It's so hard to believe that we are already halfway through the year. Spring break, and tax season have come and gone, and believe it or not, it's almost time for the kids to get out of school for summer vacation. Summer is always such a busy time for everyone with the kids out of school and everyone planning vacations and family get-a-ways, all while trying to run our businesses at the same time. Summer is always especially busy for me, and is typically the busiest time of year for my clients. We're planning our annual trip to Kelly's Island again this August. It's up in northern Ohio, on Lake Erie - a week of fun in the sun with family and friends. I can't wait!!!

I'm pleased to introduce the newest Fastype team members. Patty Dost and Jama St. John, our two newest associate VAs, and Victoria Santiago our new Project Manager. We are always in the process of assessing our client's needs and trying to determine how to best serve our clients, and will endeavor to introduce new team members to meet those needs whenever necessary. We invite you to visit our Meet the Team page and take a look for yourself.

Each year I try to attend one of my industry's conferences so I can learn new processes and ways to grow my business and provide better service(s) to my clients; and of course, hang out and network with all of my VA friends that are relegated to online buddies the rest of the year. This year, my choice was to attend FoVA ... the Forum on Virtual Assistance, in Toronto May 2-4. All I can say is WOW!!! Instead of the typical conference, FoVA was a forum, with each session set up in an interactive format that fostered discussion and collaboration and feedback and brainstorming so we could all learn from each other and walk away with so much more than we came with. My head is still spinning with ideas and plans that I'm feverishly working to implement into my business.
 

Here's a picture of Trina and I on Sunday afternoon. Trina has been one of my VAs for some time now, and we were finally able to meet in person for the first time at Fova.

Calling all article writers ... do you have an article that you believe would be of value and benefit to my readers? If you do, then send it to info@myfastype.com and if it's a good fit, we'll include your article in an upcoming issue of Speak Up and Make Money!

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Speak Up and Make Money! As usual, I really am interested in your feedback and comments, so please let me know what you think, as well as what you like and/or dislike about the ezine. Do you have an event coming up that you'd like me to include in the next issue? And don’t forget … for more great articles and information, visit my blog, Virtually This and That! at http://www.myfastype.com/Blog.

 To your success!

 Terry

Speak From Your Head With Your Heart Wide Open
By Doug Stevenson

There's been a lot of talk in business circles about employee engagement. Businesses are continually seeking ways to hold on to their best employees, and engagement is the buzzword of the day. One of the best ways to stimulate employee engagement is with recognition.

While money is a prime motivator for staying engaged at work, it is not recognition for excellence or achievement. Money is a reward for showing up and doing your job. Everyone who shows up and does his or her job gets a paycheck.

As speakers and leaders, we have an opportunity to play an integral part in the recognition process when we give speeches and presentations. I'm not talking about an awards ceremony, however. I'm talking about emotionally engaging everyone in your audience in a way that makes them all feel recognized.

Read the rest of the article.

Authors' Speakeasy
Facilitated by Jack Barnard
September 19-21, 2008
Authors: Identify your Niche-Pitch®
Master your Message, Master the Media
2-3 minute Interview Video Segment
 

 In business since 1991, Owner and President of Fastype VA Services, Inc. (Fastype), Terry L. Green, Master Virtual Assistant, has more than 25 years of  administrative and executive support experience in both the corporate world and as the owner of a successful Virtual Assistance practice. Originally an office-based secretarial and resume service serving local clients in a small, rural village in Central Ohio, Fastype is now a home-based Multi-Virtual Assistance Company specializing in supporting professional speakers and coaches worldwide, with clients spanning the globe from across the United States to as far away as New Zealand, Antigua and Singapore. For more information visit Terry's website at http://www.myfastype.com, and Terry's blog at http://www.virtuallythisandthat.com.