Big Sky CVA, Boyne Island (2026)

30/05/2023

Crazes come and go, but authenticity never goes out of style.

If you find yourself losing sight of your why, it's time to take a step back from the frenzy of fads that is social media and reconnect with your story.

Think about:
👉What started you on this journey?
👉How far have you come and where do you want to go?
👉 How do you bring value to your customers?
👉 Where does your joy come from?

Trends can change on the daily, but genuine connection and quality content will always be in demand.

Avoid getting lost in the noise of social media by staying true to your voice, your business, and your story.

And if you need help, I know a girl. 👀

It's me
I'm the girl. 😉

Happy Tuesday!

24/05/2023

4 Creative Tools I Use Everyday as a Creative VA 👇👇👇

Okay, maybe not *everyday*, but these are my go to digi-tools I use for the majority of my creative tasks. And the beautiful thing about these tools is they're free! There are paid options, but if you just want to dip your toe then it won't cost you a cent.

1. Canva
Come on, we all knew this was going to be on my list. When Canva showed up in 2012, it shook the ground and changed the game 😍🤩 It was, and still is, a phenomenal tool for any business owner, creator, assistant, designer or marketer.

2. Adobe Lightroom
I'm a longtime fan of Adobe products and Lightroom, specifically the Lightroom app, is perfect for adjusting and enhancing photos on the fly 😎📱. There's a range of elements you can tweak, from lighting to colour levels to haze and optics, and the software itself is exceptionally user-friendly.

3. Google Drive + Docs
While Google Drive and Google Docs aren't technically creative tools, they facilitate my creativity by being, well, awesome. Google Drive and Docs are critical to my being able to offer creative support. I'm constantly working in and adjacent to my Drive, sharing files with clients, uploading, downloading, editing documents online and creating those oh-so-important backups. I'm not going to deny it: Google has me by the throat and I love it. 😜

4. CapCut
Video editing in CapCut is a joy. Intuitive, fun, and made for social media, CapCut is my go-to for editing short form videos. Over the years I've tried a range of other software, from apps to industry leaders, and I always come back to CapCut.😍🎬

What are your favourite digi-tools?
Let me know in the comments below 👇👇

18/05/2023

Today we're manifesting main character energy 😎✨✨⚡️🔥🦄

Live your life and run your business like you're the star of your story because - newsflash - you are!

And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

Happy Almost-Friday!

16/05/2023

I like to think of myself as a jack of many trades, master of some 😉

My Creative Services encompass a range of creatively-minded tasks and gives you a glimpse at the kind of support I can offer you and your business. From illustration all the way to website content, covering things like video editing, Mailchimp, and any ad hoc creative tasks in between.

My intention is to provide a broad range of services that can be used across a multitude of situations, supporting you in as many creative ways as I can. And after years of using these skills in in-house and freelance roles, I love applying them to the real world, supporting small businesses and seeing the positive impact they make.

If you're not sure your job is in my wheelhouse, just ask! I'm always happy to discuss.

And even if I can't help you, I may be able to find someone who can. The Aussie VA network is a thing of beauty. 🥰

09/05/2023

Ok, wait, hear me out. 😆☕

Yes, this post may have been influenced by my third coffee of the day (all before 11am 🙃). And yes, I admit, I have a slight-to-moderate-okay-probably-high-addiction to those adorable and life-giving caffeine beans.

But, look, just hang on a second. Let me break this one down for you.

Ideas are great. Wonderful, in fact. I love them. I'm absolutely an ideas girl. My strength has always been generating ideas. Big ideas. Fiddly little ideas. Sideways ideas. Unrealistic ideas (a bit of a specialty of mine 😉) and down-to-earth ideas.

But without action, these ideas I churn up stay just that - ideas. As delightfully light and fluffy as the froth on a cappuccino.

And without the coffee underneath, these ideas will stay just that: froth. While a cute mug full of froth may be appealing to a three year old, it sure doesn't tick all my boxes.

I need that coffee underneath.

And if you want more from your business, you're going to need some of that coffee too (metaphorically speaking).

Ideas are fantastic, but action is what gives your ideas life. Purpose. Direction.

Action is the foundation for change and growth. Ideas help you get there.

So, back to my winning analogy, action is the coffee that a cappuccino is built on. The froth on top is fun, but without that espresso, that's all it is: froth. ☕☕😁

If you need help with your action, reach out. I promise I won't reference cappuccino's.

I drink flat whites anyway. 😜

03/05/2023

Behind the scenes this morning. I'm working on words, newsletters, and illustrations today, so I have all my trusty tools on hand.

And yes, that includes coffee and biscuits. 😉☕🍪😋

What are your non-negotiables for productive time? 🤔

Tell me in the comments below 👇👇👇

26/04/2023

You've heard it before: your time is your most valuable resource.

And you know what?

It's true.

Your time is priceless. And it's finite. As is your candle. Blaze that baby at both ends and you'll get burnt.

Burnt out, that is.

Save your sanity and sn**ch back some time with these 3 tips:

1. Manage your time
As a creative creature, time management does not come naturally to me. But without a framework, I quickly become overwhelmed. I forget things, I lose focus, and I get bogged down. If you're the same, then you need to start managing your time.

How, you ask?

Buy a planner. Prioritise your tasks. Make lists. Be consistent. Stick to your schedules. Fight the urge to fly by your pants (it's hard, I know 😅).

As you settle into a routine, you'll find freedom in structure and relief in knowing you really do have time to get it all done - without maxing out your mental health.

2. Downsize
When you're surrounded by a subversive culture, it's easy to feel like your not doing enough. So you take on more. And more. And then, all of a sudden, you're drowning.

You're working through breakfast. You miss lunch. You don't take weekends and your nights are playing catch up.

And you're still behind on everything.

Sound familiar?

Then you need to downsize.

Some tasks are important. Some are not. Some don't need to be done right now, next week, or even next month.

And some tasks are just noise.

Figure out what you need to do to keep your business running and ditch the rest.

And if that's still too much, then it's time to get some help.

3. Get Help
If you can't handle everything on your must-do list, then it's time to get some help. There's an entire industry dedicated to supporting businesses like yours - the virtual assistant community. One-off or ongoing projects can be outsourced, so invest in yourself and buy some time back by hiring help.

Not having enough time can feel like your caught in quicksand. These tips could be the rope you need to pull yourself out.

If you need someone else to throw you a line, reach out. I have great aim and a strong arm 😉

21/04/2023

Kind words from a wonderful client I'm privileged to provide creative support to.

I love flexing my creative muscles and helping small business owners get on top of their time.

These are by far my favourite clients. Real people, doing real things.
Hands on, heart on their sleeve, eyes on their prize.

People like you.

Whether it be words or pictures, ideas or action, I'm all about making a positive impact you and your business.

If you're wondering how, hit me up.
Send me an email at [email protected] and we can have a chat.

BTW, if you love Aussie farm-grown home-made foods and upcycled gifts, then you need to visit Bron's Paddock. She's a maker with a mission: creating high quality purpose driven products. 🍓🚜😋

17/04/2023

And with a yawn and blink the school holidays are over and the house is quiet again (Well, quieter. The resident toddler is enthusiastically attempting to fill in the gaps 😆)

Time to shake off vacay-mode and start moving again. This creative VA has been relaxing a little too long. I think it was the chocolate. And the camping. And the beach days. And the children. And their snacking 🙄😜

Happy first day of term 2! Let's start this one strong 💪✨

28/03/2023

When I say your story matters, I'm not messing around.

24/03/2023

3 Tips for Stronger Storytelling 💪👇👇

Stories are everything.

And I mean, everything.

It’s how we share knowledge.

It’s how we communicate emotions, fears and experiences.

It’s how we learn the past, and how to live in the present.

It’s how we shape the future.

And it’s how we connect to our community, whether that be family, friends or customers.

But you don’t need to be a wordsmith to reach your community through stories.

Anyone can be a storyteller. Just know where you’re going before you start and follow these three tips for stronger storytelling.

👉1. Have a Hero
Your audience wants a hero. They want someone they can empathize with and relate to. Someone they can cheer for. Yes, it can be you on your business journey. Or it could be someone just like them, with problems just like theirs. Know your character and be clear who it is from the get-go.

👉2. Make it Hard
When does a story get interesting? When it gets real.
Conflict is critical to any story and comes in all shapes and sizes. The whole world doesn’t have to end, but your hero’s world might. Is it an emotional conflict, or physical? Will your hero lose a little or a lot? Make it realistic, relatable and raw. If there is no challenge for your hero to overcome, then there’s no tension. And without tension, your story loses power.

👉3. Include an Ending
After making it hard for your hero, it’s time to cut them some slack and provide a resolution. Every strong story has an ending, and it can range from an all-out victory over a challenge (like relaunching a business after bankruptcy) to the more subtle (such as learning a lesson). The resolution could be the innovation of a new process or product, or your reason for starting down the small business road. Perhaps it’s a new goal for your business, or your hero reflecting on their personal evolution.

Storytelling is integral to the way humans communicate, and if used well can create genuine connections within your community.

If you’re having trouble getting started on your story, I might be able to help.

Visit my website to see how.

Link in bio.🐦✨✨

21/03/2023

It's been a hot minute since I launched Big Sky CVA so it's time for an introduction.

Hey, I'm Maggie 👋

Here's me in a nutshell (insert Austin Powers quote - IYKYK 😉)

🐦 I am and have always been right-brain-centric
🐦 I'm an ideas girl
🐦 I'm excitable, driven and can teeter towards perfectionism in my work
🐦 I'm a wife to a teacher and a mum to 2 boys - a toddler and a nearly 7 year old
🐦 I grew up on a boat
🐦 I'm a lifelong learner
🐦 I'm also an illustrator
🐦 I wrote a book (not published) and a bunch of short fictions (published)
🐦 Coffee is life
🐦 I will forever have a crush on Indiana Jones
🐦 I will forever wish I was Indiana Jones
🐦 I love supporting small businesses
🐦 I live vicariously through the books I read
🐦 My todo list includes learning how to fight with a longsword
🐦 I'm trying to convince my husband to move to Italy. Or move the family into a converted school bus and travel the countryside. It's not going well 😆

So there you have it - an insight into the mind behind Big Sky CVA.

Now lets flip it. I'd love to learn something you!

Tell me something in the comments below 👇

Big Sky CVA

30/05/2023

24/05/2023

18/05/2023

16/05/2023

09/05/2023

03/05/2023

26/04/2023

21/04/2023

17/04/2023

28/03/2023

24/03/2023

21/03/2023

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