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☆ I've made 6 figures a year as a virtual assistant. Here are my 5 best tips on how to break into the job.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Dixon says that virtual assistants need to provide a VIP client experience to find success. Becoming a successful virtual assistant — or VA — requires more than a laptop and a dream. The number-one thing that contributed to my, and my learners', six-figure success was providing a quality client experience. You can boost client experience by making things easier for them. If you would like to share your experience as a virtual assistant please reach out to Jenna Gyimesi at jgyimesi@insider.com

Persons: Hannah Dixon, Dixon, —, It's, I've, VAs, I'm, Shakespeare, Jenna Gyimesi Organizations: Service Locations: Guanajuanto, Mexico, VAs

☆ I went to Harvard Business School and the admissions process was intense. Here are 6 things I did that helped me get in.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Shaifali Aggarwal is a Harvard Business School graduate and CEO of an MBA admissions consulting company. Going to a top business school was a dream of mine, which was solidified while working in investment banking after college. An example of a post-MBA goal that's both too vague and too broad is: "I would like to start my own company after business school." Start the MBA application process earlyThe MBA application process is a marathon and not a sprint. So being able to impactfully convey your thoughts throughout the HBS interview process is critical.

Persons: Aggarwal, —, Shaifali Aggarwal, I've, Booth —, hasn't, I'd, you've, they're, weren't Organizations: Harvard Business School, Service, Ivy Groupe, — Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Columbia, Kellogg, London Business School, That's, alums

☆ I've made 6 figures a year as a virtual assistant and now train others to do the same. Here's how I find the best-paying clients and avoid the big red flags.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

For the last 15 years, I've been traveling the world full time as a digital nomad — 58 countries and counting. I first started as a virtual assistant; now I'm a virtual-assistant coach and recruiter and I've provided training to 27,000 learners across 170 countries. Stop seeking opportunities and start creating themWhen I started as a virtual assistant, I initially turned to gig sites to find work, but it was short-lived. Position your presence based on the types of clients you want to attractLet's say you're a virtual assistant offering podcast-management services. If you're already crystal clear on who you serve as a virtual assistant, you can intentionally spend time in places your clients are more likely to be.

Persons: Hannah Dixon, Dixon, —, It's, I've, I'm, you'll Organizations: Service Locations: Guanajuanto, Mexico

☆ I've made 6 figures a year as a virtual assistant and now I train others to do the same.nHere's how I find the best-paying clients and avoid the big red flags.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hannah Dixon is a six-figure earning virtual assistant coach and recruiter. Dixon says referrals carry significant weight, more than anything else, in the virtual assistant business. I first started as a virtual assistant, now I'm a virtual assistant coach and recruiter and I've provided training to 27,000 learners across 170 countries. Position your presence based on the types of clients you want to attractLet's say you're a virtual assistant offering podcast-management services. Six-figure pricing requires a six-figure service, and this VIP service should start before you land the client.

Persons: Hannah Dixon, Dixon, —, It's, I've, I'm, you'll Organizations: Service Locations: Guanajuanto, Mexico

☆ I was laid off from Lyft and it left me shocked but relieved. I used my severance money to rebound quickly — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ziwei Li is a fomer Lyft employee and the founder and CEO of Wei Good Food. I had led the food delivery vertical within Lyft Delivery as strategic partnerships manager, and my role was eliminated when Lyft decided to shut down its delivery business. But while I loved my role and the relationships I'd built, I'd also experienced the monotony of corporate life. Getting laid off from Lyft was the instigator for starting my dream business — but tapping into my background and relationships is how I translated the opportunity into reality. This could include conducting thorough research on requirements, building a network within your desired industry, or starting small-scale operations.

Persons: Li, —, Ziwei Li, It's, Lyft, I'd, I've Organizations: Wei, Service, UCLA Locations: LA, Lyft

☆ Landing a job at Google felt like winning the lottery. Then I got laid off — and it made me realize my self-worth needs to go beyond my career.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sylvia Duran Chen was shocked to be laid off from her YouTube job at Google after almost nine years. The job perks and mission mattered to her, and she'd felt proud to have been chosen by Google. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sylvia Duren Chen, a 39-year-old former Google/ YouTube employee from San Diego, California. Although I had a successful career before Google, with stints at Nike and McKinsey & Company, landing at Google felt like winning the lottery. I talked about being laid off by Google and the raw insecurities it laid bare.

Persons: Sylvia Duran Chen, she'd, Sylvia Duren Chen, It's, I'd, that'll, I'm, Susan Wojcicki Organizations: Google, Morning, YouTube, Cornell University, Columbia Law School, Nike, McKinsey & Company, YouTube Mexico Locations: San Diego , California, San Bruno , California, Mexico, There's

☆ I'm a new mom and head of marketing at a tech company. My days are packed and I'm always in bed by 8:45 p.m. — here's my routine.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Jaclyn Mullen is head of marketing for TheLoops, an AI platform. She's also a new mom who starts her day at 5:45 a.m, and is in bed by 9 p.m. Throughout the day, Mullen will take a break to read empowering words and walk outside. As a new mom to a one-year-old and head of marketing for AI platform TheLoops, I work remotely. My days are packed and start early at 5:45 a.m.Each day, I track and evaluate data to help the company hit its monthly revenue goals.

Persons: Jaclyn Mullen, Mullen, —, It's Organizations: Service Locations: Phoenix , Arizona, India

☆ I'm the breadwinner in my marriage while my husband stays at home. Here are 7 things I'd tell other families who decide to take this path.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Andrea Mac is a growth strategist at Prequal and the sole earner for her family of six in Illinois. When I shifted from being our family's primary financial earner to the family's sole earner, I struggled to find resources and guidance to navigate this new terrain. It becomes a never-ending loop of work, family demands, and stress. My role as a provider is minimized in those scenarios, so I'm famous for saying, "If I don't work, we don't get paid." She simply couldn't conceive that I was the sole earner for the family and assumed we had missed this step.

Persons: Andrea Mac, —, It's, didn't, we've, we're Organizations: Service Locations: Illinois, Greater Chicago

☆ I tried the highly touted 'monk mode' productivity hack but burned out again — this time for a different reason
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Samson Baxter, a web developer, tried 'monk mode' to get more done at work. At first he hated it, especially staying off social media, but then his productivity shot up. I was feeling overwhelmed and like I couldn't get anything done when I learned about the 'monk mode' productivity hack. After five weeks of monk mode, Samson Baxter felt burned out again — this time for a different reason. Something had to changeIn the end, I decided that while monk mode did ramp up my focus initially, the long-term effects weren't for me.

Persons: Samson Baxter, —, It's, I'm, I'd Organizations: Service

☆ I'm Zoom's new chief product officer. Here's how I got to the C-suite and my best tips for working moms who aspire to an executive role.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Smita Hashim is the chief product officer at Zoom who has also held leadership positions at Microsoft and Google. I'm so glad I did — she gives me so much joy and I'm so glad I had her. Throughout my career, I've had a lot of diverse work experiences. I'm a huge believer in flexible work. I feel fortunate and grateful to be at Zoom and at the forefront of building products that are enabling flexible work for the world at large.

Persons: Smita Hashim, Hashim, it's, —, It's, There've, I've, I'm, flexibly, Jennifer Eum Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Service

☆ I'm an Ancestry exec who plans my day based on my genetics. Here's my daily routine and productivity hacks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I also reserve mornings — the time when I'm most focused and creative — for tasks that require deep concentration and decision making. I implement two-way-door decision makingThis approach is a staple of how I think and approach decision making. It allows me and my team to move quickly throughout the day, maximizing high-velocity decision making. Here's how it works: I always assess whether a decision I'm making is irreversible — a "one-way door" decision that can't be walked back. Jeff Bezos used to say that around 90% of decisions we make are two-way door decisions, and that not treating two-way door decisions like one-way door decisions is the key to unlocking speed.

Persons: Brian Donnelly, Donnelly, —, It's, I've, Jeff Bezos, I'm Organizations: Service, Amazon Locations: San Diego , California

☆ I'm the head of talent acquisition at Vanguard. Here are the 3 things I look for in candidates and my favorite interview question to ask.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tiffany Haley is the head of global talent acquisition at Vanguard. Haley's favorite interview question to ask is "What do you want to give to this role?" This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tiffany Haley, head of global talent acquisition at Vanguard from Malvern, Pennsylvania about how to get a job at Vanguard. In my role leading Vanguard's global talent acquisition, I'm always blown away by the number of applications we receive. For example, we often interview candidates for our information technology division who might not be fully versed in all of the technologies Vanguard uses to power our business.

Persons: Tiffany Haley, It's, I'm, We're, we've, you've, I've, —, Jenna Gyimesi Organizations: Vanguard Locations: Malvern , Pennsylvania

☆ The 10 most prestigious private middle and high schools in New York City — and how to get in
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Her picks for the most prestigious in the city include The Hewitt School and Allen-Stevenson. New York City parents face an extremely challenging and competitive private-school admissions process that starts with preschool. Teacher evaluations are another critical component of New York City private-school admissions. Most schools Levey has worked with have a staff member from the math department and the language-arts department meet with the applicant. Below is Levey's ranking of the 10 most prestigious private all-girls, all-boys, and co-ed middle and high schools in New York City.

Persons: Wendy Levey, Stevenson, Levey, It's Organizations: The Hewitt School, Allen Locations: Manhattan, Stevenson . New York City, New York City

☆ I'm a VP at the company behind Advil and Tums. My day starts with double-screening YouTube and Netflix and ends with surfing Amazon ratings.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Courtesy of Beth Gaeta Beth GaetaI'm an early bird. Next, I touch base with my colleagueCourtesy of Beth Gaeta Beth GaetaWe go over P&L assumptions for new product proposals or budgets to support the high volume of consumer research we do. Courtesy of Beth Gaeta Beth GaetaI get home at around 6:30 p.m. Courtesy of Beth Gaeta Beth GaetaWhen I get home from work, I often get pulled outside to watch my younger daughter practice gymnastics on our trampoline. We also try to take a walk together whenever we canCourtesy of Beth Gaeta Beth GaetaWith the extra hours of sunlight, we have more opportunities to go on walks after work.

☆ 6 daily micro habits recommended by Google's executive coach to reduce stress and increase focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AK Ikwuakor is a 38-year-old executive coach lead at Google from Marina del Rey, California. I've served as an executive coach for leaders across the globe. One of my micro habits is walking out the door each morning. Here are six daily micro habits that I recommend to Googlers and others to become less stressed and more focused. People often struggle at first, but as they continue listing things like "I know I'm amazing with people," "I know I'm a strong marketer," "I know I'm a great friend," and so on, it gets easier.

☆ I felt strung out in the San Francisco Bay area so I moved to a small mountain resort in Washington state with my husband — here's why it was the right choice.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leslie Cousins was born and raised in the Bay Area, but started to feel strung out living in California. Cousins and her husband moved to a small mountain resort community in Cle Elum, Washington. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, while my husband Joe grew up in Boston and Chicago. Suncadia is located in a city that has a population of 2,299 compared to the 7.5 million population of the Bay Area. We belonged to a golf club in the Bay Area, and my husband was hoping to find a similar club community.

☆ I help create immersive exhibits for one of the world's largest real estate companies. My morning starts at 5:45 a.m with Afrobeats and I get to work from futuristic venues — here's what my routine is
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Esther Sarpong is the director of experiential retail for Brookfield Properties. The properties in her portfolio are used for touring exhibits and live-experiences. I'm a director of experiential retail at Brookfield Properties and I drive innovative entertainment concepts at prominent retail locations. My career started in experiential marketing when I realized that I'm a creative, fluid problem solver who stays calm and cool under pressure. Through live events and touring exhibitions, I establish trust and emotional connections between customers and brands.

☆ I made $200,000 in revenue from affiliate marketing websites. Here's how I got started after years of struggling with my SEO business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Bruce Paulson is a freelance SEO specialist who creates affiliate marketing websites. Paulson said his business started to grow once he put himself in the customer's shoes. In 2022, I made almost $203,000 in revenue from affiliate marketing alone. Affiliate marketing is the strategy that helped to move the needle for my income. When building affiliate websites I need some interest in the topic like water sports, finance, or digital marketing.

☆ I built a website that brings in 6 figures in passive income. Here are my best tips on getting started, from using Google AdSense to growing organic traffic.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

He says getting advertisements onto his site was simple, and now he gets payouts every month. That motivated me to add some new features and optimize the site for search engines. I couldn't find any good resources on the web or in the Google search results with the information I sought. This is where an ad network came in — using a network to sell ad space keeps the entire process passive. For a small web publishing business, monthly net profit can be as simple as ad revenue minus hosting costs.

☆ Our team lip-synced Frozen's 'Let It Go' during a Zoom offsite. It was incredibly awkward but became our best team-building moment.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

CMO Elyse Estrada organized a virtual offsite to help her team build camaraderie and have fun. Their best team-building moment was a group lip-sync performance to "Let It Go" from the movie "Frozen." Estrada says it started off awkward, but the activity helped bring more clarity to the team. In the fourth quarter of 2022, I worked with a small group from my team to organize a two-day virtual offsite team-building experience. One experience in team-building was surprisingly the highlightWe selected four people from the team to organize the event.

☆ I made $221K in passive income after quitting my corporate job to go into real estate. Here's how I built up my portfolio to 38 properties.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Erika Brown is a real estate investor who made six figures in passive income in a year. I'm a self-made real estate investor who trains Black and Brown folks, especially women, to invest in real estate to build passive income and close the racial wealth gap. Through my corporate job and speaking with executive clients, I learned that many higher-ups owned real estate. Time is a concern for many, especially because passive income is supposed to be passive. The reality is that many forms of passive income do take time and effort to establish on the front end.

☆ I use ChatGPT and it's like having a 24/7 personal assistant for $20 a month. Here are 5 ways it's helping me save time and make more money.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

She says using ChatGPT is like having an assistant and gives her more time to focus on her children. It also helps me answer client questions in a contextually appropriate way and has afforded me more time to concentrate on my kids' extracurriculars or helping them with homework. I've created a list of common questions that potential clients ask about particular properties, buildings, or locations, such as "What's the square footage?" And once we receive a response from the potential client, we can forward their information to the relevant team for a more personalized follow-up. I'm able to engage with a larger number of potential clients at any given time.

☆ I use ChatGPT and it's like having a 24-7 personal assistant for $20 a month. Here are 5 ways it's helping me save time and make more money.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

She says using ChatGPT is like having an assistant and gives her more time to focus on her children. It also helps me answer client questions in a contextually appropriate way and has afforded me more time to concentrate on my kids' extracurriculars or help them with homework. I've created a list of common questions that potential clients ask about particular properties, buildings, or locations, such as, "What's the square footage?" I'm able to engage with a larger number of potential clients at any given time. Generates data reportsChatGPT can generate data reports that allow me to analyze the performance of particular client interactions, as well as outreach and marketing campaigns.

☆ I'm a tech exec who starts every day with a 3-minute cold plunge. My mind has never been sharper.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I'm one of those people who starts each day with a cold plunge for productivity and stress reduction. My morning cold plunge is usually the most challenging part of my day, so everything after that is much easier. I decided to convert a chest freezer into a full cold plungeMargist building his cold plunge. Now when I sit down at my desk after my cold plunge, I'm wide awake, focused, and ready to dive into deep work. Cold plunging has helped me manage my fight-or-flight response in stressful work or life situationsI find myself feeling less emotional during tough conversations after taking a cold plunge.

☆ I work from home with my cat in my lap and once stayed off-camera in a video call so I could do a face mask. I don't feel I'm missing out on office life as a remote worker.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sometimes I'll work for longer if I feel like it, but as long as I fulfill that self-set requirement, I'm satisfied. Also, I get to work with my cat in my lap or right next to me all day, which helps with my well-being. To keep my boundaries, I set timersIf I'm logging off at 5:30 p.m., I'll set an alarm for 5:15 p.m. to let me know it's time to start winding down. I'm lucky that my company offers many virtual and in-person team-building events, so I have the option to see people face-to-face. I like going to these events because they're fun, but most importantly because they're planned ahead of time.

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