By their very nature, sole proprietors, small-business owners and independent service professionals do it all — from soup to nuts. Not only do they work hard at servicing their clients and customers, but they are also chief operating officer, marketing director, creative team, sales manager and janitor. Eventually, these folks simply can’t do it all … at least not alone. Service and productivity begin to slip, growth is slowed, projects are relegated to the back burner and they’ve forgotten what life is like outside the office. They need what everyone eventually needs…

An assistant.

Partnering with a virtual assistant (VA) has become an invaluable solution for many soloists, small-business owners, and small teams of people in a larger corporate offices to get the support they need without the cost or commitment of a permanent, on-site employee. Virtual assistants are just that – they are executive/administrative/marketing/communications assistants who work virtually, which simply means they work from their own offices using their own tools and resources to provide the support their clients need.

Just about any professional can utilize the services of a VA. By handing over your supplementary, to-do list tasks to another professional, you free up your valuable time and resources to focus on more important (and revenue-generating!) priorities.

The key to working with a VA is simple – communication. By being clear about what you need, you can leave the rest to your VA while you focus on realizing the full potential of your business. Need a stack of business cards turned into a spreadsheet? Done. Need help planning a big meeting or event? Done. Need someone to design a postcard, find a printer, and get your mailer distributed … all within budget? Done, done, and done.

VAs, in turn, provide progress reports, ask questions and take initiative to get the job done. When you contract a VA, you aren’t just getting an assistant, you’re getting that assistant’s entire database of contacts and resources. Additionally, today’s technology allows for real-time (and easy-to-use) communication and information transfer, so your VA is only a phone call or click away.

The fees for a VA can vary, and depend heavily on the services the VA firm offers and the market it services, however fees generally range from $25-$60 an hour. Some charge per project, while others are on a flat hourly rate. It’s common to find discounted rates if you have a retainer arrangement per week or month, which most VAs offer.

Compared with the real cost of hiring an employee (salary, benefits, taxes, legal requirements, unproductive time, professional development, training, space, overhead etc.), having a VA on your team for a few hours a week may be exactly what you need to take your business to the next level. In fact, most small-business owners can’t afford not to have an assistant if they plan to continue growing.

The Commonsense Virtual Assistant

Sue L Canfield recently released her book, The Commonsense Virtual Assistant – Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee. Today, she’s stopped by our blog.

We’re especially excited to see this book published because tips and quotes from Rescue Desk are featured on a few of the pages throughout the book

Why did you write this book?
My husband, Joel D Canfield, and I co-authored the book to help newer and aspiring virtual assistants understand what it takes to run a successful business. Over the last two years, I found that many newer and aspiring virtual assistants were asking for and following my advice on how to run their business. Though they had the skills to be a virtual assistant, many had no idea how to run a business, write a business or marketing plan, how to market, and other basic business skills. Since my husband had already written a book for small business owners on how to be the best foundation for their business, we decided to add to the material and focus on the virtual assistant industry in our new book.

Tell me about yourself
I’ve worked as an administrative assistant for over 25 years and began my virtual assistant business in 2005 before I even knew there was such a thing. This past year I added virtual assistant coaching to my services to help newer virtual assistants succeed in their businesses. My husband and I work together from home along with our five-year old daughter in Roseville, California.

What qualifies you to write this book?
Joel and I have more than 50 years of combined experience supporting and operating small businesses. My success as a virtual assistant is in large part due to the advice I received from Joel. Our success in our businesses provides testimony to our qualifications.

What is the book about?
The book helps virtual assistants to understand that they are now business owners, entrepreneurs, no longer employees. Successful business owners need good business sense and a good understanding of what it takes to run a successful business. The book provides basic, commonsense information every entrepreneur needs to know along with advice specific to virtual assistants.

What do you want the readers to get out of the book?
The most important concept I would like my readers to understand is that they are now business owners and what that means. After reading the book, readers will have a clear understanding of how to set rates, manage their time, and market their business.

How can the readers contact you if they want further information?
Joel and I can be reached toll-free at 877.771.7746 or by email at Contact@BizBa6.com. They can also visit our website at http://www.bizba6.com.

How much does your book cost?
$19.95.

Where can the readers purchase your e-book?
They can visit our website at www.bizba6.com.

Sue, thank you for stopping by!
You are very welcome. Thank you for having me.

About the Authors:

Sue Canfield

Joel and Sue have more than 50 years of combined experience supporting and operating small businesses. They operate BizBa6 Small Business Support Services and love not only their work but the life it allows them to live. This book (Joel’s third business book, Sue’s first) shares how they think about business–it’s a ‘why to’, not a ‘how-to’ because it focuses on how people think and what they want–not just your clients, but you, too.

 Book Summary:
So, you want to be a virtual assistant. The virtual assistant industry is growing rapidly. Just about anyone can say they are a virtual assistant. You have a computer, internet access, and the desire to work from home. Voila! You’re a virtual assistant. But is that enough to succeed as a virtual assistant? Do you have what it takes to run a business? Yes, a virtual assistant is a business owner. Successful business owners need to have good business sense. As a business owner, you, the virtual assistant, need to understand what it takes to run a business. Pick up your copy for $19.95 at http://www.bizba6.com.

Jessica operates a busy Virtual Assistance practice from her home office in Madison, WI. Additionally, Jessica has taught a class at the University of Wisconsin through the Minicourse department called Exploring A Career As A Virtual Assistant since early 2009. The class has had great response based on the ever-growing interest in the Virtual Assistance industry and the current job market conditions that have people exploring their career options more vigorously than ever before. Jessica wrote the book so that people beyond driving distance to the university can learn much of the same information she shares from the comfort and convenience of their own home. After all, this is a book about working virtually, so sharing the information offsite is a natural fit! You can read a free sample from the book by clicking here.

As part of this tour stop, Jessica is available to us today to answer your burning questions about the Virtual Assistance industry! Post your question by leaving a Comment below. Jessica will respond in the Comments section so be sure to check back!

To celebrate the book’s launch, Jessica has a few goodies to offer us. The first is a 20% discount off the purchase of the book. Simply use the promo code THANKYOU during check out.

The second is that one lucky reader will receive a free copy of the eBook version of the book! To be eligible to win, you simply need to post a question about Virtual Assistance in the comments section of this post. The winner will be chosen at random and announced here in a couple of days.

The book is currently available for immediate download via an eBook format and in hard copy. To purchase the book, click here.

Then we talk numbers.

I have this handy little chart I’ve started sharing with potential clients. It’s pretty elementary, but does a good job of easily outlining where they’re leaving money on the table by not getting the support they need for their growing businesses.

This is especially easy to determine if I’m working with coaches, consultants, speakers and other billable-hour business models.

If your time is worth $75/hour, and you spend 4 hours a week on non-revenue-generating tasks, you’re giving up potentially $300 a week in billable hours…or $1200 a month … or $14,400 a year. You’ll never bill for those hours because, unfortunately, nobody will ever pay you for those tasks or the time you spend on them.

If your time is worth $100/hour, and you spend 4 hours a week on non-revenue-generating tasks, you’re giving up $400 a week … or $1,600 a month … or $19,200 a year!

Now…

Say you had a virtual assistant for $35 an hour to tackle those 4 hours of non-revenue generating tasks every week (or, for simplicity, 16 hours a month).  Your VA sends you an invoice for $560 at the end of the month.

If your time is worth $75 an hour, and you just gained back 16 hours of billable time in a month, you’ve just earned $640 in potential revenue after paying your VA.

That $640 per month … or $7700 a year …. will remain out of reach until you have help because you’ll continue doing it all yourself. Nobody will ever pay you for that time or those tasks.

If your time is worth $100 an hour, you’re leaving more than $1000 on the table each month; more than $12,000 each year.

Business owners need to spend their time growing their business, generating revenue and focusing on their clients — not implementing their marketing touchpoints, maintaining their social media, sending follow-up packets, or handling other systems-based tasks. They need a team member who understands the ins and outs of small business, is a qualified sounding board for brainstorming and ideas, and who understands the goals that are trying to be acheived.

By investing in the partnership with a virtual assistant, these clients are investing in themselves and the growth of their businesses.

She had some challenges while setting up her business – her mother insisted on “helping”, her ex-husband gave her grief about quitting her job – but she persevered and now has a successful Virtual Assistance business. She has created a series of e-books (The Adventures of Vanessa Andruz) which chronicle her VA journey – ex-husband and all.

Rachel:  It’s good to see you again, Vanessa.
Vanessa:  Hi, Rachel! It’s nice of you to take a few minutes out of your busy day to chat with me.

R:  It’s my pleasure. Since I worked with you on these e-books…
V:  And what a wonderful job you did! I know Melodee wouldn’t have gotten these first three e-books done without the critical research you provided. And I know my readers will be thrilled with all the resource links that you found for the end of each e-book.

R:  Thank you. I’m glad I could help. Would you like to tell my readers why you decided to create your e-books?
V:  Of course! When I was thinking of becoming a Virtual Assistant, I researched everything – what kind of business structure was best for me, how to set up my home office, how to determine my rates, the best ways to market my business, getting over my fear of networking, and how to blog. It was quite a lot of work to gather all of that information!

That’s why I’ve created The Adventures of Vanessa Andruz, Virtual Assistant series. It’s a way to make the transition to Virtual Assistant easier and faster for others.

R:  I know you had some help with the writing of the e-books…
V:  Yes, I did. My writing partner and long-time friend, Melodee Patterson of Short-term Solutions did help me with the actual writing of the e-books. So far, we’ve released the first three e-books and we’re working hard on the rest.

R:  So there are currently three e-books?
V:  Yes. The first one, Vanessa Has a Dream, is free to download. It describes how I left my job and decided to become a Virtual Assistant. It’s an unbelievable story, but I swear my adventures are as real as I am.

In the second e-book, Vanessa Becomes a Virtual Assistant, I discovered my company name – with a little help from the Universe, created a business plan template, and decided on a business structure. And the business plan template is downloadable.

The third e-book, Vanessa Sets Up Her Home Office, is full of practical advice on choosing the right office equipment and supplies for your own VA business. There are research notes about computers, fax machines, scanners, ways to access the internet, and lots of other good stuff.

If a prospective VA follows me through the entire series, they’ll have a completed business plan for their own business!

R:  Where can my readers download your e-books?
V:  They can go to the E-books page of my current website.

R:  How can they contact you if they have any questions?
V:  They can email me and I’m also on Facebook.

R:  I know the series is about more than just becoming a Virtual Assistant.
V:  Oh, Lordy – yes. I thought I’d make the series more interesting by talking about other things that were going on in my life when I set up my business. Like my new-age, aura-reading mother, and my golf-crazy father. I can’t forget my best friend Marci – she’s a sweetie. I would like to forget my ex-husband Mark, though!

R:  Yes, they’re a bunch of characters, all right. You’re a real character yourself, Vanessa.
V:  (giggles) Yes, I really am a “character.” But I don’t believe you have to be a real person in order to create helpful and fun e-books, do you?

 R:  Of course not. I don’t discriminate against anyone – certainly not fictional characters.
V:  Well, you’re a very open-minded person. I appreciate that.

R:  Well, Vanessa, it’s been fun seeing you again and talking about your e-books.
V:  Thanks, Rachel. And thank you for all your help. I appreciate that, also.

Vanessa Andruz is the owner of Andruz Business Solutions LLC. She was an Executive Assistant for many years, but after turning 50, she became tired of corporate politics and decided it was time for a change. After researching different career moves, she found her calling and became a Virtual Assistant. She had some challenges while setting up her business – her mother insisted on “helping,” her ex-husband gave her grief about quitting her job – but she persevered and now has a successful Virtual Assistance business.

With the help of Melodee Patterson of Short-term Solutions, and the resource links and research that I provided, she has created a series of e-books (The Adventures of Vanessa Andruz, Virtual Assistant) which chronicle her VA journey – ex-husband and all. The series provides timely information on discovering your company name, setting up your home office, determining your services and rates, becoming a marketing maven, and much, much more. 

I’ve gotten to know Vanessa well, so if you’re thinking of joining the fast-growing Virtual Assistance industry or any home-based business, you won’t want to miss this interview!

Like a lot of business decisions, though, it’s very much a Catch-22.

Yes, you fully understand the importance of maintaining a strong presence in your industry, cranking out marketing messages, and continuing to earn (and exceed) the trust and confidence your customers have in you. You’re up to your eyeballs in ideas about expanding your business, whether it be through marketing, growing your team, or reevaluating your overall business model.

On the other hand, you’re feeling the pinch, too. You have the plans, but you don’t have the resources to pull it off. You may be running a bare-bones crew, and their top priority is servicing your customers. While they may be a well-oiled machine, they don’t have the time to tackle extra initiatives without compromising a little customer service. And that, as we all know, isn’t a compromise worth making.

This is where the virtual assistant industry is filling in the gaps. VAs make it their business to get clients through challenging times, which is precisely how we’ll save the world.

1. Marketing
You may heed experts’ advice and increase your marketing initiatives. Maybe set up that blog, redesign some of your collateral, start an article-marketing campaign, or up your direct-mail efforts. Who’s going to take care of that? You don’t have the resources to hire someone, you don’t have the time to train, or you aren’t sure you WANT the commitment of an employee. You just want someone to take care of these projects. Period.  Enter a professional virtual assistant.

2. Money saving
Any cursory research on virtual assistance explains how it’s a cost-effective alternative — either interim or permanent — for any business. Yes, you may pay a higher hourly or project rate than someone you may hire, but anyone with a lick of business sense knows it’s less expensive and higher-quality in the not-so-long run.  No taxes, no benefits, no space, no equipment, no unproductive time. Instead you get a highly qualified, business savvy, creative assistant with resources out the wazoo to help you succeed.

3. Going green
In addition to being the saving grace for growing small businesses, we’ll save the planet while we’re at it. You get all the benefits of a highly trained, highly skilled, committed-to-your-success assistant without the carbon footprint. We’re not commuting to your office every day, we’re using digital tools instead of printer paper to communicate and share files, we recycle our systems and turn them into energy-efficient (meaning we’re saving your energy!) processes for our clients, and we reduce wasted time by only working when you need it. Of course, like any conscientious small-business owner, almost all VAs are smart about their own recycling and energy useage.

4. A virtual business model to put your best face forward
A trend that is taking hold in the world of growing small businesses is the development of the virtual business model … where almost the entire team is comprised of outside contractors. By partnering with vendors such as virtual assistants, outsiders looking in will see a well-oiled team behind your logo. Clients get stellar customer service, prospects are marketed to like larger organizations, and your business reacts to market conditions quickly and seamlessly to meet the changing needs of your clients.   All this, even if the reality is you’re working from your home office, your VA is working from her office,  your bookkeeper working from his office, your outsourced sales people working from their offices….

5.  Setting you up for success during the upturn
Most of the business experts agree … now is the time to position yourself for the economic upswing. While it may not feel like it today, the uptick will come – history has proven that it always has. So, investing in a virtual assistant will help you get your business lined up for the ride. By letting someone else worry about the day-to-day details of your business, you can focus on longer-term goals and projects that will position you for success in the not-so-distant future. If you don’t take the time now to explore new and innovative ways to continue differentiating yourself and growing your business, you’ll be sorely behind the curve when the economy starts sweeping upwards.

The feeling I might … just might … be leaning far enough forward that there’s a chance I may tip over.

Rescue Desk has been progressing beautifully since its launch more than a year ago, and I couldn’t be more pleased. The plan has always been to continue growing … growing the types of services, growing my firm’s footprint in the local community, growing the Rescue Desk team, growing in my role as entrepreneur. All are on track to … well … grow.

These goals aren’t anything new. I’m not the first business owner with lofty goals, and I certainly won’t be the last.

For my VA firm to expand, my plan has always been to eventually pack up shop and move headquarters from my home office into the local business community – a la Microsoft moving out of Bill Gate’s garage, or Google moving out of the founders’ dorm rooms.

I had visions of moving into a funky little artist studio that would be the hub of my practice. A place where my VA team would virtually gather for teleconferences and Webinars;  a place where my clients  could see where their assistant takes care of their business; a place that gives a public personality to my scrappy little company; a place that would be the perfect stepping stone to the next logical step … an even larger funky artist studio.

So, I started digging into finding that artsy-fartsy little space that would personify Rescue Desk.  I chatted with local business-owner friends with similar service-based business models, I weighed the pros and cons about the timing of this decision, and I picked the brains of the commercial-office agents in my networking groups. I made appointments to see some little spaces around town.

One of the very first places I poked my head into was “it.”

It was little rough around the edges, as was to be expected from the spaces in an old converted warehouse.  But I didn’t have to think very hard to envision the paint color, the art on the wall, the feng-shui-placed furniture,  and where my dog would spend her days. Gigantic skylights let in more light than I’d know what to do with, the old-school track lighting was reminiscent of an old art gallery, and the hardwood floors were worn down by (what I like to think) were a long line of creative types like me.

Two weeks ago, I moved in.

A year ago if you would’ve told me my  firm would be the proud leasee on commercial office space, I never would’ve believed it. So, once again I was reminded of an important lesson — never, ever, ever assume you know which direction your business — or your life — will take you.

It’s vital to keep learning forward. It’s not always comfortable … hell, most of the time it’s downright scary. But the payoff is looking back at what you’ve leaned into and thinking “Remember how I felt when (insert risky move here)… ” and the moment of pride that comes when you recognize your accomplishment.

The funky little 400 square feet of inner warehouse that has my name on the door is what I’m leaning into… for now, anyway. Knowing what I know about leaning forward, I can’t wait to look back on my next moving day (into the aforementioned bigger, funkier studio) and think “Remember that first, tiny little space where Rescue Desk was headquartered?”

All in all, my kind of event.

One of the sessions I attended was a speech by a communications expert at the local university. The topic was on information overload in the digital age. It qualified as an appropriate topic in the World of Me, especially given the number of emails I get in a day, how often my PDA buzzes with appointment reminders, and the hours I spend hammering on my keyboard.

The underlying theme of the session was the importance of time management, and I was surprised to learn what, in fact, was the biggest culprit that sucked my time into the pit of unproductiveness.

Multitasking.

What?! That doesn’t make any sense! That’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s being able to do more than one thing  at a time that makes me not only exceptionally good in my role as a business owner,  but it makes me a flippin’ WOMAN, for cryin’ out loud.

I can pair non-vital tasks with vital tasks any day and twice on Sunday. Stuff envelopes and talk on the phone? Piece’a cake. Send emails while waiting on hold? Second nature. Walk and chew gum? It’s the only way I’ll chew gum.

As the presenter was talking, I busted out my Blackberry and Twittered this very question about multitasking into the Twitterverse.

Bringing my brain back around to the presentation, I started jotting notes from the speaker’s slides about the nuances of time-management.

Just then my phone vibrated on my hip with an email reply from a prospective client. Next day’s appointment was confirmed.

“Great! See you then!” I thumb-punched onto my QWERTY board.

When I looked up, the presenter was asking us to take a quick test to prove her theory. We had to write “Multitasking is the least efficient way to get things done.” But, with every letter of the sentence, we had to write a corresponding number below it. So, I dutifully pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote “M” then “1” below it; then “U” then “2” below it….

“Hmmm,” I caught myself thinking. “I wonder if I should send an informational sheet to my contact before our meeting tomorrow.”

Just a quick text should do the trick.  “Will send info sheet before end of day!”

“L” … “3” … “T”…”4”

Just then the phone lit up like a light bulb on my lap.

Lookit that! Someone re-tweeted my tweet about multitasking from earlier!

“I”….”5”….”T”….”6” ….

This was easy, I thought. I had NO PROBLEM bouncing my brain back and forth from letters to numbers, emails to text messages. In fact, I found my groove and started to get a little faster (and maybe a wee bit cocky) about it.

“A” “7”…”S”8”…“K” “9”…

(Text message: “Thanks for email! In seminar … will ring u later!”)

“I” “10”..“N” “11” .. “G” “12”…

(Note written in notebook:  “Call Em about dogsitting.”)

“I” “13”… “S” “14” …  “T” “15” …

About a minute into the exercise, the presenter piped up. “OK, stop!”

No sweat. I totally had this exercise nailed! Who says you can’t multitask effectively?!? My brain slides back and forth like a well-oiled MACHINE!

 “OK,” she said. “Now write the phrase ‘Multitasking is the least effective way to get things done.’ Then, when you’re done writing that sentence, write out ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, et cetra.’”

Of course it took a fraction of the time when I wrote the sentence, then the numbers…basically doing only one thing at a time, instead of two. And effectively proving that multitasking can, in fact, be the biggest culprit that sucks my time into the pit of unproductiveness.

I’m still guilty of multitasking, but thanks to the five-minute lesson I learned between text messages and emails that afternoon, I’ve started slowing down once in awhile and recognizing that it can be more productive do only one thing at a time.

It’s OK to sit quietly and meditate for a few minutes while the computer boots up, instead of frantically making notes on my to-do list. It’s OK to respond to emails at certain times of the day, instead of punctuating everything on my to-do list with a reply to someone. It’s OK to schedule a meeting-free day every week to focus entirely on office work, instead of zipping around town and trying to squeeze in paperwork between get-togethers and coffee dates.

It may seem wildly counter-intuitive to do one thing at a time in order to be more productive, but trust me. Sometimes you just need to sit down to chew your gum.

But, I don’t think of myself as a virtual assistant. Virtual assistance is simply the service I provide. Don’t get me wrong – I provide this service extremely well and I’m beyond proud that my clients rely on my extensive skill set. In fact, I can’t think of a better, more useful service I could offer. But, “virtual assistant” is not how I define my professional self.

I’m a business owner.

Every day I skim headlines in my Google reader and zero in on my favorite industry keywords, and I often bump into blog posts and articles about how to become a VA. I also get calls and emails from people thinking about becoming a VA, wondering if I have words of advice. It’s fantastic to see the interest in the industry, and is yet another reason I’m a proud member of the virtual-assistant ranks.

But, if I read one more article that focuses on the “home-based” part, or that it’s a great “part time” work, or advises would-be VAs that all they need is “an Internet connection, organizational skills, and MS Office,” I think I’ll hurl.

It’s true a majority of virtual assistants work out of a home office, but so what? With the exception of one time last April when I had the flu, I personally have yet to have a “part time” week.  An Internet connection, Microsoft, and a list of services are only the tippy-top of a very large ice berg.

I fear there are aspiring VAs out there who think all that’s needed are a computer, the Web, and a basic formula and money will rain down from heaven. I’m afraid it’s not that simple. What do a successful restaurant, a growing law practice, a flourishing ad agency, an award-winning Web design firm, and a thriving VA practice all have in common? Good business sense.

VAs are business owners like any other. It’s irrelevant if we work out of a home office or a corner office or if we have three clients or 50 clients. You can take all the classes you want in software programs and skill development, but you won’t get far if you don’t incorporate the ins and outs of running a business.

Successful VA practices have business plans and mission statements, scour P&L statements and balance sheets, determine rates and revenue goals, hire attorneys and business coaches, set action plans and branding strategies, follow industry standards and codes of ethics, collaborate and compete for market share…and on, and on, and on.  

For those of you looking to launch a VA practice (or any business, for that matter!), spend as much time delving into business development as you do learning technology and perfecting your service offerings. To get your juices flowing, here are a few topics that always need tackling:

Business planning
Long before you hang your virtual shingle, have a business plan. This is a living, breathing, growing document that spells out your mission, vision, niche, brand, pricing strategy, service offerings, sales projections, operational plan, marketing strategy, disaster recovery, expenses, capital and much, much more. Skip this step and it’s like jumping into the ocean without a life jacket. You may stay afloat for a while, but eventually you’ll sink.

A team of professionals
I once worked for a highly successful entrepreneur who told me to always hire people smarter than myself. It doesn’t mean your team needs to include employees and managers. Who’s your insurance agent? Can you tackle tax time without an accountant? What about an attorney? When will you need a business coach? Find these people and develop relationships with them.

Know your numbers
How many leads are converted to clients? What do your profit and loss statement and balance sheet tell you? What percentage of your time is on administrative work versus client work? How much does each new client cost in marketing and operational dollars? It’s impossible to make good business decisions without knowing the numbers.

Plans, goals, and milestones
What’s the big-picture vision you have for your business? What’s your strategy for getting there? What milestones need to be reached? When will you hit each goal? Put finger-to-keyboard and map out the what, how and when of your business.

Before you wake up one morning and decide to “make money online,” as some of the articles I read boast … stop, think, plan. Make an appointment with your local SCORE office; research the fantastic VA-focused business training that’s available; attend workshops and seminars on financial literacy; unload the library of its marketing books; subscribe to blogs, magazines and newsletters about operating a small business. This part of your professional development is ongoing – it’s vital these things are alongside learning the latest collaboration tools or ensuring your equipment is up to par.

Owning and running a business is not for the faint of heart. But with dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm it will be one of the most rewarding adventures you’ll ever undertake.