This document provides an overview of a virtual entrepreneurship class taught by Professor Lauri Smedley at Sacramento City College. It discusses Smedley's background running secretarial and online businesses, and why she started the VE class to help students explore career opportunities. The ideal VE student is described as unemployed, underemployed, or needing flexible work. Required skills and resources for virtual assistants are outlined, along with course topics, teaching suggestions, and VE resources. The class aims to open doors for students in the growing field of online entrepreneurship.

1. by
Lauri Smedley, Professor
Sacramento City College
Fall 2013

2. Lauri’s Background
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Operated home-based secretarial services
business in 1990s
Worked for various individuals and companies
Taught part-time, attended college part-time, ran
business part-time, married with young kids
(now grown)
Community college professor for 15+ years
Started virtual distribution business and an
online novelty gift business in 2000s

3. Why I Started This Class @
SCC
Great need in our economy
 Offer students hope and help
 Originally started as virtual assistant class
 Grew to virtual entrepreneurship class
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4. Why Should You Teach
Virtual Entrepreneurship (VE)?
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Help students explore options
 pursue their passions
 supplement their income
 enhance their resumes
Open new doors of opportunity
 Teach students about global business
 Broaden your own horizons


5. The Ideal VE Student
Unemployed, Underemployed, Unemployable
 Unfulfilled employees
 Stay-at-home parents
 People with disabilities
 Those who “can’t” work for others
 Self-starters and self-motivated
 Problem solvers
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6. Required Skills
Technical and soft skills required
 Virtual entrepreneurship is NOT for
everyone…
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 varies based on one’s life circumstances and
level of commitment
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Free self-assessments available at
 http://professorsmedley.com/Skills_Assessment.html

7. Virtual Assistants (VAs)
AKA Personal Assistant or Professional
Assistant
 All are virtual entrepreneurs
 Typical duties include:
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̶ report writing
̶ graphic design
̶ bookkeeping
̶ assisting authors
̶ tape transcription
̶ web page design
̶ consulting, etc.

8. The VA Community
Unusually close
 Colleagues rather than competitors
 Collaborators with seasoned VAs
 Mentors for new VAs
 Unified in the promotion of VA industry
 Wants to spread the word that VAs are here
to stay
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9. Some VA Resources
AssistU – has two certification designations
 IAVA – support organization for VAs in the
UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and
the USA.
 IVAA – non-profit VA organization
 VA Certified – certification organization
 Virtual Assistant Forums – collaborative VA
community
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10. Certificate/Degree Programs
American River College, California
 Black Hawk College, Illinois
 Blue Ridge Community College, North
Carolina
 Colby Community College, Kansas
 College of DuPage, Illinois


11. Certificate/Degree Programs
Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio
 El Centro College, Texas
 Elgin Community College, Illinois
 Harford Community College, Maryland
 John A. Logan College, Illinois
 Lord Fairfax Community College, Virginia
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12. More Certificate/Degree Programs
Madison College, Wisconsin
 Montgomery County Community
College, Pennsylvania
 North Idaho College, Idaho
 Portland Community College District, Oregon
 Sacramento City College, California
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13. More Certificate/Degree Programs
Sierra College, California
 Southwestern Illinois College, Illinois
 Springfield Technical Community College,
Massachusetts
 Stark State College, Ohio
 Triton College, Illinois
 Vincennes University, Indiana
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14. Suggested VA/VE Course
Topics
Understanding Virtual Entrepreneurship
 Skills Assessment
 Choosing a business name, understanding
trademarks, registrations, permits, domain
names, designing logos
 Virtual Assisting
 Societal impact
 RFPs
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15. Suggested VA/VE Course Topics
(cont.)
Industry, competition, and market
 Working online (Internet technologies)
 Financial planning
 Legal considerations
 Maintaining Balance
 Project: Business Plan
 Final in-class presentation
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16. Teaching Suggestions
Bring in industry professionals
 Have business plan competitions
 Invite business plan judges
 Include website design contest
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 students vote
Design Facebook pages
 Host an online radio show
 VE lends itself well to an online format
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17. Some VE Resources
Occupational Outlook Handbook
 SBA
 SCORE
 Start-up Nation
 Ultimate Business Plan Starter
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 Free software available

18. More VE Resources

Blog TalkRadio
 Lauri’s Show
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/professor-smedley
ProfessorSmedley.com
 Virtual Entrepreneurship (general Facebook
page)
 Virtual Entrepreneurship for Students on
Facebook (student and faculty page)
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19. 1st Edition
Virtual Entrepreneurship Materials
2nd Edition due out in
January, 2014

20. VE Research Participants
Link to virtual entrepreneurs who participated
in research for Lauri’s book
 http://ProfessorSmedley.com/Directory.html
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