At our recent IndyGrit.Community event at Launch Fishers, Dona Carlisle, one of the owners of VA On The Spot, shared with us her own personal story of true grit that is still unfolding. I checked back this week with Dona to get an update. Here is our conversation.
Harry: Dona, the story you shared at our recent event resonated with many of us in the room. Can you refresh my memory on the sequence of events that led up to what you described that morning?
Dona: Sure. The story really begins last year. After an extended career at a large multinational company here in Indianapolis, I realized that the satisfaction I once enjoyed with my job had dissipated and I began dreaming of something else I could do that would revive the joy I have with serving others. This led to a leap of faith to create a virtual assistant service, VA On The Spot, with my two daughters in November 2019. But before I left my former company, I shared my dream with my massage therapist who was helping me keep it all together during the stressful last few months on my former job. She gave me a referral to a prospect at a local company serving the medical device industry.
Harry: That's a great example of informal networking and getting referrals.
Dona: Indeed! Next, I emailed this prospect right away. He responded in about 10 days and this began a series of about half a dozen or more follow up emails, many of which he did not respond to. I was able to arrange a phone meeting, but he was a no-show. A second scheduled phone-meeting was the same – he never called.
Harry: Wow! That must have been discouraging. It certainly took an abundance of grit to keep going after what appears to be rejection after rejection.
Dona: Well, it did take grit. But in almost every communication, I reminded him that his inability to respond was exactly why he needed me. He was overwhelmed and I could help solve that problem. I was totally focused on helping him help himself. That passion – coupled with the reality that my livelihood and that of my daughters was dependent on my success – strengthened my resolve to stay the course.
Harry: I know this story has a happy ending. When did things get back on-track?
Dona: It all happened quickly at the end of last year. I sent three emails in December that went unanswered and then another one the first week of January. I kept emphasizing I was still interested in talking and that it was clear he needed my help. He responded positively right away to that last email and then we had a meeting date set and a promise that he will show up!
Harry: That sounds like a very happy New Year for VA On The Spot!
Dona: It was awesome!
Harry: I can tell that you have your spark back and are enjoying your work again.
Dona: I really am. There is nothing I enjoy more than helping people like this – bringing order out of chaos and freeing them up to do what they do best and what earns them their highest return on investment.
Harry: What lesson from this experience would you like to share with your fellow members of IndyGrit.Community?
Dona: Even after an extensive career in the business world, I underestimated the grit required to start a new business. I had to keep my long-term goal top of mind when the hope of an engagement with this prospect dimmed. And it paid off. So, my advice to our community is to be crystal clear on your long-term goal and focus on that rather than your temporary setbacks.
Harry: Dona, thanks so much for sharing your story. How can our community help you?
Dona: Thank you, Harry! Right now, some more referrals would be great. We offer a wide range of traditional virtual assistant services, from accounting and bookkeeping to travel and event planning. In addition, between my daughters and I, we have expertise in digital marketing and intellectual property, which is not something typically offered by virtual assistants. We love to bring order out of chaos and help professionals work in the area of their strengths, leaving the rest to us. You can see all the services we offer at our website, VAontheSpot.com. Let us help you succeed, one task at a time!