Arizona Virtual Assistants Retreat
Retreat Schedule VAC Luncheon Agenda
Breakout Sessions Coupons & Discounts
The first ever VA retreat here in Arizona is set for Friday August 28 – Sunday August 30 in Phoenix. If you’re a VA in the area interested in participating in this FREE event, drop me a line at ktcosmos at LooseEnds dot net and I’ll send you the particulars.
Break out session signups are underway: contact katiecosmos-at-looseends-dot-net if you would like to register.
Some attendees will be staying for the weekend at the host site, Embassy Suites Biltmore, 2630 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, Arizona, United States 85016 (Tel: 1-602-955-3992), while others from the Phoenix area will attend certain events but not register at the hotel.
The Embassy Suites Biltmore is also the site of the International Virtual Assistants Association Summit in April 2010. All room reservations are made directly through the hotel.
If you’d like to talk with other participants in advance and discuss when you’ll be arriving, what to bring, etc., join AZVAs on yahoogroups and get the talk going. You can also stop by the AZVAs FaceBook event page or, feel free to start a conversation here in the comment area here on Loosely Speaking. Tweet it using #AZVAs. Spread the word!
Event Schedule
Friday, August 28
(Friday events are open only to those who are registered guests at the Embassy Suites Biltmore, site of most of the retreat events)
3:00 pm
Hotel check in time for those staying for the weekend.
5:30 pm -7:30 pm
Complimentary Manager’s Reception at the hotel: bring and share your marketing materials and biz cards
Dinner on your own or by prior arrangement or make last minute plans during the reception
Saturday, August 29
7:30 am-10:30 am
Complimentary Breakfast (for registered hotel guests only) & informal networking time: feel free to share your marketing materials and biz cards
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
* Virtual Assistant Connection meeting (VAC): see agenda below (open to all who would like to attend) Location TBA the week of the event: this lunch will be held at a restaurant near the hotel
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
** Breakout Sessions: see topics listed below (open to all; informal, spontaneous meetings on specific topics, open to all, held at locations throughout the hotel property)
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Complimentary Manager’s Reception (for registered hotel guests only)
Sunday, August 30
7:30 am -10:30 am
Complimentary Breakfast (for registered hotel guests only)
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
** Breakout Sessions: see topics below (informal, spontaneous meetings on specific topics, open to all, held at locations throughout the hotel property)
1:00 pm – Checkout
* VAC Luncheon Agenda (Saturday, 11:00am – 1:00pm):
- Introductions & “Marketing Triumphs:” share the story of how you landed your favorite or most interesting client
- Group discussion/debate on the topic: “Why should I join IVAA: arguments for and against”
- Door prizes awarded
- Announcement of Breakout session times & locations
** Breakout Session Topics & Schedule:
Saturday, August 29, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
- Session 001: Advice for someone just getting their VA practice started
- Presenters: Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist, & Doreen DeJesus, Ambicionz
- Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
- Topics covered: Part presentation and part Q & A, you’ll learn about all the resources available to you to help get your business established.
- Location: Candy and Doreen will be joining us from remote locations and the session will be accessible by either long distance phone and/or computer, headset and wifi connection. If you want to attend another session before or after, feel free to register for this one too and drop in when you are finished with the others. Login instructions for this session will sent to registered participants prior to the event.
- Presenters: Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist, & Doreen DeJesus, Ambicionz
- Session 002: How to Price Your Services
- Host & Discussion Facilitators: Nina Feldman, Nina Feldman Connections, Jeannine Clontz, VAbizcoach, Kelly Poelker, Another 8 Hours
- Time: 2:00 pm
- Location:Â Nina will be joining us virtually from San Francisco, Jeannine’s in Missouri, and Kelly is in Illinois!. They will conduct a panel discussion on this topic and invite you to submit your questions in advance: please post them in the comment area below or send an email with your questions to ktcosmos@LooseEnds.net. Participants will either use a conference call or other online meeting room to attend, so computer and/or phone access will be necessary. Login instructions for this session will sent to registered participants prior to the event.
- Host & Discussion Facilitators: Nina Feldman, Nina Feldman Connections, Jeannine Clontz, VAbizcoach, Kelly Poelker, Another 8 Hours
- CANCELED: Session 003 Timetracking programs for VAs (unable to secure presenter)
- Session 004 Social Media, Part 1
- Presenter: Judy Vorfeld, Office Support Services
- Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
- Topics covered: Ning and blogging
- Location: TBA
Sunday, August 30, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Session 005 Social Media, Part 2
- Presenter: Andrea Kalli, Virtual Assist and operator of Virtual Learning Center
- Time: 10:30 am-11:30 am
- Topics covered: FaceBook Business Pages
- Location: Note: Andrea will be joining us virtually from her office in Colorado. Attendance will require a computer as she will be using GoToMeeting to conduct the session. Limited to 15 participants. Login instructions for this session will sent to registered participants prior to the event.
- Session 006 Marketing Your Business in this Economy, a roundtable discussion
- Discussion Facilitators: Tara Fort, Versatility4u and Brian Talbot, Co-Owner/Online Strategy Consultant, Task Crate
- Time: 10:30 am
- Location: TBA
- Session 007 Software or programs for remote access of client’s computers
- Presenter: Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist
- Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 am
- Location: Note:Candy will be joining us from her office in Austin, Texas. Attendance will require a computer, headset and/or phone with long distance capabilities. Login instructions for this session will sent to registered participants prior to the event.
- Session 008 Software for those who specialize in transcription
- Host: Sherry Ruger, First Class Business Services
- Time: 10:30 am
- Topics covered: this will be a round table discussion in which participants review and explore the software they use for transcription in their practices.
- Location: TBA
Coupons, Discounts & other good stuff
Door prizes and discounts are rolling in. We’ll post the names of the companies offering these goodies and they are firmed up. Thanks to companies and organizations who have offered giveaways for our event! What we’ve got so far:
Door Prizes:
ClientSpot—FREE 6-month subscription to ClientSpot (winner registers for a trial account and lets ClientSpot know their username in order to redeem)
OIVAC—FREE attendance at one seminar at the OIVAC October 1 – 3
VABizCoach—30-minute coaching session for two lucky winners
Loose Ends—FREE copy of “Unraveling Web Development” eBook, a $25.00 value.
Carolyn Freeman—FREE SendOutCards retail account (20 cards + postage), including training
Valuable coupons and other freebies:
IVAA—Join IVAA during the event for the special rate of only $99.00! (normally $125.00) Special rate good only for attendees, must be redeemed during the event. Deadline is midnight, Arizona time, Monday, August 31, 2009.
FreshBooks—Coupon for $20 off ANY of FreshBooks packages, redeemable until September 30, 2009.
IVAA—assorted goodies
VAClassroom—Bundled Training Courses: Blog Marketing & Social Media Marketing Specialist Program Mini-Courses offered at a savings of $97 off the regular price.
VABizCoach—coupon redeemable for 2-month trial in group coaching program, which includes CDs of the events as well.
ClientSpot—20% off coupon for all attendees, good until September 30, 2009.
Robin Binkley, A Pathway to Greatness and Best Year Yet—50% discount on customary fees for coaching services.
Branding Iron Designs—Discounted business card and brochure printing, including complimentary design!
LeapFish—Special pricing on ownership of advertising keywords.
Got a Better Idea?
If you have ideas for additional topics, would like to host or present during a breakout, or would like to propose a social activity outside the scheduled events, let me know, or leave a comment!
Comment // August 13th, 2009 // 10:59 am
Sounds like a great thing and I’m excited to hear about it after its all done! This needs to be written up for IVAACast, too. It might encourage other areas to do the same thing.
I’ll be sending you some stuff this week for you to give to the attendees. If there’s anything else you need – let us know.
Comment // August 16th, 2009 // 1:09 pm
I agree that this is an awesome idea and hope it can be replicated for future Summit hosting cities- Good to see some local excitement generated!
Comment // August 17th, 2009 // 9:56 am
I would be happy to put together 10 or 15 minutes on Do-It-Yourself Internet Marketing for virtual assistants.
Please contact me if you are interested.
Comment // August 20th, 2009 // 6:43 am
I am really excited about this retreat. Unfortunately, I do not own a laptop, headphones, or a cell phone. I have asked around and no one seems to rent laptops. The hotel is not capable of handling ethernet and does WI-FI only. I have asked people I know with laptops and they do not have WI-FI cards and/or their computers are so old, they probably wouldn’t work anyway at the Retreat. Anyone else in this predicament or do you have any suggestions?
Comment // August 20th, 2009 // 6:58 am
Jennifer,
Glad you brought this to my attention! I think we’ll easily find a laptop user that you can buddy up with during the event to access the sessions that are being presented. I am glad you pointed this out so that we can make certain other attendees know that wifi is the only option, no ethernet.
I’ll spread the word on that. In the meantime, you might put out the word on the AZVAs yahoo group or post on the Wall on our AZVAs Facebook page, letting people know you hope you can share their connection. AND I will work with you to help you gain access to any events you want to attend, including letting you use my equipment if no other solution is found.
Comment // August 25th, 2009 // 7:28 am
REALLY excited about the event and responses! If you haven’t checked out the list of prizes and coupons, they are AMAZING! Especially the IVAA membership joining fee — what a deal made available especially to our group at this retreat!
Comment // August 26th, 2009 // 10:41 am
I’m planning to go casual–what about anybody else? At 110 in the Valley, it’s too hot to dress up. Capris and tees ok are for me!
Comment // September 1st, 2009 // 10:51 am
I was only able to attend part of the retreat, and that included lunch and giving a breakout presentation, but the value of that time is difficult to measure. What an energetic, enthusiastic group of people.
Once my session was completed, my group had time to brainstorm on this, that, and the other, and wouldn’t you know that with such talent, we came up with an idea to help visiting Greater Phoenix businesspeople who find themselves in emergency situations re admin support/technology, etc.
We got a good handle on it, then went down to the lobby to enjoy coffee and lattes. The ideas kept flowing. Other retreat attendees joined us. More ideas. More questions. It was fun, at times hilarious, and quite serious in nature.
We will use ning.com, a social networking site, to continue brainstorming on how to best serve people who need emergency help. We’re calling it VA-911, and it’s open to VAs who’ve been in business for at least two years and who have a number of regular clients.
Check us out at http://VA-911.ning.com. Perhaps you can use some of our ideas in your locale. Or perhaps you have some ideas that will make our group even more valuable to its potential clients…