We are thrilled to announce our first event for Virtual Assistants and aspiring Virtual Assistants. The Essex PA Network's VA Lunch will be held on Friday 23rd February at Zizzi in Loughton. Although it's in Essex, the great thing is it's on the tube so really accessible!
We are over the moon that the amazing Charlotte Wibberley of VIP VA Hub has agreed to give a talk at the lunch on the all-important subject of Collaboration.
I wanted to write this post to encourage all the Virtual Assistants and aspiring Virtual Assistants out there to come along and network with us! Despite our name, the Essex PA Network is not just for PAs and Executive Assistants.
I do think that Virtual Assistants need that extra bit of encouragement to network with their peers though. When you first set up as a Virtual Assistant it can be difficult to get your head around the idea of mixing with people who are, after all, your competitors.
I myself am a freelance Virtual Assistant and when I first set up my business I was very wary of networking with other VAs. To be frank, I was scared.
I was scared that they would be better than me.I was scared that they would steal my ideas. I was scared that they would bag those potential clients instead of me.
I also suffer from imposter syndrome and was scared that I would be "rumbled". They would find out that I was an amateur.
Perhaps you recognise yourself?
Now, four years later, I have completely changed my mind. I know literally hundreds of VAs through social networking, Facebook Groups and I have also made some very good personal friends who live locally and who I meet up with regularly.
We all have different specialisms, and different strengths and weaknesses so we don't need to think of each other as competitors. Sharing and helping each other is part and parcel of being in the VA community.
When we have a question about a bit of tech we're stuck on - we ask in our Facebook Group. When one of us has too much work she passes it on to one of her fellow VAs.
And as for imposter syndrome - we each and every one of us has been there before!
Essex PA Network works to promote the profiles of PAs, VAs and administrative support staff, and to help people make connections and to nurture their careers.