MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Explain the road to entrepreneurship for you.  How was Team SOS Virtual Support Group started?

I founded my first company, SOS Technology Group, Inc. (SOS), in 1988 and immediately received our first contract with the Naval Sea System Command’s (NAVSEA) Corporate Office of Research and Development in Washington, DC.  SOS supported NAVSEA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and Independent Research and Development Program (IRAD) until 2005.  When our NAVSEA contract ended I began the process of re-evaluating our business model and making decisions about what the company would do going forward.  As a part of this process I attended Jane Pollack’s “Create Your Own Future” retreat.  Jane is a highly respected entrepreneur and coach here in Connecticut, and a Chamber speaker. I had been using a Virtual Assistant (VA) from San Antonio, TX, for two years and was intrigued with the concept of virtual business support.  After attending the retreat I decided to add VA services to our business model and SOS officially began the evolution to what it is today.  Two retreat attendees became my first clients; an interior designer launching a new fabric collection and a trainer consulting with Fortune 500 companies who is still a client today.

Virtual Assistant services can include telephone and scheduling support, marketing/sales support, correspondence, electronic newsletters, meeting/event planning and coordination, and much, much more. Whatever your business needs, those tasks can be accomplished by a VA.  By 2009, the VA services sector of the business had grown significantly so I spun off that business to a new company, Team SOS Virtual Support Group, LLC.  Following the progression of the industry I recognized that businesses also needed business and project management services so I refocused Team SOS to add Virtual Business Management (VBM) services.  Today in addition to VA services, Team SOS oversees blog site development and maintenance, website development and maintenance, search engine optimization, copy writing, and bookkeeping for busy entrepreneurs. 

Share some of the benefits and best practices of Virtual-Based Business Relationships. 

Working with a VA or VBM can be a very rewarding experience for business owners and their businesses.  There are some best practices to keep in mind whenever working with a VA or VBM. When you hire someone virtually, there is an instinct to micromanage.  Because there is not someone inside your office during the work week, doesn’t negate the fact that you have a highly skilled individual managing your day-to-day projects.  Think of your VA/VBM as a partner – an equal player on your team working for your success. Also understand that your assistant has other clients. While most assistants are willing to respond quickly to an emergency, don’t let every assignment be driven by tight deadlines. Think ahead and give your assistant the flexibility to plan their work.Communication is key to any business relationship, especially when working in a virtual based one.

One of the real assets of working with a VA/VBM is knowing that you are only paying for the actual time worked.  Unlike an employee, you are not paying for office space, office equipment/software, benefits, lunches, sick leave, insurance, and all of the other myriad costs associated with employees. 

You have been instrumental to our Women Who Mean Business Series.  Explain your connection.

I have always been an advocate for female entrepreneurs.  I am the past president of the Washington, DC Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction, former Public Policy Director for the CT chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and former Co-Chair of the Women’s Economic Development Initiative, a project of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women in Connecticut.  I cannot stress enough the importance of women helping each other to reach their full potential.  The Chamber’s Women Who Mean Business series supports both the business and self-development needs of today's professional woman. 

I am proud to sit on the program committee for the second season of the series and continue to work on speakers for the 2012 series.  If you enjoy a program and feel you took valuable information away from it, the best thing you can do is promote it to your network so others can benefit.  The series is a wonderful example of women celebrating women.  I encourage those who have not yet attended to join us for the next program on Wednesday, November 17th with Jill Butler on the topic of “Coaching Your Creativity”.

Share some advice for small business owners. 

My best advice is to start with a business plan, and refer to it often.  So many people, including myself, jump into entrepreneurship without a clear plan.  Understand that developing a business plan will help you to attain long term success.  I encourage people to keep the plan right on top of their desk and refer to it often. It will help you remain accountable to yourself. Realize that it is a fluid document that requires updating regularly to reflect the changes in business climate as well as your evolving vision for the business future.  And don’t forget to include an Exit Strategy in your plan.  It might sound basic, but a well-kept business plan does provide a vision for long-term success.  Don’t just develop it and put it in a drawer.  Use it!  If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.

My second piece of advice is to develop a trusted team of advisors for your business.  I facilitate “Mastermind” groups that meet once monthly. Members of these groups serve as the “Board of Advisors” to each other’s businesses, sharing and celebrating business successes as well as tapping the collective wisdom of the group to conquer their challenges. Participants help each other formulate their goals and hold each other accountable for achieving those goals.

To contact Linda visit: www.sostg.com