith in your vision has to be stronger than their doubt.
Everybody needs a business buddy…yes, you can have friends in business.
Whether you need someone who understands the struggle or another like-minded brain to bounce thoughts off of…you don’t have to go it alone.
My goal as an Operations | Technology Virtual Assistant / Consultant is to partner with people who need project-based support that moves the needle.
I fill the gap where you:
- don’t have the budget for the expenses of a full-time employee
- are stuck or have a bottleneck in your business
- who have a hair-or-fire issue to be resolved
- need a big-picture assessment of what’s working and what’s not
- need to upgrade a product / service that works better
- need a business buddy to brainstorm through a project / service
This ain’t like pie…there’s enough to go around; I wanna see everybody win!
If this sounds like what you’ve been missing…then let’s talk about it!
Yvonne
p.s.: If you feel so inclined, I’d love for you to share something about yourself, at your level of comfort, of course.