The virtual assistant business has grown steadily since its inception in the 1990s. The growth and affordability of technology and the increase in the number of solo-entrepreneurs have created a need for virtual support staff.

A virtual support business provides an opportunity to apply your administrative support skills to your home-based business. Virtual assistants can perform most tasks, short of bringing coffee. However, once a coffee shop starts offering home delivery, a virtual assistant can arrange for that as well.

Becoming a virtual assistant is no different than starting any other business. You need marketable skills just as if you were applying for a 9 to 5 job, or possess a willingness to learn something you can offer your clients in exchange for a fee. You can start with a single service and add others over time. Alternatively, you can decide to stick with a single specialization and charge a premium for your unique expertise. The choice is yours to make.

Regardless of how specialized your VA services are, you'll need to become somewhat of a generalist when running your business. To be honest, the learning process never stops. I think that part is what attracts many people to the idea of becoming a virtual assistant. There is constant variety-every day is different, and a new challenge is just around the corner.

One question that seems to come up over and over again is, "where do I start?" In this journal, you will receive the actionable tasks needed to start and launch your profitable virtual assistant business.