The Parable of Peg and Beck and the Long, Long Clothesline
A very long time ago, when I was a young girl, my mother hung freshly washed sheets on the clothesline to dry. This contraption was, yes, outdoors – with the poles, and the ropes, and the clothespins, and the fresh summer breeze, and the sunshine… And oh my, that really is the most divine way to launder bed sheets. Our mother, whose name is Peg, washed several loads of laundry each day for our family of seven, which required a very long clothesline. When Peg hung out the sheets, she hung them in “portrait” orientation and they...
read moreBasic Employee Background Checks
There are a variety of investigative searches that can be used by potential employers. Many commercial sites offer specific searches to employers for a fee. Services like these will actually perform the checks, supply the company with adverse action letters, and ensure compliance throughout the process. It is important to be selective about which pre-employment screening agency you use, though… A legitimate company will be happy to explain the process to you. Many employers choose to search the most common data – such as criminal...
read moreReviews of WordPress Backup Options
Although there are free options out there, the best option for safely backing up your WordPress site is to pay for a premium service. Paid options generally have the added benefits of being scheduled, offsite backups. The offsite part is important, because if the server your site is on goes down, your back up will be safe! BlogVault After looking at the blogVault site, this definitely seems to be a good product. Pricing is low ($9 per month for backing up one site), and the service backs up off-site onto a secure set of servers. With this...
read moreMake the Most of Your Virtual Assistant
Working with a virtual assistant is a little bit different for everyone. Every client is going to have their own unique set of needs, as well as their own unique style of communication. Similarly, each virtual assistant is going to have a unique skill set and area of expertise. Regardless of these factors, though, there are a few practices that both the client and the VA can keep in mind to keep things running smoothly, make the most out of their combined time, and make sure the finished product is the best it can be! 1. Write Down EVERYTHING...
read moreWill Siri Technology Replace Human Jobs?
I’ve had a peripheral interest in this topic ever since my google alert for “virtual assistant” started to flood with Siri related articles. Seemingly overnight, we had a new competitor for the popular keyword – and for a moment, I questioned if we would start having to compete against artificial intelligence for work. The question was answered in this article by our writer, Mike. I’ve still been wondering, though, will Siri technology replace human jobs? Fortunately, Siri is little more than a party trick at the...
read moreSmall Business Owners Wear Too Many Hats!
It makes sense by definition… Small businesses are small, and most can’t hire a specific person to function in each role, especially when the organization is just starting out. The infographic below shows that 90% of small business owners regularly function in 3 or more roles within their company. It’s difficult to find someone who can wear all the hats of the business owner, and if that person can be found, they normally won’t be interested in small business wages. It’s a conundrum that’s difficult to find...
read moreGrammar Rules, A Point of Debate?
For those of us unhealthily obsessed with the English language, the conventions of grammar are not to be taken lightly. For we humble word nerds, proper syntax and careful execution are of the utmost importance. There IS generally a right way to do things (though sometimes there’s debate over what exactly that is), and grammarians of all disciplines will agree. Certain rules, though, fall under heavier scrutiny than others, as the awesome blog post below displays – and writers/editors are all but forced to choose a position. I know...
read moreHow to Register a Trademark
Trademarking the domain name and logo for your online business is an important step in protecting your business’s identity, stopping anyone who can potentially harm your company and its reputation. The following is a general outline of steps to take in order to complete this process. STEP #1: Do Your Research Before registering your domain name and logo, conduct a search to find any trademarks that conflict with the business name. Go to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website to do this search (1). STEP #2: Prepare So, you...
read moreIncrease Productivity by Avoiding Your Breaking Point
It’s a feeling experienced in every job, from the ship yard to the stock market… I call it “The Breaking Point.” It’s when you’ve reached a level of stress or exhaustion that prevents you from effectively performing the task at hand, but you keep trying anyway. Unfortunately, even if we can convince ourselves to push on for another hour or two, the end results are usually disappointing. The reposted article below really puts this into perspective. How productive can you really be without recharging from...
read more5 Reasons to Juggle at Work
One day, someone brought a set of juggling balls in to work – and they have remained here as an important piece of office equipment ever since. You might be thinking “Seriously, juggling at work? Are you guys running a virtual assistant company or a circus?” It might sound ridiculous at first, but there are some major benefits to a little clowning around on the job… Stress relief – Stress can have damaging effects the mind and body. You can easily combat stress by doing things that leave you brain active while...
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