LeapFrog Creations!

So, for the last year I've been doing research on what a virtual assistant is and what it takes to be one.  When I changed jobs in May my boss asked me if he could hire me as a 1099 employee or as a contractor.  I agreed. Since I'm working only part-time I've been trying to get something going on the side at home.  This worked out great for me when he even agreed to pay me more if I agreed to it.  Now, I have my own business and I'm trying to make it grow.

Friday my husband and I drew up plans to build our garage/storage area into an office/storage area so I can build the company.  I love working in Real Estate and I love doing paperwork.  I am NOT a sales person so I wouldn't use my license to sell houses, but I love doing the other side and helping with everything else. 

Right now, I work for a company and help them with all of their paperwork.  They haven't had an office manager for more than 2 years so my work is cut out for me.  The 8 agents I assist are all very behind with the details of business.  I've found money that has never been paid to our company, organized the files, found missing documents, cleaned up the office, created statistics, connected all payments to transactions, generated listings, and more.  I work in their model home so I've even helped them get more walk-in traffic.  (I'm hoping it will pay off with commissions soon!) I enjoy it so much.  The agents are great and very nice.  My Brokers are easy to work with and very understanding of my need to be home sometimes. 

Now, the plan is to find other offices that will let me do the same for them.  I'd like to have computers in many offices with Skype on them so I can "be available" to help agents all over Utah.  Then I'd like to expand to other States and have Licensed Assistants, Transaction Managers, and Office Managers working virtually from home.

Mom's need to be home.  Since I had to go back to work after my divorce I've been trying to find a way to be home.  Then when I met and married the most wonderful man in the world I've been trying to find a way to have the best of both worlds and be home while working.  The best way
to start a business is to have an excellent support system.  I have that now and I'm raring to go!

Yesterday I met with a mentor at the Women's Business Center and I'm totally excited!  She loved my ideas and gave me tons of advice and information on how to make it work and how to get a loan.  For the next two weeks I'll be working on my Business Plan.  Ug!  I need to get a loan so I can get a new computer, scanner/copier/fax, build out the office, and do some marketing.  Would be nice if I could somehow make this thing work so I could hire an accountant, legal advisor, IT person, and Web person!  Wish me luck!

The ultimate goal of LeapFrog Creations?  To have a Virtual Assistant network across the nation, to help other people achieve the goal of owning their own business, and to have a commercial space here with several different types of offices for individual businesses.  LeapFrogVA is only the first of many businesses under the umbrella of LeapFrog Creations!  Onward and Upward!! 

Creativity

I want to write a novel.  I have an awesome idea for one, but I am not a writer.  I want to be, just like everyone else in the world.  How cool would it be to write a novel and have everyone read it and enjoy the story as much as you did when you created it? 

One of my favorite authors is Clair Poulson.  He is amazing!  I wish he would write my story for me.  I could give him the entire outline from start to finish and he could put it all the dialog and stuff that makes in more enjoyable to read.

Maybe this writing in the blog will get my creative juices flowing and I'll start to write again.  I have written a short story...see tabs above.  Would love to know what you think.

New Life

I heard that all very successfull people keep a journal.  Considering I usually only have time to write at weird times and places I figure I'll keep it online and use this blog for that purpose.  Again, I will only put up the good stuff or twist around the bad stuff to make it sound good.  So, if anyone wants to read this for sinister purposes...too bad!

So I had to shut the blog down because there are some not so nice people out there who were using my blog against me if you can believe it.  Be careful what you write!  In court it was actually printed and brought to show that my life wasn't so bad.  Really?  Single mom, 5 kids, no money...yep...easy life right?  Turns out that since I didn't write all the bad stuff they tried to make it out that I was doing pretty good.  Well, I've got news for everyone out there...I don't air my dirty laundry on my blog.  I use it for the good times and good things in life.  I use it as a positive way to get through each day.  So, you will only see the good stuff on my blog.  Or at least a positive twist on my life and that of my amazing children.  If you want the dirt...go somewhere else!

Luv

In my life there have been several "pet" names people have called me by.  Some good...some not so good.  This last week someone started calling me by my most favorite of all the "pet" names.  LUV!  Isn't that just the best thing anyone could call you...especially when you have some pretty strong feelings for that person?  I think the name AND the person are pretty terrific!

Today...

I don't know about the rest of you...

but today was a very good day! 

Let's keep the smile on for a change!

Looking Back

I was just looking around and re-reading some of my earlier posts.  Mostly in May 2010.  Boy!  How did I ever keep my chin up during those hard times?  Things were really bad, but I seemed to be doing OK with keeping things light.  Back in the day... I used to come up with fun and completely random things to write about.  I guess I did have more time on my hands.

Now that I'm working I feel disconnected from the artistic side of me a little.  The random thoughts now aren't about silly things anymore. I am happy though.  That's what counts!  I'm working, have a place that I can call "mine" (if you can call a rental home yours), I have a vehicle that works well and gets great gas mileage, and I get to spend some time with the kids now that I have after school help.

Sometimes I think it would be fun to be a stay at home mom again.  Like when I actually let myself see how far behind I am with the house cleaning, laundry, and those kind of things.  Or when I think of all the things I don't get to do like reading, playing my flute...  But a huge part of me likes working.  I have to admit I think I have missed it while I was home the last 10 years.  I started feeling like a different person staying home.  I like who I am while I'm working. 

It could be because I'm on my own again since the divorce, but I think it is partly because I'm working.  I feel more grown up.  More in control.  More me.  I would love to work part-time I think.  I could get the best of both worlds that way.  However, I need the full-time income...so I work full-time.

I am happy with were my life is at this moment.  Would I like a few things to be different?  Of course!  But for now, I'm content.