We’re thrilled to introduce you to Helena Manu from Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Virtual Assistant and has been in business for two years.
What does your dream life look like? Are you currently living your dream or still working on it?
My dream life is me working 6-hour days 3 to 4 days a week and loving every minute of what I do. My dream life has me slowing down and really enjoying what life has to offer with my husband, two sweet little boys, extended family and friends. It is a dream of mine to be able to travel and experience other countries and cultures.
Tell us about what you do and who you help.
I am a Virtual Assistant who specializes in administrative tasks such as document creation, email and calendar management, client relations, newsletter creation, website updates, and more. I help high-level CEO’s scale their business as their thought partner through administrative services.
I am a back-end business pro who loves being behind the scenes! I additionally service medical providers (Doctors, Nurses, Physician Assistants, etc.) by assisting them with credentialing and contracting with medical insurance.
What inspired you to start this business?
I was no longer content with my current 9-5 job at the time and I knew my skill set that I gained through the corporate world would be transferable to have a job that I enjoyed and allowed me the flexibility to work from home and spend quality time with my family.
With the pandemic, I quickly realized having one stream of income was no longer advisable and I wanted to have options.
What’s a challenge you’ve faced along your entrepreneurial journey?
One challenge that I faced along my entrepreneur journey was imposter syndrome!
I knew I had the skills, drive and mindset but more often than not, I felt like I did not belong in the space. I felt like the market was saturated and I wouldn’t be able to add value.
I was able to overcome it by investing in myself with more education and also an amazing business coach who has been there to support me and help me push past my fears!
How has being an introvert affected your business?
Me being an introvert has made it SUPER hard for me to “show up” in the online space specifically with showing my face and examples of my work through video and outlets like reels on IG. Me not showing up makes it difficult for me to market my services to the public.
I do however use it to my advantage by finding new and innovative ways to still show up and be relevant but in a way that allows me to feel comfortable with how I present myself through social media.
What methods do you use to bring in new clients?
I use social media and my website to promote my business to get new clients. My current and past clients have also often come from referrals which is really awesome!
Although I do utilize tactics such as hashtags and multiple social media outlets (IG, Facebook. and my website) to bring in new clients, referrals really show me that my work is quality and my clients don’t hesitate to share my services with their inner circle.
Is attending networking events a part of your marketing strategy?
Right now I do attend some virtual networking events when I have the time but I don’t include it as part of my marketing strategy yet.
I am moving closer and closer to expanding my business and I am working hard to lay the foundation to increase my client roster. I do enjoy speaking and exchanging ideas with other Virtual Assistants in the online space as well.
No one person is a 100% expert and I feel there is always room to grow and knowledge to gain.
How do you define success for yourself and your business?
Success for me looks like having no worries about my family’s finances and being able to give my kids the best opportunities for them to establish themselves and become even more amazing human beings.
Success for my business looks like me hiring and mentoring an amazing team that will allow for me to truly come into my role as a business CEO and expand my services.
I would love to one day be a full time entrepreneur!
What are your next steps in your business?
I would love to start putting together a few eBooks about organization and productivity to help my audience improve time management skills and provide tangible templates that can be used for the everyday small business owner, like myself, who wears many hats.
What advice would you give to other introverted women who are just starting their own businesses?
My piece of advice would be that they shouldn’t compare themselves to other people who have already launched their businesses who may be doing the same thing.
There is space for you, you will get clients and you will be successful if you persevere! I am always reminded about the bread aisle at the grocery store. There are so many different brands but people come in and buy the brand that suits their needs.
Thank you for taking the time to share your story. Where can our readers find more information about you?
Website: www.hmvsolutions.com
IG Handle: @hmvsolutions
IG Website: https://www.instagram.com/hmvsolutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070930036515
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helena-manu
Photo credit: Tevin Washington
