Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants

Industry Leaders

2010-12-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

When one claims the title of "Industry Leader", one takes on an enormous responsibility.

If you run an organization that includes members, you take on an extraordinary responsibility. Not only do you represent the "industry"; now, your members look to you to represent them. Hopefully, in the best possible light.

Needless to say, relationships become very important. Business and personal.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" behaves in a way that is not professional, everyone within their organization and associated with that "Industry Leader" suffers.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" makes the decision to advise, train, or otherwise encourage its members to extend themselves beyond the scope of their duties crossing the fine line of "UPL" once again, anyone associated with the Industry Leader and the organization suffers.

Not only that, they run the risk of losing their credibility within the industry and with their members.

My feeling is that Industry Leaders do not have the luxury of saying what they want without first considering how their words and actions could affect the industry they represent. One can say they are held to a higher standard.

If one decides they are to be the "Industry Leader", Making claims such as "the only organization that offers their type of service", "no one around is doing what they do"; that "Industry Leader" should carefully consider their actions.

Some will respond by saying, "what the Industry Leader says or does will not affect my Independent business".

If you are part of the organization or associated with an Industry Leader who advertises on the internet as the only game in town, like it or not, you are associated.

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, Virtual Paralegals, Freelance Bankruptcy Assistants, have worked very hard to get where they're at. Specifically, the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC.

They are ethical, responsible, and run legitimate businesses.

The members of NSVBA, LLC understand they do not run the attorneys law firm, they assist. When and if an attorney has a question about "bankruptcy law" and it borders UPL, the VBA directs the attorney to NACBA or one of the many bankruptcy experts we associate with.

As a regular Exhibitor at the NACBA Conventions, National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC has always referred our new attorneys to NACBA and other bankruptcy experts; including seasoned bankruptcy attorneys who utilize the services of the VBA.

This year, NSVBA partnered with Morgan King Bankruptcy Academy and Max Gardner's Bankruptcy Boot Camp.

NSVBA offers a Beginners Training in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. We plan to enhance our member benefits and training in 2011.

For now, we look forward to seeing you next year in Washington, D.C. at the Annual NACBA Convention!

Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com

ATTORNEYS! VBA's enable you to handle more cases!

2010-09-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

VBA's = Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants.

This is an opportunity for Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys taking on additional casework and looking to grow their practice and cap their overhead.

NSVBA members are located in 14 States.

Here's what you can expect from an NSVBA Member:

* NSVBA members prepare Chapter 7 & 13 petitions from the Client Intake Interview through the Post Petition phase. Most are trained to prepare petitions in the Central District of California.

* VBA's work in various jurisdictions throughout the United States.

* Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants work directly under the supervision of the Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney.

* VBA's make it possible for you to handle more cases without hiring additional personnel and incurring additional "employee" exposure.

* NSVBA members are prepared with their own licensed bankruptcy software. Most; if not all, NSVBA members use Best Case Solutions.

* Members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC are trained in Small Office/Home Office Security and Procedures and are fully committed, legitimate businesses.

* Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants provide an efficient service where you, the attorney does not pay for lost time due to unforeseen circumstances.

* NSVBA Members are regular attendees at the Annual NACBA Convention.

Take time now to find out how a VBA can enhance your bankruptcy practice.

Give us a call or drop us a line.

We look forward to working with you!

Vikki Watanabe and the
Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com
866-678-8411

Meet the Members of NSVBA, LLC Part 2

2010-09-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

Who are the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC?

Here is a list of our members state by state (in no particular order):

HAWAII - Alan Higa

OREGON - Julie Horton

WASHINGTON - Max Novikov

GEORGIA - Tonya S. Justice

NEW YORK - Trenton P. Hall

DELAWARE - Jessica Gingery

COLORADO -
Marshall F. Huwe
Michael Hastings

ARIZONA -
Judy LaBoda
Nancy Criswell

LOUISIANA -
Michelle Ackman
Melissa Henry

OHIO -
Jean Scott
Lewis T. Beman

TEXAS -
Bonnie Saunders
Natalyn Jeffries

ILLINOIS -
Vivian Little
Total Attorneys

FLORIDA -
Louise Hurwitz
Edgar Brackin
Jill T. Starr
Tashania Morris
Solomon Abercrombie
Suzanne Tart

CALIFORNIA -
Warrenetta Lane
Maria Griffin
Mardi Cusimano
Peggy Grangetto
Sherri Nash
Anita Holguin
Michele Bannister
Dianna Forsythe
Patricia Bailey
Dennis Kaczor
Barbara Buchler
Susan Guinn
Mayra Heredia
Terri Logan
Dee Medlin
Anna Baughman
Gary Ostad
Amy Underwood
Cindi Good
Valerie Clay
David Noel
Jeannie Lynch

We have Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants in 14 States. If your particular state is not listed; no problem! our members prepare petitions for all 50 states.

You can get more information about the NSVBA members by going to www.nsvba.com and Click on "All Member Profiles".

I will blog again about our members. There is so much more you need to know about this national, professional organization and its members and I am more than happy to share it with you.

Until next time!

Vikki Watanabe
President and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC

info@nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com
866-678-8411 x 712
Torrance, CA 90504

NSVBA 2010 Seminar

2010-07-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

2010 Advanced Chapter 7 Seminar

The NSVBA, LLC is a nationally recognized organization serving virtual and on-site Bankruptcy Assistants and Paralegals nationwide. NSVBA is offering a two-day Seminar for Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Chapter 7 petition preparation. NSVBA membership is not required to attend. The materials covered in this seminar is not intended for the general public but for professional bankruptcy assistants looking to further develop or enhance their petition preparation skills. It is required that attendees have some experience in consumer Chapter 7 case work.

NSVBA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. NSVBA and its' members are individual independent contractors who serve licensed bankruptcy attorneys nationwide.

For more information about NSVBA, please visit www.nsvba.com

Registration is required, no walk ins allowed.

Dates/Times: THURSDAY 10/14 8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. and

FRIDAY 10/15 8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

(2 15-minute breaks per day and 1.5 hour break for lunch per day)

Hotel Accommodations: A block of rooms have been held at the Clarion Hotel 888 E. Dominguez Street, Carson, CA 90746 (310) 715-6688. All attendees will receive the standard room at the group rate of $68.00 single/double occupancy. Reservations must be made directly with the hotel at. Make sure to request NSVBA GROUP CODE: G-NSVBA. The cut-off date for reservations is SEPTEMBER 13, 2010. Room rates available between 10/12/2010 and 10/17/2010.

Airport Information: LAX is 18 miles from Hotel
John Wayne Airport (Orange County) is 22 miles from Hotel

Transportation: Attendees are responsible for their own transportation.

Fee: NSVBA Member - $250.00/ non-member - $300.00 (materials and refreshments included, no group discounts available, meals not included)

Registration Deadline: Fee and registration form must be received by NSVBA no later than 5:00 P.M. on 9/13/2010.

Refund Policy: No refunds will be granted after 9/24/2010

Guest Speakers and Advanced Chapter 7 Training

If you're interested and would like a registration form or more information, email NSVBA at info@nsvba.com or vikki@nsvba.com

We look forward to seeing you in California!

Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com
866-867-8411

NSVBA and King Bankruptcy Academy

2010-07-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

NSVBA is proud to announce its affiliation with King Bankruptcy Academy. King Bankruptcy Academy has made the first 10 classes of its video course for Paralegal Training available.

Members of NSVBA may enroll with a 25% discount. NSVBA members pay only $459.00. And, the book, "King's Fundamentals of Consumer Bankruptcy Practice", is available to members of NSVBA for a 50% discount.

NSVBA has an exclusive arrangement with the Academy and is currently the only professional virtual bankruptcy assistant organization providing its members with these substantial tuition reductions.

For more information on becoming a member of NSVBA and receiving the King Bankruptcy Academy discount, follow the links provided below.

- Morgan King
Dean of King Bankrupty Academy
www.bankruptcyacademy.com

Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com

Meet the Members of NSVBA-Part 2

2010-06-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

Who are the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC?

Here is a list of our members state by state (in no particular order):

HAWAII - Alan Higa

OREGON - Julie Horton

WASHINGTON - Max Novikov

WYOMING - Pamela Tiemann

GEORGIA - Tonya S. Justice

MICHIGAN - Esther Rumfelt

NEW YORK - Trenton P. Hall

DELAWARE - Jessica Gingery

COLORADO - Marshall F. Huwe
Michael Hastings

ARIZONA -
Judy LaBoda
Nancy Criswell

LOUISIANA -
Michelle Ackman
Melissa Henry

OHIO -
Jean Scott
Lewis T. Beman
Maureen Joyce

TEXAS -
Bonnie Saunders
Natalyn Jeffries
Suzie McKinzie

ILLINOIS -
Carlett Dudley
Yvette Thomas
Vivian Little
Total Attorneys

FLORIDA -
Mariella Brandtner
Louise Hurwitz
Edgar Brackin
Jill T. Starr
Tashania Morris
Solomon Abercrombie
Suzanne Tart

CALIFORNIA -
Warrenetta Lane
Maria Griffin
Mardi Cusimano
Peggy Grangetto
Sherri Nash
Anita Holguin
Michele Bannister
Dianna Forsythe
Patricia Bailey
Dennis Kaczor
Barbara Buchler
Susan Guinn
Mayra Heredia
Terri Logan
Dee Medlin
Bridget Pearson
Anna Baughman
Gary Ostad
Amy Underwood
Cindi Good
Valerie Clay
David Noel
Jeannie Lynch

We have Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants in 15 States. If your particular state is not listed; no problem! our members prepare petitions for all 50 states.

You can get more information about the NSVBA members by going to www.nsvba.com and Click on "All Member Profiles".

I will blog again about our members. There is so much more you need to know about this national, professional organization and its members and I am more than happy to share it with you.

Until next time!

Vikki Watanabe
President and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC

info@nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com
866-678-8411 x 712
Torrance, CA 90504

Meet the Members of NSVBA, LLC

2010-06-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

For awhile, I've been wanting to write a blog about the members of NSVBA, LLC.

As a matter of fact, you may have met a few members at the NACBA Conventions in Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA and previously; the NACBA Fall Workshops at Hilton Head Island, SC and Tucson, AZ.

The members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC are a diverse group of professionals.

They bring experience from various backgrounds.

NSVBA members run fully committed legitimate businesses. All have been trained to prepare Chapter 7 petitions.

Some have experience preparing Chapter 13 petitions.

Before the year is over, all NSVBA members will be trained on Chapter 13 petition preparation. NSVBA has planned Chapter 13 Training Webinars this summer.

So, who are the members of NSVBA? Most have been Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants for over 4 years, some even longer. Some are new to the VBA career and the Independent Contractor industry. But nonetheless experienced, professional and reliable.

Whether you contract with a new or seasoned VBA, you are contracting with a professional with a solid work ethic who will prepare your petitions in a timely manner.

I encourage you; the attorneys, to try the services of a VBA. I also encourage you to hire a new VBA.

You, the attorney, must discuss your current needs; communicate your assignment request and expected deadlines.

You must do this whether you work with a seasoned VBA or a new VBA. The process is the same. You must relate your current needs.

If, after working with a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, you decide it's not for you. Simply pay your outstanding invoices.

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants are not for everyone. But, how will you know if you don't at first try? Who knows? You may end up saving a lot of time and money!

At first, the fee might seem a little steep. It really isn't when you take into account how much you're not paying.

1) You don't pay for additional users on your bankruptcy software because each VBA has their own licensed bankruptcy software.

2) You don't pay for lost time due to unforeseen circumstances,

3) vacation pay,

4) sick leave,

5) workers comp,

6) taxes,

7) office space,

8) office supplies, etc.

When a Virtual contracts to prepare your petitions. They prepare petitions from beginning to end. From the Client Intake Interview through the Post Petition Phase. They take on as much responsibility as you are comfortable giving them. Of course, the more they are allowed to do, the more cost effective for the attorney. After all, our goal is to provide a service wherein the attorney is saving time and money to grow their law firm.

Once the attorney has conducted the initial consultation and qualifies the Debtor for a Chapter 7 or 13; the file can be given to the VBA. The VBA will contact the attorney client at a time convenient to the Debtor's schedule so as not to disturb them at work. VBA's do not work traditional office hours which is a benefit for the Debtor as well as the Attorney.

Our members are well versed in UPL and only respond to general questions. Legal questions are always referred to the attorney.

NSVBA members carry their own Service Agreement and in order to begin work, the attorney must read, agree and sign the contract. Members of NSVBA are Independent Contractors (1099).

Payment is due when the VBA submits an invoice after the final petition is approved and ready for filing.

NSVBA members work specifically for Solo Practitioners who need a "Bankruptcy Specialist" on hand but cannot afford a full time staff. We're there when you need us.

NSVBA members work with medium to large law firms as well. VBA's step in to cover overload or during vacations, leave of absence and holidays. Our members work directly with the In-office Paralegal to prepare and maintain a smooth workflow.

For more information, visit our website and click on "All Member Profiles".

If you would like assistance in locating an NSVBA member,simply give me a call. I will help you locate a VBA to suit your needs.

Our members are ready to assist you. If you've been thinking about growing your law firm, now is the time.

Sincerely,

Vikki Watanabe
President and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
2100 C West Redondo Beach Blvd., #34
Torrance, CA 90504

866-678-8411 x712

www.nsvba.com
info@nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com

Max Gardner's Bankruptcy Boot Camp

2010-06-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC is proud to announce it's affiliation with Max Gardner's Bankruptcy Boot Camp.

Read on.....

Max Gardner is revolutionizing consumer bankruptcy practice with his Bankruptcy Litigation Model (BLM). The BLM is a system designed to successfully litigate claims against creditors, servicers and debt buyers through adversary proceedings in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. Attorneys practicing the BLM offer better protection for their clients while earning more revenue per case. Max currently has over 300 graduates and the list is growing fast because he added online training in addition to his in-person Boot Camp in North Carolina.

One of the biggest challenges for attorneys who want to implement the BLM is to find and train qualified assistants in the BLM method. Max champions the use virtual assistants (he uses 11) and even has a whole section of the boot camp dedicated to using VA's. Any VA who is trained in the BLM is in a great position to do work for a boot camp graduate. We will be posting a list of legal assistants so it will be easy for graduates to find you. We currently list all of the attorney graduates.

The regular price for a year of online training is $2,999 but legal assistants can sign up for $1,999. As an NSVBA member you qualify for an additional $500 discount so you can subscribe for only $1,499. Please visit www.maxbankruptybootcamp.com for much more information.

If you're not yet an NSVBA member and would like more information, see below.

Thank you,
Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com
866-678-8411 x712

LEWIS T. BEMAN-COLUMBUS, OH

2010-04-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

LEWIS T. BEMAN-Columbus, OH

PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
I bring to the table over 30 years as a professional, 25 of those as a research scientist in product development for a large, multinational pharmaceutical manufacturer. During my last 12 years with this company, my major responsibilities were in the area of project management as the developer and operator of a company intranet / database covering all product development projects at their Columbus, Ohio location. In my daily activities, I was continually involved in communication with people throughout the company in all major operations such as laboratories, regulatory affairs, operations, and upper management. I developed and presented a training program on sound project management practices and use of the information in the intranet site, for all involved employees, including the company president. I am very much a “people person” and enjoy developing or implementing a product or service that will meet short- or long term needs in their lives.

In 2007 my employer offered me early retirement as part of a major restructuring of personnel and payroll. During this time I had also developed an avid interest in legal work, and decided that my “next career” would be in legal services. In 2008 I obtained a post-baccalaureate certificate as a paralegal from Columbus State Community College, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout the program. It was invigorating to me to have returned to school and to “show my stuff” in classes with my mostly younger classmates. The material generally came easy to me, and often I found myself coaching other students in the context of small study groups. I was also a trustee in the Student Paralegal Association at Columbus State.

As I have already suggested, I am oriented to providing service that will make a difference for the betterment in people’s lives. My wife of 35 years and I determined that whatever new career I took up would not merely emphasize making money, but would also, maybe primarily, bring blessing to individuals that are in deep crisis. A natural for me is those who, perhaps through job loss, marital breakup, or serious health issues, need legal services to help them put their financial lives back together as in bankruptcy. Two paralegal internships with solo practitioners, advice from my academic advisor, plus a sense of calling, convinced me that this was my field. The opportunity to serve as a virtual bankruptcy assistant / paralegal enables me to meet a definite need providing attorneys with timely, accurate petitions for their clients. It also is a good fit for me due to personal health and family needs.

I have attained NAVBA certification after 6 months of training and practice preparing Chapter 7 petitions. I am fully engaged in the learning process, currently attending a 2-day workshop in marketing and Chapter 13 preparation, and planning to obtain ABJA certification later in 2010. As a paralegal, I am willing to offer services not only in the preparation of petitions, but also in client intake and follow-through up to petition filing, and preparation/support for the 341 meeting as the attorney has need. Service(s) to be provided will be determined for each attorney as he/she prefers to manage his/her cases.

My education consists of a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Science in Food Science from the Ohio State University.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
I have been married for 35 years to the love of my life, have 3 married daughters, and 4 grandchildren, who, as they say, are more fun than children. My other passions are working with international ministries at our local church; and gardening, especially growing about 100 orchids for showing and selling.

ATTORNEYS:

You can contact Lewis at:
614-208-5490

You can also visit the NSVBA Exhibit Table at the NACBA Convention
April 29-May 2, 2010 and pick up Lewis' business card and a chance to
win a Raffle Prize submitted by Lewis.

Thank you Lewis.

National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC

2010-03-23T11:20:00.001-07:00

Our first year.

I can't believe it.

We've had quite a year too!

But before I go on, I want to thank the members of NSVBA for their continued support.

This is a great group of professionals whose work is being recognized nationwide by a number of attorneys who work with them.

The members of NSVBA provide mentoring and support to their fellow members. Our most seasoned members have been preparing petitions since before BAPCPA of 2005. Most have been trained specifically under BAPCPA of 2005.

We have assisted new and seasoned attorneys run their law firms efficiently since 2005 and before.

This past year, we attended the NACBA 17th Annual Convention in Chicago, IL and the Fall Workshop in Tucson, AZ. As an Exhibitor at these events, the members of NSVBA give away fabulous Raffle Prizes to the attorneys in attendance.

If you're an attorney, why not stop by our Exhibit Table while you're in San Francisco April 29th through May 2nd?

If you're a Paralegal or Legal Support Staff attending the NACBA Convention, be sure to stop by as well for a chance to win a raffle prize. This year, NSVBA will have a seperate "fish bowl" for Legal Support staff.

The NSVBA website has undergone quite a few changes as well.

As part of the new membership benefits, NSVBA now offers a 5 Page website and Monthly Teleconferences. We continue to provide Topic Specific Webinars and Webinar Training in Petition Preparation. Another benefit is the Private GoogleGroup, VBANation. At VBANation, the members mentor each other in petition preparation.

Our members have also attended the Annual Conference and Training provided by the ABJA (Association of Bankruptcy Judicial Assistants). This year, the Conference will be held in New Orleans, LA.

Thank you to all the attorneys who utilize the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. Our services provide support even when you have a full time staff. We step in to help during those crucial times such as leave of absence, vacations, etc.

For the solo practitioner, you have a staff when you need one without the overhead. It's a win-win. Even when you're ready to build your law firm with a full time staff, you know we're there to fill in if ever needed or continue to work with you as part of your full time staff.

If you would like to know more about NSVBA, drop me a line at info@nsvba.com for more information.

Thank you,

Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
2100 C West Redondo Beach Blvd. #34
Torrance, CA 90504
866-678-8411

www.nsvba.com
vikki@nsvba.com
info@nsvba.com

Blackstone Paralegal School - Paralegal Course: Practical Bankruptcy Law

2010-01-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

Blackstone Paralegal School - Paralegal Course: Practical Bankruptcy Law

Featured VBA-Natalyn Jeffries- Humble, TX

2009-11-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Natalyn Jeffries knows what lawyers want. Having worked as a
secretary and paralegal in the legal industry for more than 25 years,
she is very knowledgeable about the processes of a law firm. Her
legal background began in Chicago in 1981 where she worked in a
corporate environment specializing in leveraged buyouts, securities
and venture capital. After she moved to Houston, TX in 1993, she
enrolled in paralegal school and received her paralegal certificate in
1995 with honors. She was hired on at Vinson & Elkins, L.L.P. as a
junior paralegal/secretary and worked in many areas of law including
litigation, real estate, tax, immigration, health, and intellectual
property to name a few. She has also worked as a software trainer,
mentor and document specialist for firms throughout the Houston, TX
metro area. 'I recognize the need for talented and efficient legal
assistants and no task is too great or small for me. You have to
believe in what you do in order to bring positive results'.

She is a very knowledgeable and dedicated legal assistant who takes
her responsibilities seriously and is committed to continuing
education. "Natalyn offers great results, is very personable and has
a high level of integrity." Recommendation via LinkedIn by Paul
Pryzant, Partner, Burleson Cooke, LLP.

PERSONAL BACKGROUNG

Natalyn enjoys interior design, travel and reading. She lives in
Humble, Texas with her husband and two dogs."

Thank you Natalyn!

ATTORNEYS: You can find Natalyn's contact information below.

Natalyn Jeffries
Six Elements Legal Support
www.selstexas.com
(281) 203-1474

NSVBA

2009-11-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

I am writing this to inform everyone there has been a change in the NSVBA
organization.

I am moving NSVBA in a new direction for 2010.

With my vision for 2010, I will be simplifying NSVBA.

While Cathy Gutierrez continues to be a vital member of NSVBA, she has
made the decision to pursue other opportunities. As such, please
respect that Cathy no longer represents NSVBA as Vice President, but
continues her role as a contributing member.

Effective immediately, please direct any and all NSVBA questions to
me.

Look for Cathy's contributions on the NSVBA LinkedIn group.

I wish Cathy all the best in her future endeavors.

There will be a Webinar on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 6:00 P.M.
(PST). The Webinar will be recorded and posted on the NSVBA website.
NSVBA members, look for your invitation coming soon!

If you would like to participate in the NSVBA Webinars, please email me at vikki@nsvba.com for more information.

Vikki Watanabe
President
NSVBA-National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com
866-678-8411

KASEY CLARK - HOUSTON, TX

2009-10-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

KASEY CLARK

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Kasey Clark has over 20 years of experience in the corporate and legal arenas. She has continued her education and is now a senior at Western Governor’s University and plans to graduate in the spring of 2010 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Management. In addition to working full time as a customer service representative and going to college full time, Kasey successfully completed her training from Victoria Ring receiving her certification in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Law. Kasey has also recently received her second certification in Bankruptcy through NSVBA. Kasey is a dedicated and driven individual and will do whatever it takes to get the job done and achieve her goals.

Kasey has decided to put her education to good use by starting her own Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant business Kasey Clark Consulting located in Houston, Texas. She says, “It’s time to leave the corporate world and branch out on my own.” Kasey enjoys helping people and wants to apply her knowledge and expertise where she can make a difference in people’s lives.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

In her off time, Kasey enjoys Genealogy and relaxing with her husband, son, and dog.

Kasey Clark
Kasey Clark Consulting
kaseyclarkconsulting.com
(877) 234-7642

ATTORNEYS: You can learn more about Kasey by visiting her website.

Thank you Kasey!

Featured VBA-Veronica Jones-Rockdale, TX

2009-09-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

VERONICA JONES

Veronica Jones is a virtual paralegal who has chosen to specialize in bankruptcy law. She is the owner of Attorneys Virtual Paralegal which provides professional and personalized Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition preparation services to consumer bankruptcy attorneys. Veronica’s goal is to provide a cost effective, efficient method of decreasing her attorney clients’ workload and increasing that profit margin. She understands that filing bankruptcy is possibly one of the most stressful periods in anyone’s life, and her job is to help make it as smooth as it possibly can be.

Prior to starting her own virtual paralegal business, Veronica worked as a deputy clerk in a county governmental office where she was responsible for the family law and attorney general cases filed with the court. In addition, she has worked in criminal/family law offices as a legal assistant where she assisted in the drafting of discovery requests, motions, correspondence and any other legal pleadings that are were required. Seeking to acquire legal knowledge skills in a new and different area of law chose bankruptcy. Since that time, she has acquired training through 713training.com and recently passed the NSVBA certification exam. She is also a Certified Texas Process Server and Texas Notary Public.

Veronica graduated from Blinn College in Bryan, Texas with an Applied Associate Science degree in legal assistant. She is currently studying to sit for the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) certification exam in December 2009 to obtain her certified paralegal designation.

She is committed to providing consumer bankruptcy attorneys quality bankruptcy preparation services. Contact Veronica so she can begin providing you with quality service. You will be delighted with the results!

Personally, she and her husband are parents of one son. They are extremely proud of their son for his courage, commitment and service to his country as a corporal in the United States Marine Corps.

Thank you!

Veronica Jones
Attorneys Virtual Paralegal

ATTORNEYS-You can contact Veronica by going to her website. Once there, go to the Contact Us page.

Website: www.attorneysvirtualparalegal.com

E-mail: veronica@attorneysvirtualparalegal.com

Thank you Veronica!

FEATURED VBA-Cathy Gutierrez-Oceanside, CA

2009-09-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

CATHY GUTIERREZ

Cathy Gutierrez is an independent paralegal with over 3 years of experience in bankruptcy petition preparation. She is the founder/web master of Priority Bankruptcy, a virtual bankruptcy assistant service that works under the direction of licensed debtor bankruptcy attorneys performing a variety of services. These services include Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition preparation, client intake interviews, and other services to aid the bankruptcy attorney. Prior to her current position, she worked in the financial services industry for 14 years. Cathy started out in the financial services industry as an Operations Clerk and within eight years earned a promotion to the title of Vice President at Citigroup. She has comprehensive experience in all aspects of employee management, to include recruitment, hiring, training, ongoing professional development, performance planning, performance evaluation, and employee recognition.

Cathy passed the AVBA, NSVBA and the ABJA certification exam. Her knowledge is from a combination of work experience (on-the-job training), and projected graduation from a recognized formalized, professionally instructed paralegal school.

She obtained her Associates Degree in Psychological and Social Services from Palomar College in San Marcos, CA in 2006. She is currently pursuing her B.S. in Paralegal Studies from Kaplan University in Chicago, IL.

Raised in Yonkers, New York, Cathy now lives with her husband, two grandchildren, and three dogs in Oceanside, CA.

BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEYS

Visit Cathy's website for more information:

http://www.prioritybankruptcy.com/

Once there, go to the "Contact Us" page

You can also meet Cathy at the upcoming NACBA Fall Workshop on November 6 and 7 in Tucson, AZ.

Cathy will be happy to talk to you personally about the benefits of working with a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

Thank you Cathy!

Fall-A New Beginning

2009-09-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Fall Season is quickly approaching. This year, Fall begins on September 22nd.

For the NSVBA, Fall is the beginning of a new season for Webinars and Live Seminars.

There are many events lined up for the organization and also for the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

First, we have our first Fall Webinar on September 11th; followed by our Fall VBA Luncheon on September 19th in Southern California.

Soon after that, we will hold another Webinar on October 9th.

Then, and this is the exciting part, we're off to Tucson to the NACBA Fall Workshop.

NSVBA is a regular Exhibitor at the NACBA events.

We also attend other events throughout the year. But the NACBA events are the best!

December is right around the corner and our last Webinar of the year on December 4th.

I would love to tell you what we have planned for 2010, but you need to stay tuned or join our organization and be part of all that is going on.

If you are a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and would like information about becoming a member of NSVBA, drop me a line here or email me at vikki@nsvba.com

See you online!
Vikki

NSVBA
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant
www.nsvba.com
866-678-8411

Featured VBA-Louise Hurwitz- Stuart, Florida

2009-08-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Louise Hurwitz, founder and owner of Accurate Bankruptcy Petitions, knows firsthand about the impact of the current mortgage and housing crisis. Louise worked as a mortgage loan processor and underwriter for ten years until American Home Mortgage declared bankruptcy in August 2007.

The "gift" of losing her job gave her the time to develop, train and form her own business. Working with bankruptcy attorneys and their clients is a perfect fit for her skills and abilities. As a loan processor she worked with every type of borrower, gave them insight into the process and gathered the documents required for a lending decision. She had authority to approve residential loans up to $1.5 million.

You will be impressed by Louise's attention to detail, ability to work effectively with your clients and her skill in analyzing client documentation.

Trained by the industry leader, www.713training.com she earned the designation Certified Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. In her evaluation of the exam, Victoria Ring, founder of 713Training.com, wrote,

"We have found that you are very professional and have a caring and compassionate attitude toward others. You are also proficient in asking questions about areas you to not understand and you are interested in working until you get the information correct. Because of this, we would highly recommend you to other attorneys."

Louise is a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson and Florida Life, Health and Variable Annuity agent. Prior to entering the mortgage industry she worked as an Administrative Assistant to senior executives in finance, real estate investing and advertising.

She is an active member of Women of Note Chorus and Harmony Street Quartet and volunteers as a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Martin County.

Louise Hurwitz

Accurate Bankruptcy Petitions

www.go-accurate.com

louise@go-accurate.com

772-905-3580 (phone)

772-934-3501 (fax)

Cindi Good-Susanville, CA

2009-08-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

The following article is by NSVBA member-Cindi Good on the advantages of working with a VBA. She also encourages VBA's to get out there and advertise their services!

Cindi's contact information can be found at the end of this article.

VIRTUAL BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANTS

As Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, we are educated, highly trained professionals ready to assist Attorneys in preparing bankruptcy petitions for their clients. The problem we are posed with is, how do we encourage attorneys to use our services?

“…most businesses can and should go virtual. The company’s productivity goes way up, therefore saving them a tremendous amount of money each year. There is a learning curve and adjustment period, but it is well worth it for the company and employees to go virtual.” This is a quote from an associate who has worked for HP for over three decades, ten years virtually.

Sometimes attorneys are apprehensive of the unknown (as are all of us at times). They are uncomfortable with virtual, because they’ve been so busy with their practices over the years that virtual has passed them by. A VBA can assist with set up. This is the super-technology age, right?

Attorneys may see the flat fee and think it’s too expensive, so that tells me they don’t really understand how contracting a VBA saves them money, as they aren’t taking advantage of paying contractually, paying only for completed work. They will never have to pay a VBA for coffee breaks, time off for sick leave/maternity leave, vacations, etc.

Attorneys must be educated on the advantages of using VBAs instead of, or in addition to, their current staff.

Bottom line: We must give them reasons making it compelling for them to sign on for our services.

With the economy getting worse each month, and as attorneys cut staff, they may begin to see the value in contracting with a VBA. When they contract with a VBA, they don’t have to pay salaries, benefits, employments tax contributions, etc. They only pay a flat fee when the bankruptcy petition is completed.

So, how do we go about educating attorneys on what an advantage it is to contract with a VBA?

Continue to advertise on Craig’s List, where we speak to attorneys one-on-one. This is where our elevator speeches come in.

Go to a NACBA convention where, again, we speak to attorneys one-on-one. Again, our elevator speeches are key here.

Become members of various legal associations. Submit articles to post on their websites.

I recently spoke with a VBA regarding the possibility of having a representative at the NACBA convention (an attorney would be best) presenting the VBA industry, how it benefits his practice, giving different scenarios for sole practitioners through large law offices using the VBA.

Of course, there are the social websites: Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Plaxo, and others.

In conclusion, we must continue to work together, finding effective ways of giving attorneys that compelling reason to contract with Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. I invite everyone to continue to use VBA Nation to post ideas. We must make the reasons so compelling that they’ll be biting at the bullet to use our services.

Cindi Good
Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant
Bankruptcy Pro Processor
Member National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants
www.NSVBA.com
www.BkProProcessor.com
Cindi@BkProProcessor.com
530-251-7635

JACQUELINE D'AUNNO-Port Saint Lucie, FL

2009-07-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Jacqueline D’Aunno is an independent paralegal with over 12 years of experience in the legal field. She is the owner of Premier Document Preparation Services, offering paralegal assistance to attorneys on a contract basis. She obtained her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from the Berkeley College of Business in West Paterson, New Jersey in 1996. Thereafter, she pursued her B.S. in English from Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.

She has worked for lawyers in various areas of law, including construction law, civil litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, patents and trademarks, worker’s compensation, criminal and insurance defense, family law, and social security disability. Most recently, Jacqueline became interested in learning more about bankruptcy law, and found the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. As she read about the organization, she became intrigued with learning how to become a Certified Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, and expanding her legal knowledge skills. In May 2009, Jacqueline passed the NSVBA certification exam, and has since been focused on learning more about bankruptcy law, and how she can provide valuable services to bankruptcy attorneys.

To learn more about Jacqueline's services and credentials, please visit her website at:

www.premierdocprep.com and click on "About Us".

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Jacqueline is the proud mom of a 17 month old baby girl named Bella, to whom she attributes most of her newfound motivation to succeed. When she is not working, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and daughter. Jacqueline is also an avid fitness enthusiast, and enjoys running, swimming and cycling outdoors. One of her favorite quotes is from William Arthur Ward, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.” Jacqueline considers her independent paralegal services as being her life’s work, as she takes great pleasure in helping others.

ATTORNEYS

To contact Jacqueline, visit her website at:

www.premierdocprep.com

Once there, go to the "Contact Us" page.

Thank you Jacqueline!

NACBA Convention-May 29-31, 2009 Chicago, IL

2009-06-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

The following article is by Jeannie Lynch, NSVBA Member and Participant at the recent NACBA Convention in Chicago, IL.

NACBA CONVENTION FEEDBACK

The May, 2009, NACBA Convention was exciting, encouraging and enlightening on many levels. There was huge interest in Virtual Bankruptcy Assistance and how the process works. At times we were facing three and four attorneys deep at the exhibitor table, excitedly detailing not only the benefits of utilizing a VBA but the benefits that flowed to each attorney who teams with a member of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. (A neighboring exhibitor likened his experience to Marketing Boot Camp and I could not agree more!)

One common thread among those attorneys who could especially benefit from the services of a VBA -- those sole practitioners with limited assistance and those who physically input client information into petition software themselves -- is their hesitancy to give up control. These attorneys are “hands-on” with client information and have a hard time envisioning how they can possibly transfer that information to someone outside their office.

We explained to these attorneys that while letting go may be difficult at first, the rewards of adding a competent, skilled, professional team member cannot be overstated. Not the least of these rewards is giving back to the attorney his or her valuable time to spend in more profitable ways such as increasing his or her client base and otherwise building and fine tuning the practice for increased profitability.

Everyone knows what it’s like to have a professional, productive, efficient team member on board. They get their assignments, diligently apply themselves to their tasks and complete their projects -- mostly without flaw and always timely. They require little to no supervision and limited follow up. It’s like they’re not even there, yet the work flows smoothly, efficiently and impressively. This is what can be expected when teaming with an NSVBA affiliated Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant -- without a doubt, one of the best investments a sole practitioner Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney can make.

So, how does the attorney get the client information and documentation to us easily and securely? Faxing and email certainly make the list. Clients are computer savvy these days. Many conduct a great deal of their personal and professional business by computer, which makes easier the transfer of that information. Some VBA’s offer additional security options such as utilizing their own secure server or secure online file sharing programs by which files can be uploaded and downloaded with the click of a mouse, often allowing the dragging and dropping an entire folder of multiple files. These programs operate under an “ https” connection, meaning that the data transferred is encrypted so that it cannot be read by anyone except the recipient. The transfer of information between Attorney and VBA is neither difficult nor risky but, rather, user friendly and secure.

Post-convention follow up continues for me as I assume it does for my fellow attending VBA’s. The attorneys we had the pleasure of meeting were impressive and eager to learn about the possibilities for better representation of their clients and improved work flow and productivity. As we at NSVBA continue to provide them the avenue to seize these opportunities, our valuable reputation will grow.

The National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants is a highly professional and ethical organization whose primary goal is the success of each individual member through training, networking, and marketing. This goal not only serves to ensure the success of the group as a whole but also the attorneys we serve. I am proud to be a member.
Attending the conference was a personal and professional pleasure and I thank Vikki Watanabe and NSVBA for allowing me the opportunity.

Jeannie Lynch
Lynch Legal Support

Thank you again Jeannie!

Vikki

Featured VBA-BARBARA BROCK- Manchester,Missouri

2009-06-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

For the next two weeks, our Featured VBA is Barbara Brock. Many of you recently met Barbara at the 17th Annual NACBA Convention.

If you're an attorney seeking the expertise of a VBA, look no further.

Barbara J. Brock

Professional Background:

Barbara is a Certified Bankruptcy Assistant whose 30+ year background includes experience as an Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Data Analyst, and Business Owner. Barbara has diligently pursued education and research to advance her computer skills and knowledge of the various industries in which she worked. She is also a Missouri Notary Public.

Widowed in her early 30’s, Barbara decided to start her own business to allow her the opportunity to be available for her son. She orchestrated the approval and construction of a small building to house a grooming business and stained glass studio. This was her first taste of business ownership and the satisfaction that comes from providing quality services that she was responsible for. Along with this endeavor, she engaged in satisfying volunteer work. After six years as a single parent, in 1992, Barbara married her best friend. In 2001, a move to St. Louis necessitated her relinquishing her business.

In the past 8 years, she advanced her way in the medical records department of a major St. Louis hospital from a data entry position to the position of Data Analyst/Special Studies. In this capacity, she excelled in analyzing data to produce special reports and graphs for use by the Director of the department. Her eye for detail and tenacity for producing high-quality projects assisted the Director in presenting data which motivated action for improvement. Barbara’s reliability to complete projects on time, without supervision, was a pivotal factor in the decision to allow her to work in this position from her remote office. Barbara became an integral part of the Director’s team, multi-tasking to produce reports and graphs, presentations, policies and procedures, researching topics, and teaching others computer skills.

With a revived desire to pursue her own business, in 2006, her research into business opportunities uncovered the beginnings of the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant industry. She took an avid interest in this field because of her own personal experience with nearly having to file bankruptcy at one point in her own life. Her determination and tenacity in working with creditors to get out of that difficult and stressful situation made her feel she would have special compassion and understanding for attorneys’ clients. She had also been intrigued by the legal profession having assisted friends with legal research both on-line and at the top-rated Washington University Law Library.

The decision made, she began the road of bankruptcy education and petition preparation training. Barbara is now a Certified Bankruptcy Assistant with the Association of Bankruptcy Judicial Assistants (ABJA) and a Certified Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant with the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants (NSVBA). She continues her education through webinars, networking with seasoned VBA’s, bankruptcy publications, on-line research, and paralegal courses. The NSVBA has been a strong ally, providing Barbara with training and a close network of information from more experienced VBA’s. The NSVBA also presented her the opportunity to attend both the NACBA Fall Workshop in Hilton Head and, more recently, the NACBA Convention in Chicago. At both these venues, she thoroughly enjoyed the interaction with attorneys as she explained how a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant would free up their time and take a tremendous workload off their shoulders, then seeing their excitement as they realized the value of this service. She is currently working with several attorneys to set up her VBA service for their law firms.

To learn more about Barbara’s services and credentials, please visit her website at: http://www.brbsolutionsllc.com/

Personal Background

On a personal note, what Barbara will tell you about herself is that she is a down-to-earth person who is interested in helping others. She enjoys being a professional assistant. She has been called tenacious by others, particularly her father-in-law, and admits that she demands of herself to give the best to others as she would expect to receive. Barbara prides herself as being dependable, honest, confidential, hardworking, and caring. She thrives on the challenge of working with numbers, details, and doing research.

On the lighter side, when she’s not working, Barbara takes pleasure in the time she spends with her husband, family, grandchildren, and friends. She loves to travel, but is always happy to be home. Several years ago, she undertook the challenge to begin learning Chinese and volunteers her time to help in an education work. Her other passions include cooking, photography, and stained glass.

The decision for Barbara to be self-employed has been greatly influenced by her desire to be able to choose time for these important facets of her life. That is why she strongly feels that the service she provides as a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant is invaluable for those she works with so they, too, can have more time for what they consider to be most important to them.

ATTORNEYS:

To contact Barbara, visit her website at:
http://www.brbsolutionsllc.com/

Once there, go to the "Contact Us" page.

Thank you Barbara,

Vikki

Featured VBA-JEANNIE LYNCH, San Diego, California

2009-05-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Featured VBA for the next two weeks is Jeannie Lynch.

If you are a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney seeking the professional services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, you want to read Jeannie's autobiography.

If you are considering becoming a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, email me at vikki@nsvba.com, I will get back to you asap.

JEANNIE LYNCH

Professional Background

Jeannie is a certified paralegal whose 30+ year background includes over 20 years of hugely responsible in-house Senior Paralegal law firm experience, offsite contract work and nearly 10 years commercial real estate experience. She is also a licensed California Real Estate Salesperson and California Notary Public

Jeannie's professional career began in 1980 when she joined a small family law/civil litigation practice in Palm Springs, California. In 1982 the firm funded Jeannie's paralegal studies at Chapman University and upon certification in 1984 she transitioned to her own office with her own case load. In 1995, the owner of the firm became a Judge and the practice was closed. Jeannie was at that time recruited by a client commercial real estate broker and for the next 9 years she administered all contracts for the brokerage and spearheaded the firm's marketing department. In 2004, the attorney-who-became-judge made the decision to return to private practice and Jeannie was invited to and did rejoin the firm, once again assuming a hugely responsible case load.

In January 2008 Jeannie moved with her husband to the San Diego area and made the "quality of life" decision to establish a contract paralegal business from her home office, where she continues to work "virtually" for her previous law firm today. In researching contract paralegal opportunities for her new venture, it became clear to Jeannie that Consumer Bankruptcy was not only an area sorely in need of competent support but one that was particularly well suited to the virtual environment.

With her focus established, Jeannie sought out all education and training sources available and was soon certified as a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. Just six months into active marketing of her services, Jeannie now has contracts with six bankruptcy attorneys and is a Certified CM-ECF Filer in the California Southern District. A detailed description of her services can be found at: http://www.lynchlegalsupport.com/

Jeannie will be the first to tell you that she attributes much of her huge successes to her affiliation with the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. She actively participates in training, meetings and VBANation and is one of this year's VBA's attending the upcoming NACBA conference in Chicago.

Personal Background

When she's not working, you will find Jeannie with her husband Frederick and rescue cat Bones sailing San Diego Bay or on a "road trip" with the Jeep top down. All said, Jeannie recognizes that her rapidly expanding Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant business has made a significant contribution to justifying that "quality of life" decision she made a little more than a year ago.

Attorneys: You can read more about Jeannie by going to her website: http://www.lynchlegalsupport.com/

From there, you can contact her via the "Contact Us" page.

You can also meet Jeannie at the upcoming NACBA Convention in Chicago, IL. May 29-31, 2009.

Thank you Jeannie!

Vikki

Featured VBA-YVETTE THOMAS-Calumet City, IL

2009-04-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

The Featured VBA (Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant), for the next two weeks is Yvette Thomas.

If you are a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney considering the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, read Yvette's autobiography. Although new to the VBA industry, Yvette has proven to be a quick study and will do her best to assist you in your bankruptcy petition preparation needs.

For those considering the career of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and would like more information, please email me at vikki@nsvba.com I will get back to asap.

YVETTE THOMAS

Professional Information:
I have over 30 years experience in the medical field. The last 24 years I worked as a Certified Emergency Medical Technician at Cermak Health Services – Cook County Department of Corrections. In my 24 years at the Cook County Jail I have had a lot of direct contact with the Courts, Attorneys, and States Attorneys. After sometime I seriously started thinking about a career change. So I started researching opportunities in the legal field, for a home base business.

My education includes receiving my Certification at Daley College for my Emergency Medical Technician License in May of 1980.

In April of 2008, I discovered the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant's through 713Training.com After weeks of research into this field, I took the first step and purchased all the training materials in May of 2008. I completed all the training materials, attended Webinars, Teleconferences, and (ECF) Electronic Case Filing. In July of 2008 I was introduced to Vikki Watanabe our AAVBA Executive Director; and currently NSVBA President, by another fellow VBA. With Vikki by my side, I joined the AAVBA, attended more Webinars, and Teleconferences. I studied & researched, studied & researched, studied & researched, and passed my VBA Certification in September of 2008. Since October of 2008 I have been setting up my marketing strategies, and marketing since January of 2009.

Personal Information:
Above all things God is first and foremost in my life. I love reading, because knowledge is power. I have a few words of wisdom that I live by including: "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearful you will make one" by Elbert Hubbard. I believe that if people don't make mistakes in life, then they can never grow and advance in whatever they attempt to do. I also believe in the phrase "Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. I feel that if people give 100% of what they are doing, then they will succeed. Another quote I really believe in is "When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I believe that God intended every individual to succeed and that there are no limits to the possibilities one has in life. I teach others that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it and achieve your goal.

Attorneys: You can read more about Yvette's services at her website:

http://www.713isyourpetitions.com/

From there, you can contact her via her "Contact Us" page.

Thank you Yvette,

Vikki

COMING SOON! Featured VBA's!

2009-04-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

On April 27, 2009, I will once again start posting the "Featured VBA" here on VBATalk.blogspot.

During the time you are the Featured VBA (two weeks) I will link updates on Twitter. Many Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys will see your bio through this link.

I started this earlier in the year, but certain things happened that I was unable to keep it up.

Well, I'm back and so are the VBA's.

If you are an NSVBA member and would like to be featured, simply submit your bio to vikki@nsvba.com

This is very good exposure for your VBA businesses. Once you are a Featured VBA, you can link the article on your website. Free advertising which will last forever. Can't beat that.

I hope you consider the impact this can have on your VBA business and you will submit your bio soon!

Wishing you wildly successful days!
Vikki

NSVBA
http://www.nsvba.com/

P.S.- Not sure what to write? Check out the previous "Featured VBA's" located here.

Future Events for NSVBA and the VBA

2009-04-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

NSVBA offers service, support, networking and marketing to our members. But we can't do it alone. Each VBA must do their part to market and network their Independent Businesses.

Here are a few events which might be of interest to you, the VBA.

17th Annual NACBA Convention in Chicago, IL May 29, 30, 31
Although this event is not open to the public, NSVBA members are offered different options to be present at this event. Go to http://www.nsvba.com/ and Click on "Membership".

NALS-The association for legal professionals. This organization has regional groups throughout the United States. Here in CA, their Orange County group is very active, holding monthly dinner meetings. They also have a Convention coming up in Las Vegas in the month of June.

ABJA-Association of Bankruptcy Judicial Assistants-ABJA holds their conference once a year in the fall. This year, the Conference is being held in Baltimore, MD in October.

I encourage NSVBA members to reach out to other VA's and VBA's and find out what is going on in their immediate area. The only way you're going to meet people of the same mind and ideas, is to reach out and meet them.

Join Associations and Organizations which edify the legal professional.

Vikki

Accountability

2009-04-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

When one claims the title of "Industry Leader", one takes on an enormous responsibility.

If you run an organization that includes members, you take on an extraordinary responsibility. Not only do you represent the "industry"; now, your members look to you to represent them. Hopefully, in the best possible light.

Needless to say, relationships become very important. Business and personal.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" behaves in a way that is not professional, everyone within their organization and associated with that "Industry Leader" suffers.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" makes the decision to advise, train, or otherwise encourage its members to extend themselves beyond the scope of their duties crossing that fine line of "UPL" once again, anyone associated with the Industry Leader and the organization suffers.

Not only that, they run the risk of losing their credibility within the industry and with their members.

My feeling is that Industry Leaders do not have the luxury of saying what they want without first considering how their words and actions could affect the industry they represent. One can say they are held to a higher standard.

If one decides they are to be the "Industry Leader", Making claims such as "the only organization that offers their type of service", "no one around is doing what they do"; that "Industry Leader" should carefully consider their actions.

Some will respond by saying, "what the Industry Leader says or does will not affect my Independent business".

If you are part of the organization or associated with an Industry Leader who advertises on the internet as the only game in town, like it or not, you are associated.

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, Virtual Paralegals, Freelance Bankruptcy Assistants, have worked very hard to get where they're at. Specifically, the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC.

They are ethical, responsible, and run legitimate businesses.

The members of NSVBA, LLC understand they do not run the attorneys law firm, they assist. When and if an attorney has a question about "bankruptcy law" and that slippery slope of UPL, the VBA directs the attorney to NACBA.

As a regular Exhibitor at the NACBA Conventions, National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC has always referred our new attorneys to NACBA and other experts in the bankruptcy industry.

We look forward to seeing you next year in Washington, D.C. at the Annual NACBA Convention!

Vikki Watanabe
President
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com

Back to work

2009-04-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've been able to post on my VBA Blog.

I hit a serious bump in the road which resulted in major surgery and a lengthy recuperation. I'm told full recovery is 6 months to 1 year. Which is fine with me.

I've been back to work since I arrived home from the hospital. It's excruciating for me to sit still even when I'm feeling lousy. Enough about me,.

Let's move on to other things of interest to VBA's and Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

I'm so excited about the events coming up in May for the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants.

We are going to the NACBA Convention in Chicago, IL. NACBA is the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

We have 5 NSVBA members working the NSVBA Exhibit Table. This is a great opportunity for NSVBA members to be part of the Convention to market their businesses directly to NACBA members and also market the NSVBA and it's membership. Additionally, every NSVBA member who does not attend the Convention is encouraged to send their marketing materials (business cards, brochures, etc) to be given out at the Convention. Also, the NSVBA members send a "Raffle Prize" to be given away during the Convention.

Once we return from Chicago, the schedule will be even more hectic. We have several training Webinars lined up. We also have "Live" Seminars lined up for those VBA's who need a more "hands on" type of training.

Soon after that, it will be time to get ready for the NACBA Fall Conference. Once again, we will offer the opportunity for NSVBA members to attend. In order for an NSVBA member to attend any NACBA event, they must pay a participation fee (anywhere between $300.00-$500.00 each). Also, each participant must attend the "Convention Webinars" prior to the event. They must also commit to work at the Exhibit Table the whole weekend.

Each participant is responsible for their own airline, hotel and meal expenses.

This year, we have several VBA's who have formed VBA Partnerships. In order for a partnership to attend the NACBA event, each "partner" must pay the full participation fee. If only one partner pays, only one partner attends.

NACBA events are not open to the public. This is a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney Convention. Only attorneys, Sponsors and Exhibitors are allowed.

While at each Convention and Conference, NSVBA will hold a VBA "Post Convention" Luncheon. This year, on the last day of the Convention in Chicago, IL, the luncheon will be held on May 31, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. Location: TBD

We hope if you are in the Chicago area, you will come out and join us for lunch. NSVBA will pick up the tab for appetizers and drinks.

I will also begin what I started earlier this year. Our Featured VBA. I will post the next Featured VBA beginning on April 27, 2009.

If you are an NSVBA member and would like to submit your bio for the VBA Blog, please send them to vikki@nsvba.com

If you've been thinking about joining NSVBA, now would be the time. We have so many things planned and we would love to have you be part of all that is happening!

See you Online!
Vikki
President
NSVBA-National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants
http://www.nsvba.com/

Featured VBA-Sue Durkovich-Vista, CA

2009-02-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

"Virtual" Assistant: A person who can multi-task jobs for different people in different locations without ever leaving home.

This type of work is becoming very popular for people who like flexible working hours and who do not enjoy being in traffic congestion for an extended period of time.

When I first heard about Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, I felt this would be ideal to add to my notary business. I have been a California Notary Public for 15 years and the past six years added the job of loan closings which became popular for notaries. While I was working a full time job, I was doing closings in the evenings and on weekends. I soon found I could be busy more than full time so I left my job to build the notary business. The business was very lucrative for over a year, but then began to slow down. The bankruptcy assistant field was emerging and since I had worked as a paralegal in the 90's, I felt my legal background would be advantageous.

I found there was much more training and studying to do to be able to do this type of work and I spent many hours learning from a paralegal who had worked in the bankruptcy area for 20 years. She really knew the business and developed a wonderful training program with excellent materials. I also attended a few of her seminars.

Bankruptcy petition preparation can be done for any licensed attorney anywhere in the United States since bankruptcy is Federal law. I use Best Case software and I can do a petition for any jurisdiction. By using my services, I can save a law firm time and overhead expenses. The debtor meets with the attorney, is given Intake Forms to complete; the forms are returned to the attorney for review and then given to me to prepare. If information is missing or incomplete, I will prepare a list of questions for the debtor (with a copy to the attorney) and email the debtor. With the attorney's permission, I will continue to communicate with the debtor until the petition is complete. The attorney is always kept informed of the questions and/or conversations between the debtor and myself. I can communicate with the debtor at a time convenient for him (including evenings or weekends). However, I do understand I never give legal advice and if the debtor has a legal question, I will write it down and direct it to the attorney. In fact, when first talking with a client I make sure they know I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice.

I invite you to visit my website: http://www.petitionsos.com/ or call me at 760-224-6507 if I can answer any questions.

Attorneys: You can contact Sue at her website listed above. Once there, go to the "Contact Us" page. There, you will find Sue's contact information.

I have personally known Sue for two years. Sue assisted me on my first petition preparation and has developed training material for the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and also for the Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney.

Thank you Sue for this great information and introduction to your services!

Vikki

New Beginnings

2009-02-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

Looks like 2009 is going to be just a little different than I had originally planned.

For starters, I resigned as Executive Director of the American Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants effective today, February 17, 2009.

This was not something I had not envisioned for myself or the organization.

But now that it's done, I need to move forward.

I know for many people, change is difficult. This might be difficult, I don't know. Only time will tell. One thing I know for sure. I made the right decision.

The VBA industry is fast becoming a popular career considering the economic climate.

For myself, I have always believed in this business and I knew, eventually, attorneys would see the benefit of hiring an Independent Contractor to prepare petitions. I also knew, that with a little convincing, the seasoned bankruptcy attorneys would eventually come around. Why not? It is a win win for everyone.

So now what? My heart and my passion to help people attain their goals in this industry is what drives me, so I'll continue going in that direction.

The new organization is the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. Although, I want to drop the virtual. Why you ask? Some of us work in an attorneys office one or two days a week. That's not virtual.

Myself, I pick up Client files from my local attorneys and bring them to my home office to prepare. From there on, the attorneys and I work virtually, electronically. Meaning our communication is via email, fax, phone or text.

In the coming months, I suspect there will be more and more organizations and associations forming and why not. There is more than enough room for anyone who wants to do this.

If anything, I encourage you.

Be creative.

Form your partnerships as many of you have already done.

Just promise me you'll stay true to yourself, honest, professional and never give anyone a reason to say anything but good things about you. If you do this, I've got your back all the way.

So here's to 2009 and the many changes it is obviously going to bring. I say, bring it on.

Stay encouraged,
Vikki

Featured Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant-Dee Medlin, Anderson, CA

2009-02-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

The featured VBA (Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant), for the first two weeks of February is Dee Medlin.

If you're new to this blog, I am featuring AAVBA members in 2009. I will feature a new VBA every two weeks. Dee's biography will run through February 16th.
If you are a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney considering the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, read Dee Medlin's biography. I am confident you will find her to be a top notch professional.

For those considering the career of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and would like more information, please leave your request in the "Comments" section of this blog. I will get back to you asap.

DEE MEDLIN

Professional Information:

I bring over 30 years experience in the Tech Sector working for 2 Fortune 500 companies in various roles. I served as an Executive Assistant supporting the Vice Presidents for over 8 years and over 11 years experience in software development as a Software Engineer. I left the tech sector at the end of 2005 and moved to Sacramento, California in the Bay Area. I served one year at Stanford University as an HR Systems Analyst. I was ready for a career change and had already spent some time researching opportunities for home businesses.

In January of 2007, I discovered VBA's through 713Training.com After weeks of research into this field and encouragement from the wonderful man in my life, I took the step and purchased all the training materials in March. In April, I completed the training and attended a two-day seminar in Southern California. In June, I launched my website and received my VBA accreditation. In July, I landed my first attorney client and filed my first case in August. I averaged about 2 cases a month for the rest of the year. I continued marketing but was not getting the response or the revenue I was expecting. I took on a part-time job in January 2008 and continued marketing. I made the turn in July and quit the part-time job and now devote 100% to my business. I currently support 9 attorneys from CA, FL, OH, AZ, Y, NC, and WA.

Through the 713Training membership, I met Vikki Watanabe and we began to talk and share stories (and struggles) of what is required to be successful not only in this field but as an Independent Contractor. Vikki and I collaborated on introducing SKYPE to AAVBA members and we provided an informative Webinar on the subject. It was a great opportunity and my first venture in co-hosting a Webinar. I look forward to future project and opportunities with AAVBA and working with fellow members.

Personal Information:

We are an active and lively family with 4 grown kids. We love to camp, fish, golf, cook, eat and entertain. I also enjoy a good book and watching movies. My goal this year is to plant a vegetable garden. I can't wait to play in the dirt!

Attorneys: You can read more about Dee's services at her website.

Title 11 Virtual Assistant

http://www.t11va.com/

From there, you can contact her via her "Home" page.

On a personal note, Dee has been instrumental in the development of AAVBA. She extends herself giving of her time unselfishly. Dee has mentored many AAVBA members. I would not have been able to grow this organization to where it is without Dee and other AAVBA members who give their time to help others become successful.

Thank you Dee,

Vikki

Featured Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant-CINDI GOOD, Susanville, CA

2009-01-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

I am very proud to introduce our second Featured Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant of 2009, Cindi Good.

If you've just joined this blog, I am featuring the American Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant members in 2009. I will feature a new VBA every two weeks. Cindi's biography will run through the 31st of January.

If you are a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney considering the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, read Cindi Good's biography. You can reach Cindi directly through her contact information which is at the end of her biography.

For those considering the career of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and would like more information, please leave your request in the "Comments" section of this blog. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

CINDI GOOD

Professional Information:

I received my Legal Secretarial AA Degree and worked for the City of San Diego for several years. We moved to Northern California, and my husband and I owned and operated a business for 18 years. In 2002, I began working as an Escrow Assistant and also became a Notary Public; completing over 400 loan closings.

I had listened to a VBA website teleconference and heard an interview with Vikki Watanabe, our AAVBA Executive Director. I went to her website, read an article about her starting up the American Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. I signed up for future updates and became one of the first AAVBA members (member #7).

In February of 2008, Amanda (my daughter and business partner) and I received bankruptcy petition preparation training. In April of 2008; we launched our business, Bankruptcy Pro Processor (http://www.bankruptcyproprocessor.com/). It's wonderful working together! We love being able to figure out together how to handle each challenge as we prepare petitions. We have found that there is always something new to learn on each petition.

We currently assist two attorneys in California in preparing bankruptcy petitions...we are both hooked, we LOVE bankruptcy preparation! We are both planning on continuing our education in becoming Certified Paralegals, so that we may expand our assistance to attorneys.

Personal Information:

I love reading, sewing, scuba diving, and spending time with my family. My husband and I of 32+ years have four grown children (Brandon-Chemistry Teacher; Collin-Correctional Officer; Amanda-my Business Associate; and Megan-ICU Registered Nurse), and three exceptionally brilliant granchildren. Grandparenting is such a twitter-paited kind of love; it's so much fun being "grands"!".

Attorneys: You can read more about Cindi's services at her website:

BANKRUPTCY PRO PROCESSOR

http://www.bkproprocessor.com/

From there, you can contact her via her "Contact Us" page.

Thank you Cindi.

Vikki (aka Virginia)

Featured Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant-KIMBERLY RUSSO, Erie, PA

2009-01-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Today, January 5, 2009 begins with our first Featured VBA, Kimberly Russo.

If you are a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney considering the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, read Kimberly's Biography. Kimberly's contact information is at the end of the bio.

If you are considering becoming a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and would like more information, please leave your request in the "Comment" section of this Blog, I will get back to you as soon as possible.

KIMBERLY RUSSO

Professional Information:
I have been working as a paralegal mainly in the Bankruptcy field for the past 5 years, I initiated my training working directly for a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

In conjunction with my day job, I am Virtual Bankruptcy Services, LLC. I currently assist 6 attorneys nationwide with their virtual bankruptcy needs.

My education includes receiving an ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate and Bachelors of Science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Gannon University.

My experience includes attendance at an Electronic Court Filing Seminar presented by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, creation of "BAPCPA (Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005) Insights and Pitfalls" Seminar, attendance at multiple Chapter 13 Forums, attendance at Debtor Audits and Means Testing 2008 Seminar, creation of "How to Make the Chapter 7 Trustee Happy and Effectively Represent Your Clients" Seminar, ACCS Credit Counseling/Financial Management Seminar, Trustee Paralegal Training, Social Security Seminar, Mastery Certificate for Legal Research from Lexis-Nexis, attendance at a Real Estate Title Forms, Policies and Procedures Seminar and Accreditation for Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants.

Lastly, I have gained many years of valuable experience in many different areas of law including: Real Estate, Social Security, Estates and Personal Injury.

Personal Information:
In my spare time, I love to read fiction novels, listen to all different kinds of music and spend time as much time as I possibly can with my family. I have a beautiful family including my fiance Andre, and 6 birds (Junior, Indian Ringnecked Parakeet; Romeo, Meyer’s Parrot; Sweatpea, Albino Cockatiel; Buttercup; Dominant Yellowcheek Cockatiel; Squeaky, Great American White Parrotlet and the youngest Itty Bitty, Pearl Cockatiel)

Attorneys-You can read more about Kimberly's services at her website:

VIRTUAL BANKRUPTCY SERVICES, LLC
http://www.virtualbankruptcyservices.net/

From there, you can contact her via her "Contact Us" page

Thank you Kimberly,

Best Wishes for a great 2009!

Vikki (aka Virginia)

Featured VBA's of 2009

2009-01-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

January 5-My first post of 2009.

This year, my blog will be dedicated to the men and women who are Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants.

All Featured Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants are AAVBA members. Their names and information can be found at www.aavba.org

When the Featured VBA's name appears on this blog, their contact information will appear in the article. This way, you can click on the link and go directly to their website. You will also be able to email them or call them.

AAVBA is not an employment agency and we do not guarantee work. Every individual who is a member of AAVBA market their own businesses. AAVBA provides service and support to the VBA and in doing so, we market to Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys on behalf of our members.

We hope you'll visit this blog every two weeks beginning tomorrow, January 5th and running throughout the year to read about the Featured VBA. I'm sure you will find each person interesting, engaging, and professional.

Here's to a productive, successful 2009!

Vikki (aka Virginia)

December 31, 2008

2008-12-31T07:23:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a year.

I'm kinda sad to see this year end, and yet, the New Year looms just beyond the horizon. With "who knows what" waiting for us all.

I've already expressed my gratitude to those who made AAVBA a huge success this, our first year. I can't say enough about those who first joined, the first 25. What I call our "Founding Members". Without them to help get the ball rolling, none of this could have been possible. They are responsible for getting the word out to other VBA's and also to attorneys. Thank you once again everybody! I'm forever indebted to you.

To our newest members, I say "Welcome!". We know you will be happy to have joined the organization. There's still much work to do and we haven't yet completed all the goals we have for AAVBA.

I'm sorry to say we didn't meet our goal of 80% VBA's working by years end. We went as far as 50%. Which isn't bad considering that at the beginning of 2008, there were only 2% VBA's working.

To the attorneys who are currently utilizing the services of the VBA, thank you. You have paved the way for other attorneys to see the value in hiring an Independent Contractor. You know we're there to help you build your law firm, you have experienced how utilizing a VBA in unforeseen circumstances kept your firm running smoothly. You understand how the Internet kept you in touch with your VBA 24/7. We look forward to working with more attorneys in 2009. We also look forward to meeting more of you at the 2009 NACBA events.

To the new VBA's. Don't wait. Make things happen for you. If you need mentoring, seek it out. Make those phone calls, write those emails (although, I think when seeking assistance, a phone call is better than an email). AAVBA is an organization which is here to help you build your business without costing you an arm and a leg. Most of our seasoned members give their time. Remember to be considerate of this when seeking assistance. Make appointments with your fellow AAVBA members for some "learning" time. And keep those appointments. The VBA's who offer their time do it unselfishly, please do not take advantage of it.

Come prepared when seeking assistance. Ask your fellow AAVBA member what materials you will need prior to the session. If you do not know which of our members offer this service, now would be a good time to get to know your fellow AAVBA members. Don't be intimidated by calling on them. We have a really great group of professionals. If they have time, they will say so, if they don't, they will tell you that as well.

We built AAVBA to form relationships among our members. We feel that by helping each other, we build a stronger organization. Pay it Forward, that's what it's all about. By learning from each other, we build a unified organization with each member being an Independent business. It worked beautifully in 2008, we want to keep this model going strong in 2009. You need to do the work to make this happen. You need to step out of your comfort zone and reach out and talk to your fellow AAVBA members and get to know them. I know most, if not all, the members personally. I have talked or emailed each one. They are a great group of professionals.

So that's it folks. My last post of 2008. Next time I'll be back here, it will be 2009. Wow.

I want to wish you a Happy New Year. Wishing you abundant prosperity and good health throughout the year. Blessings to you and your families.

Thank you once again for your friendship. I cherish each and every one.

God Bless,
Vikki

December 30, 2008

2008-12-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

I can't remember the last time I was so excited about a New Year.

And even though I can't stand the excitement, I'm not really sure what
all the excitement's about.

I'm up to my eyeballs in work. I have so many unfinished projects. I've decided not to make myself crazy trying to complete these projects and just do what I can until my deadline which is tomorrow at 8:00 P.M. That's when I plan to call it the end of the work day for 2008.

So let's get to business. Because of the type of professional that you are, you absolutely
must make your presence known on the Internet. You are, after all, a VIRTUAL Bankruptcy
Assistant. Attorneys are not likely to find you on the corner in a strip mall or in an office
building. You are a professional small office/home office.

Attorneys are going to find you on the Internet. I honestly believe that sending letters and brochures via regular mail is a waste of your marketing budget. Unless of course, you are attending the NACBA Convention or Conference with me. Then, by all means, splurge on these marketing materials and more if you're able.

If you think because you're sending letters and brochures to attorneys in your immediate neighborhood or city, they might call you, believe me, they are not going to do the trick. We've all tried this method and it does not work.

Being on the Internet. That's what works.

If you had a bricks and mortar type of business, I would say, yes!, brochures, signs, mailings, the whole nine yards! But you don't. You run a SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) Internet business. When you think of it, that's exactly what you are. An Internet based business. As such, you must think like an Internet Entrepreneur. Oh, and by the way, this does not mean a cutesy type of website. Keep it clean, professional and modern. The attorney you are attracting is a young, tech savvy professional. He (and or she) is looking on the Internet for "Assistants". And if the Internet-based assistant can save him money as opposed to hiring a full time in-office employee, believe me, he/she will want to hear what you have to say.

There are many attorneys nationwide who are utilizing the services of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. If the attorney is a NACBA member, most likely they are using a VBA who is a member of AAVBA. Why? Because we are a regular Exhibitor at all the NACBA events. They have seen us and talked to us. They know what they are getting. A fully committed, professional who runs a legitimate Internet business.

If you haven't gotten up to speed with the Social Networking sites, don't be intimidated. A few years ago, I didn't even know how to turn on the computer. I'm not an expert, far from it. But I will get in there and try whatever everybody else is doing and doing successfully! Why wouldn't you want to follow that example? The people who are successful at this business and many other businesses didn't get there by luck. They did something right. So, hey, I'm there right next to them.

I have taken advise from fellow AAVBA members. Because as I said, I don't know it all. As such, I am always open to learn a better way to do things. My fellow VBA's and AAVBA members are jewels. The only reason I can sit here and write to you and tell you to advertise on the Internet and be on all the Social Networking sites is because a fellow VBA told me about this method. And when she told me about it, she also shared how successful she was doing it. So why wouldn't I listen to her advise? I did. And guess what? the attorneys I have been working with the last year or so found me on the Internet. Her methods work. And because they work for her, they worked for me, they will work for you too. But you have to follow through and stay at it. It will happen.

For months now, I have been forwarding emails from AAVBA members who have testified that when they use our methods, they gained an attorney or two. One such VBA is on the East Coast. We also have quite a few here on the West Coast who are tearing it up. But they followed through and stayed with it.

You can't go onto the Internet, sign up and walk away. You need to make your presence known. You need to post, share ideas, share your business, share your talents.

There is one Social Networking site where we're trying to reach a certain number of "follows" by year end. Needless to say, I jumped on that boat a little too late. But there is one person who reached their goal of 3000 followers! Awesome! You see, it's that kind of stuff you know about only if you're online.

Since I've been on the Internet, most likely you'll find me anywhere there are Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. I have gained so much knowledge from reading their posts and engaging with them about the VBA industry. It's really awesome to talk to these attorneys. And you can do it too, just get on the Internet.

You know what I truly love about the Internet? It's always open. I mean, if I'm having a late night preparing petitions, or working on an AAVBA project, I can log onto the Internet and there is always someone else working late or posting or blogging.

This works out really well for my East Coast VBA's and my Hawaiian connection. I am the most time challenged person in the world. Time Zones are a mystery to me. But when I'm on the Internet, day or night, someone else from another state or time zone as it were, will be online and I can begin a conversation or share ideas. I never have to worry if I'm calling late. If they're online, and they see me online, we start a chat. Cool.

The same goes for the attorneys I work with. One attorney works late to get his petitions in before the stoke of midnight on the last day of month. That works for me. No problem. He and I set up this agreement early on. He doesn't do this every month, but he knows if his client hasn't sent him or me the information to file, we work late to get the petition filed. Especially if we're running close to month end.

Don't just use the Internet for emails. Use it creatively to market your business. Build those connections and relationships. Who knows, maybe after sharing a little about yourself and your business, an attorney will happen along and see you.

When I first heard of Social Networking, I balked. Actually, it took me awhile to come around. Now, well now, I'm a Social Networking junkie. I am especially hooked on Twitter. I love Twitter! And the best thing is that my Twitter account is linked to my Facebook and Plaxo account. Cool.

So that's my tip for December 30, 2008. Come an join me on the Internet won't you? I never guarantee anything. But hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of successful people can't be wrong.

See you online!
Look for my final post tomorrow, December 31, 2008

Cheers!
Vikki

Exercise the body and the mind

2008-12-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

Well, we're almost there! The end of 2008! How exciting, don't you agree?

My Japanese in-laws celebrate the new year all day long on January 1st. They celebrate in the big way our Latino family celebrates Christmas. Right now I'm in the middle of preparing for this huge festive event. It's the only time of the year my hubby's family gathers together. Unlike my family, who gathers together for everything. ;-)

My post today is about being a Professional Home-based business and the importance of keeping the mind and body sharp.

Let's start with the body. It's really hard to stay in shape when you're working from home. Think about it. Your commute is 2 minutes, 5 at the most. You unlock the door to your office. You turn on a computer, which in turn, turns on the printer. You turn on the lights and sit down to work. More likely, return phone calls and emails first. Then, open the day's mail. After that, you work on preparing petitions. Now, if you do this day after day, and never leave the house, you're definitely not getting any exercise. It is so easy to get that "secretarial spread" as we use to call it back in the 70's.

For myself and another VBA, our time is spent pretty much like going to an actual office. The day begins with a cup or two of coffee and breakfast. Then, to the gym or to drop off the kids at school. After that, stop at the grocery market to pick up dinner or whatever is needed and back home to the "office". Once back, time to get ready for work, which means the whole nine yards. Shower, get dressed and for myself; that means 20 minutes or so doing my make up, because as I've said many times before, I love my make up. And of course, I do my hair everyday. So now, we've done everything to get ready for work. Onto the "office". Our work day begins at 7:00 a.m.

Around Noon, it's time for lunch. So, I leave my "office" and go to the kitchen and prepare lunch. I take a one hour lunch. Sometimes, if I'm meeting friends or with an attorney, I'll take a 1 1/2 hour lunch, but no more than that. Then, it's back to the "office" where the afternoon seems to go by faster than the morning session.

I work until 5:00 p.m. and take a break to prepare dinner for my husband. It's back to the office at 6:00 p.m. to check for updates from attorneys, answer emails, and return phone calls. This evening session goes for about two or three hours. I normally use this time to call Clients about missing information. It' easier to get a hold of them in the evening when they arrive home from work. I work until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. and then close shop. I turn off the computer, the lights and put all my files away in the cabinet. I close and lock the door to my office and call it day.

Now it's time to take the dogs for a walk. We walk for 30 minutes every other night. When we get home, it's play time and then get ready for the next day. Which means choosing what I will wear to the office the next day. Yeah, I go that far. I did this routine for more than 20 years so it's all I know how to do. I "get ready" for work.

Being a home based professional can get you into a rut really fast if you don't manage your time wisely. You must have balance. Time for your business, time for your family and time for yourself.

This routine I've written out is a general routine and one that is common for myself and my good friend who is a VBA. But it's not to say I don't sway from this schedule, because I do. Today being one of those days. I'm waiting to hear back from a few attorneys on petitions I've prepared in the last few days. I don't know if they will file this week, or will wait until next week. Until then, I keep myself busy doing other things. There is always something to do.

I love to read. Sometimes, when I'm waiting for responses from attorneys or the attorney's clients, I catch up on some reading. Or I crochet. All the while sitting in front of my computer, because after all, I am working, so I stay in my office. Which is why most times, I answer emails right away. If I'm here, I respond immediately.

When you begin preparing petitions, you should set up a schedule on how you will run your business. It does not have to be like the schedule I've shared, but definitely make one that fits your lifestyle. Otherwise, you might get burned out working from home; which, I hear, is very common. I've been doing this since 1998. But when I started preparing petitions, it meant spending more time in the "office". As a Field Service Inspector, I was always out and about. I had to be, Inspections take place away from home. As a Notary Signing Agent, pretty much the same thing, traveling to the Signers home to get the docs prepared for mailing.

As a VBA, your work is at home. Very rarely, will you need to go out to meet the attorney. Unless, of course, he and/or she is in close proximity to your home. Which, by the way, does not necessarily mean you have to meet with them. Unless of course, you want to meet with them. It's up to you how you want to run your business.

Your mind is just as important to exercise as your body. I'm glad I love to read. I crochet during the winter months. It's something my great-grandmother taught me. I love to crochet, so each winter I make two or three bed covers and a few scarves. In the spring and summer, I sit outside and read. Whatever you love to do, be sure to set aside some time to do it. Remember, you're in control of your time from now on. You have to decide how much time you will dedicate to your Clients and how much time you will have for yourself and your family.

But I must warn you, the first year of any business usually will not allow for too much time for anything but your business. That's because you're establishing yourself and building a reputation and introducing yourself and your business to the legal community. Once you have a few attorneys you work with, your routine will be more stable. Just a little warning I had to throw in there. Those of you working as Independents for awhile will know what I mean.

I see from my clock that it's 12:15 p.m., I'm running into my lunch time. I've got to stop here since I'm going out for lunch today and I want to be sure and be back for the afternoon "crunch" time.

I'll be back tomorrow with some more information on running a professional home based business. Until then, stay healthy!

Vikki

Choices

2008-12-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

We all make choices.

And we have to live with the consequence of those choices.

Our family had to make a choice 26 years ago. It was a difficult choice, and it would mean thinking of other people, not ourselves.

Christmas was a difficult time of year for us because Mom passed away in December of 1982.

Back then, we were a young family having babies. I was pregnant with Anthony, my sister had a 3 month old and my other sister had a 6 year old and a 1 year old. The other children had not been born.

After the memorial service, the sisters and brothers got together and decided that no matter how hard Christmas would be for us from now on, we had to put those feelings aside and make Christmas special for our children. There was no reason to drag our babies into our overwhelming grief. And it was overwhelming.

Because you see, mom didn't pass away from natural causes. She died at the hands of another person. What was to follow was a year of Christmas, New Year, having a baby and court hearings.

Then, it was Christmas again. And again, we had to pull ourselves together and make Christmas special for our kids.

And it was fun. The kids would leave their letters to Santa on the tree and Santa would always leave a response. Someone would always go up on the roof and walk around (we had a chimney) and ring the bells and yell Ho-Ho-Ho! But the kids knew not to get out of bed because Santa might hear them and not leave the gifts. So in bed they stayed. Can you believe we were able to pull this off until they were 7 or 8? We were blessed to have such sweet kids.

On Christmas morning it was magical to see the look on their faces when they would have us read the letter from Santa. And then, open the gifts that Santa would leave. Which, of course, was always the gift they asked for. And just in case they didn't believe the gifts were from Santa, there was always one from mom and dad.

Then off to Grandpa's house where even more gifts were waiting to be unwrapped. It was truly magical.

And now, we're here, 26 years later. Our kids are grown, married and starting their families. You all know Kai. Actually, he's the first baby born to this generation. Our son Anthony is a blessing. His exterior tells a different story. You see, our son, Anthony, loves tattoos and piercings. But his heart is sweet and he is a kind person. As are all our children.

We made a choice 26 years ago to raise our children in love. We believe things could have turned out differently had we not made that conscious choice. Our hearts were filled with a grief that was beyond our comprehension. Our need for justice was overwhelming. So a choice had to be made. Were we going to spend our lives chasing justice and wallowing in our grief? Or were we going to raise these children as our mother would have wanted them to be raised? The way she raised us. In love.

We chose the future of children. And it turned out to be the best decision we ever made in our lives. We're so proud of our kids. Especially because of the situation they were raised in.

As it turned out, the case went cold, but remains an unsolved case.

Now our kids get together for a Christmas party on their own, without parents. And they have a great time. And we get together on our own to remember Mom. She would have been proud.

One time, I said, "I hate Christmas". To which my sweet sister-in-law responded, "you don't hate Christmas, you just hate Christmas without your mom". She is a very wise lady.

Make a choice today that you're going to relish the time you have. We all know that nothing is guaranteed. We hear it all the time. But from one person who knows that your life can change in the blink of an eye, take time today to reconcile differences with friends and family before it's too late.

There is nothing that cannot be resolved with a simple, "I'm sorry". And then go from there.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas filled with Miracles and Blessings.

With love,
Vikki

Exclusivity

2008-12-10T16:44:00.001-08:00

I'm an inclusive person. I always have been.

Those who know me, will know that I tell my life story to every passing stranger.

I don't know why I'm this way, I just am. It comes from an old family saying, (yep, another one of those), "if you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing". I think my mom, grandma and great-grandma sat around thinking up all these little sayings that make up my life.

That's what I want to address. Exclusivity. Our organization, AAVBA is not an exclusive group. We have a lot of rules, and if you don't abide by them, you're membership will be terminated. This might sound harsh to a lot of people, but honestly, it's not meant to be. We strive to have a First Class organization. In order for us to have that, we must adhere to certain rules and regulations. Top priority is professionalism and integrity.

But anyone can join AAVBA. If you follow the rules.

Once you join, you will have access to a multitude of information that will get you working as a VBA. These methods have been proven to work. There are many VBA's working, 50% of our membership as a matter of fact. And of those, I'm sure most, if not all, used the methods we suggest to a "T".

No one is above learning something new. Nobody. Myself included.

Because we are a non-profit, means we have little to go on each month. Your membership pays for materials and Webinars and of course what it costs us to run the organization each month.
That said, I'm right there with you insofar that I have to work as a VBA to pay my bills. And sometimes the AAVBA expenses.

Exclusive? Me? C'mon, really, I don't think I act as an exclusive, "nose up in the air" kind of person. As a matter of fact, I've said over and over what a dork I am. For the most part, I like everybody. Unless you give me a reason to not like you. Which is rare. It takes a lot for me to go there. But once there, that's it, it's over.

The members of AAVBA are not exclusive. Smart, professional, witty, yes, but exclusive? No way!

I have the most generous members. They take time out from their busy schedules to mentor new members. They take time out from their busy schedules to teach a Webinar. They take time out from their busy schedules to show someone how to prepare a Schedule or a Form on the bankruptcy petition. Exclusive? I don't think they know the word.

Whatever knowledge they have, they pass it on. I refer to it as "Pay it Forward", if you saw the movie of the same name, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Our VBA Luncheons are not exclusive either. We open it up for anyone to attend our Luncheons. You don't need to be an AAVBA member to attend. If you want to know about the VBA Industry, come to one of our Luncheons. But don't be standoffish, join in the lively
conversation(s) going on all at once.

I think everyone who has the passion and the drive and the know how to make this a viable business, will do well. Those who understand hard work and sometimes endless hours, will be successful.

Whether you're new to the business or a seasoned VBA, we're all on the same playing field. Remember, at one time, we were all new. Even those who have been doing this for years. Whether it be bankruptcy petition preparation or Independent Contractor. We all had to start somewhere. Every single one of us.

We've come a long way in a short time. In March of 2008, there was maybe 2% of VBA's working. With the formation of AAVBA, those numbers have gone up. All the way to 50%.
Show me the exclusivity in this organization. There is none. Because, you know what? Of those 50%, maybe 15% are new VBA's. And you know why they're successful? Because of those VBA's who passed on their knowledge. Pay it Forward, you'll never lose.

Go forth and be wonderful,
Vikki

10 Things I want to do in 2009

2008-12-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

I'm working late tonight.

This doesn't happen often. I'm up late a lot, and working, but it's usually stuff I need to do from my own "To Do" List. Tonight is different. I'm waiting for a response on some docs I'm preparing for filing tomorrow.

I hope I did everything right. Yeah, I still worry. And I still get excited and nervous when I talk to a new attorney. Whether he/she is calling to hire me or calling to find a VBA. The excitement that so many attorneys are calling is something I did not prepare myself for.

And I'm happy for those VBA's who are working for attorneys. I know it won't be long before we have all VBA's working.

So I started this blog with one thing in mind and of course, there I go, off on another subject altogether...... Senior moments.....

For 2009, I want to do 10 Things. I know I'm going to do 10 Thousand things, because that's what I do. Stay busy. Oh, there I go again......Anyway,..... Back to the 10 Things.

Here we go:
1) Celebrate the little things with enthusiasm. Too often, we forget to celebrate the little things in life. When our son was younger, we would celebrate "A's" on a report card as if he had earned a college degree! You can imagine when he DID graduate from college. Let me tell ya, that was a celebration!

2) Not buy anymore printers. I love printers. Don't ask me why, but I have all these printers! I have single tray, dual tray, laser, inkjet, you name it, I have it.

3) Work Out. I love to work out. But not the kind of workout you might be thinking. I walk, stretch, move. That's about it. When you have a home office, it's really easy to not move. I mean really, how long is the commute? 2 Minutes?

4) Remain motivated for my members. This isn't hard to do...sometimes. I really need to stay focused and realize that some days....well, some days.

5) Make time to spend with my BFF. I have a BFF. She and I have known each other since we were in second grade. This year has been a whirlwind of events and it has left me little time for my friend. Yet, when I need her, there she is. Yep, this one should be number 1 on the list.

6) Enjoy my family. I know all too well how quickly our loved ones can be taken away. I lost both my parents while they were still very young. My mother died when she was 48, and my dad when he was 67. Thankfully, they brought us up to love each other unconditionally. Our family get togethers are so much fun and I'm sorry I haven't had time to be there this year.

7) Find time each week to reach out. I want to make this a priority. I need to reach out and buy someone a cup of coffee. Or pay for someone's grocery. Or offer a ride. I'm not sure what I will do, but it will be something for someone I don't know.

8) Get away with my husband. All I could say about my husband is, "what a guy". He is so supportive. He handles all the craziness I dish out. Talk about remaining calm in a stressful situation. He probably needs the time away more than I do. But while we're away, I need to not take my work with me, otherwise, what's the point?

9) Buy myself something completely useless. I'm difficult. I do not buy anything unless it has a specific purpose. Unless, of course, it's a printer! So, in 2009, I'm going to buy something completely useless but fun to have.

10) Keep my hair and nail appointments. I love hair and makeup. I spend thousands on makeup and hair. But, when I go get my hair and nails and makeup done, I take my work. So, in 2009, I promise not to take any work with me when I go to the salon. Not only that, I'll turn off my phone (oh no!, do I really want to go there?).

What will you do? I want to know. Share our aspirations, dreams and goals for 2009. Either here or email me. You know where.

That's it, I'm done.

Vikki

We're getting close!

2008-11-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's December.

Where does the time go?

We're in the last month of the year!

There is still so much to do. I hope December slows down just enough so I can get all these projects completed by December 31st.

One year, I started addressing Christmas cards in late September. By October 31st, all my Christmas cards were addressed and ready to go. That was then. Now; well now, I'll be lucky if I get around to sending email Christmas cards.

It's not just work that has me so busy. It's family stuff that has me just as busy. We had a lot going on this year; we had our share of sad things, but we also had our celebratory moments as well.

I have often wondered why there is such a rush to get projects done before the year is over. One of my sisters once told me that whatever doesn't get done before the end of the year, that will be your burden throughout the next year. Thanks a lot sis!

Which is why she cleans her house, does all her laundry and completes every single project before the stroke of midnight on December 31st. My other sister performs a ritual of her own, which I find just as curious. She gets a bucket of water and tosses it out the front door at midnight on Dec. 31/Jan 1 to symbolize getting rid of the burdens of the old year......I often wondered where my sisters picked up these rituals because I had never done either one. Nor do I remember mom, grandma or great grandma discussing such things.

For myself, I'm lucky if I can stay up until midnight on December 31st. It's kinda funny, because in a previous life, I would stay up way past midnight, all the way to 3:00 A.M. Our family would host a huge New Year's Eve party and everybody we hadn't seen that year would come to this party. It so much fun and completely exhausting!

But we're getting way ahead of ourselves here. We're barely on December 1st!

My husband and I were at the Mall this weekend. My husband is a very laid back sort of fella. I kinda think the Mall was not a good place for him. Especially this weekend. He said, "is it my imagination, or is everyone moving at warped speed?." I laughed.

I've decided that no matter how busy I get, I will stop and take a breather and remember that Christmas is not about being busy; but a time to share, talk, and reflect.

I think the reason I'm so stressed is that I haven't met my goal. I'm going to try and keep it. It is the one goal I wrote down that I have stayed focused on since I made it.

For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, you know what that goal is. For those of you new to this blog, the goal is to have 80% of AAVBA members working by the end of the year. Well, the year isn't over yet. So I have time.

As for the rest of the stuff that needs attention, I've decided that I'm going to do one project at a time and not multi-task. I make myself and my husband crazy. He has no idea what multi-tasking is, he calls it "crazy time" and moves out of the way.

I'm looking forward to the Webinar we have scheduled this month. I hadn't planned on doing any Webinars until next year, but we had so much going on, there was no way it could wait until next year.

I'm looking forward to 2009. We have a Convention in May and September/October, the ABJA Conference, and the NNA Convention. I have a few speaking engagements, and of course, our Training Webinars, which I enjoy.

You'll have to sign up as a member of AAVBA to find out about our upcoming Webinars. There is much going on and you want to be part of it.

I don't know if I'll be back this month, so if I don't make it back here, have a Merry Christmas and a very healthy, prosperous, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Peace,

Vikki

Giving Thanks

2008-11-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

I love Thanksgiving.

It's an opportunity to cook a turkey, side dishes and desserts.

My stove and oven don't get much of a workout during the Spring and Summer months because we grill and barbeque.

Ah, but when the cool weather approaches, I am the happiest person in the world. Well, maybe not in the world, but definitely the happiest.

My husband and I host an Open House Thanksgiving. We invite our neighbors, friends and family to stop by and have a drink and something to eat on their way to their own family gatherings.

It's become quite popular. Each year, more and more people show up.

There used to be a time my husband and I would drive from from our house in Gardena to Victorville to Costa Mesa on Thanksgiving. Mapquest it and see how many miles it is. I tell ya, we spent most of Thanksgiving on the road. Needless to say, we've gotten too old to make the long trip, so we came up with the Open House.

I have so much to be grateful for. Actually, I'm grateful for everyday. It wasn't too long ago that we weren't sure if I would make it another year. But, here we are, 5 years later and going strong.

This year is pretty special.

I have a great group of associates who have become very good friends.

I have an organization I'm proud of. And a membership that is the best around.

I work with attorneys who are the best in the land.

But best of all, I have my health.

When I was younger, much younger,.....my grandmother would tell me, "you have everything if you have your health". This saying always puzzled me as a young person, because what I wanted at that time was a Cadillac.

Unfortunately, I would later find out exactly what she meant when she uttered those words. So; I'm going to say them now to you, "be grateful for your health, it is everything you need."

I hope this year will be a memorable one for you and your family.

With a grateful heart I say, Happy Thanksgiving!

~Vikki~

History was made on November 4, 2008

2008-11-06T06:48:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to see that everyone went out and voted on November 4th.

What I can't understand and will never understand is why we don't have these numbers in all elections. Do people not understand that when you vote, your voice is heard?

Do people think, "I don't like the guy who is running, so I'm just going to stay home and not vote". Yeah, that'll fix 'em.

Let those who vote each and every time, whether they like the candidate or not, nominate the person they want in office. Meanwhile, those of us who do not like either candidate figure it's better not to vote anyone in office than to have a voice.

When I hear of how everyone is complaining of the economy, the war, and everything else that is wrong with this country, I think, well, it's our fault. We cannot blame anyone but ourselves. We vote the President into office. Or not.

I hope this election has taught everyone to vote each and every time. If you don't like either candidate that is running for office, choose one. Who knows, maybe you'll choose the candidate who will do some good.

But either way, don't blame the President or anyone else who is running our government. We choose them. And if you're response is, "don't blame me, I didn't choose him or her because I didn't vote". Really? Yes, you did. By not voting.

That is what is so great about our country. We have a voice. We can choose how we want our lives to be by voting. It is the great Equalizer. Yet, so many people do not see it this way.

I heard someone say that voting is the best non-violent way to have a revolution. I wish everyone would see it this way.

Young and old. Rich and poor. It makes no difference in the polling place. When you vote, you have a voice.

For myself, women should be the ones leading the revolution. After all, it hasn't even been 100 years since we got the vote. Yet, many women do not vote. Why? The fight to get the vote was a violent and long struggle. Many women died and suffered for our right to vote.

So I continue to say. Vote. Not just in the General Election. In all elections. Vote for your State Representatives, your City Council, your Neighborhood Watch Captain. Make it a habit. Something you do each and every time.

Then see what happens.

Vikki

Daylight Savings Time

2008-10-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

The days will now get shorter. This has a good side and a not so good side.

The good side is that I will get one extra hour of sleep, for now.

The not so good side is that we lose daylight a lot sooner. It will be dark by 5:00 P.M.....bummer.

I'm a summer gal. I love the sun and the heat. I love that daylight arrives at 5:00 A.M. and doesn't end until 8:00 P.M. Nice, long, beautiful days.

Fall and Winter offers a time to bake. I love to bake. Cookies, cakes, pies. I don't cook during the summer. At least not in the kitchen. We barbeque and grill during the summer, rarely using the stove. But my stove gets a workout during the Fall and Winter.

I hear there is rain in the forecast. Good thing, maybe it will get cool enough to turn on the oven.

So, once again, we say goodbye to Summer and hello to cooler weather, hectic days of holidays, and one extra hour of sleep.

Vikki

You've got to see this

2008-10-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

If you haven't signed up for a Twitter account, you're missing out on a lot.
The following was posted on Twitter and I had to share it with you.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/cc65ed650d

Vikki

Who's #1?

2008-10-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here watching the Dodger game. I am an avid Dodger fan. I am an avid Sports fan. I love football (SF 49'ers and SD Chargers), and of course, the Anaheim Angels. Yeah, yeah, I know the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Whatever...they will always be the Anaheim Angels to me.

We're in a "who's number 1?" season. Everyone wants to be #1. Take, for instance, the ball game. I knew once the Dodgers acquired Manny Ramirez, we would end up in the Championship game.

We had the Summer Olympics this summer. Everyone wanted to win Gold. They even had a tally at the end of each day to see which country had the most Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Everyone wanted to be #1.

Now, we're in the home stretch of the Presidential nomination. What a year, don't you think?

Personally, I love Presidential election years. I love the Conventions, the Debates, the commercials. I especially love election years, because the vote for women became a reality only 88 years ago this past August 20th.

Can you believe that? Only 88 years! In 2010, we celebrate 90 years of having the vote. I don't know about you, but I am going to PARTY!!

When we go to the Polling Stations on November 4th, we are completely equal. Everyone's vote carries the same weight. I could be voting and in the next booth could be Arnold Schwarzenegger; you never know, it could happen. Yet, when Arnold the Governator (as we affectionally call our Governor), votes, his vote doesn't carry any more weight than yours and mine.

I'm not concerned by how you vote, nor am I here trying to sway your vote. I am concerned that you get out there and vote.

My dad once told me, "you can't complain about how things are if you don't vote". I think we've all heard this at one time or another. I find myself telling our son Anthony, the same thing.

I made sure my family was registered to vote as soon as they turned 18. I registered everybody. And I call everybody on election day to remind them to vote. I'm a real nuisance.

My husband was not registered to vote when I met him. Oh no! No way could I be married to someone who does not exercise their right to vote! Yep, I registered him too.

If you're not registered, you still have time. October 20th is the deadline. I hope you exercise your right to vote and make it to the polls that day.

I told my husband I was going to sign up to work at the polling place on November 4th. Do you know that the only thing he was concerned about was that I didn't sign him up with me. He actually said, "only you right?". Yeah, only me. I'll get him to come with me someday.

Who's #1, I don't know. But we'll all soon find out. Will the Dodgers go all the way, I sure hope so. As for the other, well, we'll see at the end of the day on November 4th.

Vikki

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant relationships

2008-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

I have said many times how very proud I am of the group of individuals who are the American Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants (AAVBA).

From the beginning of this venture, I vowed to have a group that would work together for the greater good.

We were going to be an organization that epitomizes professionalism, ethics and solid relationships. And not just with each other, but also with the attorneys we work with.

The VBA industry is a relatively small community. So is the Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney community. If we say or do something good, everyone knows about it. By the same token, if anyone uses derogatory language or berates someone in the VBA community, word will get back to whomever is the target.

This was evident at the Fall Conference in South Carolina. Word got around that there was a new Exhibitor that provides a service most Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys can use that will make running their law firms much easier.

The new Exhibitor was AAVBA.

We were swamped all weekend by attorneys who wanted more information about how using a VBA could help them run their offices more efficiently. And we delivered.

Word was out that this was an organization that could very possibly be the answer to the problem most solo practitioners struggled with. The problem being they (the attorneys) needed an extra hand in their law firm but were unable to pay a full time staff. Enter the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

I have never made claims that I had anything to do with the formation of the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. I will take credit however, for having the idea of getting VBA's in front of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

And the idea of marketing on behalf of the AAVBA members is also my idea. Something that has never been done prior to the formation of AAVBA.

There are other marketing ideas that have been exclusively mine, but we won't go into that.

But not all the ideas came from me. Because of my relationship with my fellow AAVBA members, we have been able to implement ideas I could never have come up with.

And when those ideas are utilized, the VBA who comes up with the idea is given credit. Although, sometimes in my hurry to do things, I will forget to write down the name of the VBA. Sorry! And when that happens, I will still give credit to the VBA by mentioning the idea did not come from me.

I believe we have the first class organization that we do because our focus is building relationships and building businesses.

Our conversations are about the business, not about each other.

If an issue arises that must be addressed, it is addressed to the AAVBA membership. No one is ever exposed. I do not believe in publicly humiliating anyone. After all, we've all made mistakes.

If a problem arises with an individual, I speak personally and privately with that person. It begins and ends there. No one ever knows what happens and most times the members are not even aware there is a problem.

Besides, there is never anything that cannot be addressed and handled professionally without destroying the relationship.

I believe that by spreading rumors and talking about each other in a negative light creates a negative environment. For anyone who is part of this organization, knows I will not tolerate any negativity. Like my mother used to say, "if you can't say something nice, say something vague". it was meant to bring humor in a difficult situation.

Thankfully, I have never had to say "something vague" about our members. I know straight up, most of our members are in AAVBA to grow their businesses and to help others do the same.

There is another saying which goes like this, "ignorant people talk about each other, intelligent people talk about matters of the world".

Have you ever been in a conversation where someone is talking about another person you do not know? What did you do? Did you walk away? Or did you become part of the conversation? Did you believe what that person was saying about this other person? Without confirming the story? Or did you believe this person simply because you felt they would not talk about anyone in a negative manner unless it was true? Or did you bother to confirm it?

Where I grew up, if someone said something about somebody, that person would bring the two people together and ask them who said what. This way, there was no misunderstanding. Each person had the opportunity to say face to face what they had to say directly to the person they were talking about.

Needless to say, there wasn't too much gossiping going on. You never knew when you would be asked to confirm what you were saying. So you better have had your story straight and also the facts to back it up. It kept everybody honest.

Build your relationships. Don't destroy them. When there is an opportunity to clear something up, do it immediately. And remember, judge slowly. Don't believe everything you hear unless you have the facts to believe it.

Vikki

First 6 months

2008-09-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

September 28, 2008 marks the 6th month AAVBA went "Live".

My idea of AAVBA began in August of 2007. The first person I talked to about my ideas was Sharon Hassler of GoGetNotary.

I've long been an admirer of Sharon. I've seen what she's accomplished with GoGetNotary and the GoGetExperts business.

I tossed ideas to Sharon to get her input while this idea was still in its infancy. I hadn't even filed the legal documents to make it an official business. We spent hours on the phone talking about this organization. Sharon gave me advise and was there when I needed to talk to someone. Which is a lot.

The value of the time she gave me is priceless. Once it's gone, you never get it back. Someday, I hope to I can repay her.

Well, the first thing I can share with you is Tip #1: Never start a business during the holidays. Talk about your #1 major stress factor!

A good time to start a business is March. File the legal stuff, get your website and shopping cart installed, set up your business/organization schedule (Meetings, Webinars, Travel) and go!

A little known fact is that I was not scheduled to conduct training. The person I had lined up for training had other obligations and responsibilities and I did not feel that handling a new organization like ours, with it's endless work hours would be a good fit.

So it was decided that I would do the training. Major stress factor #2. I had two weeks to get ready to conduct my first training session. Somehow, with the help of my wonderful AAVBA "founding members" cheering me on, we got through it. I say "we" because it was never just me. Believe me, I had a lot of help.

The most exciting part of this year was our association with NACBA. Being at the Annual Convention and now at the Fall Conference meant I had one more way to let attorneys see upfront what we do.

Our AAVBA members are encouraged to go to these conferences with us. The members pay a small participation fee, bring all their marketing materials to the Convention/Conference and participate at the AAVBA Exhibit Table.

For those VBA's who cannot attend the Convention/Conference, we offer another way to participate. The VBA purchases a Raffle prize to be given at the Convention/Conference. These raffle items are engraved with the VBA's business name.

These ideas came to us from our members.

Our organization believes in the AAVBA membership. They are very intelligent individuals and they bring a wealth of information and ideas. We respect their opinions and ideas.

If the idea will benefit the overall good of the organization, we use the idea and give credit to the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

We held two VBA Luncheons this year. Both successful. At our second VBA Luncheon, we had Sherry Duke of Suite Solutions (Credit Report Import) give a presentation.

The next two weeks are all about preparing for the NACBA Fall Conference. We have so much to do.

And that brings us to the present. Our first six months. It's still hard to believe.

The next six months and the next year (which is only three months away!) will be just as busy, I'm sure.

I hope you will make plans to be with us. We've only just begun.

Wishing you wildly successful days!

Vikki

Last weekend of the Summer

2008-08-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the end of Summer. For me, I never really felt we had a Summer. The weather was all over the map. One day; hot, next day, hot and humid, then all of a sudden, rain.

Not only that, but my days seem to zoom by a lot faster than when I was younger. A true sign of getting older.

Which is fine. I don't mind age. I never have. I guess because I don't know what to expect from age. I mean, how does a 30, 40 and 50 look and act?

So the end of Summer is here. Now comes the busy time of year. For some reason, Fall has always been a busy time of year. Everyone goes back to school, plans begin to take shape for the family get togethers. For us, our Family Reunion. Then, before you know it, it's Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Break, Christmas and then the New Year...... Yeah, it happens that fast.

Even with the strange weather this Summer, and no time off, we had a good time. My husband and I weren't able to take a vacation this year. We want to take off for awhile after the Family Reunion in October.

Our son turned 25 this Summer. To celebrate his birthday, he went skydiving in San Diego, CA. He and a friend, who shares the same birthday, jumped from 15,000 feet. His original plans were to go to Santa Barbara, CA where they jump from 18,000 feet. I guess the difference makes for a more thrilling jump. I wouldn't know, I'm not that
adventurous. But, good for him. I admire my son and his generation. They take life by the horns and run with it.

Our son also joined a bicycle group this Summer. A group of 30 to 50 people meet at a public place and ride their bikes around Los Angeles. These rides takes place on a Friday or Saturday night. They start around 6:00 P.M. and ride all evening. They carry rope and potato saks. Along the way, they stop at outdoor Malls and ask the public to join them in Jump Rope or a Potato Sak race. They never had anyone say no to a good Jump Rope or Double Dutch and the Potato Sak races become quite competitive.

Our son says "old" people join in and he says it's so cool to see their faces when they Jump Rope because you can tell they're going back to a time when things were simple. By "old" he means old like his parents (52 and 53).

Then, of course, there was the birth of our Great-nephew, Kai. His daddy, Joseph, graduated from the Police Academy on August 28, 2008.

I attended several Class Reunion functions. My High School classmates are unique in that the people I graduated with I've know since 2nd grade. So, essentially, they are the only people I've known all my life, (outside of my family).

Our son became good friends with the daughter of my best friend from High School. Anthony and Sarah attended a Winter Formal one year and since then, hang out together all the time.

My other best friend turned 58 this year in June. She and I have been friends for 27 years. Every year for her birthday, we go out for Sushi, her favorite. We do this once a year, every year. It's a time we both cherish to sit and talk and eat.

So, that was my summer. Short celebrations along the way that made this Summer memorable. The weather didn't cooperate, but everthing else was sweet.

I hope you had a great Summer filled with fun and laughter. I would love to hear what made you smile and appreciate life.

Until next time,
Vikki

Accountability or "Do as you say"

2008-08-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Accountability is a huge word. Not because it has 14 letters in the word. Because it means you will "do as you say".

Our position of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant comes with responsibility. We must be accountable to the attorney, which in turn must be accountable to his/her client.

When we decide we want to pursue the career of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, we make a decision to take on a certain amount of responsibility.

When I decided to start AAVBA, I knew I would be accountable to a group of individuals who would look to me for answers. In this position, accountability would have to be #1 priority, followed by service and support to those who chose to join our organization.

There would be straight forward talk about the VBA industry.

There would be straight forward talk about the potential to make money and how much. Which, by the way, you cannot consistently make $15,000.00/month which in turn is $180,000.00/year . If that happens, I want to see a tax return. That is the only way I will be convinced of the potential to make more money than the attorney who practices law.

That is not to say you can't make a decent living preparing petitions. There are some VBA's who have been able to quit their jobs and do this full time. They also put in long hours of marketing and planning and preparing so this could become a reality for them. They (VBA's) are accountable for the success of their businesses. My accountability lies in that I promised to market directly to attorneys on behalf of VBA's. So far, so good.

I don't claim to be an expert in this field. To do that, I would have to be working in this field a minimum of 5 years. But I do have 25 years of Corporate experience. Also, I have been a successful Independent Contractor for 10 years.

I do a variety of work. Field Service Inspections, Notary Signing Agent, Writing papers for college students, assisting students fill out the FAFSA forms, Translations, and Bankruptcy Petition Preparation.

In every assignment, I am accountable. I'm accountable to take the correct measurements of the building when I do Inspections. I am accountable when identifying signers on Loan documents. I am accountable to the students. I am accountable to Translate the correct words from the doctor to the patient. I am accountable to the attorney that I will do my best to submit a deficiency free petition. This is not to say I'm perfect, I'm not.

I've made mistakes. And I had to acknowledge those mistakes. Which is never easy. But if I don't acknowledge what I have done wrong, then nothing about my business is honest.

I believe those who are in a position to teach and lead have a higher expectation of accountability. Especially when individuals put their hard earned money and belief in that individual or business.

Once, I had thought about doing an online $.99 cent store. The woman I was going to go into business was a very nice lady. We got along immediately. Before I signed the papers to start my online store, she sent me her tax returns. She wanted to show me how much money she lost. The first year. In the same envelope, was the tax return for the following year and then the most current year. Talk about accountability. Long story short, she made a good return after one year of doing her online store.

By the way, I never opened my Online store. It was not for me. But I know my friend is still doing her online store and quite successfully. And she became a friend.

I had not made a return on my VBA business up until February of this year (2008) when an out of state attorney contracted me to prepare his clients' petitions. I had been marketing to attorneys since 2006 with no return. My business took a turn for the better when I hooked up with my "core" group of VBA's. When I saw how successful we were together, I knew I had to do something for other VBA's who; like me, had not been successful in this business.

Much like I believed in this VBA business, I believe we can get all VBA's working for an attorney, maybe more than one. I also know it takes a lot of work. For those VBA's who put in the time and with the marketing efforts of the AAVBA, we can do this.

In October, I head out to South Carolina for the Bankruptcy Attorney Fall Conference. Along on this trip are 4 AAVBA members. I'm happy that AAVBA decided to offer this. Now, every VBA will have the opportunity to market "face to face" with attorneys.

This will be a good experience. For the VBA's and for myself. I will get to know the AAVBA members on a more personal level.

My hope is that the Fall Conference in South Carolina will bring assignments to VBA's during the winter months when most work slows down for every Independent Contractor. No matter what industry they're in.

Until next time,
Vikki

Lessons Learned

2008-08-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

My father passed away 6 years ago from a massive heart attack. He was 67 years old. A relatively young age.

Pops lived a full life. When his friends found out how he had passed, they said to us, "he gave away so much of his heart, he forgot to keep a little for himself". That was true.

My dad was that type of person. He always gave.

Growing up, I remember my dad always being there for the less fortunate kids in our neighborhood. Not that we were well off, not by any means. But somehow, we always had just enough.

My dad came to the U.S. from Mexico in the '50's. He and my mother were young and full of hope. When they arrived in the U.S., my dad attended night school to learn English. All the while holding down a full time job to support his growing family. Later on, he would take on two full time jobs to make ends meet. He did this so our mother wouldn't have to work outside the home.

My dad hired a cleaning lady, and a cook. I think these were luxuries my dad wanted our mother to have. Also, there were so many of us! I have four brothers and two sisters.

When Dad and Mom came to this country, they made a vow to live the American dream. For my father, that meant live as an American. Everything my dad did was modeled around American life. That meant respecting and flying the American flag every holiday. My dad and mom were Scout Leaders for our neighborhood Cub Scout and Boy Scout troops. They volunteered at school and church. It's funny, but you would think with them giving so much time to everyone, there would be no time for their own children! On the contrary, we were always with them!

After working two full time jobs for many years, my dad decided he would open up a business. So, he quit his two jobs and did just that.

At the ripe old age of 42, our parents made the last payment on their mortgage and became grandparents for the first time.

Then, one day, dad decided he wanted to teach. So, he took the CBEST exam and started teaching at a local high school. He taught a vocational class.

While he taught, he attended night school to earn his Bachelors. After that, he went on to earn his Masters at the age of 51. But, his proudest moment happened when he became a citizen of the United States. My dad literally draped his house in red, white and blue!

I remember the years when my dad was a teacher. He would often invite his students over for a BBQ. We didn't mind, we knew that was our dad's way. He always helped those who needed a hand.

He was always giving.

When my dad passed away, everyone came to his funeral. At the reception held after the services, someone asked me, "what was your dad?", I responded, "what do you mean?", they said, "was he some sort of important person?", again, I asked, "what do you mean?", they said, "I've never seen so many people at someone's funeral, he must have been a very special person or held some sort of position".

Then it dawned on me. All my life, I saw my father helping other people. He helped people get jobs, he helped people buy cars, he helped the neighborhood kids, he helped teach a skill to high school students. I don't know why, but I just never gave any thought of how much my dad helped people. My thought was; this is what everybody did. Help each other.

So I looked around the reception hall (we had to rent a hall to hold all the people in attendance), I saw his students and their families, his former Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts were there, the kids (now all grown) from the old neighborhood came, I saw his godchildren (20 or 30), his brothers were there as was his sister. His nieces and nephews (40 or more). We had people from all over come up to us and tell us stories of how our father helped them.

They told funny stories, compelling stories and some stories even made us cry.
But they all had the same thing to say, "your dad helped me...."

My father had always been a very content person. Just happy to be. Period. He was a simple man with very basic beliefs and ideas; which he passed down to his children and grandchildren. Did I mention that my dad supported his family as a welder?

One brother became a welder. Our son, Anthony, took a welding class in college. And now, Anthony is finishing up his studies to become a teacher as well. Ironically, my brothers all married teachers.

So the lesson learned for me, was "when you give, you will always get back more than you gave".
It was evident to me when my dad passed away. All these people had come back to pay their last respects to a man they loved and admired and respected. All because he gave and helped them.

How simple and how basic. But that's the kind of person Pops was.

Vikki

Marketing

2008-07-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Every business, whether bricks and mortar, or internet, must do marketing.

For the bricks and mortar type of business, it is easy to see the instant gratification of opening your business. You order a banner with"GRAND OPENING" in huge letters, flyers, postcards, giveaways, etc., etc.

With an online business, it's a little tricky. When you first open for business, you also have a "GRAND OPENING". The Grand Opening is your webiste. The website is your "storefront". Without a website, you have no business.

So how do you do a "GRAND OPENING" banner for your online business? You advertise!

For Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, the best place to advertise, (FREE), is Craigslist. I have been very successful on Craigslist. My first attorney found me there. I expect lots more attorneys will find me since I post and re-post my services every few months.

As a VBA, you must think "virtual". Your business is an online business. Also, keep in mind your target group. This is key.

In the virtual world, you must advertise ALL THE TIME for anyone to see you.
If you had a bricks and mortar type of business, wouldn't you advertise all the time? Of course you would! It's the only way to have people come back to your store.

So with an online business. If you have no website for your target group to look at, how do you expect to get contracts? You cannot have a business if you have no website.

Marketing online is different than marketing a bricks and mortar business. Nevertheless, you must do marketing. Probably more aggressively, definitely more often.

If you're not spending at least one hour a day on Craigslist or online marketing your business, guaranteed you will never get an assignment. That's the absolute minimum, one hour a day. But, you must have a website.

For myself, I spend at least 30 hours a week marketing AAVBA. I also set aside some time to look at who's marketing online. While doing that, I've seen a few VBA's names and businesses online. If I see you, guaranteed, bankruptcy attorneys see you.

I know being an Independent Contractor is difficult. You need money to get started. There are expenses. Most times, before you even make any money! Believe me, I've been there.

But it can be done on a shoestring budget. The downside of the shoestring budget is that you have to do everything yourself.

I'd like to ask if anyone out there has a website hosting company they could recommend that will not break the bank for our new VBA's, please pass the information to them through the VBANation GoogleGroup. All AAVBA members should have received an invitation to this group since it is open to AAVBA members only. By request through our AAVBA members.

And advertise on Craigslist! Seriously folks, if you want to work, you must get on Craigslist. And again, if something is working for you and getting results, please pass this information on through the members only AAVBA GoogleGroup, VBANation.

AAVBA advertises on your behalf. All the time. We are always marketing. We want to see everyone working. It's our passion, our goal and our motivation for this organization.

If an attorney chooses your name on the AAVBA website, clicks on "View Complete Details", clicks on your "URL", will they see your VBA website? Is there a "URL" where there should be one? If not, then, sorry to say, but you're not open for business. And if you're not open for business, the attorney is going to go to the next VBA who does have a website (storefront) and is open for business.

The website is your storefront. You must keep this in mind. If you have the URL but have not built your website, this is the first thing you must do. Open your storefront for business, build your website.

I never guarantee work. From the beginning, I have always said, "AAVBA does not guarantee work, we are not an employment agency". As independent contractors, you are responsible for your own businesses. What we do at AAVBA is market on your behalf.

But you must do your part. And a major part of your business is having a website. And marketing. Being online, everywhere and anywhere an attorney might see your name.

If AAVBA finds a way to market your business without costing a lot of money, believe me, we will pass this information on to you. We want you to find work! But we can only do so much. Without a website, you won't be doing any work, that I can guarantee.

Aside from marketing AAVBA and for its' members, I also market my own VBA business. At least 20 hours a week. I recently revamped my website. Something I do every 3 months or so. The way I see it, it's my storefront, so I want my storefront to always look fresh. I redo the wording, I add graphics, etc., etc.

It's a lot of work, I know. I try to squeeze every minute out of my days. Believe me, sometimes, 24 hours is just not enough.

I want you to know, I'm right there with you. I've said this before in our Webinars. I'm doing just as much work as you. Believe me, I know what you're going through.

When you get your first assignment (and believe me, once you have a website [your storefront], you will get an assignment), you will know that all the work you've put into your "storefront" was worth it.

My hope is that everyone will have a VBA website by the time we go to the NACBA Fall Conference in October. When we're at these Conferences and Conventions, we like to show off our VBA's websites all weekend and tell attorneys how to find you!

We hope to see your "Open for Business" sign soon!

Wishing you wildly successful days!

Vikki

AAVBA is on the move!

2008-07-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

AAVBA is on the move!

As many of you know, AAVBA had an Exhibit at the Annual NACBA Convention.
We're still reeling from the great publicity and also from the assignments that have resulted from our presence at the Convention.

Now we're on the move again.

We have decided that since our exhibit was a success, we will attend every NACBA event.

But we're going to change it up. Instead of AAVBA Directors manning the exhibit booth all weekend, we are offering 5 AAVBA members the opportunity to attend future NACBA events.

One AAVBA Director will attend the Workshops and Conventions along with the 5 AAVBA members.

NACBA hosts at least 4 events per year. With each event, we will choose 5 AAVBA members to attend.

The next event planned is the NACBA Fall Workshop in Hilton Head Island, SC on October 2,3, and 4, 2008.

This opportunity will allow our 5 AAVBA members to market their businesses as well as market the AAVBA organization and industry. They will also be expected to highlight fellow AAVBA members' websites as well.

As we continue to grow, we hope to bring more opportunities where more AAVBA members can attend.

AAVBA believes in the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant and their contribution to the the legal community.

We're on the move and we're taking our members with us!

Vikki

And the hits keep coming....

2008-06-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

I'm proud of the comaraderie we've created at AAVBA.

The members truly have a sense of being "mentor-like" to their fellow AAVBA members.

Not only that, we now have Articles being written by our AAVBA members which are posted on the website.

The one thing I am most proud of, attorneys are contracting with AAVBA members.

At AAVBA, we use "proven" marketing and business development methods. The VBA's who have used our methods have been successful in securing contracts with attorneys across the United States.

That's what it's all about. Securing contracts with Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

At AAVBA, we do not guarantee employment. What we do, and we do it well, is market to Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys on behalf of our AAVBA members.

I speak to at least 4 attorneys a week. Some are inquiring about the role and function of the VBA. Some are looking to hire immediately.
We're proud to say we've secured several contracts for our members. And although we refer the attorney to the AAVBA member, once the attorney and VBA meet "virtually", closing the deal is still up to the individual VBA.

And the hits keep coming. More and more, attorneys are realizing AAVBA stands for excellence, professionalism and integrity. We expect no less from our members.

We maintain this level of professionalism by reiterating to our members that ethics; above all else, is why attorneys will want to use the services of the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

Our dedication to provide service and support to the VBA is number 1.

As time goes on, we would like to travel around the country and meet our members and also meet with Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

As time goes on, our members will soon be able to say goodbye to full time jobs outside the home. Some may even be able to set up shop in an office building.

The possibilities are endless and only limited by the imagination of the VBA.

We encourage our VBA's to dream BIG.

AAVBA is there to help them succeed all the way.

And the hits keep coming........More success stories to
follow......(of this I'm sure!)

Vikki

Time

2008-06-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

I respect time.
Time is something that can never be made up.... You can never get back those moments, hours, and days.

Every day and moment we do not spend marketing our businesses is business lost.

As an Independent Contractor, you must create your own income. What this means is that; if you don't aggressively market and advertise your business, most likely, you will not generate income.

This is the most difficult part of being an Independent Contractor.
In order to generate income, you must spend time marketing and advertising. If attorneys don't know you have a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant business, you probably will not get work.

When we started our businesses, we had to make a decision how much time we were going to dedicate to marketing and advertising.

Then, we had to decide how much time we were going to set aside to complete our bankruptcy petition preparations assignments.

For most of us, our first assignment will come while we're still working full time jobs or other independent assignments.

When that happens, our days will be very long. Sometimes 16 hour days.

Don't let that scare you. It will only be for a few months. The reward will be long term assignments and the one thing we're all striving for, independence.

This business will take a lot of time. Our goal at AAVBA, is this, that it will not take as long as it did for those who have been at this business for over 2 years to be successful.

We want everyone to have at least 1 attorney, 1 assignment before the end of the year. But it will take time.

Whatever time it takes, we're here to put in the time.

I'm going to write more about time. It is an important issue to me that has many aspects and affects everything we do.

Until next time,
Vikki

Personal Hygiene and Marketing

2008-06-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

I use Crest toothpaste. Personally, I use the "teeth whitening" brand. I don't know if it really brightens and whitens my teeth, but it makes me feel as if it does, so I use it.

As VBA's we will sometimes have to venture out to meet attorneys interested in our services. If you start out marketing only in the immediate area of your SOHO (Small Office/Home Office), the odds are you will have to do this.

As Independent Contractors, we do a lot of work at home, sometimes in our pajamas, almost always not wearing shoes (at least in my household).

But the day will come when you will have to leave the comfort of your home. When you do, it is good practice to dress comfortably, yet, professionally. A nice blazer, pants and top will do for the women, for the men, a collared shirt and slacks. Be sure those shoes are polished. Check your hair; if you have your hair professionally colored or cut, be sure and keep those appointments. And the last most important point to check is your teeth and breath.

Trust me, the attorney you meet for the first time will check you out from head to toe (I've been there). And even though your sitting on the other side of his desk, eventually, you will be up close and personal.

You'll be thankful you got up a little earlier to take a shower, brush your teeth and used that mouthwash.

There are all sorts of marketing necessities, and having a website (you are virtual), business cards, and at least two phone numbers are essential to your business as a VBA.

But remember, there is always that one attorney whose office is just around the corner from you. The website, business cards and phone numbers will not matter if you don't have the most important marketing necessity, and that is bright teeth and fresh breath.

Vikki

80% Employed VBA's

2008-05-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

From the beginning, AAVBA's goal was to have 80% VBA's working by the end of 2008.

We knew we had to do something different in order to make this happen. It could no longer be "business as usual".

We looked around and spoke to many attorneys and VBA's prior to setting up our organization. We wanted to know why weren't attorneys calling VBA's? We wanted to know what marketing methods were being used by VBA's to advertise their businesses? We wanted to find out the "proven" methods VBA's were using to get attorneys to call.

This is the result of our poll.

Why weren't attorneys calling VBA's? Attorneys told us they had no idea who or what is a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

What marketing methods were being used by VBA's to advertise their businesses? This is an industry secret only available to AAVBA members. I can say that since using these methods, we have more VBA's working in the last two months than in the two years the VBA industry has been in existence.

What proven methods were VBA's using to get attorneys to call? Again, this is an industry secret only available to AAVBA members.

This past week was very busy for the members of AAVBA. We had some really great success stories to share.

As the CEO of AAVBA, I take my responsibility to our members very seriously. I want everyone to be successful. And I will do all I can to make this possible for them. I've been through this journey with them and I've experienced their disappointment and disillusionment of this business not going the way they had hoped. It's a desperate feeling to lose hope.

For them and for myself, I knew this had to change.

If we keep going the way we are, we are sure to have our 80% of VBA's working by the end of 2008.

And we can only have one way to go from there. All the way to the top!

It's hard to imagine being close to a large membership group such as AAVBA, but I am. I feel as if I know them personally. That is why, when one VBA gets a job, it's as if I get the job too! Their success is my success.

I could never imagine being successful if our membership group was not successful too. It doesn't make sense. At least not to me.

The day I stop caring about whether our membership group is working or not, is the day I stop doing this business. I'm no good to them if I don't do my absolute best for them.

In return, I know they will do their absolute best for their businesses and also for AAVBA.

There's always time to get on board with this great group of men and women who have decided to take their businesses and their lives to the next level.

To join AAVBA, simply go to www.aavba.org and click on Join AAVBA. Rest assured, you won't be disappointed.

Vikki

NACBA Convention (May 15 - May 18, 2008)

2008-05-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, AAVBA (American Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants) attended NACBA's annual convention in Hollywood, CA.

As CEO of AAVBA, it was very exciting to be an Exhibitor at the largest gathering of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

As a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, I was happy that our industry was finally getting the exposure it so badly needed.

I have to admit, when I first arrived at the Exhibit Hall, I was nervous. I had never taken part in a convention as an Exhibitor, let alone a large convention such as NACBA.

As it turns out, the Director of NACBA said this years' convention was the largest and best convention to date.

The Convention took place at the Renaissance Hotel and Hollywood and Highland Center. You can feel the excitement of being in Hollywood. We met people from all over the U.S. and also; one vendor whose office was down the street from AAVBA offices.

The weekend was busy. Many attorneys visited our exhibit and asked many questions. The new attorneys who had just started their businesses, were excited about the prospect of being able to start their law firm without hiring full time employees.

The seasoned attorneys saw this as an advantage to their firms. No longer will they have to hire "temp" workers to fill in for vacationing staff. This never worked for them anyway, most of the temp workers didn't know how to prepare a petition.

In the end, my goal to market to attorneys on behalf of AAVBA members was realized. What better venue than a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney convention?

The goal of AAVBA for 2008 is to have 80% VBA's working and 100% by the end of 2009.

Wishing you prosperous days,
Vikki

Imitation is the highest form of flattery

2008-05-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

When I was a new mother, many, many years ago, I wondered how my child would develop. What would his personality be like? What would his character be? Would he be a caring person? Would he be frugal? There were so many questions, that, at the time scared me to the bone.

But now, here we are 25 years later. He's a wonderful human being. He has many friends, from all walks of life. He's graduated from college and holds down a responsible position at his job. A job he appreciates. He knows this is not his final destination. He's a theologian; and as such, continues his studies to complete that part of his education.

You're probably thinking, "what does Vikki's son have to do with this post?". I'm glad you asked.

I knew that, for our son to grow up to be a responsible, productive human being, his father and I would have to lead by example.

So too, with the VBA Industry. For this industry to be successful, its' leaders need to lead by example. If the leaders do not behave in a way that is above standard, then we as an industry will fail.

If the VBA's who have been doing this career from the beginning, do not set a high standard in preparing petitions and running legitimate businesses, then the industry suffers. For themselves and for those who come after.

You can take 100 VBA's who are working and doing an excellent job for attorneys. But I tell you, it takes one to destroy it for everyone.

A wise man once told me, "you must command respect, not demand it". To be successful, this is the secret.

Lead by example. If you're a parent, you understand this. You know that when you are trying to get your kids to listen to you, you don't yell at them, if you do, they don't listen. But when you speak in a calm but stern voice, you will definitely get their attention.

Lead by example. Command respect, don't demand it.

By helping others gain position, you automatically win the respect of those who are looking up to you.

Vikki

Education

2008-05-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am a strong believer in education. For me, knowledge is power.
If you have started your business as a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, you know that you should stay on top of all that is happening in bankruptcy.
If you've been doing this since October of 2005 when the law changed, you know it's a lot of hard work.
If you are new to this field, you'll soon find out that running a business from your home is not going to be easy.
In this business, you should be proficient in computer skills. You are, after all, a VIRTUAL Assistant who specializes in bankruptcy.
If you got into this business thinking that all you have to do is data entry, you are mistaken. Bankruptcy petition preparation is so much more.
Also, if you want to be successful in this business, you should have other talents to bring to the table besides petition preparation.
One skill that you must have when contracting with attorneys is proper English.
One way to test your English speaking and writing skills is to take the Expert Rating exams which can be found at the AAVBA website. Once you log in, go to Resources and click on Typing Test Certification, you will be directed to the Expert Rating website. Once there, Click on Tests and Certifications, scroll down to English Language and there you will find 8 categories in English Language.
You should also know the legal aspects of running a home business.
Do not get into this business (VBA) unless you are prepared to do the work. It is a lot of work and it takes training.
If you feel you need more training, be sure and do all you can to set aside the time it takes to get the proper training. It will benefit you and your business.
Continued success
Vikki

Moving forward and onward

2008-04-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I am thinking about how far we've come.
I say we, because I'm sure no matter where you were at 2 or 3 years ago, circumstances
have created changes which have affected your life one way or another.
I want this year to be different. For everyone.
We have a Convention coming up next month. I cannot tell you how nervous I am.
There is so much preparation required.
This is my first Convention where the Organization is the Exhibitor.
I've always imagined what it would be like to be on the other side of the Exhibitor table. I never imagined it would happen so soon.
I have always believed this would be a great career. I also knew it wouldn't be easy. Nothing worth having ever is.
Now that it's happening, I have to pinch myself.
I can't even begin to imagine what the remainder of this year will bring. I can only hope for good things to happen. For the Organization. For our Independent businesses.
And even though we run Independent businesses, we stand united as an organization.
Something that has been lacking for too long.
Wishing you overwhelming success!
Vikki

Foundations

2008-04-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

When you think of a foundation, what comes to your mind?
The foundation of my home comes to mind. When we first bought our home 11 years ago, the first thing I wanted to know was it on a solid foundation?
Turns out, that it was. To this day, it gives me peace of mind that the foundation to our home is as solid today as the day we bought it.
The first AAVBA training completed its session last week.
I applaud those who committed to give two weeks of their time to attend the training. I respect other peoples' time. I know we live in a hectic world and to be able to commit two hours each night for two weeks takes a lot of commitment and discipline.
The members who joined the AAVBA from the beginning are a special group. They have been given the responsibility of representing AAVBA.
AAVBA stands for support and service to the VBA. From its' inception, AAVBA strived to be a First Class membership organization.
We expect as much from our members. The individuals from the first training session are considered "founding members of AAVBA".
When we attend the NACBA Convention next month, we will be representing the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant industry. We take this responsibility very seriously. We know that our actions, our demeanor and our presentation are a reflection of the members of AAVBA.
We will do everything we can to put our best foot forward for the VBA.
We expect good things to come from this Exhibit. We will be surrounded by Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys for 3 days.
When the Convention is over, we hope Attorneys everywhere will realize the important role and function of the VBA.
Our goal this year is to have 80% working VBA's. We are committed to doing all we can to edify the VBA Industry in a positive and First Class image.
The individuals of AAVBA come from varied backgrounds. Some have legal experience, most have Corporate experience, all have life experience.
When an attorney hires a VBA, they get an individual who has experience dealing in real world situations and will contribute proactively with the attorney.
It's a WIN WIN situation.
Vikki

Monday, Monday

2008-04-07T07:33:00.001-07:00

Personally, I love Mondays. Some people don't. I'm not sure why.
Is it because it's the beginning of the work week?
Or could it be we're sad the weekends go by so quickly?

I work from home. My office is a room in my house, so there isn't much distance between me and my work.

If you work from home, as many VBA's do, you know that discipline is the main factor in running your business from home. First, you need discipline to stay out of your office on weekends. Second, you need discipline to lock up your office or desk when the work day is over. Third, you need discipline to start your work day at the time you specify on your website (if you advertise a start time).

When I first started my business, I worked all the time. I was in my office at 7:00 a.m. and didn't close "shop" until 11:00 p.m. I think it's because I was just starting out and I wanted to make my mark in the Independent Contractor industry. Plus, there was so much to do. I believe it's true for all new Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) businesses.

But once I found my rhythmn and created a "work day schedule", I found more time to spend with my husband. And my dogs. Although our son still lives at home, in our back house, we never know if he is here unless we look out the window and see his car parked out in front.

So now, I start work at 7:00 a.m. and end my work day at 6:00 p.m. For a lot of people, that may seem like a long work day. The way I see it, I cut four hours from my original work day. That's a lot.

During my work day, I take an official lunch hour. I take three breaks a day. I schedule time for phone calls, answering business emails, and taking care of incoming and outgoing mail.

Aside from petition preparation, I also continue to do Notary Signing, and Field Service Inspections. For awhile, I did translations for medical appointments.

When there are two or three petitions on my desk, I spend a lot of time in my office. For various reasons. If the assignment is back east, I need to make calls to the attorney early in the day due to the time zone. If the attorney back east wants something completed by the end of the day, that means it has to be completed by 2:00 P.M. California time.

Where adjustments are required, I make them according to the client.

I have days I dedicate to marketing my business. One or two days a week, I run errands.

If there is any advice I can pass on it's this; when you're setting up your Virtual business, remember, it's a business. Schedule your time as if you were going to the office everyday.

I spent a few years as a Notary signing Agent. Back then, I would be ready to go on an assignment at a moments notice. My briefcase was stocked with my business cards, pens, journal and Notary forms and I kept it nearby, my blazer hung on the back of my office door, my printer was filled ready to print Edocs.

With petitions, I don't require as much preparation except to update my software, if required. I still prepare myself to go on a moments notice. An attorney close to my home office might call. You never know.

Mondays are good days. I like Mondays. It's the beginning of a new work week. And for me, a new work week means possibilities. Possibilities for a new client, possibilities for a new assignment. Why not open yourself to the possibilities? Who knows, you might get that one contract that will bring in assignments to keep you busy for months.

Have a great Monday and a great work week.

Vikki

Peace of Mind

2008-04-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning VBA's!

This morning I went through a few quotations and I wanted to share some with you.
Lately, with all the obstacles we've had with the AAVBA website and just getting started, I needed to read some "Peace" quotations.
My independent business is going well, thank goodness. The attorney I am currently under contract with has been a jewel.
When you get your first contract, I hope your attorney turns out to be someone who will guide you.
Here you go.

"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Everything you do can be done better from a place of relaxation."
Stephen C. Paul

"The poor long for riches, the rich long for heaven, but the wise long for a state of tranquility."
Swami Rama

It's all about peace, in your life and what you share.
Peace be with you,
Vikki

Welcome!

2008-04-04T23:31:00.001-07:00