About

danielle2

Talk to Me :)

Ask the Gritty VA!

Conversation is always welcome so I encourage you to post your comments whenever the urge strikes you. I also love to answer questions about Virtual Assistant business and marketing in my Dear Gritty VA column, which is published on Wednesdays. Just shoot your question to me here, and I’ll post my answer in a future issue (with complete confidentiality–I won’t share your name and I’ll disguise your initials).  Just make sure it is focused and specific to ensure you get a response. Questions like “How do I start a VA business” are too broad.

Biography

lg2009-07-09-15-04-46.343Danielle Keister is an author, business adviser and innovator in the Virtual Assistant industry. Through her organization, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce, she is passionate about helping Virtual Assistants grow stronger, more financially successful businesses that lead them to greater personal happiness, freedom and client satisfaction. An administrative professional of 25+ years and veteran Virtual Assistant of 12+ years, her proven, no-nonsense approach to business development has gained her recognition as one of the leaders in the field.

As a Virtual Assistant expert, Danielle works tirelessly to bring about greater awareness and understanding about Virtual Assistance to the marketplace. She has mentored hundreds of Virtual Assistants over the years, and is the author and creator of over 21 Virtual Assistant business guides and start-up tools. Her most recent works, “Breaking the Ice: A Step-by-Step System for Confidently Navigating the Consultation Conversation and Converting Prospects into Retained Clients” and “Understanding Your Value: How to Craft Your Own Unique Marketing Message and Make More Money with Alternative Billing Strategies” are celebrated as masterpieces by her colleagues. She is editor and publisher of The Portable Business™, a weekly ezine with a current readership of 5500+, and pens Dear Gritty VA, a weekly online business advice column for Virtual Assistants and the clients who work with them, published on Wednesdays.

As an industry leader, Danielle is responsible for introducing many of the concepts the Virtual Assistant industry now embraces. She was the first to document the history of the profession, and she originated the industry standard for Virtual Assistant qualification and competence that has been unilaterally adopted by the industry at large. She introduced the industry to the concept of value billing, helping Virtual Assistants get away from the employee comparison and trading time for money so they can have more productive conversations with clients surrounding the results they help them achieve. These ideas are more commonplace in the industry due to Danielle’s continuing education and influence. She continues to help Virtual Assistants better understand the Virtual Assistant model and create six-figure solo practices.

Danielle is a connoisseur of life. She lives (literally) on the beautiful waters of Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest. A former private investigator, she’s always up for adventure and intrigue. She loves art, travel, independent film and sharing intellectual banter with fellow life explorers. For relaxation, she enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking and long walks along the beach or in the woods. When she’s not enjoying the outdoors, she’s a fashion-addicted girlie girl who loves to gad about town with pals at trendy hotspots and art events. One of her greatest joys is that her daughter gets to work with her and see firsthand the freedom, self-reliance and self-determination of entrepreneurship in action.

Danielle and her beau split time between their waterfront home on the Puget Sound and their condo in Germany. She is currently available for print, online and radio interviews.