If you’ve listened to any of the podcasts where I’m interviewed about our company and the VA industry at large, you’ve likely heard me answer the question, “So, how did Athena come to be?” And then I tell the tale. In the tale you learn that the first two people on payroll once we were officially incorporated were Dorian and Alison.
A couple years ago, Dorian was hired away by a client of ours and now the same ending has happened for Alison. In our client Master Service Agreement there is a Conversion Clause, which explains how a client can hire their contract EA as a full-time employee of their own company if they like (and if the EA would like). This has happened four times so far.
As I share here about Alison, you will learn new facets about our firm and the way we work. Meanwhile I couldn’t acknowledge and appreciate her enough!
Over the last almost-six years, Alison has served
over 10 clients. They have included an attorney, a sales manager, a business coach, a website and brand designer, a CPA firm, a financial advisor, a couple of CEOs of small companies, a couple of executive directors of non-profits, and some others that I’m sure I can’t recall.
Sometimes prospective clients come to us simply looking for a Virtual Assistant (VA). They are shopping the VA industry. Some business owners come to us specifically because they have heard about the caliber of our services, and they are now in search of that (usually after another VA hasn’t worked out for them). Often times an executive comes to us because they have been interacting with one of our EAs who works for someone they do business with. They see this other professional and how they have an executive assistant making their business really hum. So, they come to us and say, “I need one of those!”
Finally, other people come to us and say, “I love what Alison provides for Matthew. Could she come work for me also?” They want that exact person. We usually have to say no, and then they say, “Do you have someone like her?” And why yes, we do!
And . . . that is our business for the last nearly-six years . . . finding another Alison and another Alison.
I’m proud of what people get to accomplish in their personal life and in other areas of life that are important to them while they are a part of our team. We know that if people are thriving in their personal life, then they will be a much stronger support for a swamped and successful executive.
Some fun facts about Ali’s life in her time with us:
• She continued to be a successful photographer while working with us. Over the years she raised her rates and started taking only the specific jobs she wanted. She started making more money for less work.
• Her son just turned 8. He was 2 when she started with us! So hard to believe! She was thrilled to be able to afford private school for him ever since pre-kindergarten.
• She separated from her son’s father and went on to create a really great co-parenting relationship with him. They are inspiring co-parents.
• She bought her first ever “brand new” car.
• She took nicer and longer vacations and went to a lot of great concerts.
Ali told me recently, “G, what I got was to be able to live a comfortable lifestyle on a single income.”
Needless to say I’ve been honored and privileged to have Ali on this team and to be someone whose performance as an EA was so strong that it was a large contribution to building the size and reputation of our firm.
