2/22/2009 6:00:00 AM
Virtual assistant provides real help in hard times
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JAMES CHILTON/Miner
With more than 20 years off administrative and office experience under her belt, Nancy Frye-Swope hopes to lend her services to local small businesses that can’t afford to hire a full-time employee and provide all the associated equipment and office space.
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KINGMAN - Times are tough, but that isn't stopping small businesses and contractors from swimming against the economic current, aiming for a small piece of the American dream. It certainly isn't easy, though, with business owners doing everything they can to cut costs wherever possible while providing the same services.
That fact hasn't been lost on Nancy Frye-Swope, a trust officer and builder services manager at Kingman's Chicago Title. That's why, at the end of this month, Frye-Swope will leave her position with the title company to embark on a business endeavor of her own - Nancy's Virtual Office.
Timely assistance
Designed specifically to address the new challenges brought on by the nationwide recession, Nancy's Virtual Office will provide essentially all the services of an administrative assistant with none of the expense of actually hiring and providing for a full-time employee. With more than 15 years of experience as an office administrator and administrative assistant herself, Frye-Swope said she is capable of providing small businesses and real estate developers with a seasoned veteran employee when - and only when - they need one.
"Basically anything an administrative assistant would do in an office in house, I'm doing virtually," she said. "I'm an independent contractor, so they don't have to deal with payroll taxes, workman's comp, any of those expenses. They've eliminated all of that expense and the expense of getting all the office equipment, software, office space even."
Working from her own house in Yucca, which also doubles as a fully-equipped office, Frye-Swope said she charges either an hourly or discounted monthly rate, based on how extensively her services are needed. Frye-Swope noted she has particular expertise assisting real estate contractors and developers with the paperwork involved in property investment.
"The bulk of (my past) services have been helping people get subdivision approval starting at the local level here, and working all the way up to the state department of real estate," she said. "I do the due diligence before they ever buy the property so they know if they are able to do their project like they wanted. I find out the zoning, we do conditions-of-title reports to find out if there are any encumbrances ... (I go) through the county to get plat approval, with the ultimate goal of getting a public report so they can get the sale."
Help for startups
But Frye-Swope's talents are varied enough to meet the administrative needs of almost any small business. Frye-Swope said she has already helped her sister and son-in-law get their businesses off the ground, and she plans to go out of her way to work with her future clients to determine exactly how she can help them thrive.
"I do brochures, business cards, fliers; I've helped them set up their LLCs, a lot of their marketing, bulletins," she said. "Writing is another niche market I do well at, I've done a lot of press releases for people."
Frye-Swope said she will typically work a standard weekday of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but added that she's willing to massage her schedule to meet clients' demands.
"My goal is to partner with them, not do an hour here and an hour there, because if I get to know their business, I'm able to give them solutions to problems they may have, and I'm better able to market their service," she said. "I'm a paper-pusher - and I like it."
For more information on the services provided by Nancy's Virtual Office, call (928) 766-2810 or visit http://www.nancysvirtualoffice.com. Frye-Swope is also available via e-mail at nancy@nancysvirtualoffice.com.
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