Why is this page text-only?

ABOUT

AppRising delivers insight into new broadband applications, exploring their impact on networks and their implications for public policy.

AppRising is written by Geoff Daily, who covers broadband applications and the business of online video. Based in Washington, DC, Geoff regularly advises applications developers, network operators, community leaders, and public officials on how to maximize adoption and use of the Internet.

« How Patent Reform Can Help the Internet | Main | Watch Out Internet: Halo's Here »

September 24, 2007 1:06 PM

Where's My Coffee? Virtually Speaking...

I was on plane ride back home last week chatting with the gentleman next to me about the book he was reading called "The 4-Hour Work Week" by Timothy Ferris.

He raved about the information found therein, which covers a range of strategies and resources for enabling people to work more effective virtually, and I'm looking forward to picking up a copy myself.

One thing in particular my seatmate mentioned was the suggestion to use a virtual assistant, which essentially means outsourcing your secretarial/personal assistant work to someone somewhere over the Internet.

I thought it was an interesting idea, and one that I could personally well make use of, but I shelved it thinking I'd have to wait until I read the book to know how to pursue it for my own life as a freelancer.

Then, in one of those wonderful moments of serendipity, a colleague passed along this ABC News story to me, which details the benefits of entering the workforce as a virtual assistant from a woman's perspective.

Needless to say, virtual assistants are a prime example of the Internet's ability to create new opportunities for people that breaks through any limitations imposed by physical distance.

I'm not yet sure if I'm ready to take the plunge and hire on my own virtual assistant, but rest assured that when (if) I do, I'll share my experiences here on AppRising.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.app-rising.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/82

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)