The Virtual Alternative

The Virtual Alternative The Virtual Alternative offers small businesses support with their day-to-day administration tasks and business management.

We are your one stop to having personal, executive and administrative assistance.

There is no such thing as a perfect plan.It doesn't exist.You can spend all the time in the world, planning out every si...
05/23/2024

There is no such thing as a perfect plan.

It doesn't exist.

You can spend all the time in the world, planning out every single detail imaginable…

But there are always 100s of internal and external variables you cannot control.

Technology glitches.

People get sick.

Prices go up.

Things change.

And S**T happens.

No matter how big or small the project or task, you need to be able to think on your feet, assess the problem and come up with a solution.

That is what we specialize in!

Whether we helped make the plan or not, when s**t happens, we fix it!

What do you do when things don't go as planned - stay calm or panic?

There are 3 very important things I do regularly....1. Randomly click buttons2. Google (when I feel like something shoul...
05/13/2024

There are 3 very important things I do regularly....

1. Randomly click buttons
2. Google (when I feel like something should be easier, I stop and ask Google how to do it)
3. Read what changes were made every time an app updates

It's easy to download an app, learn the basics and then never look at them again.

You are missing out my friends.

Apps are constantly changing and getting BETTER.

Here are some recent random things I learned using these methods:

1. If you press down on text in a PICTURE on a Samsung phone - you can copy the text and paste it into a Word document (randomly clicking buttons)

2. Google Taskboard is a Chrome add on that allows you see all your Google Tasks lists in one place and easily move them around (combo of clicking things & Googling)

3. You know when you're on Zoom and someone shares their screen and it takes over your entire computer screen? You can turn that off! (recent Zoom update)

Technology is CONSTANTLY improving. Every single update has something new... some may not make life easier, but I bet you a bunch of those things will.

Do you read what the update did? or just let it do it's thing?

If you watch what other people do... and think 'I should do that'...How are you going to stand out?If you follow what ot...
05/08/2024

If you watch what other people do... and think 'I should do that'...

How are you going to stand out?

If you follow what other people in your industry are doing... you are going to blend in.

Do something different!

Hell, do EVERYTHING different!

What differentiates us from others in our industry?

1. Hourly pricing (with no monthly commitment ! You only have to pay for what you need)
2. We are a team! You have a problem? Someone at TVA can solve it!
3. We aren't just going to do what you want, if it doesn't make sense (and is a waste of your money) we will tell you!
4. We don't want you to need us forever. If we do our jobs right you will become more efficient and need less of us.

Our goal is to make your lives EASIER, not rely on us forever.

What differentiates you in your industry?

Collections was my first job right out of University…Ok well there was that brief summer stint selling makeup, I was pre...
05/01/2024

Collections was my first job right out of University…

Ok well there was that brief summer stint selling makeup, I was pretty good at it too considering I don’t wear makeup…😂🤣😂🤣😂

Collections taught me a LOT of lessons and I can honestly say 9 years in the collection industry has shaped who I am today in a number of ways - personally and professionally.

The NUMBER ONE thing that it taught me was 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

CLOSE DOWN EVERY NIGHT!

Sounds simple… right?

But as business owners we struggle to stop, switch our brains off, close all the tabs, have a clear end to the day etc. For our mental health - we NEED TO!

In collections there is a clean desk policy - when you leave for the day there better be no paper on your desk, pens put away, and computers locked. At midnight every night all computers would be restarted, so if you left what you were working on open - it was gone in the morning.

Why was this a lesson?

Ever since working in collections, when I am done for the day, I close all the tabs open on my computer, I close the open apps, I close Outlook… then I recycle or file any papers sitting on my desk, put the pens and highlighters away, put the stapler back beside the printer, grab any empty water bottles - before I walk away for the night.

It doesn’t matter what time of the day this happens - but when I am done for the day - I tidy up.

The power of a clear switch off at night time and being “done” for the night is that when I get to my desk in the morning, I have a fresh start. Any chaos, overwhelm, stress or frustration from the day before was tidied away when I left my desk.

I get to start with a fresh slate, every day!

⚠️⚠️I dare you to try this and NOT feel a difference...⚠️⚠️

What is your time ACTUALLY worth?You spend your time doing things because they need to get done... but why are you the o...
04/29/2024

What is your time ACTUALLY worth?

You spend your time doing things because they need to get done... but why are you the one that needs to do it?

If you could make $100/hr doing something else, why are you spending your time on a $10 task?

Here are some of the things I pay other people to do (so I don't have to):

1. Cleaning
2. Bookkeeping
3. Onboarding
4. Zoom producing
5. Social media hashtagging & scheduling
6. Engagement on my other IG account
7. Content repurposing
8. Blog creation
9. Email management

Things I don't plan to outsource (because I enjoy them):

1. Social media content creation
2. Calendar management (I want to do things when I want to do them... I like the control)
3. Strategy calls with clients
4. Creating systems and processes (this is my happy place)

Knowing what gives you energy and what ruins your day are very important to productivity and happiness.

What's on your outsource wish list?

The SMALLEST thing to you...Could have the BIGGEST impact on someone else!Last week at my massage, after we had covered ...
04/22/2024

The SMALLEST thing to you...

Could have the BIGGEST impact on someone else!

Last week at my massage, after we had covered all the reality tv gossip and caught up on life - we switched to business.

I don't even remember what I was talking about (that is how insignificant it is) and I said something about freezing the top row of a spreadsheet so no matter how much you have to scroll, you always know what the header says.

Out of nowhere he says "wait... you can freeze the top row of a spreadsheet? How?"

So I told him (for Excel and Google Sheets) and he said "well you just changed my life".

Such a normal day to day thing to me... but a game changer for him.

This is your reminder that what is common sense to you, is not common sense to everyone!

And despite our best attempts... we are not robots who know everything - so share what you know!

What is something that you use in your day-to-day life that you just assume everyone knows/does?

I was chatting with ChatGPT the other day (not joking... I do this sometimes to get ideas)...And I asked him one thing: ...
04/17/2024

I was chatting with ChatGPT the other day (not joking... I do this sometimes to get ideas)...

And I asked him one thing:

"If you could say only one thing to a new business owner, what would you say?"

He replied:

"If I could offer one piece of advice to a new business owner, it would be this: Embrace the journey, stay resilient, and never underestimate the power of perseverance. Success rarely comes easy, but with dedication, passion, and a willingness to learn from both challenges and triumphs, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve your dreams."

Well, our robot friend is not wrong!

So always remember...you've got this 💪💪

What do commitment and consistency have in common?Excuses will kill both of them.While commitment & consistency involve ...
04/15/2024

What do commitment and consistency have in common?

Excuses will kill both of them.

While commitment & consistency involve a strong determination to overcome obstacles and achieve goals, excuses serve as justifications or rationalizations for not following through.

Excuses happen for a number of reasons:

➡️ Fear
➡️ Procrastination
➡️ Lack of accountability
➡️ Indifference
➡️ Lack of interest

Maybe you can commit but then lack the consistency to keep it going OR you are consistent but can't get started on that one thing you know you need to...

If you truly want the end result, but you are struggling and coming up with excuses - it's important to stop and figure out what the underlying issue is. Once you know what it is you can work towards addressing THAT so you can commit and stay consistent to reach your goal.

Which one do you find harder commitment or consistency?

I am 100% Goldilocks when it comes to my morning Starbucks...I always mobile order, but when I get there.. if it isn't t...
04/10/2024

I am 100% Goldilocks when it comes to my morning Starbucks...

I always mobile order, but when I get there.. if it isn't the proper balance of coffee and milk... I will say something.

🥛 Too dark - I will ask for some milk
☕️ Too light - I will ask for more coffee
✅ Perfect colour - I say "Thanks! Have a nice day:)"

Here is the thing...

Consistently asking for more milk or more coffee when it wasn't how I wanted it - helped them learn exactly how I want it. Now, most days are ✅ perfect!

And bonus, for the days they aren't - before I even have a chance to say anything - someone usually says "more milk?".

No one has to guess how I want my coffee, I don't make it up based on my mood. It is always the same.

This story MAY in fact make it seem like I am a b***h... but there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for what you want - and the more you do it, the easier it gets for the people on the other side.

And of course I am going to tie this in to business - that's how I roll!

In business if you don't communicate what you want... your employees, colleagues, clients, vendors etc will continue to deliver what they think you want or need... why? Because you've never told them otherwise.

Asking for what you want means you get what you want more often!

Do you struggle to ask for what you want?

I can make you a spreadsheet to show you all the numbers! Data on how much money you made, your costs, your ROI on a spe...
04/08/2024

I can make you a spreadsheet to show you all the numbers! Data on how much money you made, your costs, your ROI on a specific program....

Money is great, profit is great...but is that why you actually went into business?

For ME, having an efficient business means: freedom!

I just landed in Winnipeg (assuming of course my plane wasn't delayed since I wrote this a couple weeks ago...) because I wanted to go!

In 2024 I decided I wanted to meet more clients in person, so... when the opportunity came up instead of having to stress about how I would get away... I went on Expedia and booked my flight.

Next month I am going to Vegas for 10 days for pool. I will not be working.

In August, I am going on an adventure for a week where we will explore new locations (we know our starting point and end point... and that is it so far).

I don't have a ton of passive offers that help fund this freedom - I have a team, processes, and good client relationships so the wheels keep turning when I am not there.

My team knows what to do ➡️ follow the same processes you always do.

Running an efficient business sounds boring. Some people feel it is restrictive... but for me, it is the reason I can go where I want, when I want and explore.

What was the last trip you went on?

Address

1665 Victoria Park Avenue
Toronto, ON
M1R5E5

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14164253419

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Virtual Alternative posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Virtual Alternative:

Shortcuts

Share

Category