Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about Kathy Goughenour’s virtual assistant services for non-fiction authors and publishers, speakers, trainers, coaches and consultants.

Should I work with a virtual assistant (VA) or hire an administrative assistant?

This question is frequently on the minds of authors, speakers, trainers, coaches and consultants. The biggest misconception about VAs is that they’re expensive. When you hear $50 per hour for my VA services, you probably compare that to $25 (or less) per hour for an in-office administrative assistant. But that’s not a fair comparison.

When you work with a VA, you don’t pay for non-productive time such as lunch, breaks, illness, vacations or talking on the phone because a VA isn’t an employee — she’s an independent contractor. But you do pay for that time for an employee, such as an in-office administrative assistant.

Most of my clients need my services an average of 10 hours a month. That means they pay $500 per month. How does that compare to your administrative assistant at $25 or less per hour? My guess is you’d save money if you hired a VA.

What happens when you don’t have any work for your administrative assistant? You still have to pay her. When you work with a VA, if you don’t need her services, you don’t pay anything.

If you have any questions about working with a VA, please schedule a free consulation with me by emailing me at kathy@expertvatraining.com.

What can a virtual assistant do for me?

Most of my clients have me perform a wide variety of services for them. You can see the list of the most popular services on my Services and Rates page.

If you need something not listed on that page, please email me at kathy@expertvatraining.com. If I’m not an expert in the service you need, I can refer you to another VA or professional who is.

What questions do you have? Please email me at kathy@expertvatraining.com. I promise to personally respond within 24 hours or less.