February, the month of hearts, is when The Help turns another page. Now on its 6th year, time flew for the virtual assistance company started by Astrid Stanek in 2008.
A trained educator, Astrid was on the lookout for work that would give her more time to be with her young children. Being Internet savvy, she visited several job sites and found to her pleasant surprise that work from home opportunities did exist. She decided to continue exploring by creating an Elance (www.elance.com) account to see what was available for a teacher.
Learning on the job, Astrid discovered that virtual assistance was/is fun. People work even when still in pajamas. She landed her first client who was based in Massachusetts; others slowly trickled in. Then came a contract doing data entry for 40 hours per week; it felt like going to work in an office, for eight hours daily, on her own time, she now recalls.
She then landed her first international client, discovered that they can come calling from around the globe. “Being really good at what I do and totally enjoying every part of it,” is Astrid’s mind set.
Appreciating her excellent performance, she was hired and promoted from an Admin Assistant to Executive Assistant, to Head of Operations, to Head of Finance and Operations by several repeat clients.
After these said promotions, Astrid realized that she can’t handle the new responsibilities that came with her promotions and at the same time, handle the increasing number of clients and their demands on her own. She needed to hire virtual assistants to assist her as she takes on bigger responsibilities like managing projects and running offices in different parts of the globe. This need to expand ushered in the birth of The Help, the company.
And expand it did. From Bremerton, a suburb in Washington State, The Help now operates from Singapore and the Philippines. With its growth, The Help makes certain that prospective clients are the right fit. A shared vision of development, of being part of the larger whole, is more important than the income that may be generated by a prospective contract. Compatibility, credibility, trust, and communication are building blocks for The Help. With these, business has increased by leaps and bounds. The Help progressed as clients who share the same vision did. Learning the hard way, the company has refused lucrative projects that were deemed not a good fit for The Help.
Above all else, employee benefits – a competitive salary scale, social security and health benefits, paid leaves, transportation allowances, along with bonuses, and scholarships for children of staff – are priorities at The Help. They are about motivating and encouraging each team member and providing support to clients. Because of its consistency and performance, Elance has ranked it No 15th among 9, 755 virtual companies, nationwide.
Astrid, founder and owner of The Help, believes in passing it forward – helping others in small ways such as donations to an orphanage, tuition assistance for a child whose father was laid off, charity work, and sponsorship through charitable organizations. Anytime business is good, the extra goes to a good cause.
At this day and age, to continuously be a part of the global economy, The Help has to keep growing. “With the right people in my team, it cannot help but expand,” says Astrid.
She also hopes that the legacy she leaves her children and her employees will influence them in the future, guided by her principle of working because you love what you’re doing and not simply because of the money and taking pride in knowing that you are a big part of something; that more than merely contributing, you are important and you belong. “The income or profit is merely the icing on the cake. My hope is when success comes, they remain appreciative, grateful, and helpful,” Astrid says. “Just keep passing the good fortune forward.”
No surprise that The Help began on a February. It’s a company with a lot of heart.
Written by Yoli P. and edited by Kathrine E. – The Help