Donna's Business Services, LLC

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Donnas Secretarial Service

“10 Ways for the Small Business Owner to Manage Stress”

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  1. Start with the basics.When you’re hungry, thirsty or tired, the littlest things can seem overwhelming. If you haven’t had a drink of water in the past hour, get one. If you haven’t eaten something in the past few hours, grab a light, healthy snack like nuts or fruit. If you haven’t moved from in front of your computer for last 45 minutes, stand up and walk around your office or do some quick stretches.
  2. Take a break.A 10-minute walk around the office park, stroll through the office chatting with employees or run down to the local Starbucks for coffee can do a lot to clear your head and manage stress. (Make that coffee decaf, though, if you’re already feeling frazzled.)
  3. Get enough sleep. You must make time to sleep or you’ll end up on an endless hamster wheel of tiredness.Find ways to delegate, automate or eliminate tasks that take up too much time for too little return. Use the extra time to sleep and make it a priority, just like a business meeting with a client.
  4. Get physical.When things get too stressful, one of my business partners swears by a fast run in the midday sun to recharge her batteries and defuse stress. Find a workout that works for you, and use it to manage stress.
  5. Build connections.  Keeping your connections with friends, loved ones and relatives thriving while running a business can be hard, but is vital to soothing your stress. If you have to, multitask by joining a friend for a run or having a lunch date with your spouse (you both have to eat, right?).
  6. Develop systems. Creating systems for common tasks in your business means you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you get a new client/launch a new product/start a new marketing campaign. Systems also make it easier to delegate because you can train others in the system instead of doing everything yourself. Result: Time saved and less stress. (Hint: Consider hiring Donna’s Secretarial Service to put Systems into place for Admin. Support!)
  7. Don’t overthink it.Perfectionism generates unnecessary stress. While you do need to plan for contingencies, worrying about every possible outcome of an action or endlessly assessing your options leads to analysis paralysis and a stress spiral. List the pros and cons of your choices; sleep on it if possible so your gut has time to process the options; then make a decision.
  8. Know when to let go.It’s 11:30 at night, you have 600 unread emails in your inbox, but only 20 are from actual people? It’s OK to delete the other 580. No one will know.
  9. Know when to say no. If a situation, employee, client or project is stressing you out beyond the usual amount, listen to your gut. Stress could be trying to tell you something. Maybe it’s time to fire the employee, dump that client or call a halt to the project that’s not going anywhere.
  10. Hire a Virtual Assistant, like my Company, Donna’s Secretarial Service to take the Admin. Support Stress off of YOU!

Thank you for reading!

Virtually yours,

Donna

 

In Honor of Black History Month – February 2018

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#Happy Black History Month!

 

We as a people have always risen above and beyond what the American culture has expected of us

From Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1818 – February 20, 1895), African American  social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman to Madam C.J. Walker, American entrepreneur,  philanthropist, born Sarah Breedlove, December 1867 – May 1919), to  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Minister, and Civil Right Activist, (January 1929 – April 1968) to  Oprah Winfreh, (January 1954), African American Entertainment giant to Dr. Maya Angelou (born Margarite Annie Johnson, April 1928 – May 2014), to Barack and Michelle Obama, President and First Lady of the USA, (2009- 2017),.

There have been many more African American politicians, artists, business entrepreneurs, pro athletes, scientists, doctors, lawyers, astronauts, etc. who all blazed a trail not only for the African American people, but for ALL AMERICANS!

I am honored and privileged to serve on Mr. Maurice Campbell’s Team as a writer and hospitality hostess for the 2019 Renaissance Action National Network’s (RANN)’s African Diaspora Economic Summit,which will take place in August 2019  nationally to empower my people and give a Voice to the Voiceless.  More information to come  as we are at the beginning stages of getting organized.

When the world and the United States says we “Can’t do that,” we say “YES WE CAN!”.

 

As a Proud Philadelphian, I celebrate my World-famous Philadelhia Eagles for winning the 52nd Super Bowl on February 3, 2018 and am amazed at the athletes at the 2018 Winter Olympics living Their dreams and bringing home medals for our Country.  To the African American woman speed skater to the Jamaican heritage skeleton athlete who resided in Vineland, NJ, we are making progress and are unstoppable!

 

 

i am privileged to be an African American Woman, Christian entrepreneur who adds value to each Project. I look forward to teaching MS Word for Mt. Airy Learning Tree (MALT) at Blair Christian Academy in Mt. Airy this Spring.  (Details to come).  Register here: MALT WEBSITE.

If you need an Award-winning Virtual Assistant, Web/Graphic Designer, Typist, or Social Media enhancer, I’m YOUR GAL FRIDAY!

Call me (toll free) @ 855-366-6271 or email me at [email protected]  I look  forward to assisting YOU and adding Value to Your Project(s)!

God bless,

YOUR GAL FRIDAY,

Donna

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2018

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New Year, New You!
As 2017 quickly comes to an end and 2018 is fast approaching, I ask you – What is Your Vision for Your Company in the New Year?

Before You answer that, You are cordially invited to my 2018 New Year, New You Head Shot Party, scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 18th, 2018 at MadCris Images Studios in Ardmore, PA. This event is in partnership with Wanda Thomas of Mad Cris Images & Gift Bags will be provided by Rhonda Cohen of RuCrafts. Head Shot packages are $125. STAY TUNED for more details to come! Register @http://bit.ly/2jWAsos. This will be a Great Event YOU don’t want to MISS!

I will be teaching MS Word in the Spring again, with a tentative start date of March 2018. Sessions will be held at Mt. Airy Learning Tree (MALT) at Blair Christian Academy, 220 W. Upsal Street, Philadelphia, PA. Stay Tuned to the MALT website @ http://bit.ly/2wbzwBr
for more details on how to register.              

I can share with you candidly that God has already shown me where He wants to take my Company. He wants me to work with other VAs, which is already in the works and maybe for me to even open a VA Agency.  If this VA needs help running her Company, how about You? I couldn’t possibly do everything I do without my Team! Are You crazy busy working IN your Company and not ON your Company? Do You need help too?

Have you stepped back and re-evaluated where You should be taking your Company in 2018? Remember, New Year, New You!

Think about it…. Do you need to make more money or work less hours, take a business course, get an additional degree, spend more time with Your family or even start or grow Your Team? Do You have a Team? No man is an island and let’s face it, running a Company is hard work and sometimes a thankless job. We can not possibly do ALL the tasks of running a successful Company alone. It’s impossible.

 

That’s where my Team and I come in. Thank God for Outsourcing and Teamwork! Take a minute to complete my short VA Evaluation Form and see if my Company can help You Too!

If we can assist you by taking the heavy load off Your weary shoulders, feel free to contact us at 855-366-6271 or email me at

[email protected]

 

Thank you for reading my Blog and we wish you the best God has for YOU  in 2018!

Virtually yours,

Donna

Work/Life Balance: Running After the Work/Money God

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Hello, How are YOU?

As I was thinking about what to write on for this month, my Lord and Saviour, Jesus told me to write on this topic.  As a Christian entrepreneur, and anybody, for that reason,  needs a GOOD WORK/LIFE BALANCE.

In our modern society of “Get It Done Yesterday” and “Rush Rush Rush” we need sometimes to slow down and take a much needed break!

I am in a way, Preaching to myself and the Choir and I most often have alot to do and sometimes lead a “Hurry Up and Get it Done” lifestyle.  With my thriving VA Business, a husband, home, and social life, it’s sometimes hard to just “Be Still and Know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10).

People are stressed out and need a Break at times.  My wise father told me to work 45 minutes and then take a 15 minute break and work on one Client’s work and then go to another Client.  I sometimes listen and sometimes I don’t.  When I don’t listen, I LOSE BIG TIME!

So here are 4 Work/life Balance tips to help YOU, the busy Entrepreneur that actually work for me, the other Busy Entrepreneur:

1.  I know I’m going to get comments or maybe hate email, but have to say this:  Take time to smell the Roses of God.  If you are a Christian, read your Bible or meditate on God’s goodness in YOUR life.  This helps me tremendously! If you are NOT A CHRISTIAN, THEN YOU WILL NEVER HAVE PEACE IN YOUR LIFE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING (John 16:33).  To have real true Peace in any/every situation is to Trust in God/Jesus and concentrate on HIM and Not our circumstances.  That is the Only Way to have real true Peace, I’m sorry but it’s the Gospel Truth and I would Never ever lie to YOU!  Peace is Not the absence of conflict, but a calm rest in the midst of storms.

HOW TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE:  YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT JESUS  IS GOD AND NOT JUST A PROPHET FROM GOD AS SOME RELIGIONS BELIEVE.  JESUS SAID (in  the Bible – John 3:16 – that he came to save the world from sin that He loves us.  He also said that we are all Sinners in need of a Saviour and He died on that cruel cross and Saved All mankind!  Romansm10:9 says – “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the grave, thou shalt be saved”  But You might be asking “saved from What?”  Saved from going to Hell when you die and saved from God’s judgment, because We all must stand Before a Righteous and Holy God and give an account of our lives.  And if YOUR name is Not written in the Lamb’s (Jesus’) book of Life you will Not make it to Heaven’! (Rev. 13:8).  I’m sorry to Preach but someone has to say this.  Some people may Not agree with this, but look it up – what do You have to lose, but everything to Gain!  I love All of YOU!

2. Work for a specific amount of time (that works  for YOU), it doesn’t have to be 45 minutes and then take a 15 minute break, that works for ME) and then take a break.  Go get some coffee or if you work at home like I do, go lay down for a short time, which recharges your battery and gives you time to think, CLEARLY, and then get back to work.   You can use a clock or alarm or app to help.

3. Have a nice area to work, not cluttered or junky.  Put plants around YOU, which have a calming affect or listen to soft music in the background. (I like Gospel, which uplifts my Soul and keeps me focused).  Don’t watch TV if you work from home as God never meant for us to Multi-Task, which is technically Impossible.

4.  If overwhelmed, hire a Virtual Assistant or outsource your work.  Companies such as Apple and other big Companies do this all the time.  You might want to hire ME, YOUR VIRTUAL GAL FRIDAY, as I have a team of VAs that I can use to help take the load off YOUR weary shoulders.

That’s it for now.

Thanks so much for reading and please feel free to leave a comment or feedback if this article has helped YOU!

God bless and remember to stay VIRTUAL and Positive!

Donna

Donna’s Secretarial Service Summer Technology Update

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Happy Summer!

As we leave a beautiful Summer and head in to the Fall, I will be teaching MS WORD in October and November of 2017 and I would love for you to JOIN ME! Sessions will be held at Mt. Airy Learning Tree (MALT) at Blair Christian Academy, 220 W. Upsal Street, Philadelphia, PA. To register, visit the MALT Website:

http://www.mtairylearningtree.org/catalog/Fall_2017_web.pdf

(My Class is on page 14 of Fall Catalogue!).

Below you will find my Summer Technology Update. I hope this article will be helpful for my fellow Android users!?

God Bless and Virtually Yours,


Donna

 

Android “O” is officially Android Oreo, which is beginning to roll out to compatible devices now. As with most major Android releases, this one brings a host of new features and improvements over its predecessor, Android Nougat. Android Oreo will be available on the following devices out of the gate: Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, Nexus Player and Pixel C. Carrier testing has already started for the mobile phones on the list, with the full rollout happening “soon.” The word on the street is that devices that were running the developer preview are already getting the stable version of Oreo….. Read more on Android Oreo @ http://www.howtogeek.com/ 307875/whats-new-in-android-o  

This Technology Update has been brought to you by HowToGeek.com

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017 6:30pm-7:30pm

  – Calling All Female Entrepreneurs Cohort 15 Orientation LIVE! at DiY CAFE – Let a graduate of the C.A.F.E. tell you better than the founders. Up next to share her journey, Angelle E. Richardson, Ph.D., LPC, is the Founder and Director of Extended Hearts Family Therapy. RSVP for your FREE admission HERE!

Monday, September 18th, 2017 5pm-7pm – The Art of Business Communication – Hosted by Tyra S. Gardner to help business owners collaborate with other business owners. With so many different ways to communicate, why do we communicate even less? RSVP HERE!
Saturday, September 30th, 2017 3pm-7pm

 – CAFE Head Shot Party 2017! at HeadRoom – Calling All Female Entrepreneurs wants to reduce the cost of business through lowering your marketing expense. Tara Colquit paid $150 for her head shot (discounted) and Nicole Newman paid $225 for hers. Lower the cost of marketing, by attending this event! Learn More and RSVP HERE!

Sunday, October 8th, 2017 2-6pm and Tuesday, October 10th 2017 2pm-6pm – What is your Vision for 2018? and Calling All Female Entrepreneurs Cohort 15. 
Learn More HERE!

Thank you so much for your time! I hope my update will be useful. If you have a need for Administrative Support, Graphic Design, Typing or Social Media enhancement, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 855-366-6271 or Email Donna or Visit Donna’s Website.
We are an Award-winning Company, helping busy CEOs, Small Business Owners and individuals since 2000 with over 35+ years experience.  We have been named a Top Woman and Minority Owned Business by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.