No Flowers from the Boss

Employers around the world will observe Administrative Professional's Day. While corporate America is downsizing, many administrative assistants have upgraded from employee to entrepreneur. In the new profession of Virtual Assistance, the secretary is now the boss and running her own business.

Racine, WI (PRWEB) April 6, 2005 -- As supervisors and managers around the world prepare to observe Administrative Professionals Day, April 27th, Roxie Hickman, an Administrative Professional for close to 20 years, is not expecting any flowers from her boss. Why not? Having traveled the road from employee to entrepreneur, shes now her own boss providing administrative support as a Virtual Assistant to her clients, none of which are local.

Prior to Hickman launching The Virtual Connection in August of 2003, she had never heard the term 'Virtual Assistant (VA). When telling others what she does as a micro business owner, she often receives a puzzled look. However, once the concept is explained, Hickman says, people warm up to the idea immediately".

Just what exactly is the virtual assistance concept? Virtual Assistants, via phone, fax, and the internet work with a variety of clients across the country handling their administrative tasks. Hickmans projects for the day could include internet research, coordinating events, general office correspondence, making phone calls, article submissions, editing/proofreading, updating a website, and putting together a PowerPoint presentation.

The field of virtual assistance is rapidly growing in an otherwise slow moving job market. The term and concept, not immediately recognized right now, will soon be, with the steady flux of administrative assistants turned entrepreneurs entering the profession. Stacy Brice, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Assist University, a Maryland based virtual training, coaching and referral organization for VAs, predicts that in a few years people will go from asking what is a VA to who is your VA".

For thousands of small/home based, and solo business owners working with a Virtual Assistant is working well. VAs are an attractive alternative to a traditional employee. Partnering with a VA requires no additional office space or equipment, no administering of payroll, taxes, or benefits. With business being handled virtually, geography is also of no concern. As they grow, business owners recognize they simply cannot do everything, and that is where Virtual Assistants, like Hickman, step in.

For Hickman, the launching of The Virtual Connection was a dream come true. It gives me an opportunity to continue doing the type of work that I have been doing for close to 20 years, but on an entirely different level...as an entrepreneur and not an employee. To me thats exciting!"

For additional information, call Roxie Hickman at (262) 898-7181, roxie@thevirtualconnection.net, or visit The Virtual Connection at www.thevirtualconnection.net.

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