I don’t know where that came from, but there it is. I typed the words in without realizing that I did. Blurted it out, just like that.
I don’t normally put in the title until I have finished the whole post. It is the very last thing I put in, every time. Titles come to me according to what I have written, after I have decided on what my focus keyword would be.
But while I was working on something else tonight, I just realized that I have not written a blog post about my upcoming workshop yet, which is just 15 days away. Plus, I have to announce the winner of my Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf raffle, and I will, shortly. After I’ve written what I meant to write.
I became a WAHM out of necessity. I had to stay home even though I didn’t want to. I had to leave my well-paying corporate job even though we desperately needed the money. My husband offered to stay home, so I could continue to pursue my career and keep the salary. But we both knew that it was not going to work out that way. We were between a rock and a hard place. We were up to our eyeballs in debt, and giving up my salary was practically digging our own grave.
That was in 2006.
It’s 2015. And I have so far conducted about 6 workshops on how to become a WAHM, and been invited to speak in freelancing events just about the same number of times. And yes, I realize that I am plucking numbers out of thin air because for the life of me, I really don’t have the exact number, nor have I kept serious tabs of these things. But suffice it to say that I have been quite successful in staging a career from our tiny home in the province that people know me more as my brand, The Happy WAHM, than as Marge. We are debt-free, we are building our retirement fund, we have a daughter in college, we have just had our house extended, we’ve bought our first car, we are co-owners in a Science High School, I can spend on a hobby, and my husband and I are both thriving working from home.
So what gives? How did we do it? How are we doing it?
February of this year, I conducted a workshop called My VA Success Blueprint, where I shared just about everything that paved the way to my success. What worked, what didn’t, high points, low points and everything in between.
It was a good workshop, and I think a number of VA-wannabes left the event with a better understanding of what it takes to be a successful virtual assistant and an entrepreneur. There was even one who left the event with the realization that virtual assistance is not for her. And for that, I was delighted. It meant that I was able to give a balanced presentation.
This workshop is not about giving you the assurance that you can be a successful VA. I won’t stand in front of you and tell you that becoming a virtual assistant is the only thing that will bring you financial rewards from your home desk. I won’t tell you that having a computer and internet connection are enough to launch a successful VA career, like what other “VA coaches” do. This workshop is about helping you do a self-assessment and identify the homebased career that you’ll be comfortable with for the long haul. This workshop is about getting you ready to transition from corporate to freelance, equipped with the right tools and the right mindset. And if, at the end of the day, you find yourself ready to roll up your sleeves and be a VA, I’ll be there to cheer you on.
So why is this run going to be the finale?
Well, earlier today, as I was updating my VA Success workshop materials, I came across my folder containing all the drafts I have written for my dream project. I’ve spent a good part of the afternoon thinking about that dream project, my 2016 goals, and my career direction. I have been evolving and immensely enjoying the transitions. While my VA position will always be our bread and butter, I know that it’s time to embrace that other passion. And to do that, I have to take a step back from VA workshops. This afternoon, I have taken the first step to achieving my other dream. I purchased the software that will help me get more organized. An investment, one that my favorite client helped me with. So far, so good.
I am truly grateful to Freelancer.com for partnering with me on this event. My last hurrah, so to speak. I hope my attendees will find a spot with them. I also want to thank the minor sponsors: Crafted Crafts, Bee Happy Crafts, Brownroots Creatives, and Leafy Lather. Thank you for the support! When we first announced this event, I was not even thinking that this is going to be my last VA workshop, so thanks a million for being my event partners!
Again, I’m inviting you all to my VA Success Blueprint, happening on November 14.
YOU CAN STILL REGISTER HERE.
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about this post?
Please leave me a message, or post them, at my Facebook Page.
Marge, also known as The Happy WAHM, is a virtual assistant who turned her passion for entrepreneurship into a worthy endeavor of offering complete business solutions to CEOs and business owners around the world. She turned her back on a thriving corporate career to become a hands-on mom and created a lifestyle that allowed her to build a homebased career, homeschool her children, and still have time to pursue her passion for arts and crafting.
She only posts her content on her website, TheHappyWAHM.com. If you see this content on someone else’s site then it is NOT by any means authorized.
