Welcome back to a special series where you’ll get to know each of the incredible team members at Emily Writes! While I started out as a one-woman show, I soon discovered that I needed a team. I certainly can’t do it all, and I am incredibly grateful for each woman who contributes to our success. Each project is matched to their individual creative talents and expertise.
This week, I’m so excited to introduce you to Marcia Dean. Marcia fills a critical gap when it comes to tracking analytics for our clients. Because Agorapulse doesn’t track analytics for personal LinkedIn profiles, and we manage many of these for our clients, Marcia tracks these stats for us and compiles them into monthly reports. Marcia also helps with other miscellaneous administrative tasks for our team, such as research and stock photo compilation.
Marcia is an incredibly reliable and positive team member, and I am so grateful for the behind-the-scenes work she completes! I’m so blessed to have her on the team!
What is your name?
Marcia Dean
What tasks do you work on for Emily Writes?
Monthly LinkedIn Metrics
How long have you been working for Emily Writes?
Two years
What is your favorite thing about working with this team?
Emily’s team is so easy to work with. They are excellent at communication and always so professional and accommodating with helping you get whatever you need. I really love working with Emily, Amanda, and the team. It’s my pleasure to be a part of her team.
What is your favorite thing about working in the digital space?
I enjoy the freedom you experience from working in the digital space. It takes discipline and self-motivation, but it is well worth it. I’ve met some really awesome people working this way that I would have never met working in a traditional setting. Some have blossomed into lifelong friendships. There are so many resources and tools out there (with more coming out every day) to make your online experience and tasks more enjoyable, more productive, and help you manage client expectations so that you can meet and exceed them. I personally would never return to in-office work by choice.
What are your top 3-5 tips for working from home successfully?
- Patience, persistence, and research! When I first started years ago, I had nothing. No clients, no previous training in the digital arena, and no contacts. But through diligent persistence, patience, and a lot of faith and prayers, it all came together at about the 3-year mark. I researched training opportunities, apps, social media platforms, CRM platforms, and learned, changed, stretched my faith, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. Patience, persistence, and research are your best friends in the digital space.
- Communication – without excellent communication, it’s almost impossible to make it online. It’s the backbone of your working relationships! Good, clear, and concise communication is a skill you definitely need to have, cultivate, and use daily.
- Trust – Being trustworthy with all aspects of confidential/proprietary information and being reliable to meet deadlines consistently shows honor, respect, honesty, and integrity. This is also key as people have to trust you are a person of great character in all aspects of your dealings and task performance. Without it, you won’t be able to get or keep clients long-term. Long-term clients are the life of virtual assistants.
- Ownership/Responsibility – When you make a mistake, own it, do whatever you can to fix it, and learn from it so you don’t make that mistake again. People will respect you for it. When you are assigned tasks, complete them with the utmost care, diligence, and responsibility – it pays in referrals, retaining clients, and reputation which, in the digital arena, is EVERYTHING.
How does freelancing fit your life and goals?
Working remotely fits my personality, my schedule, and my desire to own my own stake in this world without the hassle of the daily commute to work. As in an office, the online space does come with some digital “office politics” when it comes to people and social media. But you can avoid all of that with diligent research and landing high-caliber long-term clients or a team position where you have a great atmosphere and team compatibility.
I love being able to receive my tasks and work on them in my own time and space. I can work ahead and really make the most of my time. Remote work also accommodates outside appointments. I can fit my day’s work around my life and not feel the pressure of traditional 8-5 jobs. I love it!
What do you do outside of work (hobbies, family, passions/interests, etc)?
When not at work, I love to hang out with my family and occasionally play online games with them. When I’m offline, I really try to step away from the hustle and settle into family life. I am a person of strong faith in God, and this is also a top priority for me to spend time with Him so I can be refreshed and be ready for the coming week. Lastly, I am an avid soccer/European football fan. I love watching seasonal games with my family and I’m very passionate about my team!
Thank you so much, Marcia, for taking the time to introduce yourself to our audience and provide such helpful tips. I am blessed to have you on the Emily Writes team!