VA Staffer

Posted by Mica Harvey / Dedicated Virtual Assistants, Philippines Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies, Virtual Employees

VA Staffer is a Digital Marketing and Virtual Assistant Company with the majority of it’s team in their Makati City (Metro Manila) office, Philippines. The marketing, project success and consulting is operated in the USA, and VA Staffer has also expanded recently into South America, India and the Caribbean for specific skillsets.

They have a very diverse team that offers a wide range of services to entrepreneurs, small businesses and CEOs. That talent pool is backed up with built-in Project Management Tools to deliver results.

VAA Tested_smallerThey opened their doors to the general public in November 2013 immediately after Typhoon Haiyan devastated much of the country, and local job opportunities were scarce, even for qualified candidates. At that time, founder Jeff “J” Hunter and his team decided that bringing on more clients would help empower college grads with amazing technology skills in the Philippines.

In return for a reliable, rewarding career opportunity, the new virtual assistants promised to provide superior services to their clients.

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About VA Staffer

VA staffer reviewVA Staffer has virtual assistants who work from home offices as well as their office in Makati and report directly to their clients.

The team uses ActiveCollab software for communication and project management, and aims to build a long-term win-win relationship with clients. This set-up provides for work tracking (screenshot monitoring) and accountability.

With VA Staffer, you’re assigned a dedicated VA based on your job requirements, but have access to rest of the team for specialized skills as the need arises. This set-up is somewhat rare among VA companies in the Philippines, where most just aim for a dedicated relationship and ask you to hire out other skills and jobs separately.

VA Staffer Review

VA Staffer Services

The company provides 100% manual and personalized SEO, Marketing, Website Design, Social Media Management and a variety of other virtual assistant services for start-ups, entrepreneurs, authors, and real estate agents.

Your virtual staff can also help with data entry, lead generation, online research, link-building, book promotion, reputation management, ecommerce solutions, and more.

Data Entry / Lead Generation

  • Online research
  • Lead generation
  • Managing your customer or contact database
  • SEO tasks

Administrative Assistant

  • Social media management
  • Transcription
  • Managing your calendar and travel arrangement
  • Email triage and follow-up

Web and Graphic Design and Web Development

This in-house team specializes in:

  • Website redesigns
  • Book covers and infographics
  • Social media graphics
  • WordPress and web development

Marketing Automation / Sales Funnel Assistant

At the high end of VA Staffer’s service offerings are their marketing automation and sales funnel pros. This is a rare skill to find in an assistant, and that’s why it commands a premium rate.

These highly trained assistants can:

  • Set up your email or marketing automation software (like Infusionsoft, ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, and others)
  • Do advanced website and CRM automation
  • Create lead magnets and sales funnels

The real pride of the company comes from the founding principal that entrepreneurship is the best method to solve global poverty.

VA Staffer Intro Video

VA Staffer Plans and Pricing

With some recent changes, VA Staffer has gone decidedly upmarket with their pricing and range of services. How it works is you have a $497 onboarding fee, and minimum $298 a month retainer.

 

The $298 retainer is applied to any work you need done over the course of the month, and you have access to an array of specialists based on what you need done.

The off-the-shelf plans are:

  • 20, 50 or 100 hours starts at $298 per month
  • 20 – 40 hours per week (80-160 per month) starts at $800 per month

It’s a very flexible and scalable system that can adapt with your business and growth.

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va staffer office

Why VA Staffer?

One thing that sets VA Staffer apart is their on-site recruiting and hiring process. When I spoke with Jeff, he explained that he personally flies to Manila 3-4x per year to screen the brightest talent in the Philippines and conduct face-to-face interviews.

Out of an applicant pool of 30 people, he might hire 1 or 2. The candidates must have a college education, and great communication skills.

Jeff explains, “The key to our success is the longevity of our staff. We offer great benefits to our employees and wages much higher than the average outsourcing company. That builds pride and creates a great connection between the staff and our clients.”

Interview with the VA Staffer Founder

VA Staffer Alternatives

Before you make your decision, you might want to check out the rest of the field of Filipino VA companies.

OnlineJobs.ph Wing Assistant FreeUp Online VA Team
Customer Rating
Established 2009 2018 2015 2014
Hourly Rate $3-8 $6.878.75 $5-20 $7+
Minimum Package $69 to post a job $699 for 80 hours Free to post a job 20 hrs for $250
Dedicated Assistant
Best For Full-time hires Small & Medium Business Owners, IT Services, Marketing Agencies, SaaS Quick pre-vetted hires in e-commerce and marketing Small & Medium businesses
Team Access
Rollover Hours
Free Trial *For limited range of services
Learn More Learn More Learn More Learn More

*Dedicated option available.

Online VA Team is a top virtual assistant company that can help leverage your organization by outsourcing your workforce and taking care of managing your teammates and HR needs. Based out of the US, their VAs work remotely from the Philippines but will work across any time zone. They only hire college-educated assistants and put all their candidates through 3 rounds of interviews – so you’re sure to find a good fit. Online VA Team specializes in building teams for small to medium size companies needing administrative and customer service positions filled at a substantial cost savings. Online VA Team Entry Level Plan – $250 per month for up to 5 hours a week Monday to Friday. Small Business Plan – $1,195 per agent per month for dedicated staffing Monday to Friday.

Task Bullet and Carve operate similar models, though perhaps without the full project management tracking capabilities and access a team.

Your Turn

Have you worked with VA Staffer? If so, please leave a quick review of your experience below.

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Canada’s Virtual Assistant

Posted by Mica Harvey / Canadian Virtual Assistants

Canada’s Virtual Assistant is as the name suggests, a virtual assistant company based in Canada.

The company is headquartered in Alberta, Canada, and their virtual assistants are based in Canada.

About Canada’s Virtual Assistant

Canada's Virtual AssistantCanada’s Virtual Assistant (CVA) is a premier virtual assistant company based in Alberta, Canada, offering high-end support to business owners and executives. Founded in 2018, CVA is committed to providing expert services tailored to the specific needs of busy professionals. All of their virtual assistants are based in Canada, ensuring seamless communication and cultural alignment with North American clients.

Canada’s Virtual Assistant’s Mission Statement

“At CVA, our mission is to handle your time-consuming tasks with efficiency and expertise, so you can focus on what truly matters—your customers, your growth, and your peace of mind.

That’s a message that will resonate with any busy business owner. If you’re currently struggling to keep on top of your day-to-day tasks or are looking for ways to scale up your business, Canada’s Virtual Assistant is waiting to hear from you.

If you’re in the US, there are some advantages to hiring a Canadian virtual assistant. Generally speaking, the culture and working practices are very similar, and there are not going to be any of the language barriers you may encounter hiring further overseas.”

How Canada’s Virtual Assistant Works

They start with a personalized consultation call to understand your business needs. After scheduling a consultation through their online calendar, they’ll match you with the right assistant. You’ll have the opportunity to meet your assistant, ask questions, and ensure the match aligns with your goals before moving forward. Then they hold a kickoff meeting to onboard you and get the work going, and touchpoints are scheduled as needed to keep things on track!

In addition, the owner Owner, Megan Gillam, will meet with you monthly to check in, discuss any changes required, and continue to build the relationship with CVA. Depending on the tasks you hire CVA for, she may even be the one working on your account!

Their team is available Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM MST (with some exceptions), and offer flexible communication methods on your preferred platform.

Canada’s Virtual Assistant Services

CVA offers a wide range of services, including:

  • Administrative Support: Streamlining your day-to-day operations.
  • Project Management: Managing timelines, deliverables, and team coordination.
  • Executive Assistant Services: High-level support for C-Suite executives, including calendar management, meeting coordination, and more.
  • Process and Implementation Support: Assisting with system setup, process documentation, and operational efficiencies.

In addition to these core services, we also offer one-off services such as:

  • Document Formatting
  • Email Inbox Cleanout
  • Task Delegation Consultation

Industries They Serve:

They specialize in providing services to industries such as construction, coaching, education, marketing, and consulting, with experience in managing the specific needs of these fields.

Canada’s Virtual Assistant Pricing

All of their packages start at $45/hr, (at time of publishing) reflecting the high-quality service and expertise we provide. They’ve offer tailored packages to suit your needs:

  • Custom Package (Pay-as-you-go): $50/hr
  • Monthly Packages: Available upon consultation to meet your specific business requirements.

For those who need quick solutions, they also provide one-off services at competitive rates, ensuring that even smaller tasks, like email cleanouts or document formatting, are handled with professionalism and care.

They provide flexible pricing options:

  • Pay as you go
  • Monthly Retainers
  • Project Based
  • One off task

Canada’s Virtual Assistant Alternatives

An alternative Canada-based virtual assistant company to check out is Virtual Assistant Canada.

Virtual Assistant Canada operates on a different business model, pricing their services by type rather than selling hourly bundles. It’s worth getting a quote and seeing if they specialize in the tasks you’re looking to outsource.

If you want to open up more options, there is no shortage of Virtual Assistant companies in the US to choose from. Time ETC and ClearDesk are two of the highest-rated US-based Virtual Assistant companies to start with.

Your Turn

Have you worked with Canada’s Virtual Assistant? If so, please leave a review below to help others with their decision.

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eLuminous Technologies

Posted by Mica Harvey / India Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies

eLuminous Technologies is a professional virtual assistant company. The company is a partnership firm co-founded by Sandeep Aher and have been operating since 2002. 

Being in business for over 18 years makes eLuminous Technologies one of the more established virtual assistant companies in the industry.

Holiday promotion – 160 hours free – Sign up now!

BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION CALL!

About eLuminous Technologies

eluminous technologies review

The company is based in India, where they operate out of a huge facility with a team of over 200+ staff. They work around the clock to accommodate all the timezones of their clients, offering services during EST, PST, GMT and AEST timezones.

As you would expect with a company of this size, eLuminous have a large pool of skills within their 200+ staff. They have split into several different departments, and aim to match clients up with the most suitable assistant or team.

Their target customers range from MNCs, Fortune 500 companies, to managers and CEOs of large organizations. eLuminous Technologies find that most of their clients work in industries like Pharma, Automotive Dealers, Property Management, Real Estate, Jewelry, IT .

eLuminous Leadership Team Interview and Office Tour

This video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at eLuminous’ virtual assistant office setup, their leadership team, and even a little glimpse into their company culture.

I thought it was a cool way to share what it’s like over there, and to see something a little different from the super-polished stock-photo-laden marketing videos you typically see.

eLuminous Services

eLuminous breaks down their services into five main categories, and have a separate department for each of the following:

  1. Administrative Virtual Assistants
  2. Virtual Personal Assistants
  3. Project Management
  4. Real Estate Assistants
  5. Internet Marketing

So depending on the client’s business requirements, they can assign the Virtual Assistant specializing in that area.

Their key competency is saving the client’s valuable productive time and let them focus on what is important for them. Their stats with other clients indicate that on an average their one Virtual Assistant can save at least 2 hours’ of productive time for their client, which is a big plus. This definitely adds to productivity and let your key employees focus on what is more crucial for them.

Their virtual assistant services cover all the day-to-day business tasks you would expect. As I always advise, you should provide a detailed list of the tasks you’re looking to outsource and check they have experience with each task before committing to a price plan. 

Here is a detailed task list that eLuminous Virtual Assistant ‘scan do for you:

  • Scheduling meetings and coordination
  • Preparing MOMs and meeting agendas
  • Logistics arrangement
  • Calendar Management
  • Reminding you of important events
  • Transport coordination
  • Travel arrangements
  • Expense management
  • Customer service
  • Interview scheduling
  • Invoicing and PO creations
  • Email management

BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION CALL!

eLuminous Plans and Pricing

For their virtual assistant service, eLuminous Technologies has many packages to help you on many levels!

They have a free 3-hour trial period, which is always a great way to see how a business performs and shows they are confident in their services!

  1. Free trial period (3 hours) *Exclusive for VAA clients only
  2. Part-Time Assistant – 80 hours per month for $720 ($9 per hour) 
  3. Full-Time Assistant – 160 hours per month for $1440 ($9 per hour)

Based on my conversation with Sandeep, it sounded like their preference was to work with clients on the 160-hour engagement. He also indicated the clients that see the best results are the ones that have clearly-defined goals and outcomes in mind.

When paying for a package you are purchasing a number of hours per month. The hours will be used up as your tasks are completed, and you can keep an eye on the progress.

VAA Exclusive: Mention Virtual Assistant Assistant for 20% off your first month of service!

 

eLuminous Contract 

For its clients, eLuminous has a minimum of 6 months contract period.

eLuminous Guarantee 

No questions asked refunds (on unused hours) are guaranteed if things do not work for any reason. If you find that eLuminous VA is not a fit for what you are looking for, we will refund the amount (against unused hours) without a single question asked.

eLuminous Technologies Alternatives

When I asked eLuminous what sets them apart from their competitors, they cited their 15-day money-back guarantee, quality of service and flexible payment options. Sandeep also told me they really try and take a consultative approach in learning about your business so they make suggestions and become a valuable partner.

The virtual assistant marketplace is a competitive and crowded one. If you’re looking at virtual assistant companies in India, My Tasker or VA Talks might be worth a look, though neither have the 18+ year track record of eLuminous.

That said, they offer similar pricing and it probably makes sense to reach out to at least a couple different companies to see who impresses you and who seems like a good fit for your requirements.

Your Turn

Have you worked with eLuminous Technologies? If so please leave a comment below to help others with making an informed decision.

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My Virtual Assistant

Posted by Mica Harvey / Task-Based Virtual Assistants, UK/Europe Virtual Assistants, US Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies

My Virtual Assistant is a virtual assistant company providing virtual assistant services to small and medium-sized businesses all over the world.

The company’s headquarters is in London. They also have offices in Johannesburg and are planning to open an office in the U.S. All of their virtual assistants are based in the UK and the U.S.

About My Virtual Assistant

The company started operations in 2018 and is currently headed up by CEO Wes Thomson. When I spoke with a representative from My Virtual Assistant, they told me they were only working with a select group of clients pre-COVID referred by word-of-mouth.

However, during the pandemic, they decided to change their business model. They redesigned their website and started actively marketing for new clients.

An area where My Virtual Assistant differs from a lot of VA companies is their pricing model. You can sign up for as little as $39 per month and will have access to a dedicated assistant.

This buys you 16 credits, which is 2 hours of an assistant’s time as their currency is 2 credits = 15 minutes of time. Additional credits are $3/ea.

“Our belief is that everyone should be able to access the benefits of having an assistant and that this shouldn’t come at a large monthly price,” they told me explaining why their entry price is just $39/mo.

My Virtual Assistant offers a 7-day free trial in which you will receive 2 hours of time to use. So, you can try their service before committing.

How My Virtual Assistant Works

My Virtual Assistant advertises that you can “Get started in less than 5 minutes”.

There are 3 steps to their onboarding process:

  1. Signing up – You can create an account and start your 7-day free trial (credit card/payment details are required).
  2. Access their portal – You’ll gain instant access to their client portal where you can start sending tasks to your assistant.
  3. Receive completed work – Your assistant will send back completed tasks and communicate with you through the portal.

My Virtual Assistant Services

With Virtual Assistant Services saying, “There is no task too large or complex”, you should be able to give them any task that can be completed remotely.

To give you a better idea, they list the following as tasks they commonly handle:

  • Reservation tasks
  • Travel arrangements
  • Diary management
  • Invoicing
  • Scheduling
  • Expenses management
  • Lifestyle tasks
  • Social media management

Looking at that list of tasks, it looks like they handle more of the executive assistant and Personal Assistant types of tasks.

They did tell me, however, that they have “technical centers”. This is basically groups of assistants specializing in different areas, and they will always find the right assistant to carry out work.

My Virtual Assistant Plans and Pricing

My Virtual Assistant operates on a credit system. Credits cost $3 each, and two credits represent 15 minutes of time.

Therefore, an hourly rate for their assistants is $24/hr.

You can pay as little as $39/mo for 16 credits (3 bonus credits), then buy more for $3 each as and when you need them.

The interesting thing about using credits is that My Virtual Assistant has set a number of tasks as requiring a set number of credits.

For example, managing social media accounts costs 4 credits to set up, plus 2 credits per post. They do add that it may cost more depending on the complexity of the task, but it does give you a rough idea of how much certain tasks are going to cost.

My Virtual Assistant offers a 7-day free trial. You get 2 hours of assistant time to use within the 7 days (that’s 8 credits), and then have to either cancel or start paying a monthly fee.

My Virtual Assistant Alternatives

At $24 an hour utilizing assistants based in the UK and the U.S., My Virtual Assistant is in the same ballpark as companies like Time ETC and Zirtual.

Both of these companies operate on a similar business model, and both have a good deal of customer feedback.

Your Turn

Have you worked with My Virtual Assistant? If so, please leave a review below to help others with their decision.

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Hubstaff

Posted by Mica Harvey / Dedicated Virtual Assistants, Freelance Virtual Assistants, Project-Based Virtual Assistants, Resources/Tools, Virtual Assistant Resources, Virtual Employees

Hubstaff is a time tracking software built for remote teams. The company was founded in 2012 and their fully remote team is “based” out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hubstaff offers several productivity monitoring features like an app and URL tracking, optional screenshots, and customizable reports. It’s designed to give you insight into how your remote team is spending their time so you can help them be more efficient.

VAA Exclusive: Use referral code VAA15 for 30% off your first 2 months of service!

Now I’m not big on the over-the-shoulder nature of these tracking programs, and have only ever looked at the Elance screen reports a handful of times. The best way to make sure your virtual assistants are working? Have some deliverable. If it’s not getting done, then you have a problem — otherwise, why bother with the micromanaging?

If you’re interested, Hubstaff comes with a 14-day free trial so you can check it out and see how you like it.

Hubstaff Intro Video


Note: The video says the software is “100% free.” There is a free plan but the features and functionality are quite limited.

VAA Exclusive: Use referral code VAA15 for 30% off your first 2 months of service!

Hubstaff Features 

Hubstaff includes a wide range of team management features with time tracking at its core. Its productivity monitoring capabilities help you focus on doing work instead of tracking it, eliminating the need to ask team members what they’ve worked on.

Interview with Hubstaff Co-Founder


VAA Exclusive: Use referral code VAA15 for 30% off your first 2 months of service!

How Hubstaff Works

Using Hubstaff is as simple as choosing a task to work on and then tracking time to it. Once you’ve set up your projects in your organization, they will automatically appear on the time tracker so you can start working right away.

You’ll be able to see the total hours tracked by your team, the average activity rate between team members, and how much you have spent on projects on the dashboard. You can customize it to show other statistics.

The tracked time is automatically converted into online timesheets, which you can quickly review and approve. This saves your team a lot of time on manually preparing them, with the added benefit of being more accurate and easier to organize than paper-based or spreadsheet-type timesheets.

Payroll is automatically processed once timesheets are approved. Hubstaff will automatically calculate the payment amount based on each team member’s hourly rate and the total time they have worked.

Hubstaff Tasks 

Hubstaff Tasks is a project management tool built to streamline collaboration in remote teams. It has a Kanban-style interface that lets you organize tasks with cards, boards, and visual elements like checklists and colored labels.

With its Sprints feature, teams can assign tasks to different sprints — current, future, or backlog. This is designed to help you with prioritizing the right tasks so you can finish projects more efficiently.

Hubstaff Tasks also has automated workflows, daily stand-ups, and a roadmaps feature. It integrates with Hubstaff so you can track time to your projects as well.

Hubstaff Talent

Hubstaff Talent is a free resource for companies looking to find remote talent across the globe, with no fees, no markups, no middlemen. Companies can use the Hubstaff database to find and hire the highest quality freelancers from around the world.

You can find all sorts of freelance talent, but the pool is skewed toward developers, digital marketers, and creatives.

Hubstaff Alternatives

The biggest alternatives to Hubstaff both in terms of virtual staffing and the tracking tool are the freelance platforms of Elance and oDesk, mentioned above, as well as the Philippines-specific jobs board, OnlineJobs.ph.

Your Turn

Have you found a virtual assistant or other remote team members through Hubstaff? If so, please leave a quick review of your experience below to help others with their hiring decision.

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Acelerar

Posted by Mica Harvey / Dedicated Virtual Assistants, India Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies

Acelerar is a virtual assistant service company based in Noida, India. The company has been in operation since 2010 and provides virtual assistants round the clock to support clients around the world in their respective time zones.

About Acelerar

Established in 2010, Acelerar has built a stellar reputation over more than a decade, providing high-quality virtual assistant services to over 1000 clients worldwide. With a team of 100+ skilled professionals, their collective experience spans over 50 years. They are ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001 certified for both quality management and data security, ensuring that your business is in the safest hands. Acelerar is trusted by Fortune 1000 companies and small businesses alike, offering top-notch services at competitive rates.

Acelerar Services

With Acelerar, you can tap into a highly skilled and cost-effective workforce while avoiding the complexities of managing in-house staff.

  • Administration assistance
  • Data entry
  • Customer service
  • List building and lead generation
  • Online research
  • Recruitment
  • Back office support
  • Real estate services
  • Ad-hoc tasks

Acelerar Plans and Pricing

Despite being the trusted choice of Fortune 1000 companies, Acelerar offers competitively priced packages that fit businesses of all sizes, including SMEs and solo entrepreneurs. 

  • 20 hours per month: $180 USD ($9/hr)
  • 40 hours per month: $320 USD ($8/hr) 
  • 80 hours per month: $560 USD ($7/hr) 
  • 160 hours per month: $960 USD ($6/hr) 

Perks Included with Every Package 

When you hire with Acelerar, you not only gain valuable business support but also enjoy a range of additional benefits: 

  • More Time for What Matters: Focus on growing your business or spending time with family while we handle the rest. 
  • Qualified Assistants: All our VAs are thoroughly screened, interviewed, and hold relevant degrees. 
  • No Hidden Costs: What you see is what you get—no surprises. 
  • Zero Stress: Enjoy a hassle-free outsourcing experience. 
  • No Minimum Lock-In: Flexible plans with no long-term commitments. 
  • Time Zone Flexibility: Your VA works in your preferred time zone. 

Activate Your Free Trial Today! 

Ready to experience the Acelerar advantage? Get in touch with them today and activate your free trial. Let them help you scale your business without the stress of in-house hiring!

FAQS – *From Acelerar

  1. What types of services can I outsource to your offshore team and how long it takes to hire them? 

You can outsource a wide range of back-office functions, including data entry, customer support, accounting, HR, IT support, and more. Our teams are trained to handle various tasks as per your requirements.  

It takes anywhere between 1-2 weeks depending upon your requirements. 

  1. How do you ensure the security and confidentiality of my data? 

 
We are ISO 9001 and ISMS certified company. We have strict security measures in place, including secure networks, encrypted communication, and robust access controls. Our teams also sign non-disclosure agreements to protect your data. 

  1. What is the cost advantage of outsourcing offshore?

Outsourcing offshore often provides cost savings of up to 50-70% compared to hiring onshore staff. It allows you to access highly skilled professionals at a lower cost. 

  1. Can I scale my offshore team up or down as needed? 

Yes, you can easily scale your offshore team based on your business needs. We offer flexibility in team size and composition. 

  1. Do I need to provide training for the offshore team? 

Our offshore teams are typically trained and experienced in their respective fields. However, we can customize training to align with your specific processes and preferences. 

  1. How do you ensure communication and collaboration with my in-house team? 

Each team is assigned a SPOC and a Customer Success Manager for smooth communication. We use various communication tools and project management software to facilitate seamless collaboration. Regular meetings and updates are also part of our process to ensure alignment. 

  1. What is the contract and billing structure for your services? 

Our contract and billing structures are flexible and can be customized to suit your needs. We offer both hourly and fixed-rate pricing options.

Acelerar Alternatives

Among other virtual assistant companies in India, MyTasker or Ask Sunday might be worth a look. Their range of services offered are similar though their pricing packages are both slightly more expensive.

Your Turn

Have you worked with Acelerar? If so, please share a quick review of your experience below to help others with their decision.

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InoVA Local

Posted by Mica Harvey / US Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies

InoVA Local is a virtual assistant company providing virtual assistants based in the US and Canada to small and medium-sized business owners.

They focus mainly on working with local businesses. InoVA Local offers a cost-effective solution for local businesses to offload “up to 90%” of their day-to-day business tasks.

About InoVA Local

inova local reviewThe company was founded by Christopher Schwab.

Chris owns a local house cleaning service called Think Maids, and he started InoVA Local when he saw a gap in the market for a local virtual assistant company when he needed to use one himself.

InoVA Local started operations in 2017. They started out working with local businesses like cleaning and painting companies and have been expanding their reach ever since.

All of their virtual assistants have prior professional experience, are fully trained in-house, and are able to learn and grow with the businesses they work with.

When you sign up for one of their plans, you’re assigned a dedicated assistant, as well as being a member of their support team you can go to as a point of contact with any questions.

InoVA Local Services

InoVA Local says, “Our virtual assistants can take on as much or as little as you want. What we don’t know we can learn.”

Their assistants are split into two categories:

  1. Virtual assistants
  2. Virtual managers

Their assistants can take all those day-to-day tasks off your hands, such as:

  • answering phone calls
  • scheduling meetings and calendar appointments
  • managing emails
  • research tasks
  • and so on.

InoVA Local managers are experienced in managing teams, heading up departments, and overseeing projects.

The founder Chris field-tested this model with his own cleaning business, which he now effectively manages from abroad usually in less than an hour a day.

InoVA Local Plans and Pricing

InoVA Local currently have two different pricing plans as follows:

  • Virtual Receptionist (phone-related tasks only) – $119 for 60 minutes with a completely free 30 day trial.
  • Virtual Assistant – $990 for 30 hours. 
  • Virtual Manager – Custom Plans – InoVA discusses with you after working together at the Virtual Assistant level. (Between $1200-$1500 typically.)

inova local pricing

There are no setup costs, additional charges, or hidden fees. Just a flat fee for each of their plans and you only pay for the hours you use.

InoVA Local does not specify how many hours are in the plans at the time of writing this.

If you’re interested in one of their plans and want to know more InoVA Local encourage you to book a free consultation call with a member of their team to run through what you’re looking for in an assistant and how they can best help.

InoVA Local Alternatives

If you’re looking at companies using US-based virtual assistants, I recommend checking out Time Etc and Boldly. They both have a good deal of positive feedback and have built up a lot of trust.

If you really just need someone to answer the phones, consider a virtual receptionist service like Gabbyville.

Your Turn

Have you worked with InoVA Local? If so, please leave a brief review below to help others with their decision.

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Black Virtual Assistants (BVA)

Posted by Mica Harvey / Virtual Assistant Companies

Black Virtual Assistants is a US-based virtual assistant company specializing in providing virtual assistants to small and medium-sized businesses.

The company is headquartered in Texas, and their assistants work remotely all over the U.S.

About Black Virtual Assistants (BVA)

The company started operations in 2004 and is headed up by founder, Regina Baker. Regina is an award-winning internet business consultant and an executive virtual assistant herself. So, she has a good deal of industry experience on both sides of hiring VAs and working as one.

Regina started Black Virtual Assistants (BVA) to create a community of people who have a passion to cultivate a space where all people of color have the opportunity to be seen and hired.

Understanding the challenges people face around getting hired, through Black Virtual Assistants Regina acts as a voice for people of color in the virtual assistant industry.

Black Virtual Assistants supply dedicated assistants starting at a minimum commitment of 20 hours a month.

How Black Virtual Assistants (BVA) Works

If you’re interested in working with Black Virtual Assistants, their team handles everything in regard to finding the perfect assistant for you.

All you have to do to get started is to fill out a request for proposal (RFP) form on their site. Their RFP asks you a few things, such as; the services you’re interested in, what you require from an assistant, your budget, number of hours per month, and some other details they need to find the right assistant for you.

It’s worth noting that despite asking for your budget, Black Virtual Assistants state that they will not supply assistants for less than $30/hr.

Black Virtual Assistants Services

Black Virtual Assistants’ VAs are capable of handling any day-to-day business tasks that can be completed remotely.

When you sign up, you’ll be asked what services you require. A member of their team will then personally find and screen a Virtual Assistant for you.

To give a general idea, Black Virtual Assistants group some of their services under the following categories:

  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Speaker support
  • Data entry
  • Editing and proofreading
  • Graphic design
  • Project management
  • Research and development
  • Website design

As a rule of thumb, and this applies to hiring Virtual Assistant’s in general, you should provide as much detail about the tasks you want to outsource as possible. This enables BVA to better find an assistant with the skills to match your requirements.

Regina also offers 1-on-1 coaching for both virtual assistants and business owners looking to grow their businesses through outsourcing.

You can book a 3-hour coaching call with Regina. Or, a series of calls with her strategy team and herself if you want her help forming a strategy for your business.

Black Virtual Assistants Plans and Pricing

Black Virtual Assistants do not have any set pricing plans for their assistants. They state their minimum hourly rate starts at $30, and you have to sign up for a minimum of 20 hours per month.

This means the minimum monthly spend for working with Black Virtual Assistants is $600 per month. For a full-time assistant working 160 hours a month that works out at $4,800.

The hourly rate is skills and experience-dependent, however. You need to fill out an RFP and a member of their team will get back to you with a custom quote.

If you’re interested in booking a coaching call with Regina, she offers two packages priced at $197 and $597.

Black Virtual Assistants Alternatives

If you’re looking for US-based assistants, then we recommend checking out Time ETC and Zirtual. Both have comparable hourly rates to Black Virtual Assistants and offer a similar range of services.

If you’re working to a tighter budget, you can check out our reviews of some of the highest-rated overseas VA companies.

Your Turn

Have you worked with Black Virtual Assistants? If so, please leave a review below to help others with their decision.

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Limitless Designs

Posted by Mica Harvey / Graphic and Web Design Services

Limitless Designs is a graphic design company offering affordable monthly plans for all kinds of small graphic design tasks. They offer unlimited revisions to ensure your final designs are looking exactly how you want.

Their team of graphic designers works remotely across Malaysia, and they have customer support teams located in the Philippines and the US.

About Limitless Designs

limitless designs reviewThe company was founded in 2016. By hiring graphic designers in Malaysia, Limitless Designs are able to take advantage of the lower cost of living compared to the US and offer very competitive rates.

Their target customers are individuals or businesses of any size that don’t have their own in-house designers.

When you sign up for a plan you are assigned a dedicated designer. This gives you the opportunity to work with the same designer on an ongoing basis, effectively like having a team member, but at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time employee.

When I asked them what their areas of specialization were, they said, “Social media graphics, banner ads, and blog graphics. Our service is great for marketing teams that need to consistently create marketing materials and graphics for their social media and content marketing campaigns.”

How it Works

Limitless Designs follows a 4-step process in working with clients.

1. A Quick Design Brief

Send their team an email detailing the designs you want to be produced. It’s a good idea to include examples and be as detailed as possible if you want their vision to align with yours.

2. The Brief is Dispatched to your Dedicated Designer

They assign a dedicated graphic designer to handle your request. The same designer will stay with you, so they become more familiar with you and your brand the more requests they handle.

3. Design Delivery

When your designs are finished they will be dropped off in a Dropbox folder for you to check. You also get the source files so you have complete ownership over the designs and can make any edits yourself.

4. Revisions (if needed)

Should you require any revisions, Limitless Designs offer unlimited revisions on both of their plans. Just reply with your feedback and your designer will make the changes as per your specs.

Services

Limitless Designs says they typically take on graphic design tasks that can be completed in an hour, or easily summarized in an email what the task is.

Some of their most commonly requested graphic design work includes:

  • Social media images
  • Blog post images
  • Banner Ads
  • Cropping or resizing images

Plans and Pricing

Limitless Designs currently has two pricing plans or a one-off fee for single designs as follows:

  • Starter Plan – $179 per month for 4 graphic design requests. ($45/per design)
  • Unlimited Plan – $299 per month for unlimited graphic design requests.
  • Single Designs – $49 per design with one revision.

limitless designs pricing

Both of their plans include unlimited revisions, a dedicated designer, unlimited brands, 24/7 customer service, no fixed contracts, and a 14-day money back guarantee.

Limitless Designs Alternatives

Design Pickle operates with a very similar business model if you can get value from monthly plans, although their pricing is a little more expensive.

If you only want a one-off design or don’t anticipate having regular requests then Fiverr and Upwork are affordable options. The drawback with those being you need to do the legwork to choose a designer.

Your Turn

Have you worked with Limitless Designs? If so, please leave a review of your experience below to help others with their decision.

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Work Better Now

Posted by Mica Harvey / Dedicated Virtual Assistants, Virtual Admin Assistants, Virtual Assistant Companies, Virtual Employees

Work Better Now is a US-based virtual assistant company specializing in providing full-time virtual assistants to entrepreneurs and small business owners across the US and Canada.

The company is headquartered in the US, and they recruit assistants located in Central and South America.

About Work Better Now

The company was started around 3 years ago by co-founders Andrew Cohen and Robert Levin.

Andrew has a lot of experience working as a consultant with small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. Robert is also the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of RSL Media, a company that helps businesses nurture and convert other businesses.

Together, they decided to start Work Better Now to help busy business owners outsource low-priority tasks at a cost-effective price.

Work Better Now only offers full-time, dedicated virtual assistants. You can choose to split your assistant’s time with other businesses, but there are no part-time or hourly contracts.

Work Better Now told me they have an intricate process behind finding and onboarding the right VAs for each client. They work with a variety of businesses, ranging from solopreneurs to marketing agencies, law firms, and real estate businesses.

Whatever industry you’re in and whatever skills you require from a Virtual Assistant, Work Better Now will find the ideal candidate for you.

How Work Better Now Works

If you’re interested in working with Work Better Now, it starts by making contact and booking a 15-minute consultation call.

During this call, a member of their team will identify what your requirements are in a Virtual Assistant, how your business operates, etc.

Work Better Now will then find the best-suited Virtual Assistant to meet your needs. From there, you can interview the Virtual Assistant yourself and decide if you want to move forward and start working together.

Work Better Now Services

Work Better Now’s assistants will take just about any day-to-day business tasks off your hands that can be completed remotely.

To give you a better idea, they group their core services into the following categories on their site:

  • Calendar Management – General Personal Assistant tasks, such as confirming appointments, scheduling calls, providing reminders, etc.
  • Travel – Researching flight details, booking travel arrangements, coordinating meetings, etc.
  • Business Development – Carrying out research on LinkedIn, making contact with other business owners, building prospect lists, etc.
  • Management – Generating reports, invoicing, running personal errands, customer support, etc.
  • Operations – Converting files, conducting research, file management, writing up procedures, etc.

Work Better Now Plans and Pricing

Work Better Now has a simple pricing structure. They supply full-time virtual assistants for $1,750 per month. There are no hourly rates and no part-time plans.

Based on a 4-week month, this works out at just under $11/hr. This is a competitive rate, but it’s in the ballpark of what you would expect to pay for an assistant based in South America.

Their assistants are able to work to normal business hours for Continental US. They work 8 hours a day over a 9 hour period (1 hour for lunch), 5 days a week.

There are no contracts or hidden fees.

Work Better Now Alternatives

A couple of alternative companies supplying virtual assistants based in South America are Virtual Latinos and Uassist.me.

Both companies offer a similar range of services and prices. Virtual Latinos are a little on the less expensive side, with full-time assistants working out at $8/hr. While Uassist.me’s full-time assistants are around $12/hr.

The main difference is that both of these companies are a lot more flexible with their hourly plans. If you don’t have enough work to keep an assistant busy full-time, you can hire assistants from these companies on a part-time basis.

Your Turn

Have you worked with Work Better Now? If so, please leave a review below to help others with their decision.

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