The difference between a Remote Specialist Assistant and a General Virtual Assistant:
They are all VAs, but they are not created equal. A General Virtual Assistant (GVA), human or not, takes care of automated prompts, scheduling meetings, booking travel, and other surface-level administrative tasks that are more easily offloaded. A Remote Specialist Assistant (RSA) is human and provides more in-depth help (usually because of a specialized skill/area of interest) to serve you in a more specialized way, performing with discretion and full support. Both perform remotely, by email, phone, or video call, as you prefer.
I certainly can help with everyday items such as setting reminders, receipt tracking, typing/ transcription, and tasks to get the repetitive work out of the way for you. But, I can also cover ad hoc assignments such as brainstorming on a special project/big-picture ideas, providing a practice run for a presentation, writing blog or social media posts, reviewing/making recommendations for your website, marketing, helping with research, body-doubling, and more.
Who do I work with?
I work remotely for companies and individuals, anywhere from 1 hour a week, to project-based, to part-time on a continuous basis. You don’t ‘hire’ me, you simply purchase my services when needed, and receive a receipt. Our collaboration is as discreet as you want it to be. Some of my clients, such as one with ADHD, wish to remain anonymous, and I keep their identity private in all my dealings. Others want their sole proprietorship to appear bigger than it is, and want my name on our projects, or ask me to attend phone meetings with clients. Discretion is always assumed, unless you express otherwise.
Real-life Example Scenarios:
Scenario #1: 1 hour per week. – A consultant engages me weekly to assist with keeping focus and direction in their ADHD world. The week starts with a half-hour call to determine the most significant tasks of the week, and prioritize them. Then each weekday, I call with a short prompt of encouragement with a reminder of the task(s) and how to continue. As the need arises, I work as a listening board, do research, and data entry.
Scenario #2: 5 hours per week. – An outdoor adventure coordinator uses me to respond to incoming calls, as they have a unique phone phobia. I am ‘on call’ one hour each weekday to respond to messages and return calls. Any remaining time is spent updating their bookings, creating social media posts, and more.
Scenario #3: 16 hours a month. – An arts newspaper uses my services to write columns, layout e-newsletters, keep their Arts Events Calendar updated, and market them to build their subscriber list.
Scenario #4: 30 hours, annually. – An artisan festival utilizes my services to oversee the roll-out of their Call for Artists documents, do Talent-Scouting, design and prepare their print and online advertisements, schedule their radio interviews, and write/distribute their Press Releases.
Scenario #5: As-needed. – A freelance writer in the advertising industry employs my services for writing, editing, or proofreading before they send their documents to their clients. I am their second set of eyes. They use my services on an ad hoc basis, for a few hours every quarter, as their projects come to a close. The need is last-minute and fast-paced, which has a fantastic energy to it, where I excel.
Scenario #6: You!? 😀
A little about me and my personality:
I am kind, honest, friendly, positive, a good listener, and impart help with an open heart. You can count on me to provide focus, follow-through, and enthusiastic support. It genuinely makes me happy to help people.
Intangible skills:
- Professional and Reliable
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Excellent time-management skills with a versatility in managing multiple tasks simultaneously and pivoting quickly with your ever-changing needs.
- Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to complete tasks with little supervision.
- Self-motivated and proactive in anticipating your needs; I always want a ‘win’ for you!
- Solution-oriented, creative problem-solver; I aim to see the ‘potential’ in every situation.
My 25-year background in client-service and advertising makes me seasoned in Client Management/Relations & Marketing with strong interpersonal skills as well as efficient project coordination. I am also genuinely curious about a great many topics, am a writer, and an established Artist. These traits add a creative spin to my thinking, which serves my clients well.
Availability: I’m available in morning, afternoon, evening and on weekends, as it suits you.
How do we start?
Get in touch for an initial, free chat. This is called a Discovery Call. Share with me your goals and needs, and we discuss how I can help. From minute one, our discussion and work is confidential. Our calls are a safe space. Allow yourself to be relaxed in all our interactions; the more you share, the more I can help. I aim to develop an authentic, trusting relationship where I can bolster your talents, and reduce your gaps.
As we chat, if it seems harmonious, we schedule our next contact point and first task. That’s it! The simple act of sharing with someone else is releasing and motivating; we decide how to divide the workload, and we begin a warm collaboration to serve your career.
Teamwork unlocks innovation, joy, and productivity. Perhaps I am aging myself… but some of my favourite Crosby Stills Nash Young lyrics are: “They are one person. They are two alonе. They are three togethеr. They are for each other.” You and I can produce the work of three people. 😀 Are we for each other?
If it sounds like we would be a perfect fit, get in touch through my Contact form, or send me a message on LinkedIn or Facebook. In case you are wondering, Choleena is pronounced ko-lee-na. Just pretend that the h is not there.
Testimonials:
“Choleena has been an asset to our team, offering excellent account & project coordination services – across both marketing and IT projects. Her collaborative approach, timeliness, and attention to detail have helped to ensure the success of our initiatives.”
~Pete Mesheau, Shelley Estabrooks
The AIL Group of Companies www.ailgroupofcompanies.com
“Choleena has a unique and admirable ability. Imagine that thinking is a ladder. Most people think along one vertical axis. Choleena has the ability to hop across a rung at any point, and travel up the other side. It’s a kind of parallel thinking that brings creativity to all our projects.”
~V
Turn Chaos into Calm:
A Virtual Assistant (VA) acts as a remote right-hand support system, turning chaos into calm by offloading your operational, administrative, and technical burdens so you can focus on your core strengths and big-picture goals.
How a VA Helps You
- Clears the Mental Clutter: VAs can help you externalize your thoughts, organize workloads, and reset your physical and digital environments.
- Builds Predictable Systems: Instead of you constantly reacting to fires, a proactive VA sets up repeatable workflows, organizes spreadsheets, and manages projects so details never fall through the cracks.
- Handles Routine Execution: They can take over time-consuming tasks such as data entry, basic bookkeeping, client invoicing, and meeting notes.
- Drives Growth and Outreach: Many VAs specialize in managing social media, formatting content, tracking metrics, or handling initial customer service inquiries.
- Gives You Time Back: By offloading tasks that do not directly generate revenue, you free up hours each week to rest, strategize, or scale your business.
- Creates an Instant Trust & Team: A good VA is an active problem-solver, shares the mental load of running your day business, and cultivates a supportive environment, comparable to a trusted friendship. A VA is a resource that offers consistent, non-judgmental, and reliable human connection.
Rates:
In general, $40-$60/hour covers the most common tasks that are asked of me. For the vast majority of clients, Administrative tasks are what is most-often needed, and those are all at the bottom end of that range. Just to let you know, I do excel at Marketing and Design, which means that your VA is in a unique position to assist with a wider range of tasks, as you need them.
| Admin Services:
Video/Phone Meetings: $40 |
Creative Services:
Writing: $40-60 Compassionate Pricing: |
Tech Services:
Website Management: $60-75 Rush Jobs: |
