January 5th, 2009
I would like to make sure you are familiar with VAnetworking.com and invite you to be a member. Today, TweetLater sent your twitter name to me in the keyword tracker. Today, it looked as if you were not too far away from where I am working in the Ozarks, but you must be visiting because it looks as if you are based in California.
Your admiration of Cardinals is something that I appreciate. I have enjoyed their company ever since moving back to the midwest. My family and close friends have a freebie gift list because I seriously collect Cardinal ’stuff’.
I hope you are having a good trip, and to repeat, even before you leave the Ozarks, I hope you see this and join up at VAnetworking.com to network with other legal VAs.
Best wishes.
Tags: vanetworking.com, virtual professionals
Posted in virtual professionals | 2 Comments »
December 28th, 2008
Let me say first that the term Brain Drain applies to those who LEAVE an area and take their smarts with them to benefit another area because there are no opportunities and perhaps there is persecution where the smart people began their journey.
SAHM — Stay at Home Moms and WAHM — Work at Home Moms do not fit into this category. They have much to contribute in addition to chasing rug rats around the house. But in recent forums, I see where SAHMs especially feel that they have been victimized by their student loans because they aren’t employed and maybe don’t choose to be.
I say baloney. With technology being what it is today, use your noodles to figure out ways that you can work, earn and enrich your offspring with your company most of the time. There are some wonderful networking possibilities for you at VAnetworking.com Begin your journey one step at a time with the free side there and as you find your path, you may want to expand your investment. You will get an incredible amount of support and acknowledgement at VAnetworking.com because most of your peers there are doing exactly what you want to do. Enjoy their children, use their brains and education, EARN and connect at a level that stimulates their mental and emotional growth. You will find that they have a great deal of fun together while doing it!
Your student loans didn’t sneak up and bite you. They were a crutch for you to obtain that diploma and deserve some respect.
Secondly, or Salami…you earned a college degree. That at least says that you had what it takes to show up for class every day, do assignments satisfactorily and be mature. Maybe you are having a difficult time finding a job in your FIELD. Try a different one. Others will respect your accomplishment and make room for someone who wants to get on board and bring energy to the party.
Tags: Add new tag, vanetworking.com, virtual professionals
Posted in Personal Opinion, virtual professionals | 2 Comments »
November 25th, 2008
Working virtually, largely on the Internet is a possibility for a new career when job options seem to dry up. Taking your skills to the outsourcing market is becoming known as Virtual Assistance. The field goes from administrative assistance to computer tech work and everywhere in between. Both men and women are beginning to outsource their skills from their own computers.
There are large groups all over the planet which offer networking potential and information about becoming a virtual professional. The people who work virtually are typically independent contractors. This option works very well when clients do not need someone full time for their specific projects. The virtual professional as in independent business person can support multiple clients.
Vanetworking.com is one that I admire and participate in. Vanetworking.com offers both a free side and a paid side. The free side has access to a great deal of information, networking and opportunity to ask questions about beginning a virtual business. The paid side, VAInsiders, offers access to deeper information and privileges and becomes more useful when you have made the decision to follow a virtual career.
I have been a virtual professional since 2003. It is not a get-rich quick or even get-rich anytime path to take. However, with skills that meet the needs of clients, being a virtual assistant is a good way to earn a living. I prefer it to other fields!
If you have skills that you think you could offer from a distance, I suggest you check out Vanetworking.com to do a little more research about the potential for your future.
Posted in Personal Opinion | No Comments »
November 20th, 2008
Mansfield, MO, Bar JD Communications, 11/21/08: Bar JD Communications announces that owner JudyAnn Lorenz has achieved a Certificate of Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant through training offered at VAClassroom.
Internet marketing has made the world and the US different places to do business. The virtual aspect of working on the Internet has people making more and more effort to build a relationship with potential customers and clients. Profile information and interaction through social media helps to build these relationships and confirm credibility. People are learning to profitably manage their websites and their connections through forums, networks and ever changing social media. Internet presence shows no inclination to slow down. Email has become an effective way to reach target markets; readers subscribe to perpetual feeds for ezines. Emails delivery of information on newsletters and blogs featuring applicable information join podcasting and video in becoming the norm rather than the novelty.
The increased activity and demands on business people have made outsourcing to virtual professionals an appealing option. “Beyond websites, there are blog set-ups and social media accounts that need to be set up and monitored. The monitoring covers writing and statistical analysis for the owner’s market.” Lorenz said.
Ms. Lorenz completed the IMVA course work with a view of increasing her skills in several areas of Internet marketing, including affiliate marketing management, online competitor analysis, keyword research, management and set up for
- email auto responders
- online survey
- blog/social media accounts
- press release accounts
- others included in over 25 topics covered in the course modules
.
VAClassroom offers an innovative online training and support center programmed to equip Virtual Assistants master the skills businesses are seeking today and tomorrow. VAClassroom certification programs have been designed in collaboration with virtual professionals and the entrepreneurs and businesses that contract with them for services. “I especially appreciated being able to do the modules at my own pace.” Lorenz said. “There is video information, with quizzes and assignments all the way through. The ample subject matter is reasonably priced. I believe virtual work has potential for both Ozarks businesses and Ozarks workers who have the skills to apply.”
Ms. Lorenz is active in the
- Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce,
- Wilder Days Committee,
- Online Business Manager and OBM Connections,
- Virtual Assistant Networking Association, where she is a VA Commentator,
- Seth Godin’s Triiibes projects,
- and social media activities including LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter.
“When I first looked at the social media projects, they seemed quite confusing; I wondered what could possibly be useful here.” Lorenz commented. “But, as people continue to market themselves through painstakingly built relationships; social media networking has become an important part of their business model.”
Bar JD Communications (http://www.barjdcommunications.com) is a professional virtual assistance business offering full administrative assistance, desktop publishing, copywriting and internet marketing support to clients all over the US.
Posted in Bar JD Communications, Mansfield | No Comments »
September 27th, 2008
An announcement was made this week that First Lady Laura Bush will be touring Missouri communities next week. That is a great thing for Missouri, but even greater for Mansfield, MO because the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum is on the schedule for the tour.
More can be learned at this KY3 link
Community activist and organizer, Sheri Alsup wrote a blog post at Sheri65704’s Blog encouraging the Mansfield Community in the perpetual clean-up, housekeeping and beautification project for Mansfield.
This blog and news items at the Mansfield Chamber of Commerce website linking all of the items together are working to let the virtual world know of Mansfield, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and the possibilities for visits to Mansfield by other people from all over the world.
Welcome, Laura! We’re so glad you’ve come to visit our Laura!
Posted in History, MO, Mansfield, Ozarks Authors | No Comments »
July 30th, 2008
FarmFolks.net has just been launched by an Ozarks family interested in communicating and building community with other people interested in farming and little things about farming.
The founders may be living in the Ozarks, but they are interested in farming all over the world and are not limiting membership by geography. You can become a member, have your own blog area and post some publicity and advertising for yourself at the new website.
Farmers who are friendly can go on over to this community with roots in the Ozarks and “Come on in and set a spell.”
Posted in Farming, Ozarks, Ozarks farming | No Comments »
July 30th, 2008
There’s company coming and Mansfield is getting the house in order. According to Sheri Alsup, director of the Mansfield Community Center and a clean-up date has been set for September 6, 2008.
Sheri is also leader with the Mansfield Community Betterment. She reports that Mansfield’s company will consist of Wilder Days visitors September 12 & 13, plus Community Betterment Judges will be in Mansfield the next week.
Mansfield’s Pride & Joy – the youth will be helping with the projects.
“I have arranged for the Jr. Honor Society to take over the round planter at the square, and the girl and boy scouts have been helping at the city park. Our Smart group is working on projects as well such as the entrance to Coday Freeman. I am hoping by the example these youth are setting we will get other groups to follow suite.” Sheri commented this week. So, Mansfield, remember September 6th!
Posted in MO, Mansfield, Ozarks Hospitality | No Comments »
June 24th, 2008
Mansfield, Missouri will be proud to help the Mansfield Mirror celebrate a centennial of business. One Hundred Years is a fantastic longevity for a small business and for a newspaper in a small midwest community, the accomplishment is worthy of recognition. The Ozarks has a rich historical heritage and is proud of the establishments which have been and still are a part of the historical legacy.
On June 27, 2008, there will be a celebration and special postmark from the USPS to commemorate the centennial of the Mirror. Festivities and refreshments will be at the Mansfield Community Center at 10:00 am.
Posted in MO, Mansfield | No Comments »
June 13th, 2008
Communities, regardless of size, often recognize the strength of numbers. That is what has been happening in Mansfield, MO, when recently five entities in the community banded together to hire a professional who is dedicated to the Mansfield community as a grant writer.
They made their announcement this week that they are ready to hit the ground running. Sheri Alsup, director for the Manfield Community Center and hub for the Mansfield Community Betterment Committee, sent the following out to area press today.
Mansfield Area Community Betterment, Mansfield Industrial Development Corporation, The Wilder Home Association, The City of Mansfield, and
Mansfield
Schools have joined forces and have hired Arlene Magnin as a grant writer. Mrs. Magnin is retiring from Mansfield Schools this year after 18 years of service. She spent six years in the class room, six years as high school principal and the last six years as superintdent. Over the years Arlene has gotten several million dollars in funding for the
Mansfield schools; the most recent being The
Reading First Program.
Jean Coday a Mansfield Community Betterment board member and director of Wilder Home Association has worked with Arlene at the school for many years and when Community Betterment started their search, put Arlene on a short list of grant writers that she felt could do the job.
Staci (Sheri) Alsup said “ This has been a goal of mine for the past two years, and I feel Arlene fits what I felt was needed, we did look at other candidates but they were already working with other groups, and I feel having someone from Mansfield, working solely on Mansfield will give us an advantage. Getting grant funds is highly completive and anything that gives us an upper edge will be a benefit. I would also like to thank everyone who helped make this possible and I feel it speaks volumes when you have this many different groups willing to pull together to work for the betterment of our community.”
We are currently wrapping up our Mocapp study and community plan. Once that is done we will start moving forward on funding for many projects around the community. Anyone who is interested in serving on a committee or just have suggestions for the community may contact the community center at anytime, 924-7070.
I say….Go for it!
Posted in MO, Mansfield | 1 Comment »