Volume 9, Issue 6 - June 2008 A publication of the International Virtual Assistants Association

The six men profiled are an inspiration to all VAs. I have had the pleasure of getting to know one of the highlighted men, IVAA member Van Morrow, over the past three years. Not only is Van a fellow New York VA, he is also a regular attendee at our Annual Live Summits. Finally, I am thrilled to report that on June 6th we announced our newest Member Benefit, a Long-Term Care Insurance program available to all IVAA members and their extended families. Our new alliance with LTC Financial Partners will now allow for coverage at discounted rates with relaxed health screening. Please visit www.IVAA-LTC.com or call 1-866-471-4072 x2300 to learn more. It continues to be my pleasure serving as President of the International Virtual Assistants Association. Until next time BE WELLTHINK POSITIVEHAVE FUN.

Men as Virtual Assistants: Changing Assumptions, Changing Perceptions

by Jacqueline Simmons Male or female, all people hold a certain number of assumptions and preconceived notions. Those people lets just say we naturally assume, for instance, that well hear a womans voice on the other end of the line when we call to speak to the doctors nurse or an executives secretary. But why do we assume that person will be a woman? Historically, women didnt work outside the home. For the most part, it wasnt until women were needed to fill the positions left vacant by men during World War II that women in the workplace became a common sight. Prior to that, women were expected to bear and raise children and care for the home, while the man of the house was the main bread winner. As more and more women filled these jobs, we began to expect to see a womans face when we walked into someones office or to hear a womans voice when calling. Our expectations were the same when it came to waitresses, airline hostesses, and nurses. When did the people filling these career fields start shifting? When did we start noticing more men answering those phone calls or showing up as nurses in doctors offices and hospitals, serving food in restaurants, or working as flight attendants? As the saying goes, The times they are a changing. Some of those changes are quietly taking place within the Virtual Assistant industry. And related professional organizations are seeing a gradual, but consistent increase in the number of men joining their membershipand those men are doing so in a variety of service niches. So with all those preconceived assumptions and expectations about women filling typical jobs and doing typical work, perhaps we should take a closer look at todays reality, especially as it relates to the VA industry and how men as VAs are changing that reality. In order to get a sense of the men who are out there as either members of the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA.org) or other professional organizations, (continued)

Linda
Correction
Last months From the President article incorrectly listed the hyperlink to Mays Volunteer of the Month: Lara Nieberding, Owner of The Data Digger. The hyperlink to Laras site is http://www.thedatadigger.com (all lowercase).

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Volume 9, Issue 6 - June 2008 A publication of the International Virtual Assistants Association

I posted messages on various boards. Those who responded were very interested in providing input on the subject and sharing their own perspective and experiences. The male VAs I interviewed for this article cover a wide range of services, ages, and number of years in business. Here is a breakdown along those lines: Age Range: 33 to 52 Years in Business: 7 months to 24 years Overview of Services - Real Estate Support - Bookkeeping - Travel Arrangements - Transcription - Marketing Services - Website Maintenance - Graphic Design - Event Planning & Scheduling - Financial Reports - Internet Research - Desktop Publishing - List Management

Among Jims biggest challenges, besides brand awareness and name recognition, are getting people to be more accepting of men as virtual assistants and to understand that men can provide the same type and quality of work as women. If I cant get them to accept that, it will be a challenge for my business. Im sure a lot of that will change, says Jim, as more men enter this field. Jim says that most men feel they should focus on moving into executive or corporate jobs, but more of them should know what they can accomplish as a VA. I remember my administrative days and feel that Im in a role that is aimed at the success of my clients. This is truly a career path worth pursuing, Jim explained. Ken Pezanowski, Colorful Concepts Having opened his doors as a VA in June 2005, Ken Pezanowski, Philadelphia, PA, owner of Colorful Concepts (www.colorful-concepts.com), offers graphic design and desktop publishing services in addition to a range of administrative support services. He earned a PHR (Professional in Human Resources) certification in May 2002 and the IVAA CVA certification in August 2007. He, too, was aware that most VAs are women and that knowledge gave him some cause for hesitation. But Ken explained that, Curiosity is one of the better conversation starters and questions are always asked about a male VA. I dont pull any punches and, if a client is happy with my work, I encourage them to let their friends and family know. For Ken, the most interesting aspect of being a male VA is the clients initial reaction. When he talks with clients for the first time, they are usually surprised and curious, often asking why hes chosen to do this kind of work. Thats why, in Kens opinion, most men becoming a VA probably wouldnt even be on their radar screen. Its not something that you can just jump into on a whim, said Ken. You have to know what youre doing. With that in mind, however, Ken told me, Id encourage anyone who has the experience and drive to become a VA. The more men and women we have in this field, the more companies will become aware of who we are and what we can do. Despite his 15-plus years of experience as an executive and administrative assistant, Ken feels he hasnt been readily accepted as a VA by clients. (continued)

For the most part, these males VAs provide services that many would see as doing womens work, and their input focuses on how they perceive and deal with working in a predominantly female career field. Their responses, of course, were based on their age, length of their tenure, and overall attitude. So with whom did I speak? Jim Wilson, Simply Balance Jim Wilson, Hanover, MA, owner of Simply Balance (www.SimplyBalance.com), is new to the VA field, having just opened his business in October 2007. His primary business focus is the support of C-level executives, a niche he chose based on work he had done for past employers, the vast majority of which was done remotely. When I was about to leave my last position, my employer and his wife wanted to retain my services on an as-needed basis. Their encouragement was the catalyst I needed to open my business, Jim said. Although Jim knew that most VAs are women, he didnt hesitate to adopt that term for himself. People have told me its great that a man is doing this type of work, he said. But the one thing that seems to catch people off guard is that theyre expecting a womans voice on the phone when I return the calls of prospective clients.

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Volume 9, Issue 6 - June 2008 A publication of the International Virtual Assistants Association

According to Ken, The administrative field has always been predominantly women. When a potential client finds out that Im the person who will be doing the work for them, their first concern is if Ive ever done this before or what kind of experience I have. Once I explain my background and what I can do for them, they relax a bit. But I still have to prove myself just like everyone else. Levi Scarman, VA flex All the way from Port Adelaide, South Australia, Levi Scarman has been a VA for just eight months. Owner of VA flex (www.vaflex.com), his business provides marketing materials and identity solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Levi worked in administrative roles for more than ten years and was totally comfortable working in this type of environment, so knowing that he was entering a predominantly female career field was not a problem. Ive come across a number of people who simply assume Ill be a female, Levi told me, but thats something I used to get a lot in the corporate world. I think theres still a long way to go in breaking down stereotypes regarding traditionally gendered careers. That gender bias was also reflected in an online article that he read recently. The articles subject was on how to work with a Virtual Assistant. Levi said, The first paragraph mentioned she or he, then all mention of a VA and questions listed that you should ask yourself about working with the prospective VA were phrased with she or her. Even with the common stereotypes, he feels hes been readily accepted as a VA and feels more men should become part of this evolving career field. There are more technical and creative services being offered by VAs and, naturally, as the industry itself widens, Levi commented, there will be more people attracted to it both women and men. I also think that, as the industry becomes better known and understood, men who are doing these roles in a traditional environment will realize there is a way to have a more flexible lifestyle. When it comes to clients, Levi thinks men face the same challenges theyd face in traditional employment in these areas. When a man is doing office and administrative type work, something traditionally viewed as a female role, there are some gender bias issues to contend with. So some people arent comfortable outsourcing this type of work to a man, Levi explained.

Like his contemporaries, Levi would like to see more men become VAs. With so few of them compared to the number of women in this field, being a male VA makes it so much easier to be recognized and remembered, so we might as well take advantage of it! Robertt Neilly, Delphian Virtual Assistance Out of Toronto, Canada, Robertt Rob Neilly has run his VA business, Delphian Virtual Assistance (www.delphianva.com) for the past year and a half. His market niche focuses on clients in entertainment-based industries. Most services Rob offers stem from skills gained while working in Corporate Canada. For many years, he held executive and administrative assistant positions and also learned valuable skills from his involvement in training and education. I continue to deliver basic computer skills to two colleges in the greater Toronto area, Rob told me, and my exposure to the education system helps me in many ways understand the dynamics of relationships. In the VA world, relationships are the centerpiece of our practice. His view of men as VAs stems from both extensive experience in the corporate world as well as day-to-day experiences in his own business. In the corporate world, despite his skills, he often saw surprised faces when he showed up for assignments. Although somewhat of a novelty at first, said Rob, employers quickly accepted that I was there to do the work I knew. The same, he said, was true as an independent VA. As for what he sees as the biggest challenges facing men as VAs, Rob said, I think mens biggest challenges have to do with the expectations they feel others haveor the expectations they put on themselves. If they find the prospect of interacting closely with women who are their peers objectionable, then they are stuck in an antiquated, outdated mindset, and should not become VAs! Robs experience with his first client speaks volumes about his attitude, professionalism, and what he sees as how male VAs can and should be viewed. I think it was during our second telephone interview that my client revealed two key things to me, Rob explained. One was that she knew I was the right VA for her. The other was that she had initially thought to include only women VAs in her search: it seems I had changed her mind. It did not matter to her or me that I was a male VA. What mattered was that there was a fit, a resonance. (continued)

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Volume 9, Issue 6 - June 2008 A publication of the International Virtual Assistants Association

Jason Grass, Virtual Workforce LLC With less than 18 months as a VA, Jason Grass, Virtual Workforce LLC of Newmarket, NH (www.vworkforcellc.com), has enjoyed a positive response from clients. My clients, said Jason, have always been indifferent to my gender. Theyre more interested in my skills and what I can offer them. Jason decided to become a VA in January 2007, because he had an entrepreneurial spirit and felt that he could offer services to small business owners based on knowledge and experience gained in the private sector. While most men chose to climb the corporate ladder, Jason chose to pursue a different path. That makes me unique among the male gender, he says. With all the benefits available to VAs as a whole and male VAs in general, he said hed like to see more men join the VA career field. As Jason put it, Because it has become a new trend for companies to hire VAs over employees, anyone can be drawn to this lucrative business opportunity regardless of their gender. According to Jason, pursuing a career thats unique among the male gender is a path thats both exciting and rewarding. And, as he sees it, if there are any challenges at all that are unique to men, it is simply being able to stand out in this predominantly female dominated industry. Jasons situation provides one additional benefit: I have the advantage of running the business with my wife, Kimberly, so we have both the male and female aspect to our business! Van Morrow, Type-Right, Inc. A totally unique perspective on men as VAs comes from Van Morrow who works from the Catskills of New York state and provides transcription and desktop publishing services. A positive, friendly, dynamic individual, Van has been a male VA since January 1985 when he opened Type-Right, Inc. (www.type-right.com). His nearly 24 years as a VA started when the term Virtual Assistant didnt even exist, when computers as we know them didnt exist, when working in a mostly female career field was pretty much unheard of! Originally, Van worked as a legal secretary in the corporate world. But during a staff meeting, employees were warned that 50% of them would soon be laid off. Being proactive, he took steps to start his own business. Outside of work, he had been providing typing services, gaining more and more work from clients. The volume

of work, in conjunction with a small business management class hed taken, were the catalyst for a career change. The class opened his eyes to exciting options that would be afforded him via selfemployment. I finally opened my own business doing letters, school and statistical reports, and training materials, Van explained. The pride I take in what I do for a living continues to benefit my clients. Although Van faced some initial hesitation about being a male VA, he told me, Ive long since gotten over that. Its simply not an issue. After all, with the advent of the computer keyboard, typing has become commonplace, so the transition to becoming a VA whether female or male is easy and likely. Being accepted as a male VA, according to Van, is in ones attitude and expectations. He said, Its one thing to say youre typing. Its another to say youre transcribing. When you come across to your clients with that much confidence, it becomes clear to them that theyre dealing with someone whos a competent worker. Would he encourage other men to become VAs? Yes, said Van. If they have the ability. Once he has proven he does good work, theres no reason not to! Dont be afraid of going into the VA business, because there are multiple options available. Being a male VA is only a problem if you allow it to be. A man who loves what he does, Van shared one last bit of wisdom. When it comes to being a male VA, it seems only to be a subject of discussion when I am meeting with other VAs, rather than my clients or potential clients. When I get up in the morning, the fact that I am male makes no difference. Unless I go to conventions, beard and all, he laughed, its clear that Im different, but still part of a great industry.
Jacqueline Simmons, Advantage One The Write Business, is a small-business consultant and commercial writer based in northern Nevada. In addition to providing executive level rsum services and marketing communications since 1980, Jacqueline is also the Review Editor and proofer for the IVAACast newsletter. You can learn more about her by visiting http://www.TheWriteBusiness.com.

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