Susie Motter

In the many years that I have been working virtually as a virtual assistant, I have had the opportunity to work with many organizations, various other virtual assistants, and have found that there is one thing that can make a good VA into a extraordinary VA, and that is the 3 I’s.

Intuitiveness, Inquisitiveness, and Ingenuity

Intuitiveness - the ability to allow your intuition to guide you through the process of finding answers.  With so many programs available to us via the internet, and so many different ways to accomplish the same thing, allowing your intuition to guide you to find the best solution to a problem is a key.

Inquisitiveness - the innate desire to learn more and discovery the answers.  Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it makes for a GREAT virtual  assistant.  Research and discovery lead to efficiency, and the desire to find those new and improved ways of doing things will set a virtual assistant apart from his/her peers.

Ingenuity - the ability to step outside of the box and develop answers that haven’t been discovered before.  Just because no one else has done it before doesn’t mean it can’t be done.  That’s how the internet came to be in the first place.  When an answer can’t be found, it doesn’t mean it can’t be created!  If a Virtual Assistant has the gumption to follow through with a new idea, they will set a new standard for others.

We’re raising the bar for Virtual Assistants across the internet.  It’s not enough to be able to work a computer.  It’s not enough to be able to check your email and communicate with customers.  As the internet world expands and evolves, Virtual Assistants are required to stay ahead of the curve.

If you’re a small business owner looking for a virtual assistant, allow your VA the flexibility to spread their wings and raise that bar for themselves.  You’ll benefit from it tremendously.

If you’re a Virtual Assistant discovering the beauty of working at home, don’t be afraid to take risks or suggest new policies or procedures.  You’ll set the standards for yourself, and possibly make your job even easier.

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

I often wonder what it is that holds me back. I often claim that I suffer from “Analysis Paralysis” - which is a condition that causes me to over-analyze absolutely everything to the point that I don’t take action.

I was on a call last night with Kevin Hogan and JP Micek and realized - it’s not that I over-analyze, it’s just that I don’t have the right mindset to accomplish my goals.

This is about to change…

It never fails to amaze me when I suddenly find myself on a different path than I had originally thought I was on.  It’s almost like being too focused on where your feet are going to notice that you took the fork that you hadn’t intended on.  By the time you look up you realize the everything is different - not wrong, just not exactly what you had planned.

I had my eye-opening moment over the weekend while my husband and I were out for our once-a-month date night.  Here we were in the middle of a noisy bar having the type of conversation that we had never really embraced before.  I was actually sharing my work with him.

Work is not something I generally share with others.  To say that I work at home on the internet automatically put me in a position of either defending myself or allowing the self-doubt to come in.  I didn’t realize until this moment that I have been holding myself back.

I allowed myself to see my work as "play" or "unreal" in some ways because it’s different.  I allowed myself to believe that I’m unsuccessful because I’m not supporting my family purely on my income.  I let the self-doubt guide me down the most familiar paths rather than stretching the limits and exploring the unknown.

The unknown brought about the voices that whispered, "You can’t do that," or "you’re not qualified for that," and even "If you aren’t making 6 figures, you aren’t successful."

But this conversation brought to light just how far I’ve come.  I am successful!  I may not be making 6-figures, but I don’t measure success that way.  I am successful because I am doing what I WANT to do!  I have the choice!  I am not a slave to a time-clock, I am not a slave to my income, I LOVE what I do, and most importantly of all, I am free to spend time with my family and I don’t have the stress involved with choosing between my kids and my job. 

I have looked up from the footholds in front of my feet and I see clearly a new direction in which my life, my career is going.  I feel a drive in me that hasn’t been there for a long time - not since that day many years ago when I posted a bid for a PowerPoint Presentation on eLance.  It’s an exciting moment for me to have this clarity, and I just can’t help but wonder, where do the possibilities end?

What guides your path?  Are you set on a path of self-doubt, or have you found that self-confidence is spurring you forward?

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

We all have dreams of a better life.  Whether it's living a millionaire lifestyle, getting your kids through college, or just being able to quit that 9-5 job that has you tied down.

I have dreams too, but as I've learned through the years, dreams are only dreams until you put a plan into action.  Until you actually set goals for yourself and strive to meet and exceed those goals, your dreams will never become a reality.

I have spent the better part of 2 weeks putting together an action plan.  I have very diverse interests, and I also have the personality type where I need a lot going on.  This may create chaos for some, and occasionally will drive me crazy, but having a variety of various projects to focus on will help me keep my interest.  With an action plan in place, I'll be able to pursue my goals - and make my dreams a reality.

And what better way to make them a reality than to visualize the first step.

Building a log house from the ground up on our property is one of the dreams my husband and I share.  This is the BIG GOAL that I will pursue.

My primary focus will be coaching on the use and implementation of Blog i360™, but I also know that my experience within the system has been "play" - come Monday I'll be putting that experience and the system to work.  You'll start to see the plans and actions and the results as time progresses, as I plan on sharing this here, and I'll unveil the details of those plans next week.

In the meantime, what are your goals?  Share them below, we'll help you stay on track!

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

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My son was 9 months old in April 2003.  I was starting to feel a little anxious about whether or not I'd have to go back to work.  I didn't really want to, but events in my "previous life" had taught me that eventually I wouldn't have a choice - it would be demanded of me.  Granted, this was a whole new life for me, and the anxiety I was feeling was very misplaced (but that's hindsight.)

I decided I would be proactive.  I knew I was in an ideal situation being at home with my children, and I didn't want to lose that.  I took to the internet to see what I could find.  I knew there were opportunities there, it was just a matter of finding them.  I wasn't looking for a "get-rich-quick" scheme.  I had already fallen for those (and would do so again), but I was looking for something real!

Working as an administrative assistant for years had developed my computer skills, so I knew there had to be a way that I could use those skills working online.  It was just a matter of finding the right path.

I soon discovered a little site called eLance.com.  What an extraordinary place!  There were job postings for almost anything I could imagine.  I scanned their posts on an almost daily basis - then I saw THE job!  It was an ad to create a Power Point presentation.  The only drawback was that the only way I could bid on the job was to cough up the membership fee of $200.  How would I explain that to my husband?

But I thought about it long and hard and the more I thought, the more I realized that job was meant for me.  AND, it would more than reimburse the membership fee, and I would still have the rest of the quarter to make enough to cover the next quarter's membership fee.

When Jerry got home, I told him about it, and to my surprise his response was "Go for it!"

So I did.  I paid my membership feel of $200, and bid on the job for $250.  I got the job, I got paid, and got a rave review!

The work started coming in.  I was in there on a daily basis bidding on various jobs.  Sometimes the competition forced me to under bid projects, but it didn't matter at that point.  I wanted the work, and I wanted the reviews, and eventually my reputation would help me hit the bigger dollars.

Just two months later a new ad caught my attention.  "Virtual Assistant wanted."  By this time I had learned exactly what a virtual assistant was and the prospect of having a "consistent" paycheck was intriguing.  I pursued it.  I wrote out the best bid I've ever compiled and applied for the job.  He was interested.  He contacted me and we had a brief interview, and he let me know he would be making his decision next week.

Next week rolled around and I called, "Have you made a decision yet?"

Another week rolled by and I called again, "Have you made a decision yet?"

And so it went for a month.  I wanted this job.  I resonated with this gentleman and wanted to work with him.  I got the job!  And he told me that it was my persistence that got me the position!

So here is my lesson for you - if you want to work online, whether it's as an entrepreneur or a virtual assistant - persistence pays!

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

As a Virtual Assistant for RPM Success Group, I love what I do and the people I work with. Yes, it can be quite a challenge at times, but I thrive in challenging atmospheres.

Through my association with RPM Success and Coaches Deb and JP, I have learned an enormous amount about not only myself, but how it is to work with people who understand the meaning of “team” and take the lessons that they teach and apply it to their own business.

I admit when I started working with Deb and JP in October 2006, I was a little reluctant. My previous experiences in dealing with customer service had drained me and made me very hesitant to move forward in that type of role. I didn’t want to deal with customer complaints especially when I couldn’t be myself.

Therein lies the difference. I was never asked to put on a fake persona in tending to customer issues. I was encouraged to bring my personal qualities and traits to the table and was allowed to let those traits shine. Yes, there is always something to learn, such as key words that make or break a customer relationship. And while I knew I needed to be a voice for RPM Success, I could still be ME.

As a business owner, this is an important aspect you can offer to your team of virtual assistants. By allowing their personal strengths to come to light and by learning how best to motivate them, you’ll find that they will bring a new light into your business which will increase productivity and customer relations. Don’t make your assistants hide behind a persona that doesn’t fit them. They don’t need to speak FOR you, just on your behalf.

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

Yes. If you know what you’re doing! @JPMicek, always impressive with his willingness to share an abundance of information, has posted an amazing article about how Social Marketing SHOULD be used in your online campaigns. You’ll definitely want to check this one out!

Seduced by Social Media Sites, or In-Love With Your New Media Marketing Hub?

I have been working online as a Virtual Assistant for 6 years. I love what I do, especially working with Deb and JP of RPM Success Group. But there’s always that voice inside my head that wants to build something more for myself.

I have struggled with this for years. What exactly do I want to do? Everything you read about starting an online business comes down to “What are you passions?” and “What are you good at?” I have had the hardest time putting those two concepts to work for me… until the past few weeks.

You see, my passions are varied. I love doing all kinds of different things. I read, I listen to music, I play video games, I enjoy the outdoors. But to blog about them and turn them into work? The passion fizzles a little.

I was getting ready for a training session with Blog i360™ members, and we were going to be diving into some highly technical things. I was a little nervous that I would create more questions than answers, and I really wanted to be sure I kept it as simple as possible. I wanted to be able to provide them with tools they could use on their own, without opening a huge can of worms. As I was thinking about this, the phrase jumped out at me. I wanted to “Take the EEK out of Geek.” It was highly technical in nature, but I wanted to make it less scary.

The phrase stuck with me, and I realized, herein lies not only my passion, but my level of expertise. I can teach people how to use the tools they need, and bring it down to a level that isn’t full of techie speak. I love helping people… and I love finding easier and more efficient ways to do things… why not combine the two?

And so with the help of the Tribal Seduction Course and Coaches Deb and JP, I developed a new persona - Susie laSheek, who “Takes the EEK out of Geek”. And a whole new world of possibilities has opened up to me.

As this journey begins, I face the struggle of balancing this new project along with my current ongoing projects with Blog i360™ and keeping my focus on my family. I know I won’t be bored!

Susie Motter has been working virtually in various administrative roles for the past 10 years. Amongst her many personal projects, she currently works with RPM Success Group, Inc and is the the technical training specialist for the Blog i360™ New Media Marketing System. Share her journey with her through her virtual every day life.

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