Amber Drake (caricature seen at right), owner of Essential Admin, and I became acquainted several years ago and have enjoyed a strictly email-based friendship since then. It was a great pleasure to meet up with Amber and some other Idaho VAs in person recently in Spokane.

Amber first captured my imagination when she took her business on the road for a year, along with her husband and kids (see her home below, left). I thought my parents were spunky when they loaded up my brothers and me and moved to the Philippines in 1966, but I find Amber’s adventure even more exciting.

Amber’s a total pro, but it’s her energy and sense of adventure that led me to invite her over for this interview.

ktcosmos: When you first decided to relocate, how did you inform your local
clients?

Amber Drake: The majority of my clients have not been local. At the time of relocation, I only had one local client, who was also my personal REALTOR, so she was already aware of the relocation because she brokered our home sale and hooked us up with a terrific REALTOR in the area we finally settled in.

ktcosmos: When you became a mobile VA, did you feel it necessary to tell your clientele of your new status; did you lose any of those as a result of moving out of the area?

Amber: I definitely shared “our dream” with my clients and received very positive feedback. Again, since almost all my clients were not local, going mobile didn’t change the way we already worked. The only real difference was that sometimes I was in their time zone. Business progressed as usual, and I didn’t lose any clients as a result.

ktcosmos: I’m sure choosing your new home was based mostly on personal selection criteria. Was any of it determined by business requirements you had in mind? I’m thinking zoning, tax structure, technology infrastructure, real estate law in your new state (since that’s your niche) demographics matching your target market?

Amber: Even prior to going full time in our RV and traveling the country, we were avid travelers … usually, by auto or plane. By the time we saw northern Idaho, we had seen parts of almost every state. Our decision to land here was 100% based on criteria such as the natural beauty, culture, people, cost of living, recreational activities, neighborhoods, schools, etc.

That’s the greatest thing about being a Virtual Assistant supporting non-local clients … as long as you have adequate Internet access, you can live anywhere your heart desires! And, today, that high speed Internet access is available almost everywhere — if not via local cable or phone lines, it’s available via Hughes/DirecWay satellite.

ktcosmos: Did you have to jump through any regulatory hoops to get set up in your new location?

Amber: None at all. As a matter of fact, coming from California where everything is regulated, it was easier and less costly here.

ktcosmos: Well, we already talked about this a little bit: the fact that only one of your clients is local. Is it your goal, then, to work only with remote clients?

Amber: Having 100% of my clientele distant is perfect for me. Other than my one local client who I love, I prefer servicing non-local clients because my time is utilized much more effectively.

Early in my virtual assistance career when I was more of a generalist, I serviced local clients primarily. I found the in-person meetings, picking-up or them dropping-off work, and the meetings at their office or my home was very non-productive on many levels. There were times I was scrambling for childcare or spending time cleaning my home to prepare for the, “How about I just stop by on my way downtown and I’ll drop it off” scenarios. Those are non-paid activities.

With distant clientele, my time and energy is spent on paid task-related items.

ktcosmos: Going back to your time spent on the road as an RVing VA, did you learn anything new or discover any new resources while on the move that informs your approach to your business today?

Amber: Primarily, my “anything is possible” attitude is stronger. Being 100% mobile requires quite a bit of “thinking outside the box” in problem solving.

For example, our generator stopped working once, and I was without electricity while we were somewhat “out in the middle of nowhere”. We found an old gas station that allowed us to pull around the side and hook into their electrical so I could meet a deadline.

Another time, we had trouble with the Internet satellite system and were on our way to a technician in Tulsa, Oklahoma for repair. At the time, incredibly, Tulsa had no Verizon phone or Aircard coverage, and the RV park had no wi-fi.

We found the cheapest Motel 6, and I rented the hotel room with wi-fi for $30 that day while my family used the inside pool while I worked. Some might think that’s a big expense; however, I worked 7 billable hours that day (and my kids had a ton of fun swimming), so it was definitely an ROI. If you ask any experienced traveling RV’er, “Stuff Happens” — often!

You overcome many obstacles while on the road, and you learn to be innovative, flexible, non-traditional and determined … attributes that stick with you after the journey is over.

ktcosmos: Any desire to return to the life of traveling VA?

Amber: Not at this point. We’ve found our “dream home” for this season of our lives, love the 2500 sq. ft. house and 1/3 acre yard to play in. We love attending our same church each weekend, having our friends over for dinner, and neighborhood children for the kids to play with.

These are all things one trades for a full-time adventure on the road … all things we’re really loving right now. Perhaps we’ll go for it again after the kids are grown!

ktcosmos: Do you typically combine work and leisure when travelling now days?

Amber: I can do that easier now that I’ve been on the road because I’ve learned to better prepare and we’re much more flexible now. The key to combining work
and leisure as a VA is an Internet connection and power for the laptop (mine sucks it up fast).

For example, if we were to go on a road trip, I would have no problem stopping in at a truck stop/travel center for a couple hours to use their wi-fi while my husband relaxes and the kids get energy out.

We’ve learned to be more flexible and have less of the “get to the destination as fast as possible” attitude. We’ve seen many little towns that we wouldn’t have necessarily stopped at, just because I needed Internet access … and it gave my family time to visit a local library, park, swimming hole or other fun place.

I’ve also learned different ways of getting electrical; for example, using an inverter in our car with a large cutting board on my lap as a desk. On the other hand, I will research an area prior to going to ensure I can work on the road.

However, I do also believe in taking some time-off where the laptop isn’t strapped to my hip so my family has my undivided attention and my brain gets a much needed rest.

ktcosmos: Do you have any advice for other VA’s or entrepreneurs who are considering relocating their business?

Amber: Establish your business with a solid base of non-local clients. If you can do that, the sky’s the limit. You can truly find your little piece of heaven without having to rebuild everything or be dependent on the local economy. Then, find your paradise and go for it!

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In her years as a virtual assistant, Amber Drake has amassed an amazing list of tools and resources, which she shares here: Business Resources from Essential Admin.

Amber’s trusted list of Virtual-Friendly vendors is definitely worth a look.

For would-be VAs, you’ll also want to check out another resource on Amber’s site: Rebecca Trilfa’s guide to “How to Be a Virtual Assistant.”

You can start your search for your own paradise in Amber’s RV! Yes, her former home for a year, fully equipped for someone needing to use it as their virtual assistance office, is for sale! Read more about it here and contact Amber if you have any questions.