Podcast Summary
Managing Investments with Sharesight: Consolidate, Analyze, and Share: Sharesight, an investment dashboard, consolidates 500,000 stocks, ETFs, and funds, offers more comprehensive insights, and integrates with 200 platforms for easy portfolio management. Virtual assistants, a $92.5B global market, offer flexibility and cost savings but face challenges with consistent work.
Sharesight, a new investment dashboard, has revolutionized how over 400,000 investors manage their portfolios. With support for over 500,000 stocks, ETFs, and funds, and integration with more than 200 platforms, Sharesight consolidates your entire investment portfolio in one place. It offers more comprehensive insights than brokerage statements, including analyzed reports, dividend gains, and currency fluctuations, through intuitive graphs and visualizations. Plus, for those who want to share their investment journey with friends or family, Sharesight offers a special deal on their annual premium plan. Beyond business, the discussion also touched on the growing importance of virtual assistants (VAs) in the modern business landscape. The global markets for outsourced services, including VAs, reached a staggering $92.5 billion in 2019, and the trend is consistent and upward. The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of hiring VAs have made them an attractive option for businesses of all sizes. Despite the financial incentives, surveys have shown that finding consistent work is a challenge for many VAs. However, the same surveys also found that VAs have a better work-life balance compared to traditional roles.
A day in the life of a Virtual Assistant: Virtual Assistants handle a diverse range of tasks for businesses, working remotely with a flexible schedule, and offer valuable support in various business functions.
Being a virtual assistant (VA) involves a wide range of tasks and requires flexibility and adaptability. VA's can help with various business functions, including admin work, scheduling, customer service, brand partnerships, newsletters, writing, copywriting, content creation, and more. A VA's day can be quite varied, and they may wear many hats, handling different tasks every day or even multiple times a week. They typically work remotely and have a flexible schedule, starting early and working through a to-do list that includes both routine and one-time tasks. Although the workload can feel overwhelming at times, it's hard to quantify the hours spent on each task. Overall, being a VA offers a diverse and dynamic work experience, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy multitasking and thrive in a flexible work environment.
Structured breaks increase productivity and prevent monotony: Longer breaks can help break up a day and maintain focus, while incorporating exercise and finding a role that aligns with passions can enhance productivity and job satisfaction.
Creating a structured day with scheduled breaks can help increase productivity and prevent monotony, even if the tasks themselves vary. This person, who transitioned from teaching to virtual assistance, shared that they prefer having longer breaks together to break up their day, rather than taking frequent short breaks. They also shared their experience of finding it challenging to adjust from a physically active role to a more sedentary one, and how they cope with this by incorporating slow exercise while working. The importance of finding a role that aligns with one's passions was also emphasized, as this person shared how their background in education motivated them to become a virtual assistant and how they found joy in their work with Girls at the Best.
Transitioning into VA role without formal training: Identify necessary skills, learn through resources, and build confidence to transition into VA role
Becoming a virtual assistant (VA) doesn't necessarily require formal training, but continuous learning and upskilling are essential. The speaker shared her experience of applying for a VA role without prior VA training but with a background in teaching. She emphasized the importance of identifying the necessary skills for the role and acquiring them through various resources like LinkedIn Learning, free trials, and podcasts. The speaker also highlighted the confidence-building aspect of learning new skills before getting hired. Overall, the conversation underscores the importance of being proactive, resourceful, and adaptable in learning new skills and transitioning into a new profession.
The importance of being resourceful and open to new experiences: Being willing to learn and adapt is crucial for success. Research and preparation are essential before starting a VA role, and there are alternative options to building a client base from scratch, such as working for a single company.
Being willing to learn and adapt is a crucial skill for success, whether you're a student, a teacher, or a virtual assistant. Kara and the interviewer both agree that being resourceful and open to new experiences is essential for personal growth and professional development. This trait can help you overcome challenges and navigate various career paths. Regarding virtual assisting specifically, there's a common misconception that starting your own VA business involves cold emailing potential clients and building a client base from scratch. However, there are alternative options, such as working for a single company and having more stability and predictable hours. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with family commitments or other responsibilities. Furthermore, Kara emphasizes the importance of thorough research and preparation before starting a VA role. She mentions Sim's comprehensive handbook as an excellent resource for anyone entering this field. Ultimately, the decision between starting your own VA business or working for a single company depends on individual preferences, circumstances, and career goals.
Essential instructions and resources for new virtual assistants: New virtual assistants benefit from clear instructions and resources, essential skills include motivation, reliability, responsibility, multitasking, focus, adaptability, and a strong work ethic.
Having clear instructions and resources at hand can be incredibly beneficial for new virtual assistants, especially those without prior experience in the role. This can help build confidence and reduce feelings of embarrassment or uncertainty. Additionally, essential skills for being an effective VA include motivation, reliability, responsibility, and the ability to multitask. Being able to manage working alone and focusing on tasks without distractions is also crucial. While some skills, like extroversion, may differ from those required in other roles, the importance of being adaptable and willing to learn new things cannot be overstated. Overall, being a VA requires a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to learning and problem-solving.
Remote work and self-motivation: Remote work requires self-motivation. Businesses can simplify payment processes with contactless solutions and virtual assistants can handle various tasks.
Self-motivation is crucial for remote workers, especially when there's a lack of direct supervision. Our conversation highlighted the challenges and benefits of such working relationships. While some people may thrive in the autonomy, others might struggle with accountability. For businesses, particularly small ones, contactless payment solutions like tap to pay on iPhone powered by Stripe can be a game changer. It simplifies the payment process, increases revenue, expands reach, and enhances customer experience. However, there seems to be a common misconception about virtual assistant roles. They are not just limited to customer service or admin tasks. Instead, virtual assistants can help with various behind-the-scenes tasks and fill in gaps wherever needed. In summary, staying motivated in a remote working environment and utilizing innovative business solutions are essential for success.
Challenges of Explaining VA Work to Others: VA work involves flexibility, independence, but also requires excellent time management skills, consistent income, and clear communication when explaining to others.
Being a virtual assistant (VA) or running an investing education platform can be challenging to explain to others due to the vast array of roles and responsibilities involved. The speaker shared her experiences of having a hard time describing her job to people, even at networking events. She mentioned that VA work can be lonely and requires excellent time management skills. Additionally, having a consistent income stream is essential for stability. Despite the potential challenges, the speaker found joy in the flexibility and independence that comes with being a VA. She also emphasized the importance of understanding the downsides before jumping into the role. Overall, it's crucial to be clear and honest about the realities of the job when explaining it to others.
Managing Time and Avoiding Burnout in Remote Work: Prioritize self-care, establish routines, and maintain social connections to thrive in a remote work environment.
Managing time effectively and avoiding burnout are crucial for those working independently or in a company setting, especially when handling multiple responsibilities. The interviewee shared their personal experiences and tips, such as setting work hours with breaks, taking actual breaks from devices, and maintaining social connections. For extroverts, finding ways to supplement energy drained from social isolation is essential. The interviewee also emphasized the importance of understanding the role and expectations when transitioning into a new position, such as becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA). Despite the potential risks of burnout, the interviewee recommended being a VA due to the learning opportunities and improved work-life balance compared to their previous profession. Overall, the key takeaway is to prioritize self-care, establish routines, and maintain social connections to thrive in a remote work environment.
Discovering work perks: Skittles and flexible hours: Work perks like covering lunch costs and flexible hours can improve work experience and balance, making employees feel valued and inspired.
Companies offering work perks, such as covering lunch costs or allowing flexible hours, can significantly enhance the work experience and work-life balance for employees. During a discussion on the Girls That Invest podcast, a guest shared her excitement about discovering such benefits, which included not having to pay for Skittles during a movie outing and the ability to move her hours for appointments. This newfound flexibility and support from her employer made her feel valued and inspired, encouraging others to explore similar opportunities. It's essential to remember that these perks can vary from company to company and may not be explicitly stated during the hiring process. Therefore, it's crucial to ask about them during interviews or negotiations to ensure a better understanding of the job's full scope. Overall, these perks can contribute to a more positive and productive work environment, and it's essential to advocate for them to maximize their potential benefits.
