Whatever your industry, getting together for some face-to-face with your industry peers is more important than ever in this virtual world.

Summit sounds like: inspiration, motivation, challenges, friendship, and clicking knitting needles and slurped lattes.

Summit looks like: long lost friends hugging, shrieks of recognition, networking questions and answers, and glowing laptops in dimmed rooms.

See you next year?

Stay in touch, everyone, and best wishes.

Here are more events happening throughout the year where you might want to put in an appearance:

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):

1. Introductions & “Marketing Triumphs:” share the story of how you landed your favorite or most interesting client
2. Group discussion/debate on the topic: “Why should I join IVAA: arguments for and against”
3. Door prizes awarded
4. 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.
• 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: 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.
• 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!

If you reside in Northern Arizona and your VA practice meets the * criteria listed below, then you won’t want to miss this local meet-up of seasoned professionals.

Please join us if you are:

• A member of a professional VA organization;
• Have a professional profile publicly available online (whether on a blog, web site, discussion forum, or social networking site);
• Can boast five or more years of experience (either part time or full time) in your VA business;
• Currently serving more than one client on a regular basis.

* If you are just starting out as a VA, we recommend you join networking groups that may be more suitable to the challenges experienced by other novice VAs. Please feel free to forward this information to any other VAs you know who do meet our guidelines as stated above.

Agenda will be provided once you RSVP to either tara-at-cableone-dot-net or ktcosmos-at-LooseEnds-dot-net.

We’ll meet at The Raven on Cortez Street (in Prescott Arizona) at 9 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 11.

Other things to know:

There is no cost to attend and you don’t actually have to live in Northern Arizona to participate, if you plan to be in the area. (Naturally we hope you will show your support of the venue by purchasing something to eat or drink during our gathering.)