We love our VAs and do what we can to help the world learn more about them. This week in the VA Spotlight:

Get to Know Nicole Paull!

 Hi, I’m owner of Mainspring Enterprises. Here’s the story of how I became a virtual assistant and what I bring to the people with whom I work.

During my fifteen years in the corporate world, I moved from being the person who typed someone else’s letters to being the person who, as a technical writer providing sales support, picked engineers’ brains and translated the information I gleaned into proposals that customers could easily grasp. That last position was what introduced me to the wide world of technology and made virtual assistance feel like a natural fit when I decided to abandon my hour-long (on a good day) commute.

I graduated from AssistU in April, 2008 and earned my stripes as a Certified Professional Virtual Assistant (CPVA) in the summer of 2009. I chose to pursue this certification because I wanted one that really stood for something. The CPVA exam is an eight-week client simulation in which you’re tested on what you can actually accomplish and how you work, not on what you can regurgitate on a written exam. While I chose not to recertify in 2015, my years as a CPVA will always be something I’m immensely proud of.

As a VA, technically I’m a generalist. But in fact, I do have a niche, albeit one without a name. The people I like to work with have all overcome some challenge and have developed proven-in-the-trenches solutions. Their businesses are built around sharing these solutions. The challenges, solutions and lines of work have been diverse, which is why I say I’m a generalist.

Truthfully, administrative work isn’t highly regarded by everyone, but I recognize it as a node in the system that can make the difference between a business where things run smoothly and one where they don’t. Done well, I consider it a real craft and I take pride in doing it well.

I’m a lifelong learner who’s a voracious reader. (Anyone who’s spent a good deal of time with me will tell you that I am truly content with my nose in a book and I have the library to match!)

I love designing with a palette of plants, especially indigenous beauties that like to seed themselves in at will so that the initial picture I created shifts and changes over the years in ways that are sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic. (Some of “my” best plant combinations have been happy accidents!) I share my life with my husband, children, cats, hens, and all the little furred and feathered wildlings who’ve chosen to visit or make their home in my yard..

Thanks for stopping by. If what I’ve shared resonates with you, drop me a line and let’s see what we can create together!

For more information about Nicole, please visit her website at www.mainspringva.com.

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
– Steve Martin