It was 12 years ago that I made the leap from full-time corporate employment to launching my own business as a virtual assistant. I created a plan for how to make the transition, and worked on it for the next nine months. In January 2005, I launched my own company as a virtual assistant. Three years later, things began to shift in my business. I found myself training more and more permanent part-time or full-time hires for my clients as they grew and needed a support person in their offices. I loved supporting my clients administratively, but I loved training their new assistants even more! That’s when I started formulating a plan for All Things Admin. Remaining flexible and open to new opportunities and possibilities has been key to my career success. Being willing to go through the uncomfortable stages of navigating each opportunity, and pushing myself to take consistent, daily action makes a huge difference. Creating my own innovation lab of team members, advisors, coaches, and mentors to support me has been my lifeline. 
It’s been five years since I published my first book, The Innovative Admin. Taking a book idea from concept to completion was an exercise in navigating the innovation mindset model curve. It was one of the most challenging experiences of my career. But it has also been one of the most rewarding. This month, as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the publication of The Innovative Admin, we’ll be highlighting some of the ways you can innovate your job and career, too! This week is Flexible Work Arrangement Week. And while it’s not something we usually celebrate, it is a great time to consider some atypical work opportunities for administrative professionals. This week, we’re sharing some of these options on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. I’m often asked how I got started as a virtual assistant, so this week’s feature article highlights five tips that I learned through my experience. They worked for me – and they can work for you, too! Supporting your administrative success,
Julie
P.S. Get a sneak peek at how The Innovative Admin can boost your career! Click here to read an excerpt!
