The Green VA
By Robin A. Holstein
Being “green” has been the rage in the business community for the past few years. However, frugality and concerns over polluting the environment goes back centuries. Our agricultural ancestors learned that the manner in which they treated the earth directly affected their crops and livestock. In the business world, virtual administrative service providers, commonly known as virtual assistants (VAs), are some of the original “green” businesses.
Working offsite poses a number of challenges for these entrepreneurs. VAs generally do not work from plush high-rise office buildings with conference rooms and valet parking. They are working from modest home-office space with limited storage capacity and signage restrictions from the homeowners association. Reference materials and supply storage are two areas where VAs can practice being “green” without much trouble.
Reference Materials – Even in this high-tech age, printed and bound reference materials are a must. VAs must be able to stay atop current demands in technologies and understand the subtle histories of business. Certain reference materials are a must, but take up space quickly. It is often possible to find many items on CD Rom, for under $20 each. However, successful individuals understand the importance of a quality dictionary, thesaurus and style guide in hardcopy form. (As yet, the Complete Office Handbook is not available on CD Rom.) CD Rom versions of reference materials which are seldom used or highly specialized can replace hardcopies. Selling your hardcopies in yard sales, on your Web page or through services such as eBay can help you finance the purchase of the electronic versions.
Supply Storage – Storage is a bane to every VA. Ideally, VAs would work in a completely paperless office scenario. There would be no need for staples, pens, paper, filing cabinets or folders. Alas, we have not quite reached that level of nirvana. If your business involves any type of mass mailings, publications or report production, you know you need to have several types of paper, binding materials, envelopes, and other miscellaneous supplies on-hand. VAs on a tight budget, or those who are simply frugal, know that shipping boxes can solve a world of storage problems.
Take a look at one of the office supply catalogs you receive each week in the postal mail. Look up the storage supplies they offer, from cardboard to acrylic. All you need is to simulate those containers with things you have on hand. By selectively placing used shipping boxes strategically on your shelves you can recreate the storage ’system’ in the catalog at almost zero cost. Two-drawer filing cabinets can be topped with a small piece of plywood or other scrap material, covered with a cloth and double as a table holding a lamp and promotional materials for your business.
About the Author
Robin A. Holstein is the owner of Robin’s Desktop, Virtual Administrative Services. She holds the Certified Professional Secretary and Certified Administrative Professional ratings from IAAP®, and an A.A.S. in Office Administration. She can be reached by email at robin@robinsdesktop.com (304) 546-4668. Reproduction of the full article, without alterations and with proper citation, is permitted.
Did you enjoy this article? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to our feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment