Connections #022 - Running a Network of Virtual Assistants
Kathie Thomas is an Author, Blogger, Public Speaker and founder of the Virtual Assistant Industry in Australia.
She operates a thriving network of over 200 Virtual Assistants in more than 16 countries around the world - helping and empowering hundereds of women to establish successful businesses working from home.
As a result of this activity, she was recently nominated for the prestigous ‘Australian of the Year’ award. She’s also written a very successful book, “Worth More Than Rubies - The Value of a Work At Home Mum“.
In this interview, Kathie describes how she uses a variety of Internet tools and applications to build, administer and market her business.
Podcast: Using LinkedIn as a Business Tool
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A transcript of this interview is also available for download, courtesy of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’.
Thank you
Stan Relihan
Expert Executive Search: www.expertsearch.com.au
February 20th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Hi Kathie and Stan:
Wow–Kathie, how informative . Your presentation was so warm–no wonder you have been nominated as “Australian of the Year.” Best of luck–you obviously deserve it!
Good for you for using all the internet tools and LinkedIn networking to build your business. It was refreshing to hear you only seriously started your networking efforts about one or two years ago–it gives others hope and motivation to get cracking….
Stan, see how you are influencing people……and continue with this podcast…keep up the good work.
Thanks.
Regards,
Caryl
February 20th, 2008 at 4:21 am
Kathie is awesome and I’m not at all surprised she was nominated for the “Australian of the Year” award. She is highly inventive and creative in the way she uses the Internet. She’s also an incredibly efficient and effective communicator. Long live Kathie!
February 20th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Wonderful interview.
I especially like how you have branched out for the social networking experts to talk to real world business owners who are using these technologies to build and grow business today.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Hi Kathie and Stan
This is an excellent podcast! Kathie explains clearly what she is doing for many other people in the world so I am not surprised why she was nominated for Australian of the Year. She deserves it!
This is important information for those who are looking for an opportunity to work remotely (can Join The Virtual Assistant Network) and those who are looking for help on doing things (Contract The Virtual Assistant Network) by leveraging the power of the technology towards the global economy.
Kathie, congratulations for you nomination and your effort in helping others.
Stan, Thank you for bringing us this opportunity of listening great information.
Regards,
Jose
February 20th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Hi Caryl, lovely to hear from you. I’ve been networking seriously for many years - before I even started my business.
It’s just that I hadn’t understood the value of LinkedIn or taken that seriously until Easter 2007.
But it was worth taking the time to get to know and understand it - I’ve met some great people in process, including Stan.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Hi Stan and Kathie,
Excellent interview. Congratulations on the nomination Kathie, it is easy to see why you were nominated.
I love the story behind naming your company as well.
Sheilah
February 20th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Thank you everyone for your encouragement - very much appreciated! I look forward to meeting some of you online or via my website or blog (those I haven’t ‘met’ yet, that is). And it’s great to see some very familiar names here too!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Stan and Kathie,
I am proud to be connected to both of you through Linked In. I have been reading mentions of your program together everywhere today!
I had a regular radio program on a local station for 3 years, so I am a fairly good judge of programming and guests. You were both first rate!
I am planning to start a new program on the internet soon, and I hope that you will both accept invitations to be guests.
Congratulations!
Sally from LinkedIn
February 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Hi Stan,
Excellent interview. Congratulations to Kathie for being nominated for the prestigous “Australian of the Year” Award.
Best Regards,
Yoshua
Bali Island
February 20th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hi Kathie and Stan,
Great interview. I can personally vouch for how great “A Clayton’s Secretary” is for Virtual Assistants to join, as it opened my eyes to the possibilities available through technology, and I’ve met some great and supportive members along the way.
Kind regards,
Julie
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:42 am
Hi Kathie and Stan,
Ive known Kathie for a great many years, ever since I started my own business back in ‘99 and happened across Kathie’s VA networking site on the internet. The VA Industry was in its early stages at that time and Kathie is very definitely one of it’s first pioneers and I was thrilled to hear about her recent nomination - very well deserved.
Congratulations on an extremely interesting and informative interview - and thank you for continuing to spread the word about the VA Industry. When people ask me ‘So what exactly is a Virtual Assistant?’, I always find it very hard to explain in simple terms. I think you’ve explained it very succinctly here, Kathie. The world seems a much smaller place these days, thanks to the Internet - and global opportunities for working and networking are most definitely abundant.
I will definitely be looking into the possibilities of networking via Linked-In at some point in the near future!
All the very best….
Mel Cowley
The Transcription Company UK
http://www.thetranscription.co.uk
February 24th, 2008 at 12:13 am
G’Day,
It’s amazing how technology is enabling stay at-home-Mom’s , individuals with disabilities, etc to be working through the use of the Internet. Virtual Assistant type positions are opening up all over the world - and Kathie has been able to articulate and formulate this quite nicely.
Being nominated for an award is always a humbling experience, but in Kathy’s circumstance - I’m very sure it was others that have been impressed for her passion for her Country, her Community. It is individuals like Kathy that truly make a difference.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Hi Kathie and Stan,
I’ve been a member of A Clayton’s Secretary for just a few months, but I’ve been impressed with Kathie’s support and enthusiasm for the VA industry. Like Kathie, I am also a writer - now branching out as a VA.
Kathie provided me with the opportunity to transcribe the show with Cynthia De Lorenzi, which led me to ‘The Connections Show’ and all the informative interviews here. Kathie is incredibly well-informed and has been inspirational in encouraging me to not only explore networking opportunities but also other possibilities the internet provides.
- Lorraine
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:22 am
Thanks for another wonderful podcast, for introducing us to Kathie and for the informative and educational look into the Virtual Assistant’s world.