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MEET
CHERYL
I
live in the middle of Sunny San Diego, California with 3 cats, 2 birds, and
my
roommate and friend Victor who has shared my house off and on for most
of my adult life. Purchasing a home in a more rural location with
room for horses and perhaps a few other barnyard critters is my goal
and ideal.
I feel it is important to feed the soul and do work that makes you
happy. That is why I started this business, and why I am
gearing it towards my passion for horses. I have many years of
practical experience as an Admin/Exec Assistant in the corporate
arena. My skills are top notch and my customer service is top ranked
as well.
By choosing to use my services you will get a sensitive and caring
individual who
speaks your language and
understands your business and the passion driving it.
Real World Experience
Work experience has included owning and running all aspects of a
small retail e-commerce business; collaborating in a successful web
design company; and working as an administrative and executive
assistant in several businesses or organizations, which included:
Federal Civil Service, Senior and Junior High School Offices,
Manufacturing and Wholesale Distributor, Retail sales and service
and a Non-Profit Organization. I have worked in the smallest of
businesses (my own) and the 3rd largest in the world.
During my time in "Corporate America" I created newsletters or
scientific papers for publication; maintained organizational
identity on promotional materials (web and print); created numerous
letters, brochures and illustrated financial statements in a timely,
as needed basis. I have routinely created, corrected and updated
several extensive databases for in-house and web design; created
specialized promotional lists of various organizations and media
outlets, conducted daily, weekly and annual inventories, developed
yearly budget projections and provided cost and availability
information to another department. I maintained calendars for
management, performed timekeeping duties, and trained employees in
several areas of responsibility. I also worked as a Customer Service
Specialist dealing with problems associated with the services the
company provided.
Horse Experience
From earliest childhood I have been enamored with horses. I think I
was born loving them! The child in this photograph is NOT me, but
she looks so much like I did as a child: Eyes full of wonder and
excitement! Such was my thrill the first time I ever saw a
real live horse. Her name was Judy and she was owned by our
neighbors across the street. Looking back, she was a very
unremarkable bay mare. But, at that time, she was the most beautiful
creature I ever laid eyes on. She
incited my imagination and started me on the path to “horse crazy”
at the very early age of 2 ½. At 3 I got to ride a Shetland
Pony - something MY SIZE! It was one of those guys that used
to travel around with a camera and pony. I was in heaven.
It was 8 years, and many lessons later, when I got my first horse – I never owned one, I
always leased. He was an old broken down plug. Despite the lessons, I was
a horrid rider and the others at the ranch used to tease me
mercilessly. They would ride behind me “flapping their wings”
laughing at the way I bounced in the saddle. I learned slowly, but
I learned well.
My next horse was actually a pony, about 13 hands. She was hell on
wheels (four hooves, actually) and forced me to learn how to ride
and to stick. On one memorable occasion she threw me and when I
didn’t jump right up and get back on her, she ran back and kicked me. Her
nick-name around the barn was “Little Witch”. Often Witch was
spelled with a “B”.
J I owe that bratty pony so much.
I rode several other horses at the
ranch in the interim until Velvet was a bit beyond Green broke. She was the most coveted mare of her age and
I was fortunate to be the one to lease her. She was a petite 15
hands and would be black but for her brown muzzle. She was ¼ Arab,
¼ Saddlebred on her mother's side and ½ Thoroughbred from her
father. She was fast and so eager to please. I worked cattle off of
her, rode her in Gymkhanas, unofficially broke the Texas Barrel
record at the time, as well as riding her in Western Pleasure and
Equitation. I loved her with all my heart and it nearly killed me
when my parent’s finances forced me to give her (and her two year
old colt that I raised) up. This is the only
picture I still have of her. She really was very pretty and well
proportioned, this was just a bad angle (for both of us).
My VA History
I first heard the title “Virtual Assistant” (VA) in the mid '90's. I
researched it but did not feel I was ready to take that step at that
time. I put it on the back burner and continued to work for others
as an Administrative or Executive Assistant, and most recently in
Customer Service.
I spoke with a co-worker whose part-time business at home was
growing exponentially and he told me about a couple of girls in his
business that needed help taking the administrative burden off of
their shoulders. That started the wheels turning in my mind.
Here was a potential opportunity for me to start my own business,
call my own shots and do what I really loved doing. I knew that I
thoroughly enjoyed doing administrative work and that I did my best
work when collaborating with and for another. Furthermore, I would
be able to do things in a manner that was both pleasing to the
customer and in alignment with my own ethics and personal goals.
With years of Clerical, Executive and Administrative Assistance
under my belt, I knew I was up to the challenge. Experience taught
me that doing something I love – something I am very good at
and working to help someone else succeed would be very exciting and
highly satisfactory. By targeting Equine Professionals I
would be virtually around horses, nurturing my soul as well.
Beliefs & Values
I value honesty and integrity in myself and expect it in others. I
believe that I create my own reality and am therefore responsible
for my own actions. For this reason I always attempt to be kind,
honest and worthy of respect.
I make the following promises: I will not divulge confidential
information about my clients to anyone. I will not do anything
illegal or dishonest to or for my
client, including wasting their time or money. I will avoid
conflicts of interest. I will only take on work I can actually
handle and will decline or refer my clients to others for work I
cannot provide.
While most people really like me, I realize that my strong
personality is not suited for working with all people. For this
reason, I will not take on or keep clients that I feel will be in
conflict with me or my work style.
I am an active member of the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
and hold to their code of ethics which can be found here:
Virtual Assistant Code of Ethics.
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